Stern

Led Zeppelin (LE)

Pinside Rating

This game received 126 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 8.120 _/10

8.12

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks 1st in the game group "Led Zeppelin". The group itself ranks #66 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 7.834

Artwork: 7.701

Sounds/Music: 8.739

Other Aspects: 8.21

Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 1 of us has rated this game.

6.003

Your Rating?

You need to be logged in before you can rate pinball machines. No account yet? Registering only takes a sec!

This title is part of group: "Led Zeppelin"

Led Zeppelin
(Pro)

Led Zeppelin
(Premium)

Led Zeppelin
(LE)

Found 64 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 64 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 3.

List options

Ratings sort order

Type of ratings to show in list

Owner status of review

Exclude flagged ratings

Keyword or username search

6.887/10

25 days ago

TTE

EvergreenTTE

Pinside apprentice

Champaign, IL

1y 16,650 5 40

While Led Zeppelin isn't a bad game I see why people feel underwhelmed by it. The major features--the shots, the layout, the art, the rules--are fine but not spectacular, but there isn't really any one thing that makes you want to play Led Zeppelin instead of some other game. The thing that comes closest is probably the Magic Spinner that comes up from below the playfield, which is a very cool mech that I don't recall seeing anywhere else. The only major feature that I don't like is the LCD animations, which are bland and uninteresting.

The music is good if you like Zeppelin which I do. Unfortunately it's got the "jukebox with flashing lights" problem where the game just plays songs and occasionally changes songs while the object of the game is to collect records and albums and go on tour. It's all normal band-pin stuff. There's nothing wrong with it but it's been done so many times before it's nothing to get excited about. I agree with a previous review that said one of the problems with the game is that it doesn't capture the vibe that is uniquely Led Zeppelin; the same game could have been made for any other band by changing the music and it would all still make sense.

It's still a fun game, but the excitement wears off. It would be hard to maintain interest in it for a long period of time.

EvergreenTTE edited previous rating on April 21, 2024.

9.800/10

74 days ago

ATF

pinpontz

Pinside member

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

<1y 13,750 2 1 9

Have it at home and I love the replayability. Always fun to challenge previous highs and it is a rewarding game that helps improve my overall pin game with it's ability to keep me engaged.

9.760/10

79 days ago

ALB

awpepa

Pinside+ Frequent

1y 36,300 10 24

This is such an amazing machine!! It does require a good player level to be really appreciated but for those patient enough to learn the shots, it’s a flow masterpiece!! The LE cabinet and BG are outstanding and pictures make no justice!!

3 Pinsiders starred this!

4.374/10

3 months ago

BEN

Lobo2k

Pinside member

Ottawa, ON

4y 37,800 95 12 42

Owned this game for a while. What. A. Dud. I love pinball, all pinball.... This game, I don't know, I never could get into. It's one of the least "fun" pinballs I can think of. Bad shots. Worse rules. Just not fun. None. And I love led Zeppelin. Stern's worst game in 20 years.

And the LE is possibly the ugliest LE ever. Whoever chose these colors should be sent to a work camp in China.

4 Pinsiders flagged this.

9.540/10

4 months ago

DRD

DrDrain

Pinside member

9y 42,900 57 159

Led Zeppelin might just be the most underappreciated game out there.

The layout solely focuses on elements facilitating flow and that makes it as close as can be to perfect for me. Every shot feels satisfying and making combo shots, especially on the Premium/LE model with the side ramp, is so satisfying and what I absolutely look for in a pinball machine. The Electric Magic spinner is a good gimmick although the game also works well without it on the Pro. The best shots for me are the side ramp, the right ramp and the left ramp.

In terms of rules this game is awesome and it doesn't get old as achieving the different goals is pretty difficult just like the overall gameplay. My favorite features are the Tour Multiballs, especially World Tour, which is very hard to finish, the Icarus multiplier and Celebration Day. And despite Celebration Day's not being able to beat Spider-man's or AC/DC's wizard mode for me, I still think of it as one of the best ones I've seen.

The artwork perfectly fits in with the Led Zeppelin theme on the Pro, Premium and LE version. It couldn't have been done much better in my opinion. The animations and the video clips for this game are very well compiled as well.

All in all, I think of this as Steve Ritchie's masterpiece as it has the most flow of any game I know of, has very good and challenging rules and perfectly represents the Led Zeppelin theme. It is the ideal game for players who like flow and listening to Led Zeppelin.

