Stern Black Knight Sword of Rage Pro Pinball Machine

The Stern Black Knight Sword of Rage Pro, where four decades of pinball legacy meet a modern masterpiece of design and engineering. Released in 2019, this is the third Black Knight machine and the first in thirty years, completing a trilogy that only one designer has ever touched.

Crafted for those who seek a piece of genuine pinball history, the Pro is a Steve Ritchie machine through and through. Ritchie designed the original Black Knight in 1980, Black Knight 2000 in 1989, and came back to finish what he started. Stern is no longer building them, and collectors who know the lineage are not waiting around.

Stern Pinball: The Industry Leader

Stern Pinball is a leading name in the pinball industry, renowned for its innovative designs and high-quality machines.

Founded by Gary Stern, the company has a long-standing reputation for combining classic pinball gameplay with modern technology. 

They are famous for their unique themes and collaborations with iconic franchises, delivering immersive experiences to fans and collectors alike.

Their commitment to craftsmanship and detail ensures that every machine is not just a game, but a work of art, making Stern a beloved brand among pinball enthusiasts worldwide.

Steve Ritchie's Voice, Steve Ritchie's Game

Steve Ritchie does not just design the Black Knight. He is the Black Knight. Ritchie has voiced the character on every machine in the trilogy, recorded originally for the 1980 game and returning here with new lines specific to Sword of Rage.

That voice is not a sample or an imitation. It is the same man who built the rules, the shots, and the flow of the game, now taunting you from the backbox in real time. The connection between the designer and the character is unique in pinball, and it gives every mode a presence that a licensed celebrity voice-over cannot match.

Few pinball machines let you hear the designer speak. Fewer still let you hear him speak as the villain he invented forty years earlier.

The Black Knight Toy: Motorized Flail, Shield, and Speech-Synced Helmet

The custom interactive Black Knight toy anchors the playfield visually and mechanically. It features a motorized flail and shield, plus a speech-synced helmet fitted with LEDs and animated eyes that react to game events.

When the Black Knight speaks, his eyes light and move in sync with the audio. The effect ties the toy directly to the voice performance, making the villain feel present in the playfield rather than decorative on top of it.

The 3-Bank Drop Targets and Sword Charge

A timed, resetting 3-bank drop target bank sits at the center of the playfield and connects directly to the action button on the lockbar. Completing the bank charges your sword, and the action button releases that charge at the moment of your choosing.

The timing mechanic rewards deliberate play. Players who dump shots randomly will not get the most from the charge system. Players who bank completions and hold their action button for the right moment will find a layer of strategy underneath what looks like a pure flow game.

The drop targets reset on a timer, so missed banks are not permanent losses. The pressure comes from the clock, not from a single failure, which keeps the game moving fast.

Magna-Save: A Signature Mechanic Returning After Thirty Years

Magna-Save is the user-controlled magnet that can intercept a ball heading for the drain and redirect it back into play. It is activated by the action button and requires the player to read the ball's trajectory and time the activation correctly.

Magna-Save is not a passive safety net. It depletes with use and does not always catch the ball at the angle you need. Skilled players treat it as a tool, not a guarantee, and learning when to deploy it is one of the game's deeper skills.

This mechanic debuted on the original Black Knight in 1980 and appeared again on Black Knight 2000. Its return here is deliberate heritage, not a novelty. If you played either original and remember the magnet, you already know why this matters.

Scott Ian of Anthrax: The Soundtrack

The music for Sword of Rage was composed and performed by Scott Ian, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of Anthrax. Ian wrote original material for the game rather than licensing existing tracks, which means the soundtrack is built to serve the rules and pacing of the machine.

The result is a heavy metal score that escalates with the intensity of play, with modes and multiball sequences tied to specific musical cues. The tone matches the game's medieval combat theme without veering into parody.

Anthrax has sold over 10 million records worldwide. Having Ian score a pinball machine is not a common occurrence, and the music here shows the difference between a licensed song dropped into attract mode and a composer who understands how game audio functions.

