Pinball

GAD knows Pinball. Articles about new pinball games. How to place pinball in the best locations. How to choose a pinball machine for your home. Best tips on fixing pinball games. Greater America Distributing knows pinball machines and how to fix them. An authorized dealer of Stern Pinball, Chicago Pinball, Valley-Dynamo Pinball and Chicago Pinball. Distributing in Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa.

Games, Games, Games! GAD Knows Games….

Games, Games, Games! GAD Knows Games…. 940 788 GAD Vending

GAD Knows Games

What do we mean by this? GAD has a long tradition of selling, serving and selling parts for all types of games.

Home Game Rooms

GAD has been selling to home customers for many years. We are able to sell our games for free play. Meaning home games come without coin acceptance equipment – which can be the single most expense component in a game.

GAD sells Golden Tee Home Edition, a variety of pinball games, Arachnid digital darts, and even vending machines for home game rooms.

All of our equipment sold by GAD is supported by our service department. If one of our customers can’t figure out how to update their software or have a parts issue, our service department is here to help. Call us to determine the level of service you need to get your game working.

Commercial Game Rooms

GAD sells wholesale to service vendors that call on commercial bars, restaurants and arcades. This service vendors are vital to these commercial operators to keep the equipment serviced.

GAD sells all types of games including shuffleboard, commercial pool tables, basketball and large games. GAD also has a variety of claw toy redemption games. In stock. And with a fully stocked parts department.

Find the full compliment of support equipment as well. GAD has vending equipment, ATM’s and coin changers. As your service vendor for more information.

Stern Pinball Announces New Insider Connect Features – this is an app you really need on your homescreen

Stern Pinball Announces New Insider Connect Features – this is an app you really need on your homescreen 446 317 GAD Vending

Stern is keeping pinball cool. Insider Connected is free and should become the dominate app on your phone.

CHICAGO, IL –August 3, 2022 – Stern Pinball, Inc. expands its award-winning Insider Connected platform with new features making it easier to access the service.  With Stern Insider Connected, over 43,000 users track their scores and earn achievements on our network of more than 11,000 connected machines.  New features launched today include an easier to use mobile ID card and Home Team system that will automatically log in home users.  Code updates are available today for all 18 Stern commercial LCD pinball machines that include Home Team and additional improvements across titles.

Insider Connected now offers our players the ability to save an ID card with their personal QR code in their mobile wallet.  It saves time previously spent retrieving a QR code by logging into the Insider Connected service on a phone or by finding a previous screenshot of your QR code saved somewhere in your photo library.  These mobile ID cards can be used on connected machines.

With Home Team, users’ home pinball machines will remember them.  Owners will be able to set standard home Insider Connected user profiles that are always available without needing a phone to scan in.  Guests won’t be left out either.  When guests scan into a Home Team enabled machine their profile will be temporarily remembered for rapid replays, until they log out or the machine is turned off.  Turning on Home Team can be done through the service menu on free play machines and accessed by pressing the flipper buttons before starting a game.

For more information on how to set up your own Mobile ID Card and Home Team, visit sternpinball.com/support/faq/ where you will find:

  • Mobile ID Card Set-up Video
  • Home Team Set-up Video
  • PDF Mobile ID Card Set-up Guide
  • PDF Home Team Set-up Guide

Stern Pinball takes the safety of our customer’s data seriously.  Stern works with both legal and security organizations to vet all aspects of Insider Connected for legal compliance and best practices worldwide.  As part of this effort, our new machine updates will notify users if any third party code modifications are identified that may put data at risk.

Insider Connected enables users to automatically download and update code across their machines.  All code updates and read me files are available at sternpinball.com/support/game-code/.  Every new machine produced by Stern Pinball comes from the factory Insider Connected-enabled.  Upgrade kits for earlier Stern Pinball LCD Machine are available through authorized dealers and distributors or at shop.sternpinball.com for both Pro and Premium/LE game editions.