3 Pinsiders starred this!

7.612/10

6 months ago

CAH

ReadyPO

Pinside+ Frequent

6y 197K 5,958 129

Great music, of course, but that is about where the accolades end. Side ramp and electric magic do make this an improvement over the pro model.

3 Pinsiders flagged this.

9.160/10

1 year ago

DAS

luckymoey

Pinside+ Frequent

11y 107K 2,087 44

I was also initially disappointed in what appears to be a sparse play field and an uninspired package for an iconic band, but when I played the machine on location it was an adrenaline rush and ton of fun. Everyone has different priorities, but for me great flow, the right mix of shot challenge, understandable but well integrated, deep rules and immersion are top - and LZ is one of the best.

Others have said it but there is actually as much or more of what matters on this then most Sterns. With the EM spinner/magnet, Expression Lighting, 3 flippers, 4 great metal ramp there is more than a top rated game like DP. Reminds me of Ironman that was widely panned for being sparse.

I added a Pinwoofer system and the Ninjacamp Expression Speaker Lights. Combined with the Stern Expression Lighting it’s one of the most immersive games I’ve played. A lot of people feel GnR makes you feel like you’re at a concert, but after owning both I think LZ does it better. GnR is just sensory overload while LZ is a more orchestrated presentation.

Along with Elwin, I think Sexton and Davidson are emerging as the industry’s best rule designers. While they’re top players, the rules are still approachable, but strategic and deep enough.

The art is certainly not a strong point, but the LE cabinet, play field and powdercoat go well together. The topper and video assets are also well integrated with the LE art.

The pathetic, plastic zeppelin is my only real knock. Not only the quality and lack of detail, but the missed opportunity for internal lighting and some type of mechanical interaction.

After owning for a month, I think LZ is very underrated. It’s never going to win the popularity contest without custom art, a more universal theme and more “stuff” on the playfield, but if you prioritize great game design / playability and fun then I’d spend some time with LZ.
.

luckymoey edited previous rating on February 18, 2023.

4 Pinsiders starred this!

9.900/10

1 year ago

BGC

Out2perform

Pinside member

2y 29,250 8

One of my favorite rock band pins. Good music, fun shots, great code. This one is definitely bolted to my floor.

4 Pinsiders flagged this. 3 Pinsiders starred this!

9.840/10

1 year ago

KLA

BeerTiger

Pinside apprentice

Cologne

1y 14,400 4 1 6

I went in with low expectations, as this games is ranked fairly low on pinside.
And I was completely blown away!
The game flows very well, the shots are so much fun und the code is really good for a music themed pin, much better than GnR. Yes it has only one mech with the Electric Magic, but that does not mean it is less fun. I quite enjoy the playfield design with not much in the lower/middle part, it makes for a more traditional pinball experience. It also strikes a nice balance between approachable and hard to master. You immediately last long, but it takes a while to score high. I highly recommend this one, especially if you are into fast and flowy games like BK or SW.

3 Pinsiders flagged this.

10.000/10

1 year ago

87

Anstead66

Inactive member

Portland, OR

2y 15,000 3 8

Would Love To Own One Someday!!

6 Pinsiders flagged this. 3 Pinsiders starred this!

8.142/10

1 year ago

???

Skilame

Pinside member

Arrington, TN

2y 29,650 12 8 8

Just a great, fun flowey game! Love the ramps! A must for Zeppelin fans. Had a GnR LE, and this plays much better.

Skilame currently owns this game.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

7.004/10

1 year ago

MAT

mpdpvdpin

Pinside member

Providence, RI

6y 95,050 4,450 7 99

Big expensive license means stripped game unfortunately. But beyond that Stern just did not capture what is cool about Led Zeppelin. They were not just a run of the mill “rock band” as presented in this pin. The coolest thing about them wasn’t the JET or touring. Where is the Zoso? Where are the Tokien and Aliester Crowley references? Where is the Mystifying English occultist heavy rock magick? It is not present in this game. I do not trust Stern to understand what is cool or captivating about our beloved rock titans. And I very much hope that they PLEASE stay away from Black Sabbath. Let someone who gets it do it, like Spooky. Thematically this game is a disaster. Artistically this have is a disaster and and the layout? Boring. It shoots nice, but who really cares if you’ve dropped the back everywhere else?

