# X-Men LE Pinball with John Borg of Stern Pinball

**Source:** Stern Pinball  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2012-07-05  
**Duration:** 6m 24s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCTm2IMceZ4

---

## Analysis

John Borg from Stern Pinball provides a detailed walkthrough of X-Men LE Wolverine Edition, demonstrating core gameplay mechanics including molded character toys (Magneto, Wolverine, Nightcrawler), multiball modes, character collection systems, and two wizard modes (Dark Phoenix and Danger Room). The machine features innovative design elements like a motorized Iceman ramp, magnetic Wolverine toy, spinning disc for multiball, and three-flipper layout with multiple scoop and ramp shots.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] X-Men LE features a three-flipper layout with multiple scoops and ramps designed for maximum ball control — _John Borg states 'I like to have as much control of the ball in the game as possible, so I always like to have three flippers' and describes Xavier scoop with VUK, left scoop for mystery features, and multiple ramp shots_
- [HIGH] Wolverine toy uses an electromagnet that throws the ball back at the player, sometimes up the playfield for additional shots — _Borg: 'When you hit the Wolverine toy—he's like a large target—and when he moves and a switch is made, the magnet energizes and will throw the ball back at you. Sometimes it throws it up the playfield and makes shots for you.'_
- [HIGH] Magneto multiball uses a spinning disc that releases four balls from the lock area — _Borg describes: 'When I send my fourth ball into the Magneto lock, multiball starts... The four balls will come out of the lock and deposit onto the spinning disc, where they'll stay clustered in the center, and then the disc will start to spin and then it'll release the balls'_
- [HIGH] Iceman ramp is motorized and pivots across the playfield during play to change shot routes — _Borg: 'During play, after you shoot the Iceman ramp some number of times, the motorized ramp will pivot across the playfield and feed the ball into the ramp on the opposite side to set you up for repeated shots'_
- [HIGH] Game features two wizard modes: Dark Phoenix and Danger Room — _Borg states: 'There are two wizard modes in the game: one is called Dark Phoenix, and the other one is called Danger Room'_

### Notable Quotes

> "I like to have as much control of the ball in the game as possible, so I always like to have three flippers."
> — **John Borg**, ~mid-content
> _Reveals Borg's design philosophy prioritizing player control through flipper access and ball routing_

> "When you hit the Wolverine toy—he's like a large target—and when he moves and a switch is made, the magnet energizes and will throw the ball back at you."
> — **John Borg**, ~early
> _Describes key magnetic toy mechanic central to Wolverine character integration_

> "There are two wizard modes in the game: one is called Dark Phoenix, and the other one is called Danger Room."
> — **John Borg**, ~end
> _Confirms end-game content structure with two distinct wizard modes_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| John Borg | person | Legendary Stern Pinball designer demonstrating X-Men LE Wolverine Edition; known for mechanical innovation and playfield design |
| X-Men LE Wolverine Edition | game | Limited Edition Stern Pinball machine based on Marvel X-Men IP, featuring character collection mechanics and multiple wizard modes |
| Stern Pinball | company | Major pinball manufacturer producing X-Men LE game |
| Magneto | game | Molded figurine on X-Men playfield; central to multiball lock mechanic and villain modes |
| Wolverine | game | Molded figurine with electromagnet on X-Men playfield; struck by player to trigger magnetic ball throws |
| Nightcrawler | game | Pop-up character figurines on X-Men playfield that teleport between left and right sides during timed modes |
| Iceman | game | Motorized ramp feature on X-Men that pivots across playfield during play to change shot routes |
| Dark Phoenix | game | One of two wizard modes on X-Men LE, unlocked after completing villain modes |
| Danger Room | game | One of two wizard modes on X-Men LE, unlocked after completing all X-Men features and modes |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Mechanical toy design and integration, Multiball modes and lock mechanics, Wizard mode progression and end-game content, Character collection gameplay systems
- **Secondary:** Flipper layout and ball control philosophy, Marvel IP integration in pinball

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.85) — John Borg presents the game with enthusiasm and pride in mechanical design choices. Tone is professional but engaging, demonstrating features with confidence. No criticism or concerns expressed; content is purely promotional demonstration.

### Signals

- **[design_philosophy]** Three-flipper layout preference to maximize player ball control, reflected in X-Men LE design with multiple flipper access points and scoops (confidence: high) — Borg: 'I like to have as much control of the ball in the game as possible, so I always like to have three flippers' followed by detailed description of three flipper implementation
- **[announcement]** Official manufacturer demonstration of X-Men LE Wolverine Edition gameplay, mechanics, and feature set by principal designer (confidence: high) — John Borg providing detailed walkthrough of all major playfield elements, modes, and design philosophy from Stern Pinball official channel

