# Pinball News & Notes: Last Call for Stern Guardians of the Galaxy, Kingpin is Dead, New Code

**Source:** Knapp Arcade  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2023-09-13  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.knapparcade.org/pinball-news-notes-last-call-for-stern-guardians-of-the-galaxy-kingpin-is-dead-new-code

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## Analysis

Industry news roundup covering Stern's final Guardians of the Galaxy production run, the collapse of Circus Maximus's Kingpin and Pinball Circus remake projects, American Pinball's lapsed Galactic Tank Force trademark, and recent code updates for Heist, James Bond, and Queen. Highlights ongoing disappointment with Circus Maximus's lack of communication to pre-order customers.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Stern Pinball has scheduled a final production run for Guardians of the Galaxy Pro in December — _Distributor Flip N Out confirmation; presented as definitive calendar scheduling_
- [HIGH] Pinball Circus remake by Circus Maximus is completely dead with no plans to resume — _Author received update in response to Pinside inquiry; stated as definitive decision_
- [HIGH] Kingpin remake by Circus Maximus is dead; all U.S. Trademarks have expired except one held by a gentleman in the Netherlands — _Author's sourced update; trademark status verifiable_
- [HIGH] Circus Maximus accepted pre-order money for Kingpin/Pinball Circus remakes via translite sales but has not provided updates in several years — _Author's direct observation; characterized as customer service failure_
- [MEDIUM] American Pinball has let the trademark for 'Galactic Tank Force' lapse — _Author's observation with caveat of possible administrative error; verifiable via trademark records_
- [HIGH] Heist, James Bond, and Queen received new code updates — _Stated as recent factual update; manufacturers are Multimorphic, Stern, and Pinball Brothers respectively_
- [HIGH] Jurassic Park will receive a new code update launching an entirely new mode called 'Insider Connected Quest' — _Direct quote from upcoming feature announcement_

### Notable Quotes

> "Is Stern slowly starting to fill in the mysterious late-year hole in its production schedule with random runs of existing games or are we actually going to see something new / vaulted from them. I sure hope that it's the latter."
> — **Author (Knapp Arcade)**
> _Expresses speculation and hope about Stern's late-year production strategy; implies concern about lack of new game announcements_

> "Pinball Circus is completely dead and there's no chance that they are remaking either game."
> — **Author (Knapp Arcade)**
> _Definitive statement ending speculation about Circus Maximus remake projects_

> "It's very disappointing that Circus Maximus would take pre-order money for a remake by selling translites and not at least provide an update on the project for the past several years."
> — **Author (Knapp Arcade)**
> _Direct criticism of Circus Maximus's business practices and customer communication_

> "Stay tuned for details on the upcoming Insider Connected Quest which will keep players all over the world busy trying to collect Dinosaur DNA strands."
> — **Stern Pinball (Jurassic Park development team)**
> _Official announcement of upcoming game mode/feature; indicates continued post-launch support for Jurassic Park_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Stern Pinball | company | Major pinball manufacturer; scheduling final production run of Guardians of the Galaxy Pro; has mysterious late-year production schedule gap |
| Guardians of the Galaxy (Stern) | game | Pro model pinball machine; final production run scheduled for December; subject of apparent end-of-life announcement |
| Circus Maximus | company | Pinball manufacturer/developer; remake projects (Kingpin, Pinball Circus) confirmed dead; criticized for lack of customer communication on pre-orders |
| Kingpin | game | Capcom original pinball game; Circus Maximus remake project cancelled; U.S. trademarks expired except one held by Netherlands collector; community members working on code documentation |
| Pinball Circus | game | Circus Maximus remake project; officially cancelled; no plans to resurface |
| American Pinball | company | Boutique manufacturer; has lapsed trademark on Galactic Tank Force despite game still in production |
| Galactic Tank Force | game | American Pinball title; trademark lapsed; game still in active production |
| Flip N Out | company | Pinball distributor; primary source for Guardians of the Galaxy production schedule update |
| Multimorphic | company | Pinball manufacturer; recently released code update for Heist |
| Heist (Multimorphic) | game | Multimorphic pinball game; received new code update |
| James Bond (Stern) | game | Stern pinball machine; received new code update |
| Pinball Brothers | company | Pinball manufacturer; recently released code update for Queen |
| Queen | game | Pinball Brothers game; received new code update |
| Jurassic Park (Stern) | game | Stern pinball game; upcoming code update will introduce 'Insider Connected Quest' mode featuring dinosaur DNA strand collection mechanic |
| Pinside | organization | Pinball community forum; venue where author was called out for update on Circus Maximus projects; hosts code documentation and discussion |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Production schedules and end-of-life announcements, Failed remake projects and abandoned pre-orders, Code updates and post-launch support
- **Secondary:** Trademark management and IP protection, Manufacturer business practices and customer communication, Community documentation and preservation efforts

