CSI

CSI, designed by Pat Lawlor and released by Stern Pinball in November 2008, brought the forensic-investigation world of the popular CBS television series to the playfield. Licensed from CBS Consumer Products, the game features original speech from Robert David Hall reprising his role as coroner Dr. Al Robbins, along with music and sound cues drawn from the show.

CSI's signature mechanism is a centrifuge-style spinning disc that captures the ball and spins it around to count down to multiball; the same mechanism doubles as a shaker motor, adding physical feedback to the crime-scene theme. The game also features a skull-face toy and a microscope mechanic, and offers multiple multiball modes across its ruleset.

While CSI was far from the first pinball machine built around a licensed television property -- that tradition stretches back decades -- it stands out for its detailed forensic theming and its use of the centrifuge/shaker mechanism, making it a distinctive entry in Stern's SAM-era lineup.