# Stern Pinball: Making of Iron Maiden Pinball

**Source:** Stern Pinball  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2018-06-27  
**Duration:** 4m 59s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A340hjRFsR0

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## Analysis

Keith Elwin, legendary seven-time World Pinball Champion turned game designer at Stern Pinball, discusses the creation of Iron Maiden, his first commercial pinball design. The video covers his transition from competitive play to design, the collaborative process with mechanical designer Harrison and software engineer Rick Nagel, and key design innovations including the four-flipper layout, center lift ramp mechanism, bullseye target, and Newton Ball mechanism. Elwin emphasizes kinetic satisfaction, playfield flow, and the one-year production timeline from CAD to shipping.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Iron Maiden was Keith Elwin's first professional pinball game design at Stern — _Elwin states 'This is my first game. I was hired to do this design, and Iron Maiden was born.'_
- [HIGH] Stern had not released a four-flipper game in approximately fifteen years before Iron Maiden — _Elwin: 'We haven't done a four-flipper game in probably fifteen years. This game brings that back.'_
- [HIGH] The center lift ramp mechanism with underworld scoop is exclusive to Premium and LE models — _Narrator states: 'This is the mechanism for the center lift ramp on Premium and LE models.'_
- [HIGH] It takes over a year from CAD files to physical machine production — _Elwin: 'It takes over a year from CAD files to it actually getting built.'_
- [HIGH] The bullseye target segments independently control separate switches allowing software to determine highest-value hit — _Narrator explains the three-section bullseye target with independent switch control._

### Notable Quotes

> "The upper two flippers allows you to play more of the pinball machine than just the bottom part."
> — **Keith Elwin**
> _Explains the design philosophy behind four-flipper layout, emphasizing player control and engagement with upper playfield._

> "Your Premium offers more kinetic satisfaction because the devices are more interactive."
> — **Narrator**
> _Articulates the Premium tier value proposition in terms of mechanical interactivity, a key design goal._

> "Even if it's a successful hit, it has to feel like you actually hit it."
> — **Keith Elwin**
> _Highlights the critical importance of kinetic feedback in pinball design—mechanical satisfaction beyond just rule success._

> "We're working in the shadow of some giants here at Stern, so we really had to make a splash on the first game."
> — **Keith Elwin**
> _Conveys the pressure and legacy context of being a rookie designer at a storied company._

> "It was just kind of a dream. And, oh, yeah, look, there it is."
> — **Keith Elwin**
> _Emotional reaction to seeing the physical machine for the first time, capturing the fulfillment of design-to-product journey._

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Keith Elwin | person | Seven-time World Pinball Champion, game designer at Stern Pinball, designer of Iron Maiden; transitioned from elite competitive play to commercial game design. |
| Iron Maiden | game | Licensed music-themed pinball machine by Stern Pinball, Keith Elwin's first professional design; features four-flipper layout, center lift ramp, Egyptian/Power Slave theming, Newton Ball mechanism, and innovative bullseye target. |
| Stern Pinball | company | Major pinball manufacturer where Keith Elwin works as game designer. |
| Harrison | person | Mechanical designer at Stern Pinball; collaborated with Keith Elwin on Iron Maiden, translating napkin sketches into CAD/SolidWorks files and prototype mechanisms. |
| Rick Nagel | person | Software engineer at Stern Pinball; handled programming and rule set implementation for Iron Maiden based on Keith Elwin's design specifications. |
| Zombie Yeti | person | Artist at Stern Pinball, described as 'artist extraordinaire'; created stunning artwork for Iron Maiden; confirmed as Maiden fan. |
| Newton Ball mechanism | product | Innovative captive ball alternative on Iron Maiden featuring 360-degree omnidirectional sensing target; designed to provide captive ball experience without spatial footprint. |
| Bullseye target | product | Key feature on Iron Maiden with three independently controlled segments (outer ring, middle ring, center bullseye); allows software to determine and reward highest-value hits. |
| Center lift ramp | product | Exclusive Premium/LE feature on Iron Maiden; raises to reveal underworld scoop after collecting Eddie letters; ramp closes, raises, and fires ball back to player. |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Game design philosophy and process, Four-flipper layout innovation, Kinetic satisfaction and mechanical interactivity, Collaboration between designer, mechanical engineer, and software engineer
- **Secondary:** Tier differentiation (Pro/Premium/LE feature distribution), Production timeline and manufacturing process, Iron Maiden licensing and theme integration, Keith Elwin's transition from competitive play to game design

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.85) — Video is an official Stern Pinball production showcasing pride in the design and manufacturing process. Keith Elwin expresses enthusiasm and satisfaction with the game and team collaboration. No criticism or negative sentiment present; tone is celebratory and reflective of achievement.