About Insider Connected

Insider Connected is a comprehensive technology initiative to connect the universe of Stern pinball machines.  The platform is designed to enhance and extend player engagement with the games across both home and commercial environments.  It also presents professional operators of the pinball machines a robust set of tools to drive location play, build player loyalty, analyze performance, make adjustments remotely, and maintain the machines.

Registration for Insider Connected is available at insider.sternpinball.com/.  Players can also register at a connected game by scanning a registration QR code on the machine.  Once a player registers, they are issued a unique QR Code that can be used to identify that player at any connected Stern pinball machine anywhere in the world.  When a player scans into the machine, they can track progress, earn new game specific achievements, engage with the player community, and participate in promotions and Challenge Quests.

“Insider Connected is transforming how players interact with pinball machines.  Operators are benefiting from new tools that drive repeat play and help maintain games while players benefit from easier log-in access both on location and in their homes,” said Seth Davis, President of Stern Pinball, Inc.

About Stern Pinball, Inc.

Stern Pinball, Inc. is a global lifestyle brand based on the iconic and outrageously fun modern American game of pinball.  Headquartered minutes from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in the heart of North America, the company creates, designs, engineers, manufactures, markets, and distributes a full line of technologically advanced terrestrial and digital pinball games, parts, accessories, and merchandise.  Stern Pinball serves digital, consumer, commercial, and corporate markets around the globe.

Recent Stern Pinball titles include Rush, Godzilla, The Mandalorian, Led Zeppelin, Avengers: Infinity Quest, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Stranger Things, Elvira’s House of Horrors, Jurassic Park, Black Knight: Sword of Rage, The Munsters, The Beatles, Deadpool, Iron Maiden, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars, Aerosmith, Ghostbusters, KISS, Metallica, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Star Trek, AC/DC, Batman, and Spider-Man.  A broad range of players enjoy Stern Pinball’s games from professional pinball players who compete in high-stakes competitions around the globe to novice players who are discovering the allure of the silver ball for the first time.  To join the fun and learn more, please visit www.sternpinball.com.

Pinball Events for a Fall Roadtrip

Pinball Events for a Fall Roadtrip 1026 1500 GAD Vending

Looking for a fall road trip? Destination pinball. 

If you are looking to play a lot of different pinball in one place or participate in a tournament, there is an event for you this fall. These are linked to Stern’s website but there are lots more listed at the IFPA events website.

Here’s a few:

Sept 9-11 IFPA Event in Lynnwood, WA

Sept 15-18 ClePin Pinball and Arcade Show in Cleveland, OH

Oct 19-22 Chicago Pinball Expo and IFPA Event

Nov 18-20 Free Play Florida in Orlando

Epic Godzilla Head-To-Head Challenge Tonight

Epic Godzilla Head-To-Head Challenge Tonight 597 336 GAD Vending

8 Players.  One Game.  Epic Prizes!  The Stern Heads-Up Pinball Invitational is going down August 10th at 7pm CST with our players showcasing their skills on Godzilla. Who will be crowned King of the Monsters?  Find out on the official Toho YouTube Channel!

Favorite Photos for Son and Daughter Day

Favorite Photos for Son and Daughter Day 750 500 GAD Vending

So many great photos of families at play on our favorite games! Whether in costume, at an arcade or playing at home – these photos bring smiles.

GAD has curbside pick up or can help you arrange delivery in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Missouri or Kansas. Our warehouses are located in Omaha, Des Moines and Kansas City.

Our sales team will give you a quote that is all inclusive – no surprises.

Want to Play Pinball Like a Pro? Try These 7 Easy Tips

Want to Play Pinball Like a Pro? Try These 7 Easy Tips 940 788 GAD Vending

If you want to impress your friends and play a better pinball, there are lots of tips and tricks you can use. Here’s just a few.

