# Stern Pinball, this is LAZY!!

**Source:** Cary Hardy  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2024-11-20  
**Duration:** 11m 5s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-eckFP6OPM

---

## Analysis

Cary Hardy criticizes Stern Pinball's Metallica Remastered accessory lineup as lazy and overpriced, comparing design choices unfavorably to past releases (TMNT, Rush) and objecting to accessory pricing ($1,000 topper, $400 armor, $225 shooter rod, $600 expression lighting). He speculates the high prices may be due to elevated Metallica licensing fees and expresses hope this is not the new standard for upcoming Stern releases.

### Key Claims

- [MEDIUM] Metallica Remastered shooter rod design is essentially identical to the Rush shooter rod from the Rush pinball game, differing only in the logo — _Cary compares the shooter rod aesthetics and notes both are John Borg designs with similar logo-on-face layouts_
- [HIGH] Stern's Metallica Remastered topper is $1,000 — _Directly stated and sourced from Nap Arcade article cited in video_
- [MEDIUM] Expression lighting system pricing increased by approximately $100 from typical pricing — _Cary states 'that seems like it's a definite price jump' based on comparison but does not cite specific prior pricing_
- [LOW] TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) pinball had superior accessory design approach compared to Metallica Remastered — _Cary references 'Did you learn nothing from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?' but does not detail specific design comparison_
- [HIGH] Metallica Remastered LE production is limited to 500 units — _Cary states 'there's only 500 of the games' referencing LE variant_

### Notable Quotes

> "Did you learn nothing from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? That would have been the better way to go, but you took the easy route."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~1:20
> _Establishes criticism framework by invoking past Stern game as design exemplar_

> "I'm sure they're going to sell plenty of these things. I have no doubt about that. And I don't own a Metallica. I don't plan on owning one."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~2:50
> _Qualifies his criticism as external perspective while acknowledging market success_

> "that is outrageous there's no way 225 dollars it's rgb... Did Nat post something about this?"
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~4:15
> _Reacts to shooter rod pricing and corroborates concern via Nap Arcade article_

> "so the sword side armor is four hundred dollars... the armor that does look pretty wicked... aesthetically looks nice doesn't look mailed in but that price no that is not nice"
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~5:00
> _Shows selective acknowledgment of design quality while rejecting price justification_

> "maybe this is just a one-off maybe it's because Metallica maybe their licensing fees are just for whatever reason so much higher"
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~6:45
> _Proposes licensing cost explanation for price premium_

> "when it comes to this topper, it's definitely mailed in, simple, lazy. And it only highlights to me what you're about to see from Spooky Pinball Guys when it comes to toppers."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~8:00
> _Frames criticism as setup for upcoming Spooky Pinball comparison video_

> "the flasher domes... it just seems pretty simplistic and lazy to me... that is the cheap way to go about it"
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~3:30
> _Criticizes topper design approach as technically safe but uninspired_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Metallica Remastered | game | 2024 Stern Pinball remake with limited 500 LE production run; subject of accessory pricing criticism |
| Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer criticized for accessory pricing and design choices on Metallica Remastered lineup |
| John Borg | person | Stern Pinball designer credited with both Metallica and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; also designed Rush pinball (implied) |
| Cary Hardy | person | Video content creator and pinball commentary/criticism channel; does not own Metallica Remastered |
| Spooky Pinball | company | Boutique manufacturer; Cary plans upcoming video comparing Spooky accessory/topper quality favorably to Stern's approach |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | game | Stern Pinball game referenced as design exemplar; topper/accessory approach presented as superior to Metallica Remastered |
| Rush | game | Pinball game (implied Stern, John Borg designer) with shooter rod featuring logo-on-face design similar to Metallica Remastered shooter rod |
| Ray | person | Stern staff member who explains flasher dome mechanics correlation with code in official trailer |
| Nap Arcade | company | Pinball publication/news outlet that published article on Metallica Remastered accessory pricing |
| silverballswag.com | company | Merchandise vendor for Cary Hardy's 10,000 subscriber anniversary t-shirt collaboration with fictional pinball manufacturer quotes |
| Venom | game | Stern Pinball game mentioned as potential candidate for future accessory release; Cary expresses indifference to game |
| John Wick | game | Stern Pinball game mentioned as potential candidate for future accessory release; Cary expresses indifference to game |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Stern Pinball accessory pricing and value, Metallica Remastered topper and accessory design criticism
- **Secondary:** Comparison of design philosophy between Stern and Spooky Pinball, Impact of licensing fees on accessory pricing, Design repetition across John Borg games (TMNT, Metallica, Rush)
- **Mentioned:** Limited Edition LE production constraints and market exclusivity, Pinball accessory aftermarket and aftermarket modifier community