2 Pinsiders starred this!

8.688/10

1 year ago

MRA

Lablaw

Pinside member

South Hadley, MA

5y 30,650 2 2 20

The main feature of the machine of course is the music. It is not as packed with gimmicks and thing to shoot at as other "musical machines" (like iron Maiden, Guns n Roses and Rush), but it still has good flow and is fun to play. The theming is good, cabinet and play field artwork ties in well. I do feel feel they could have done a little more with the rule set and objectives. Still a fun machine to play.

8.412/10

1 year ago

MAC

Makman

Pinside+ Frequent

Gisborne

2y 19,500 4 9

I love this game because of the open playfield, the playfield tightens up when the Electric magic toy pops up but it's pretty cool to get that spinner humming. I liked Led Zep before I bought this machine now I love Led Zep the music is great to listen to and the light show is amazing. A couple of really challenging shots but getting the combos going isn't too hard. Underrated game.

Makman edited previous rating on May 07, 2024.
Makman currently owns this game.

8.984/10

1 year ago

KDZ

kool1

Pinside member

Oakville, ON

2y 101K 3,507 5 56

This game is a fun game. The music and code are really good but I think a lot of people play the pro model which is missing two key items and then write the game off as being "bare" or dull. The Electric Magic in the center and the upper flipper shot ramp make the premium/LE game so much better but most people never see those on location.

Light show is spectacular. Stern has Expression Lighting added on the premum/LE and the integration is very good. Probably not G&R good but it makes the game shine.

The usual cliché is to say that this game is underrated. Maybe it is or maybe it's just that the pro models and the poor effort on cabinet art gave the title a less than stellar rating. It's not Godzilla but it does have great flow and if you like modern Sterns, Led Zeppelin and like shooting ramps and targets, its an easy game to recommend.

3 Pinsiders starred this!

7.036/10

2 years ago

CAD

retrotilt

Pinside member

Prosper, TX

11y 103K 67 12 58

As a fan of LZ, my feelings are very mixed with this game. I always have fun playing a few games on it, but the overall experience just feels like I'm playing generic music pin with some LZ bling added to it.

The included songs are great (although it would certainly benefit from having at least 4 or 5 more), the lightshow is awesome, and the game flows well. However, the calls outs are a bit lackluster, the artwork is too repetitive/generic, and theme integration is lacking. The game is fun to play, but I just don't feel the machine lives up to the greatness of the band that it's themed after.

retrotilt edited previous rating on March 15, 2022.

2 Pinsiders flagged this.

6.997/10

2 years ago

JTB

Makdaddee

Pinside member

Orlando, FL

3y 39,750 12 7 12

Very colorful artwork pretty well done…the icarus is a good graphic but overused. There are a few shots that are very difficult to hit and you would think you would get but points for hitting them, but not the case. The songs just kind of play in the background. There is really not enough association of the songs to the game. You could play and pin and just play the LZ songs in the background with same results. I was bit disappointed in the overall play of the game. The Electric Magic spinner took a lot of adjustment to get it working right. I do give credit for coming up with a creative new feature that has never been done before.

Makdaddee has owned this game in the past.

2 Pinsiders flagged this.

9.720/10

2 years ago

RK

tigzzz

Pinside+ Frequent

Silverthorne, CO

4y 69,150 118 13 21 2

I am amazed this game doesn't get more love. I think the integration of call outs, music based objectives and overall theme is amazing. The lighting is beautiful and so is the theme. I think this game looks much better than most of the other games in my collection including Godzilla. The shots take time to learn and there are some tight shots and you certainly get penalized for missing certain shots. I do get quite a few SDTM drains and that is my biggest gripe. In fact I get them off of the launch way too often. That being said the game is fun and I just don't want to stop playing. I love the spinner and the sound it makes when you rip it is super cool. I can see this game staying in my collection for quite a while.

Update: After playing this quite a bit more it has grown on me (even more). I like the light show, theme, music, sounds and speech better than Iron Maiden. I like the layout on Iron maiden better.

tigzzz edited previous rating on March 06, 2022.
tigzzz currently owns this game.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

9.820/10

2 years ago

EEE

eee_Thailand

Pinside+ Frequent

2y 30,750 20

the best game lighting in our collection, i thing the best lighting associated with the sound in pinball history! fun game... very fast!