Castle Artwork by Kevin O'Connor

The backglass and cabinet carry the exclusive "Castle" art package by Kevin O'Connor, a full-colour, high-definition design created specifically for the Pro model. The artwork depicts the Black Knight's fortress in a dramatic style that draws from the original 1980 aesthetic while standing on its own as a modern piece.

O'Connor's work gives the Pro a visual identity distinct from the Premium and Limited Edition, which use his separate "Swordsman" package. The Castle art has become the look most people associate with this title, and it photographs well in a game room setting.

The cabinet graphics wrap the machine from the side armour to the backbox, so the Pro reads as a complete design object from every angle, not just from the front.

Full-Colour LCD Display in the Backbox

The backbox houses a full-colour LCD display running the game's video art and animation. Stern describes the animation package as spectacular, and it was produced in-house alongside the rules rather than as a post-production addition.

Modes and multiball sequences trigger specific animations on the display, so what you see in the backbox reflects what is happening on the playfield. The display functions as a second layer of storytelling rather than a passive scoreboard.

Coin Operation and Free Play Configuration

The Pro was built as Stern's volume commercial model for this title, and it configures for coin operation or free play through the coin door settings. Bars, arcades, and entertainment venues that want a proven route piece with a recognisable theme will find the Pro straightforward to set up and service.

The game runs on 120 VAC at a nominal draw of 3 amps, which means a standard 15-amp household or venue circuit can support up to five machines simultaneously. Attract mode drops to 0.6 amps, which keeps idle power costs low across a multi-machine install.

For home buyers, free play is a single menu toggle. The coin door accepts standard mechanisms and the cash box is accessible without tools through the front of the cabinet.

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Product Specifications

What's Included in the Package?

• Stern Black Knight Sword of Rage Pro Pinball Machine
• Four legs with leg bolts and leg levelers
• Six standard pinballs (packed in the cash box)
• Plumb bob and backbox bolts (packed in the cash box)
• Keys (in the coin door)
• Service and operation manual

Technical Specifications

Electronics Platform: Stern SPIKE 2 (CPU node 509-1003-01)

Display: Full-colour LCD in the backbox

Players: Up to 4

Balls: 6 standard pinballs

Flippers: 2

Power (North America): 120 VAC nominal, 60 Hz, 360 W at 3 A nominal, 540 W at 4.5 A peak (under 100 ms), 70 W at 0.6 A in attract mode

Line Voltage Range: 90 to 250 VAC

Circuit Loading: Up to 5 machines on a standard 15 A circuit at nominal draw

Frequency Note: A 60 Hz (North American) game will not operate correctly on 50 Hz power

Operating and Storage Temperature: 32 F to 104 F (0 C to 40 C)

Humidity: 5 to 95 percent relative humidity, non-condensing

Assembled: Elk Grove Village, Illinois, USA

Product Dimensions (Installed, Legs Extended)

Minimum Room Dimensions Required

Shipping Dimensions

Embrace the game with all you need, right out of the box. Let the competition begin!

Assembly

Assembling the Stern Black Knight Sword of Rage Pro is a straightforward process that typically takes around 30 to 45 minutes once the crate is opened and the playing area is clear.

The machine arrives fully assembled inside a shipping crate, with the legs, balls, plumb bob, and backbox bolts packed in the cash box. The backbox ships folded flat against the cabinet, so setup involves raising the backbox, fitting and bolting the four legs, and leveling the machine with the adjustable leg levelers.

Stern's manual requires at least two people to move and maneuver the game safely, particularly when lifting and positioning the cabinet onto the legs. The machine weighs 210 lbs once installed, so two people and a clear path from the delivery point to the final location are both necessary.

Tools are required for assembly and do not ship with the machine. The service and operation manual included in the package covers the full setup procedure step by step, and Stern makes additional support resources available through their website for registered owners.

Feel free to read through:

• Stern Black Knight Sword of Rage Pro Service and Operation Manual
• Stern SPIKE System Manual
• A video how to assemble the machine