### Sentiment

**Negative** (-0.78) — Cary Hardy expresses strong disapproval of accessory pricing and design approach while attempting to remain fair-minded (acknowledging armor aesthetics, speculating on licensing justification). Tone is frustrated and sarcastic throughout, with implied hope that Spooky will demonstrate superior execution.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Potential price increases for Stern Pinball accessory ecosystem may represent new standard rather than one-off Metallica-specific premium (confidence: medium) — Cary expresses uncertainty: 'maybe this is just a one-off... or maybe this is the new standard. I don't know. We're going to wait and see when it comes to their next game'
- **[competitive_signal]** Spooky Pinball positioned as superior alternative for accessory design quality; upcoming video announcement indicates Cary expects favorable contrast (confidence: medium) — Cary states: 'it only highlights to me what you're about to see from Spooky Pinball Guys when it comes to toppers... you guys are in for a real big treat... we're gonna be talking about spooky's next game'
- **[design_philosophy]** Metallica Remastered accessory design perceived as uninspired, derivative, and lazy; topper described as simple flasher dome setup with minimal creativity (confidence: high) — Cary states topper 'just seems pretty simplistic and lazy', 'that is the cheap way to go about it', and 'when it comes to this topper, it's definitely mailed in, simple, lazy'
- **[design_philosophy]** Shooter rod design for Metallica Remastered appears to replicate Rush shooter rod design (both John Borg games), differing only in logo placement (confidence: medium) — Cary compares designs: 'isn't that a doesn't rush have something like this the rush shooter knob... the shooter knob is basically the same thing... the logo or the symbol that everybody acknowledges... it's on the face of the shooter knob. Alright so what... I mean, the rest of the game looks great... it's literally the same shooter rod only with a different damn logo'
- **[licensing_signal]** High Metallica licensing fees hypothesized as explanation for elevated accessory pricing (confidence: low) — Cary speculates: 'maybe their licensing fees are just for whatever reason so much higher... maybe the band members are just really greedy or the record label... maybe the license fees are just a lot higher than every single other damn game that Stern has done'
- **[market_signal]** Metallica Remastered accessory pricing perceived as excessive and unjustified, with topper at $1,000, armor at $400, shooter rod at $225, expression lighting at $600, and speaker lighting at $200 (confidence: high) — Cary repeatedly criticizes pricing: 'a thousand bucks', '$225... that is outrageous', 'the armor that does look... nice doesn't look mailed in but that price no that is not nice', 'expression light 600 that is like a hundred dollars... more than what they typically are'
- **[product_concern]** Speaker lighting system quality perceived as not justified by $200 price point; speaker describes LED components as cheap and not warranting premium pricing (confidence: medium) — Cary notes: 'I have been sent images of the quality of their lights that they put on their speakers and they definitely look they do not look two hundred dollars worthy leds are cheap cheap two hundred dollars'

