The Sopranos®

The Sopranos, released by Stern Pinball in February 2005, brought the world of HBO's hit mob drama to the playfield. Designed by George Gomez (with concept work from Gomez and Lyman F. Sheats Jr.), the game features art by Kevin O'Connor and captures the show's blend of humor and menace in a four-player machine built on a modified Stern Whitestar system.

The machine leans heavily on licensed material to build its atmosphere: it plays THE SOPRANOS' classic theme song "Woke Up This Morning" during gameplay and features the real voices of numerous cast members, including James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, Steven Van Zandt as Silvio, Lorraine Bracco as Dr. Melfi, Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano, Dominic Chianese as Uncle Junior, and Vincent Pastore as Big Pussy. Notable toys on the playfield include pole dancers, a talking fish head, a safe, and Tony Soprano's boat.

The Sopranos boasts a substantial cabinet, advertised at 55 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 75.5 inches high, weighing 260 pounds. A small number of early units built on the S.A.M. board system were shipped overseas for testing before being converted back to the Whitestar system and sold domestically. While it was far from the first television show adapted into a pinball machine, The Sopranos remains a fan favorite for the strength of its licensed presentation.