  1. Read the rules of the games from the manufacturers.
    1. All of the games have something posted on the internet about the games rules and how to activate certain advanced features.
    2. The flashing lights and frantic sounds are trying to tell you something. Decoding the action will help you take those risky shots for high rewards.
  2. Take tips from any of these YouTubers.
    1. Dead Flip
    2. Abe Flips is a good channel to watch. His videos help you understand the angles and how to use certain techniques to improve your score. For full clips, be sure to visit AbeFlips on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AbeFlips 
    3. Home Leisure Direct has a full channel of various games including pinball. Try this article to hit the pinball highlights.
  3. Learn the game.
    1. Think one to two moves ahead.
    2. Never have both flippers up at the same time.
    3. Master the plunger.
  4. Use the internet scoring apps to help you track the various games you are trying to master. This way you can determine what is working best for you and track your scoring. It also helps you set goals for improvement.
  5. Each machine is different. Even the same exact game. The balance of each machine is unique as well as the amount of play its had. Plus each game is not maintained the same causing the gears and rubber pieces to perform differently.
  6. Don’t freak out! Mastering pinball actually takes time and practice. Your hand-eye coordination will take a bit of time to connect with each flipper to maximize your score.
  7. And, unless you really want to be a pinball pro, this is really about having a lot of fun!

And, if you want to talk with a pinball enthusiast about buying your own game – GAD knows Pinball.

Inbound Pinball

Inbound Pinball 940 788 GAD Vending

GAD knows a lot about our machines. We enjoy vending machines, ATM’s, digital music, etc. – but we love pinball.

Pinball is our passion. We love to play for fun and some of our co-workers participates in various pinball tournaments.

So, every time a shipment of pinball games comes into our warehouses its like Christmas morning.

If you love pinball as much as we do and are considering a game for your home – give us a call. We love give customers guidance on how to choose the right game. Where to go play the titles that are of interest. Talk about the various model levels and what it means to the user experience. And, how the newest internet connections are working from our various manufacturers.

Here’s just a few of the titles on the way to GAD:

  • Houdini
  • Hot Wheels
  • Oktoberfest
  • Toy Story LE
  • Godzilla Pro
  • Star Wars Pro, & Premium

There are more titles going into production as the chip shortage gets a bit better. Ask us about other titles you may be interested in ordering. Stern has these titles in production:

  • Rush
  • Godzilla
  • Jurassic Park Home Edition
  • Led Zeppelin
  • The Mandalorian
  • Star Wars
  • Star Wars Comic Art Home Edition
  • Star Wars Home Edition
  • Avengers: Infinity Quest
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
  • Jurassic Park
  • Dead Pool
  • Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Iron Maiden
  • Elvira’s House of Horrors

Because we sell to both residential and commercial business’, many of the Stern titles have been ordered but there are also outstanding orders on much of what’s coming in. Let us know what you are looking for, your budget and your timeframe – and we’ll come up with an amazing game to start or add to your home game room.

GAD Know Games – and how to keep them available for you!

GAD Know Games – and how to keep them available for you! 940 788 GAD Vending

GAD Knows Games

So many games to play – and all should be in your home for the fam and friends to enjoy.

Call us and we’ll give you a full quote. All costs are made available up front. And, save money by picking up yourself from the closest GAD warehouse.

Stern Pinball In Production

Stern Pinball In Production 940 788 GAD Vending

GAD Knows Stern

So many great Stern titles in stock and on order. 

In stock includes The Mandalorian Pro and Premium. Plus Rush Premium.

On order for this summer include Godzilla Pro, Star Wars Pro and Premium, and the NEW Cornerstone game due in September.

Stern has ramped up production on many of its classic game titles. The list includes:

  • Rush
  • Star Wars – pinball, home edition and comic art
  • Jurassic Park – pinball and home edition
  • Godzilla
  • Led Zeppelin
  • Avengers: Infinity Quest
  • TMNT
  • Deadpool
  • Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Elvira
  • Iron Maiden

GAD has a policy to provide an all inclusive quote pricing to detail all costs including the game cost, delivery/pick up, and taxes. We also have an amazing working relationship with Stern to get accurate delivery estimates. Give us a call or email to start the process of adding an amazing Stern pinball game to your home.