We find 19 pinball machines themed after big rock and metal acts that are also heavily reviewed by serious pinball players.

More bands have started licensing their IP to be used on pinball machines in the past 10 years. (And yes, people still play pinball.)

In that time, fans have been treated to games themed around bands such as Rush, the Foo Fighters and even Weird Al Yankovic.

Some older machines styled after bands' images are also starting to get a bit of a facelift. In 2024, Stern Pinball created a "remastered" version of its Metallica machine that had come out more than a decade earlier. The update took advantage of more modern technology, including mechanics and a video display.

metallica remastered pinball playfield from stern pinball
Stern Pinball
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The strategy of combining a theme centered on a popular band that everyone knows and pinball has created a dual benefit. New players are being brought into the world of pinball and established fans are reconsidering bands they may have written off years ago.

"I'm not a big fan of the band, but this game gave me a new appreciation for them," a review for an Aerosmith machine reads on the popular pinball website Pinside.com. Similar statements can be found in reviews for several other music-based pinball machines.

READ MORE: 20 Toys for Kids (and Parents) Who Listen to Metal

Some rock and metal musicians have entered the world of pinball even without their bands getting an official machine with their name on it. When the Black Knight: Sword of Rage pinball machine was introduced in 2019, it featured a soundtrack of guitar instrumentals by Scott Ian of Anthrax.

As the collaboration between pinball and rock and metal continues to grow, here is a look at which bands already have officially licensed machines, along with what players said about them in reviews on Pinside.com.

Rock + Metal Bands With Their Own Licensed Pinball Machines

We tracked down some of the biggest pinball machines themed after huge rock and metal bands. Check out what each of these unique games features and what players have said about them on the Pinball review website Pinside.com.

Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll

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