---

## Transcript

hi everybody I'm John bour from Stern Pinball and we're going to give you an intro to X-Men L Wolverine Edition you think you got what it takes to be an X-Man cousin tag join me stranger it's a do future that rushes towards us the X-Men game has a series of things on it starting out with the Magneto molded figurine Wolverine molded figurine Magneto area has a double upst that pops up where it'll hold the ball and is actually a captive ball Wolverine has a magnet out in front of him when you hit the Wolverine toy he's like a large Target and when he moves and a switch is made the magnet energizes and will throw the ball back at you sometimes it throws it up the Playfield and makes shots for you we have Nightcrawler figurines that pop up out of the Playfield they are like giant targets Now You See Me Now you don't only available at certain times in the game we have a magnetic spinning disc doing Magneto multiball the balls come spilling out of the lock area onto the disc the disc spins and then the magnet releases the balls and they scatter we have a moving Iceman ramp during play after you shoot the Iceman ramp some number of times the motorized ramp will pivot across the Playfield and feed the ball into the ramp on the opposite side to set you up for repeated shots I like to have as much control of the ball in the game as as possible so I always like to have three flippers we've got a scoop that is fed through an up kicker on the lower part of the Playfield this is the Xavier shot the ball travels up through the scoop and it deflects off an angled surface right at the exit and it propels the ball down the left ramp about as fast as it would as if you had shot the ramp with the flipper and we also have a scoop on the left side of the game that gives you mystery features and it also is a helper During certain rounds in the game it'll add time it'll add a ball into play all of the jelly games are also assigned in the lower right underneath the right flipper uh by Yours Truly okay we just started the game and uh we're going to try to assemble an X-Men team each shot that I make I'm going to collect an X-Men and when I go into Magneto multiball all those X-Men that I completed will be available for jackpots and multiballs first thing we're going to do is we're going to try to shoot for Cyclops Iceman and we've got Phoenix and we just locked our first ball automatically put a ball into the Magnum lock when I make that shot also on the left side of the game we have beast and Xavier there's also a lot of combo shots in the game where you can collect two Xmen by uh making a combo shot so what I'm going to do is I'm going to shoot the left orbit and the ball travel around the back of the game to the right upper flipper and then I'll shoot the left ramp where I'll collect storm there's also an in Loop that feeds into the lock where I'll collect Rogue and I'll also lock another ball Xavier is in the middle of the Playfield just to the left of Magneto and that ball will Propel the ball through a scoop and fire it down the left ramp and Wolverine of course is in the middle of the Playfield down at the bottom of the game I'm the best there is at what I do when I send my fourth ball into the Magneto lock multiball start now I will have my Vengeance the four balls will come out of the lock and depos it onto the spinning disc where they'll stay clustered in the center and then the disc will start to spin and then it'll release the balls for multiball look on me X-Men for I am your oldest deadliest bow after Magneto multiball all of the X-Men lamps will light and you'll have to complete those shots some number of times to start the mode for each character if you shoot the left orbit you can start the beast mode and you'll see Beast come up in the display and you'll have a timed mode where you'll have to try to shoot Beast as many times as you can the three inlanes at the bottom on either side of the slingshot all read Blackbird launch when you complete these three the scoop on the left a light and there's a blue lamp above the scoop that'll start to flash and when you shoot the ball into the scoop it'll give you a black version feature and in the display you'll see the Blackbird lift up and take off at the bottom of the Playfield we've got seven villain features These Walls Start when you shoot the ball into the scoop two of the modes have icons on them one is hellfire club and the other is Brotherhood you'll shoot the right and the left Target Banks if you do complete enough targets it will be a multiball mode the Gambit feature starts from a number of hits in the pop buper area when the Gambit feature starts it starts a hurry up or a countdown B bonus you have to shoot the ball through the pop bumpers and not hit any of them ball travels around the orbit what you want to do is you want to push your right flipper button in which will hold the right flipper up and as the ball comes around to that flipper it'll deflect off The Flipper into the right pop bumper and that's how you collect the gambut bonus there two popup characters in the middle of the Playfield Nightcrawler on the left will pop up and then a couple seconds before it goes down it Jiggles and then it drops and then night crawler teleports over to the opposite side of the Playfield and this is a Time ground where you have to hit as many night crawlers as you can Wolverine is like a large Target and there's an electromagnet in front of them and when you strike Wolverine with the ball the magnet will energize and it will throw the ball back towards you when you hit Wolverine some number of times the ball will stop on the magnet the ball will be propelled off the magnet back toward the flippers you have to try to strike Wolverine as many times as you can after you've completed Magneto multiball the first time you can go back and you can re-qualify the locks and start it a second time there is a Target on either side of the Magneto entrance that you'll have to strike to enable green lock squares that are uh about the Playfield it'll enable a lock and it'll lock the balls in the Magneto area when you shoot the right ramp you advancing towards the Iceman round when you've qualified it this metal section of the Iceman ramp will pivot across the Playfield to the other side and when that happens a timer starts and you have to shoot that right ramp over and over again so the ball will travel around the ramp come over and feed your left flipper and set you up for another shot at the right ramp there are two wizard modes in the game one is called Dark Phoenix and the other one is called Danger Room Danger Room program ready the danger room starts when you you completed all the X-Men features and played all the modes and when you've completed all the villain modes um you'll start the dark Phoenix mode

_(Acquisition: youtube_auto_sub, Enrichment: v3)_

---

*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 8c87b482-4885-4a3f-be0f-e1c892795c33*