### Sentiment

**Negative** (-0.65) — Author expresses disappointment with Circus Maximus's failed projects and poor customer communication, mild speculation about Stern's production strategy, but positive tone regarding code updates and community efforts. Overall weighted negative due to focus on project failures and lack of new content announcements.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Circus Maximus failed to deliver on Kingpin and Pinball Circus remake pre-orders; took customer money via translite sales but has not communicated for several years (confidence: high) — Author states: 'It's very disappointing that Circus Maximus would take pre-order money for a remake by selling translites and not at least provide an update on the project for the past several years.'
- **[business_signal]** American Pinball trademark administration issue; Galactic Tank Force trademark lapsed despite game still in production, creating potential IP protection gap (confidence: medium) — Author notes: 'given the fact that the game is still in production and they want to sell other products using its Intellectual Property, they should probably seek to fix that ASAP'
- **[community_signal]** Community members actively working on Kingpin code documentation and preservation on Pinside and YouTube; grassroots effort to maintain game for future consideration (confidence: high) — Author states: 'Someone is working on finishing and improving the Kingpin code and documenting it on Pinside and YouTube'
- **[licensing_signal]** Kingpin trademark landscape fractured; all U.S. Trademarks expired except one held by Netherlands-based collector with no manufacturer affiliation; effectively blocks commercial remake (confidence: high) — Author confirms trademark expiration except for Netherlands holder; states this individual is 'not currently affiliated with any manufacturer that could produce the game'
- **[product_strategy]** Guardians of the Galaxy Pro receiving final production run in December suggests end-of-life for the game; author speculates Stern may be using late-year schedule gap with existing games rather than new releases (confidence: medium) — December final run scheduled; author questions whether this indicates lack of new game announcements
- **[product_strategy]** Jurassic Park receiving new code update with entirely new game mode 'Insider Connected Quest' featuring cross-game community challenge mechanic (confidence: high) — Direct quote of upcoming feature: 'an entirely new mode / challenge' and 'Insider Connected Quest which will keep players all over the world busy trying to collect Dinosaur DNA strands'

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## Transcript

Good morning everyone. After a big flurry of news to end last week, things have been I've very quiet on the arcade front to start this week off. Plus I've been pretty busy with work and my son's high school soccer games. I figured that I'd offer proof of life that I'm still here lol with a few minor pinball odds and ends this morning.

First up, according to the distributor Flip N Out, Stern Pinball has added one last production run for its Guardians of the Galaxy Pro pinball machine to its calendar for December. This supposedly will be the final production run for the game. Is Stern slowly starting to fill in the mysterious late-year hole in its production schedule with random runs of existing games or are we actually going to see something new / vaulted from them. I sure hope that it's the latter. Time will tell.

Next up is an update on Circus Maximus' efforts to reproduce Pinball Circus and Kingpin. I was recently called out on Pinside asking for an update on this situation, so this is what I've heard. Pinball Circus is completely dead and there's no chance that they are remaking either game. In fact, all U.S. Trademarks for the sought-after Capcom game have been allowed to expire except for a newer one from a gentleman in the Netherlands who has accumulated a number of parts and documents about the game but as far as I know does not currently have any affiliation whatsoever with a manufacturer that could produce the game.

Someone is working on finishing and improving the Kingpin code and documenting it on Pinside and YouTube but again this individual is not currently affiliated with any manufacturer.

So Kingpin sits in limbo for the foreseeable future. It's very disappointing that Circus Maximus would take pre-order money for a remake by selling translites and not at least provide an update on the project for the past several years.

Speaking of trademarks, somehow American Pinball has let the trademark for "Galactic Tank Force" lapse. My guess is that this was some sort of administrative error on the company's part, but given the fact that the game is still in production and they want to sell other products using its Intellectual Property, they should probably seek to fix that ASAP, unless for some reason they don't care.

In pinball code news, we recently were given new updates for Multimorphic's Heist, Stern Pinball's James Bond and Pinball Brothers' Queen.

I personally am anxiously awaiting another code update for Stern Pinball's Jurassic park in the near future. The next update will launch an entirely new mode / challenge to the game:

"Stay tuned for details on the upcoming Insider Connected Quest which will keep players all over the world busy trying to collect Dinosaur DNA strands."

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 8a527d3d-c678-467b-94f5-86bca80e981f*