Back Stars

Sources

OPDB and IPDB and Flipcommons Catalog contributed to this record.

Conflicts resolved (3 fields)

gameplay_feature
IPDB Spinning Targets ×2 used IPDB 3-Bank Drop Targets ×2 used IPDB Standup Targets ×5 used IPDB Slingshots ×2 used IPDB Pop Bumpers used IPDB Flippers ×2 used
theme
IPDB Space Exploration IPDB Outer Space Flipcommons Catalog Space Exploration used Flipcommons Catalog Outer Space used
credit
IPDB Jorge Obregon — Art IPDB Steve Kirk — Design Flipcommons Catalog Jorge Obregon — Art used Flipcommons Catalog Steve Kirk — Design used

Sources agree (8 fields)

display_type
alphanumeric OPDB, Flipcommons Catalog
technology_generation
solid-state OPDB, IPDB, Flipcommons Catalog
player_count
4 OPDB, IPDB
month
3 OPDB, IPDB
year
1978 OPDB, IPDB
opdb_id
GrXEW-MDEwr OPDB, Flipcommons Catalog
name
Stars OPDB, Flipcommons Catalog
ipdb_id
2366 IPDB, Flipcommons Catalog

Single source (14 fields)

abbreviation
OPDB Stars used
opdb.images
OPDB [{"type":"backglass","urls":{"large":"https://img.opdb.org/c2bbf7ae-f3bd-42c4-bb4a-a319e03dbfbe-large.jpg","small":"https://img.opdb.org/c2bbf7ae-f3bd-42c4-bb4a-a319e03dbfbe-small.jpg","medium":"https://img.opdb.org/c2bbf7ae-f3bd-42c4-bb4a-a319e03dbfbe-medium.jpg"},"sizes":{"large":{"width":1008,"height":883},"small":{"width":250,"height":219},"medium":{"width":640,"height":561}},"title":null,"primary":true},{"type":"playfield","urls":{"large":"https://img.opdb.org/47e77398-d489-4686-9d40-cce942687927-large.jpg","small":"https://img.opdb.org/47e77398-d489-4686-9d40-cce942687927-small.jpg","medium":"https://img.opdb.org/47e77398-d489-4686-9d40-cce942687927-medium.jpg"},"sizes":{"large":{"width":936,"height":1283},"small":{"width":182,"height":250},"medium":{"width":467,"height":640}},"title":null,"primary":true}] used
ipdb.manufacturer_trade_name
IPDB Stern used
ipdb.corporate_entity_name
IPDB Stern Electronics, Incorporated used
ipdb.image_urls
IPDB ["https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/Backglass.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/2366f1.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-1.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-2.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-3.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-4.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-5.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-7.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-8.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-9.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-10.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-11.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-12.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-13.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-14.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-15.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-16.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-17.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-18.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-27.png","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-28.png","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-29.png","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-30.png","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-31.png","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-32.png","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-33.png","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-34.png","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2366/image-35.png"] used
system
IPDB stern-mpu-100 used
ipdb.model_number
IPDB 103 used
ipdb.notes
IPDB 'Stars' is one of two 4-player games made by Stern Electronics that has a switch setting to convert the game to 2-player operation. This is accomplished by setting CPU Switch 25 to its OFF position. Designer Mike Kubin tells us that there were certain markets that wanted only 2-player games, although he could not recall which countries they were. Because the 3rd and 4th player score displays would be disabled for this, and likely were not even installed, Stern made a special 2-player backglass for these games. We do not know how many games were shipped with the 2-player backglass. Stern discontinued the 2-player CPU option in subsequent games. The game that preceded this one in production, Stingray, is the other game that had this option, and a 2-player backglass can be seen in that listing. Interestingly, Service Bulletin #8 states that Switch 27 should be set to ON because when set to OFF it will only put one player up, suggesting trouble-free single-player operation. The game manual lists Switch 27 as Not Used. We don�t know the effect this Switch 27, when set to OFF, has on Switch 25 or on any other game operation. Stern programmer Alan McNeil told us that the mini-post screw between the flippers was known as a Kirk Post (for designer Steve Kirk). The Early Production game shown here has a yellow cabinet and uses three bolts, not four, to mount the backbox to the lower cabinet. Duncan Brown told us that Steve Kirk explained to him that he placed his personal design number on the backglass of every one of his games (in the order in which they were designed). Here are the ones we know: Stars has SK-1 on the jet wing. Nine Ball has SK-3 on the wizard�s cap. Meteor has SK-5 on one of the rockets. Pinstar's Gamatron has SK-9 on a launching rocket. The prototype game, Ramp Warrior, has SK-13 on the truck's license plate while the production game, Truck Stop, shows this license plate laying crumpled in the street. We don't know what games belonged to SK-2, -4, -6, -7, -8, -10, -11, and SK-12. Manufacturer data for Stars: Production Start Date: 3/17/78 Production End Date: 6/27/78 Quantity produced: 5127 used
ipdb.notable_features
IPDB Flippers (2), Pop bumper (1), Slingshots (2), Standup targets (5), 3-bank drop targets (2), Spinning targets (2), Mini-post screw between flippers. used
ipdb_rating
IPDB 7.4 used
production_quantity
IPDB 5127 used
corporate_entity
Flipcommons Catalog stern-electronics-incorporated used
title
Flipcommons Catalog stars used
slug
Flipcommons Catalog stars used