### Signals

- **[design_innovation]** Newton Ball mechanism—360-degree omnidirectional sensing target—attempts to replicate captive ball satisfaction without the spatial footprint, addressing playfield density constraints. (confidence: high) — Narrator: 'The new Newton Ball mechanism tries to bring a captive ball experience without actually having to take up the room of a captive ball.'
- **[design_philosophy]** Keith Elwin's design approach emphasizes kinetic satisfaction—mechanical feedback must accompany rule success. Upper flipper placement improves player control and engagement with entire playfield; ramps positioned as challenging shots to create flow. (confidence: high) — Elwin discusses 'kinetic satisfaction' repeatedly; explains upper flippers allow play beyond bottom, and ramps kept outside as tough shots to maintain ball proximity to flippers.
- **[personnel_signal]** Harrison (mechanical designer) and Rick Nagel (software engineer) were key collaborators on Iron Maiden; Harrison's work translating Elwin's napkin sketches to CAD was critical to prototyping and iteration. (confidence: high) — Elwin describes his collaborative process: 'I would approach Harrison with my napkin scribbling, and then he would ask me for a CAD file. He would turn it into a SolidWorks file, and we'd prototype it.'
- **[product_strategy]** Iron Maiden implements tier-based feature distribution: center lift ramp with underworld scoop exclusive to Premium/LE models; Newton Ball mechanism varies by tier; Standard (Pro) lacks premium mechanical interactivity. (confidence: high) — Narrator explicitly states center lift ramp is 'on Premium and LE models'; discussion of Premium offering 'more kinetic satisfaction because the devices are more interactive.'
- **[manufacturing_signal]** Manufacturing lead time from CAD completion to physical production and shipping exceeds one year; reflects complexity of mechanical design, sourcing, and assembly. (confidence: high) — Elwin states: 'It takes over a year from CAD files to it actually getting built.'
- **[technology_signal]** Four-flipper layout represents re-introduction of legacy pinball design after ~15-year absence from Stern's portfolio, signaling renewed interest in upper playfield engagement and classical design principles. (confidence: high) — Elwin: 'We haven't done a four-flipper game in probably fifteen years. This game brings that back. I think that's gonna be a unique draw for the player.'

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## Transcript

my name is Keith Elwin I'm a game designer here at Stern pinball and this is my game iron maiden how you would hear about Keith Elwin if you got into playing pinball you would hear that hey there's this player who's won you know seven world pinball championships he can keep like four balls I've won flipper and then play pinball with the other Oh is is completely in control I started playing in tournaments when I was around twenty years old I qualified I did really well I've been doing tournaments ever since I've always stuck with it and then I had an opportunity to stand to make it and I said yeah okay he's done everything there is to do in competitive pinball and now he's taking what he knows and he's bringing it to designing pinball machines this is my first game I was hired to do this design and effort was born yeah some mechanical designers name's Harrison so this was his first professional pinball design and soon as I got in the Doros you know on the ground running working on this project our software engineer Rick Naval he was brought on to kind of handle programming called the rules that I had come up with loose game I'm the technical muscle floor rookies pinball knowledge everybody looked up and respected me for some reason because they thought I know what I was talking about so it was great you know we're working in the shadow of some giants here at Stern's so we really had to make a splash on the first game so rookies I didn't know that it was an Iron Maiden game until my first date I started listening to them when I was really young probably younger than I should have been sort of hit the beam jackpot is something I'd like to work on this is definitely a dream theme I really like this design we haven't done a for flipper game in probably 15 years this game brings that back I think that's gonna be unique draw for the player with the four flippers the upper two flippers allows you to play more of the pinball machine than just the bottom part I think when you get stuck at the bottom fire for too long the back looks very distant and then when you have that flipper up there it feels like okay I'm up there I have the control at the upper part of the playfield usually the ramps are some of your easiest shots in the game keep flip the ramps on the outside of the game and spinners and some loops in the middle of the game and make those the big shots and make ramps the tough shots what it actually winds up building is a more flowing game because the ball is always near a flipper and that flipper can always affect it this is the mechanism for the center lift ramp on premium and le models Sony collect enough Eddy letters at the ramp will raise to reveal this underworld scoop the player can then shoot into the scoop the ramp will close will get your mode presentation and then the ramp will be raised and fire the ball back at the player I would approach Harrison with my David Hankin scribbling and then he would ask me for a CAD file he would turn it into a SolidWorks file and we'd prototype it sure enough it would work and then we'd move on to the next device one of the big main features that Keith wanted on every model of Iron Maiden was gonna be the bullseye target the segment is broken up into three sections so you have an outer ring a middle ring and then those Center bullseye target so those all independently control a switch on the back and then our software can determine which one was the highest value that you hit your premium offers more kinetic satisfaction because the devices are more interactive it's a key spec thing during the development this game was to make sure that he was kinetically satisfied and for the longest time I had to figure out that Matt turns out even if it's a successful hit it has to feel like you actually hit it the new Newton ball mechanism tries to bring a captive ball experienced without actually having to take up the room of the captive ball so it's a 360 degree omnidirectional sensing target kinetics and distraction I think it's fun to shoot the rules are good the sounds good the artwork stunning so that that's gonna draw the new players in our artist extraordinaire zombie Eddie he's a big Maiden fan and he he was all excited about it you know it takes over a year from CAD files to it actually getting villain but you know the whole time I was just what's it actually gonna be like the missus on the line I was so busy leading up to that point I don't think I really had time they're like just inhale and take it in the day came up faster than I thought it was just kind of a dream that's oh oh yeah look there it is and it is very cool to walk down the line and see something you built and getting shipped off to Italy Germany and all these other places they're going right now

_(Acquisition: youtube_auto_sub, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 427f810c-e164-4673-bb92-4e21f45f98ce*