# Foo Fighters Pinball Review **Source:** Pinball Pursuit **Type:** video **Published:** 2025-02-22 **Duration:** 6m 29s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24qe9XgQ8e8 --- ## Analysis Mrs. J and Dr. C from Pinball Pursuit review Stern's Foo Fighters pinball (2023), designed by Jack Danger with code by Tanya Kleiss and art by Jeremy Packer. They praise the machine's creative sci-fi theme, bold visuals, excellent soundtrack, satisfying layout, and deep but accessible gameplay, awarding it 21/25 points. The only criticisms are minor visual clutter and shot difficulty variance between reviewers. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Foo Fighters is Jack Danger's first full production machine for Stern — _Mrs. J states directly: 'Foo Fighters is his first full production machine for Stern'_ - [HIGH] Foo Fighters currently sits at number 16 on Pinside's top 100 list — _Mrs. J: 'As of this recording, it's climbed up the ranks on Pinside's top 100 list, currently sitting at number 16'_ - [HIGH] Tanya Kleiss is the lead code programmer for Foo Fighters — _Mrs. J: 'The lead code programmer, Tanya Kleiss, crafted a deep and engaging rule set'_ - [HIGH] Jeremy Packer handled the artwork for Foo Fighters — _Mrs. J: 'Jeremy Packer, who handled the artwork, bringing his signature bold and colorful style to the game'_ - [HIGH] The Premium Edition has an overdrive feature that saves the ball from draining — _Mrs. J: 'the overdrive feature on the Premium Edition machine that saves you from draining the ball'_ - [HIGH] Foo Fighters features a third flipper — _Mrs. J: 'the third flipper adds even more variety to shot options'_ - [HIGH] The game features multiple cities to tour with different challenges — _Dr. C: 'Each city that you tour has a different type of challenge to conquer'_ - [HIGH] Foo Fighters has several multiball modes including Overlord multiball and Combatron multiball — _Dr. C mentions 'There are several multiballs in the game' and 'that Combatron multiball' and 'Overlord multiballs'_ ### Notable Quotes > "Foo Fighters is a game that oozes personality and energy." > — **Mrs. J**, opening > _Sets the tone for the overall positive review_ > "It's like a Saturday morning cartoon meets rock and roll, and it fits perfectly with the band's personality." > — **Mrs. J**, theme_section > _Describes the unique narrative approach to the theme_ > "I especially love the cartoony voice of the Overlord. So funny." > — **Mrs. J**, sound_section > _Highlights specific audio design element they enjoyed_ > "Jack Danger knocked it out of the park with this layout." > — **Mrs. J**, feel_section > _High praise for the playfield design and shot quality_ > "This machine has been really challenging for me to hit shots. From hitting the van shot to start a mode to the super steep right ramp, this machine has given me more difficulty than other machines have." > — **Mrs. J**, feel_section > _Notes the differing difficulty experience between the two reviewers_ > "I love how the highly flowy gameplay melds perfectly with the code of the game, especially that Combatron multiball." > — **Dr. C**, play_section > _Praises the integration of layout and rule set_ > "The game does an excellent job balancing objectives so that both casual players and hardcore pinheads can have fun." > — **Dr. C**, play_section > _Highlights the accessibility and depth balance_ > "Foo Fighters Pinball has been one of the most creative and fun machines we've ever played." > — **Mrs. J and Dr. C**, conclusion > _Strong concluding endorsement_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Foo Fighters Pinball | game | 2023 Stern pinball machine themed around rock band Foo Fighters with sci-fi narrative, designed by Jack Danger | | Jack Danger | person | Designer of Foo Fighters Pinball; described as known for creative, fast-paced layouts; this is his first full production machine for Stern | | Tanya Kleiss | person | Lead code programmer for Foo Fighters Pinball; responsible for rule set, missions, multiballs, and strategic stacking opportunities | | Jeremy Packer | person | Artwork designer for Foo Fighters Pinball; known for bold, colorful, detailed art style | | Mrs. J | person | Co-host of Pinball Pursuit review; found the machine challenging to hit shots on, rated feel at 3/5 individually | | Dr. C | person | Co-host of Pinball Pursuit review; found the machine feels incredible to shoot, rated feel near perfect individually | | Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer of Foo Fighters Pinball; went all-in on themed experience with sci-fi narrative | | Foo Fighters | organization | Rock band whose music and brand are licensed for the pinball machine; integrated into sci-fi battle narrative | | Overlord | product | Antagonist character/toy