---

## Transcript

It's finally here guys! The 10,000 subscriber, super limited amount sold, anniversary edition t-shirt. And to celebrate this occasion I have changed the logo to red and white because that makes it special. And along with this I have fictional quotes from pinball manufacturers as if they were the ones that were making this t-shirt. And some of the pinball manufacturers approve of this shirt. Get yours today at silverballswag.com. Links in the video description down below. So with a badass game like Metallica Remastered that looks amazing, it would seem only natural that when Stern releases their accessories, they too will look just as awesome. The trailer is dropped. Let's take a look at it. More moments later. Did you learn nothing from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? That would have been the better way to go, but you took the easy route. I wanted to make sure people understood what game they were playing. The title of the game is literally four inches, four, four little inches away from the back glass. The back glass says Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles right there at the top, and four inches up. If that, the title's there again. It makes no sense. Ugh, yeah, you're right. Hmm. It, maybe, John Borg, is this your doing? Because Turtles was your game. Metallica's your game. And lo and behold you've got the name of the game and then the name of the game on the back glass you're killing me and it's like I'm sure that you Metallica fans out there and you got your Metallica Remastered you're getting all this stuff more than likely especially you LE owners out there because there's only 500 of the games so you might as well soup it up and have a really nice complete licensed everything for this game. I'm sure they're going to sell plenty of these things. I have no doubt about that. And I don't own a Metallica. I don't plan on owning one. Nothing against it. It's just not a game that I want in my collection. So it, you know, my opinions as per usual is just I going to call it how I see it. And this just seems lazy. I look at this, let take a look at this. The first thing they show is the topper, I believe. Let me look at it again here. Yeah, so they're showing the topper, and it's like, you have, it looks relatively small, too. It may be a standard size, but it just looks small, and it's like such a parallel with the back glass and the topper. It's cracking me up, and it's been a long time since I've seen those Flasher Domes on, well, no, they're on a lot of games, but I just think it's old school for some reason, but they're not. They're still on some modern games, obviously, but the Flasher Domes up there, I'm sure, yes, like you know Ray says in the video there they correlate with the code on the game but it just seems pretty simplistic and lazy to me for what this topper looks like. I mean, it looks okay but it's just like safe, like what can we do? It's easy, safe, and kind of goes along with the code in the game. Bam, you got it. That is the cheap way to go about it. But is it cheap? What is the price on this thing? A thousand bucks. I feel like I'm beating a dead horse at this point. Alright, so the next thing that we've got is the shooter rod and it's got the metallic M on it. Why does this look familiar? This is, hold on, let me get the side angle right here. Isn't that, am I wrong, but isn't that a, doesn't Rush have something like this? The Rush shooter knob holy shit. And is it a coincidence, John, that Rush was also a game of yours? And the shooter knob is basically the same thing. It's the logo or the symbol that everybody acknowledges of what it is and it's on the face of the shooter knob. Alright, so what. Alright, so let go over what the price on the shooter rod. 225 dollars. Are you, this is, that is outrageous. There's no way 225 dollars. It's RGB. Hold up. I think, let's... Did Nat post something about this? As a matter of fact, he did! Stern Pinball reveals new Metallica Remastered accessories. Are price increases coming? I don't know what's going by from what I've seen so far. Yes! What? What? Look at this! So the sword side armor is four hundred dollars. No, no, no. Now see, now I'm not gonna deny it. The, uh, the armor, that does look pretty wicked. I do like the way the armor looks. That looks pretty cool, okay. I'll give you that. Aesthetically looks nice, doesn't look mailed in, but that price. No, that is not nice. And then what else do they have? All the expression lighting. Yeah, just let's look at the Nat Arcade article right here. So topper, thousand bucks. Side armor, 400 bucks. RGB shooter rod, 225 dollars. Expression light, 600. That is like a hundred dollars. Isn't that like a hundred dollars more than what they typically are? I should just read the damn article and then just start recording the video again, but that seems like it's a definite price jump. And then the speaker lighting system is 200. And that it is crazy to me because I have seen images. I personally have never installed the Stern lighting kit, but I have been sent images of the quality of their lights that they put on their speakers and they definitely look. They do not look two hundred dollars worthy. LEDs are cheap. Cheap. Two hundred dollars. My god. It's like, I don't know how much more time and effort I want to devote to this video because obviously it seems like they putting time and effort into what they trying to sell us for a ridiculous price. But hopefully what we seeing for Metallica right here is not what we going to be seeing on upcoming products. Maybe this is just a one-off. Maybe it's because Metallica. Maybe their licensing fees are just for whatever reason so much higher. That's what I'm going to lean towards and hope for. Maybe the band members are just really greedy or the record label, whatever, who is ever in charge over this. Maybe the license fees are just a lot higher than every single other damn game that Stern has done. Maybe. So we'll leave that window as an out form. Because that's usually the culprit to a lot of the things that we don't like. So I'm just going to wrap it up because I'm ready to talk about something else, but let's just hope that this is the only game that is affected with these prices, or maybe this is the new standard. I don't know. We're going to wait and see when it comes to their next game or the next type of accessories that get released for a game that's probably overdue for it, like Venom or maybe even John Wick. But either of those games, I don't care about either. But whatever. But, you know, when it comes to this topper, it's definitely mailed in, simple, lazy. And it only highlights to me what you're about to see from Spooky Pinball Guys when it comes to toppers. Yeah. So that's going to be more than likely my upcoming video here pretty soon. We're gonna be talking about Spooky's next game and what's in store for you guys. I think you guys are in for a real big treat. So by all means, if you want to hear more information about that, subscribe button down below and I'll see you on the next one guys. I mean, it's, it's literally the same shooter rod only with a different damn logo on there. I mean, the rest of the game looks great. I mean, and it, I can't, whatever. And that's the thing, is that I'm not even creative or imaginative enough or big fans of Metallica enough to know what the topper should be kind of thing. But I do know that when I look at this, it does seem very just that'll do, pig. That'll do kind of thing. And it's always Metallica and then Metallica. God.

_(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

---

*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 06cb4a9d-5a40-4554-86cc-6607d11dd388*