Stern Pinball Spotlight: Godzilla Premium
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ROWRR!!
Godzilla has come crashing into C.P. Dean’s Chesapeake showroom, and he did not arrive quietly.
Stern’s Godzilla Premium is packed with monsters, multiballs, collapsing buildings, tricky shots, and enough destruction to keep even experienced players coming back for another game. As of October 2026, the Godzilla game group holds the top spot in the Pinside Pinball Top 100, with the Premium model leading all versions of the title.
So, what makes this machine worthy of the title King of the Monsters?
Save the World, One Pinball at a Time
The story begins when the evil Xiliens use mind-control rays to take command of King Ghidorah, Gigan, Megalon, Ebirah, and Titanosaurus. Their mission is to take Earth’s resources, which seems a little rude.
Fortunately, Godzilla is not fighting alone. Mothra, Rodan, and Anguirus join the battle as players take on the invading monsters, conquer Mechagodzilla, and work toward becoming King of the Monsters.
The theme is big, but the gameplay is even bigger. There are multiple objectives and paths to pursue, giving new players plenty of immediate action while offering experienced players a game they can work to master over time. One game may have you focused on destroying a city. The next may send you chasing a monster battle or trying to start one of the machine’s many multiball modes.
There is always another shot to make and another building to flatten.
A Skyscraper That Actually Collapses
Pinball machines are at their best when something unexpected happens on the playfield. Godzilla Premium gives you plenty of those moments.
At the center of the action is a motorized skyscraper that moves through five different positions as players cause more destruction. The building changes the paths available to the ball before eventually collapsing and locking three balls on its roof to begin Godzilla Multiball.
Yes, you get to destroy a skyscraper with a pinball. It is every bit as satisfying as it sounds.
The Premium model also includes a collapsing suspension bridge guarded by a molded Godzilla figure. During Bridge Attack Multiball, the animated ramp can break away and send the ball back toward the flippers or directly onto the playfield.
Battle Mechagodzilla
Mechagodzilla is more than decoration. A motorized bank of three targets rotates to reveal a spinner and jump ramp. Players launch pinballs from the ramp and attack the magnetic ball held on Mechagodzilla’s chest to begin Mechagodzilla Multiball.
Godzilla Premium also features Stern’s industry-first “Magna Grab” magnetic Newton ball. It can catch pinballs arriving from five different shot paths, including a ball traveling directly from the plunge. It can then redirect the ball and set up new shots from the upper-left flipper.
There is a lot happening on this playfield, but that is part of the fun. Ramps intersect, targets spin, buildings move, and pinballs seem to find new ways through the city every time you play.
The Sounds and Sights of Godzilla
Godzilla Premium draws its video and audio from 10 Toho films from the Showa era. The machine also features the classic song “Godzilla” by Blue Öyster Cult, because a monster battle deserves the right soundtrack.
The Premium cabinet is finished with hand-drawn comic artwork by Zombie Yeti and a full-color King Ghidorah translite. Even when no one is playing, this machine makes a statement in a game room.
Once the game begins, three flippers, intricate wireform ramps, three spinning targets, powerline-themed stand-up targets, and a UFO pop bumper bring the city to life. Stern’s Insider Connected system also allows players to track their progress, earn achievements, and build a player profile by scanning the QR reader on the machine.
Why Godzilla Premium Keeps Players Coming Back
Some pinball machines are easy to enjoy for a few games. Godzilla Premium is the kind of machine people can play for years.
Beginners can plunge a ball and immediately enjoy the ramps, monsters, movement, music, and destruction. More experienced players can explore its deeper rules, work toward specific battles, and attempt to connect increasingly difficult objectives.
That combination makes it a strong choice for a family game room. Different players can enjoy it at different skill levels, and there is always room to improve your score or finally reach the mode that got away during the last game.
It also creates the kind of friendly competition we enjoy at C.P. Dean. Someone sets a high score, someone else insists they can beat it, and suddenly nobody remembers what time it is.
Come Play Godzilla in Chesapeake
We can describe the collapsing skyscraper, magnetic ball, monster battles, and multiballs all day, but pinball is something you should experience for yourself.
Visit C.P. Dean’s Chesapeake showroom to play Godzilla Premium, explore the machine, and see whether you have what it takes to become King of the Monsters.
Want to make it your own? Order soon, before it sells out!
