It wasn't that long ago that pinball seemed like it might be heading for that big drain in the sky. Even with the stealth rebirth of the arcade generating new interest, good luck finding a pinball machine instead of a redemption game that spits out tickets good for some crappy toy. If you did happen upon a pinball cabinet, the chances of it being in playable shape were often iffy at best.

Manufacturers saw the writing on the wall and began to bail out of the game. Capcom quit right before it was going to release its much-hyped Big Bang Bar table. Electronic gaming company Williams decided there was more money to be had making slot machines. Stern rose from the ashes of Data East and Sega and declared itself the last surviving maker of pinball machines.

Yet over the past couple of years there's been a bit of a resurgence. Interest in pinball is growing again. Stern can't claim the title of sole manufacturer anymore. Jersey Jack's Wizard of Oz table is just now starting to ship. Small boutique pinball tables, like Skit-B's Predator, are springing up to do limited runs. Headquarters Beercade in Chicago is opening a dedicated pinball room with up to 25 machines. It's still a niche market, but it's one that's looking vibrant again.

Stern has tried to capitalize on the growing fondness for the silver ball by releasing its tables in more expensive "premium" and "limited edition" models, aimed straight at a growing home and collector market. After having a hit with its AC/DC table based on the Australian hard rock band, it's looking for another win with a pinball machine based on metal stalwarts Metallica.

Longtime readers may recall our story about the first Metallica pinball table, a custom one-off based on a Williams Earthshaker. Stern and the band definitely remembered, because the artist behind that one, "Dirty" Donny Gillies, has returned for the mass market version. Licensed themes seem to be here to stay—no one wants to risk an original theme in this smaller market—but it's a breath of fresh air to see original hand-drawn art on a pinball table again instead of photoshopped PR stills.

Table designer John Borg is behind the Metallica layout. Borg is no stranger to pinball, having designed many of Data East's better tables such as Jurassic Park, Tales from the Crypt, and Guns N' Roses, as well as well-received Stern tables like Tron: Legacy and Iron Man.

Just as important in a modern table as the layout is the code, which for Metallica was led by the legendary Lyman Sheats. Sheats earned that legendary status from his time at Williams, where among other tables he programmed the trifecta of Monster Bash, Attack from Mars, and Medieval Madness. Even worn out versions of those three tables often sell for north of $10,000 each on the collector's market, due in no small part to the rules and software design. Sheats was also behind Stern's AC/DC table, the success of which was probably no small factor behind the company green-lighting Metallica.

A well-known license that has more than the temporary staying power of a movie, an experienced team of designers, and a return to a compelling visual package: is all that enough to put pinball back on the map? Probably not, and the prices of a modern table won't help, but it could be another sign of pinball's growing relevance even in the age of ninety-nine cent mobile gaming and high-powered PCs and consoles. There's something about manipulating a physical ball that's still compelling. It's something you just can't get on a screen.

Stern distributors and dealers are ready to take your order now if you've got the desire and the cash. The models break down like this, though you can probably score an under-MSRP deal with a little dealer hunting:

Pro Version: $4,995

Premium Version: $6,995

Limited Edition Master of Puppets Version: $7,595

For Metallica fans, the track list leans pretty heavily on older, classic material, and is as follows:

Kill Em All

Seek and Destroy

Ride The Lightning

Creeping Death

For Whom The Bell Tolls

Fade To Black

Master of Puppets

Master of Puppets

Battery

And Justice For All

One

Black Album

Enter Sandman

Sad But True

Unforgiven

Reload

Fuel

Death Magnetic

End of the Line

If we can get a hold of one of the Metallica tables from Stern we'll do the first-ever pinball review on Ars, but we'll have to see how the ball rolls on that one. Do you have pinball stories, new or old, to share? Put them in the comments!

Update (Thursday April 18):

After demand for the Metallica table broke Stern's sales records (the Limited Edition sold out in forty five minutes) Stern has announce a second premium table design will be made available. This one uses the body art of the Pro cabinet, along with a new translite drawn by Dirty Donny, addressing many fans' complaints that the original Premium design was being short-changed by utilizing a photoshopped picture of the band, rather that original artwork like the other models. Feature-wise it will be identical to the first Premium table.

Stern also announced that they're going to bring the Metallica table to Comic-Con in San Diego this July, so if you're planning on attending and are curious you'll have a chance to check it out. Never a bad idea to include a little more pinball in your life!