Every year at CES, Stern Pinball introduces a new game. They’re one of the oldest and most famous pinball manufacturers (not to mention one of the few still around in 2025), so for me, a pinball geek, I love what they’ve got to show off. It’s always fun to check what’s going on. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons with a new machine called Dungeons & Dragons: Eye of the Tyrant. Like many pinball games, you can just walk in and play without knowing the intricacies of the game, but there’s a lot that becomes clear over time.
What caught my eye was the fact that when using Stern’s Insider Connected app, you can select a character and level them up over time. The app already allows you to create a profile and track your grades, games in your region, top scores, and other features (scan the QR code from the app to “log in”). But in Dungeons & Dragons, you can actually improve your character over time and save your progress through the game’s many modes. When you first start, you choose your character and location. Those choices will affect the goals you need to achieve. Stern specifically mentioned that the new “PinSave” system allows you to save your character’s experience points, inventory items, and game campaign progress across multiple games.
This is a slightly wild move for a pinball game. Usually you get three balls and that’s it. This reflects how complex new games are becoming these days, and Stern is already experimenting with something similar with his 2023 Venom game. The same lead designer built both Venom and Dungeons & Dragons, and a Stern representative said they reviewed saved games. I progress through Venom as a way to experiment and try out the larger systems introduced in modern games.
I ended up playing a little Dungeons & Dragons (a Stern rep told me I was the first non-employee to play the game). There’s only so much you can glean from a few plays, but I felt so much. Like other modern stern machines. That’s not a bad thing. The playfield is nice and the large dragon on the left presents some interesting challenges. Stern says this will also allow for a wild 8-ball multiball mode where you try to block shots and the dragon actively tries to bounce the ball into the drain. I haven’t been able to try this, but I look forward to seeing it sooner or later. There are also gelatinous cubes that can hold the ball in place via magnets.
Photo credit: Nathan Ingraham/Engadget
Finally, the game features an impressive voice cast, including Michael Dorn (Worf from Star Trek) and Kevin Smith, as well as Matthew Mercer, Marisha Ray, and Laura Bailey from Critical Role. That’s just a handful of people in the game. You can see the complete list here.
Photo credit: Nathan Ingraham/Engadget
I had never bothered to use Stern’s Insider Connected app before. The main reason is that I’m lazy. But if you have a Dungeons & Dragons machine nearby, you’ll probably give it a try. While you can easily enjoy the game and play three balls without creating an account, more hardcore players will probably enjoy the process of leveling up over time. Given D&D’s emphasis on progressing over time, this is a feature that makes perfect sense.
As usual, this machine doesn’t come cheap. Stern only made 740 units in total, with prices ranging from $6,999 for the Pro edition to $12,999 for the Limited Edition. D&D/pinball fans, start saving that quarter. Or, more logically, start keeping an eye on your local arcade. If you prefer a more modern option, Stern’s app also lets you find games near you.
