James Cameron’s Avatar

James Cameron's Avatar is a pinball machine released by Stern Pinball on August 27, 2010, one of many licensed titles based on major Hollywood films that Stern produced during this era. Designed by John Borg and Lonnie Ropp, with software by Ropp and Lyman Sheats Jr., art by Kevin O'Connor, and music and sound by David Thiel, the game captures the sci-fi spectacle of James Cameron's blockbuster film.

Gameplay features are where Avatar shines. Players face 13 stand-up targets, two spinning targets, a captive ball, and a Newton ball, plus a bank of three stand-up targets that lowers to allow the ball to strike additional targets. Dual left inlanes add strategic depth, and a 4-ball multiball mode ramps up the chaos. A stop magnet adds an extra layer of challenge to shots. The playfield's centerpiece is a mechanical AMP suit — the large action toy on the upper-right playfield that moves and shakes during AMP Suit Multiball as targets are hit, then falls forward once destroyed, recreating the suit's role in the film's climax.

The cabinet is notable for its "3-D backglass" and substantial size — 55 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 75 1/2 inches high, weighing 250 pounds. North American units run on 60-cycle electricity only and are not compatible with 50-cycle power used in Europe and the UK. The game carried an MSRP of $5,399 when new.