in Foo Fighters Pinball; evil alien overlord in the game's narrative; described as engaging interactive element | | Pinside | organization | Pinball community website that maintains a top 100 machine rankings list | | Pinball Pursuit | organization | YouTube review channel hosted by Mrs. J and Dr. C focused on pinball machine reviews | ### Topics - **Primary:** Game Design & Layout, Theme & Narrative Integration, Artwork & Visual Presentation, Audio/Music Implementation, Playability & Accessibility Balance - **Secondary:** Rule Set & Code Quality, Premium Edition Features ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.88) — Overwhelmingly positive review with consistent praise across all five categories (theme, look, sound, feel, play). Score of 21/25 is described as 'just below' Jurassic Park. The only criticisms are minor: some visual clutter during fast play, and one reviewer found shot difficulty challenging. Both reviewers emphasize the machine's creativity, personality, and fun factor. ### Signals - **[sentiment_shift]** Foo Fighters has climbed to #16 on Pinside top 100 and reviewers indicate strong community reception based on their own repeated on-location play and rental satisfaction (confidence: high) — Mrs. J: 'currently sitting at number 16' and 'This machine was one of our most anticipated rental after having played it multiple times on location' - **[design_philosophy]** Minor criticism that busy playfield artwork can obscure ball visibility during fast-paced moments, though overall visual design is praised (confidence: medium) — Mrs. J: 'Some areas can get a little busy, making it harder to see the ball during fast-paced moments' - **[design_philosophy]** Jack Danger's creative approach to layout design creates fast, smooth, satisfying shots with excellent flow and multiple shot options from various positions (confidence: high) — Mrs. J: 'Jack Danger knocked it out of the park with this layout. The shots are fast, smooth, and incredibly satisfying. So many shots can be hit from a variety of locations' - **[community_signal]** Jack Danger appears to be collaborating effectively with code programmer Tanya Kleiss to integrate layout design with rule set philosophy, creating cohesive gameplay experience (confidence: medium) — Dr. C: 'I love how the highly flowy gameplay melds perfectly with the code of the game' - **[industry_signal]** Game successfully balances casual accessibility with hardcore competitive depth through optional objectives and flexible path choices (confidence: high) — Dr. C: 'The game does an excellent job balancing objectives so that both casual players and hardcore pinheads can have fun' - **[product_strategy]** Premium Edition features an exclusive overdrive/ball-save feature not mentioned on other editions, providing mechanical differentiation (confidence: high) — Mrs. J: 'the overdrive feature on the Premium Edition machine that saves you from draining the ball' --- ## Transcript Welcome to Pinball Pursuit. I'm Mrs. J. And I'm Dr. C. Today we're rocking out with Stern's Foo Fighters pinball machine released in 2023. This machine was one of our most anticipated rental games after having played it multiple times on location. And let's just say it does not disappoint. No, it does not. Foo Fighters is a game that oozes personality and energy. As of this recording, it's climbed up the ranks on Pinside's top 100 list, currently sitting at number 16, and for good reason. We're going to break down our thoughts on Foo Fighters Pinball, but first, a few facts about the game. This game was designed by Jack Danger, a designer known for his creative, fast-paced layouts. Foo Fighters is his first full production machine for Stern, and he brought something truly unique to the table. The lead code programmer, Tanio Klyce Kleiss, I hope I said your name right, crafted a deep and engaging rule set, loaded with missions, multiballs, and strategic stacking opportunities. And we can't forget Zombie Yeti, who handled the artwork, bringing his signature bold and colorful style to the game. But this game isn't just a rock band tribute. It tells an entirely new, wacky sci-fi story where the Foo Fighters use rock and roll to battle against an evil alien overlord, appropriately named the Overlord. It's a fun and unexpected twist that makes this machine stand out. With that in mind let break it down into our five review categories The theme the look the sound the feel and the play First up the theme Stern went all in on the Foo Fighters' wacky sci-fi world, and it works. Instead of just throwing concert footage and album covers on the machine, they created a unique storyline where the band fights to save humanity from alien control. It's like a Saturday morning cartoon meets rock and roll, and it fits perfectly