2 Pinsiders starred this!

8.476/10

2 years ago

PVW

pascal-pinball

Pinside member

19y 92,075 1,595 257

What a great game !!!

pascal-pinball edited previous rating on March 28, 2024.

3 Pinsiders starred this!

8.545/10

2 years ago

MJ

6S3NC3

Pinside member

15y 74,400 1,289 26

So after telling my friend I would never buy a LZ due to what I thought was lack luster looking PF. After playing this thing, it has one of if not the best ramp shot in all of pinball. This went from a zero to hero in my book. Never judge a pin by its cover song. The sound when the ball hits things is just so satisfying for me. The spinner RIPS like a spinner should but the added sound is what makes it.

4 Pinsiders starred this!

8.108/10

2 years ago

???

alexander5815

Pinside member

Wien

3y 37,750 31 56

i was not sure what will await me with this game. i played only a few games before. i played mando and LZ at the same time at our pinball location. LZ seemed very easy and boring at the first sight. but! i must say that LZ is absolutely not boring; for me it was better than mando. main rules are quite easy to understand, shots are satisfying. maybe this pin is not realy compareable with must other modern sterns. LZ is a kind of "oldfashioned" style; like old meets new! a little bit like the BEATLES; but not so boring!! i mean, everything was kept quite simple. it is not my favourite machine, but i like it. longplayer!

alexander5815 currently owns this game.

6.494/10

2 years ago

MFA

Mishap

Pinside member

Seattle, WA

2y 27,300 20 6 34

Let's say you're a huge Zep fan, have some disposable income and a game room. Here you go. Now let's say you play a lot of pinball, find Zep's music dull, and are tired of Stern cranking out pins sold more for IP than play and adding one-two theme toy(s). As someone in the latter category, this is a miss. Shots are dull, didn't find any mode very interesting, feel like this relies too much on fandom for the source material. Was very surprised this was a Steve Ritchie pin, especially with how sloppily the upper flipper plays. Got into some fast flow grooves, but didn't find it rewarding. It has some modern bells and whistles, but the gameplay is meh for me.

Pros: Does a lot of fan service to the intended base, open playfield makes shots feel clean, reduces cheap drains, allows for longer balls and higher velocity flow/shots.

Cons: Boring gameplay. The lifting spinner was an eye-roll inducing feature, and seems clumsy in design. Circus Voltaire and Theatre of Magic came out ~25 years ago and have better magnetic features. The whole thing feels phoned in ("where do we put the useless blimp?).

8 Pinsiders flagged this. 2 Pinsiders starred this!

7.274/10

2 years ago

EGG

explosiveegg

Pinside+ Frequent

Waterford Township, MI

5y 69,350 639 20 27

This is a fairly middle of the road Stern machine.

The rules are fairly basic, but by no means bad. I somewhat like that it isn't as deep as every game that comes to marker. Feels more like a classic title. I honestly think this is one of the best parts about the game.

The art package is bad. Too little going on with the playfield. The blue legs and armor do not match the cabinet art. The backglass art is fine. The zeppelin looks 3D printed and cheap.

The playfield design isn't anything special. It's by no means bad, but the ramps are kind of boring and could use more bends in the wireforms. Part of me kind of likes how simple and uncluttered it feels, but another part of me finds the shots boring and unrewarding.

The more I play this game, the less I like the magic spinner toy. I honestly think this game would be better off without it (such as the pro model).

I have no issues with the sounds in this game.

I do appreciate this game trying to look back and trying to mimic the feel of games from decades ago, the thing is, those games still were often reliant on at least one cool thing to make them standout. This game doesn't have that though.

Edit: This game is growing on me. I still don't love it, but I do now like it and will definitely play at least one game whenever I see it on location.

explosiveegg edited previous rating on September 06, 2021.

7 Pinsiders flagged this.

9.900/10

2 years ago

SAN

VARESQUI

Pinside member

Santo André

5y 30,050 10 5 26

Led Zeppellin LE/Premium is wonderful, way above its sister (pro). comes with fantastic light effects plus a toy in the middle of the playfield which is a lot of fun! Simple and nice game with the sound of one of the biggest rock bands! Sometimes simplicity becomes much more fun than machines with lots of features and very complex rules to play.

Next 1 2 3

There are 64 ratings (that include a comment) on this game. Currently showing results page 1 of 3.

You too can add your own comment by rating this game! Click here to rate this game!

Over the years

Visualizing this game's rating and rank over the years

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!