with the band's personality. The integration of this theme into gameplay is fantastic. Missions feel like episodes of this crazy adventure, and the Overlord toy is one of the most engaging interactive elements in the game. This theme isn't just for Foo Fighter fans. There's so much personality here that it's easy for anyone to enjoy. We're giving this theme a solid 4 out of 5. Next up, the look of the machine. If you've seen a pinball machine with Zombie Yeti's art before, you know what to expect. bold, colorful, and incredibly detailed. Foo Fighters is no exception to this rule. The back glass and cabinet art are bright and vibrant. With the band members drawn in a comic book style, complete with the Overlord and his minions lurking in the background, the play field itself is packed with cool details, from the flying van to the Overlord's lair. The lighting effects complement the theme beautifully, with color shifts that emphasize different modes and cities. My only minor gripe? Some areas can get a little busy, making it harder to see the ball during fast-paced moments. But overall, this machine is an eye catcher. We're giving the look a four out of five. Ooh. Now let's talk about the sound. This is a Foo Fighters game so you know the soundtrack is killer The machine features a fantastic selection of the band biggest hits which really amps up the energy while you play We were surprised at just how many hit songs are on here especially when you compare it to some other rock and roll pins that we've played. I especially love the cartoony voice of the Overlord. So funny. The mix of music, sound effects, and call-outs keeps the adrenaline pumping. Now, Foo Fighters music isn't for everyone. We're millennials. We love it. But if you don't love your stuff, you might get tired of this pin pretty fast. Us, however, we really enjoy the Foo Fighters. Always have. So we're giving the sound a near perfect 4.5 out of 5. I love it. Now onto the feel of the game. Jack Danger knocked it out of the park with this layout. The shots are fast, smooth, and incredibly satisfying. So many shots can be hit from a variety of locations, and the lightning box adds some fun variety and wackiness to the game. The left van shot is one of our favorites, and the crossover and loops offer smooth transitions and great flow. The overlord shot is fun, though it can be very unforgiving sometimes with how the magnet throws the ball back at you. And the third flipper adds even more variety to shot options. While I really love the overdrive feature on the premium machine that saves you from draining the ball, I have some beef with this game that Dr. C doesn't. This machine has been really challenging for me to hit shots. From hitting the van shot to start a mode to the super steep right ramp, this machine has given me more difficulty than other machines have. Our ratings on this category happen to differ, but the feel of this game for me is going to have to be a 3 out of 5. For me this game feels incredible to shoot and I would give it a near perfect score So in the end we compromise and we give it a 4 out of 5 for the actual score I can take that I can handle that Finally, the play of the game. Foo Fighters is deep but approachable. Each city that you tour has a different type of challenge to conquer, giving the player the ability to choose a lot of variety. The story of the missions are engaging and often very funny. There are several multi-balls in the game, and they are super exciting. Those things, plus the other optional strategic elements like upgrading your van, collecting combos, and destroying bots, give tons of options for even the most advanced players. I love how the highly flowy gameplay melds perfectly with the code of the game, especially that Combatron multiball. The game does an excellent job balancing objectives so that both casual players and hardcore pinheads can have fun. Plus, the Overlord multiballs are just easy to get into and play. Honestly, we're struggling to find a downside here. It's just an incredibly fun game. The play gets another 4.5 out of 5 from us. Time to total it up. Oh, I'm excited. That's a 21 out of 25, Dr. C. That's just below our rating for Jurassic Park. And it deserves every point. Foo Fighters Pinball has been one of the most creative and fun machines we've ever played. Whether you're a die-hard Foo Fighter fan or a pinball enthusiast just looking for an exciting new game to try, this one is a must play. Let us know in the comments what you think of our ratings and what you might do different. And don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit that bell for even more Pinball Pursuit. Until next time, keep flipping! _(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 9d3c366b-72a0-4356-b02d-8c6bd9f1dc20*