Design: Steve Ritchie · Art: John Youssi, Charles Youssi
Steve Ritchie designed AC/DC, and Stern shipped the first games in March 2012. It plays twelve real AC/DC songs, and on the Premium and LE you can pick your track with the fire button on the lockdown bar. Each song is a mode. The bell swings for Hells Bells, a rotating cannon fires balls, and the Premium and LE add a Rock 'n' Roll Train, a TNT detonator, moving band figures and a lower playfield for the songs with Hell in the title. It came as a Pro, a Premium and two Limited Editions, about 200 Let There Be Rock and 300 Back In Black, then a LUCI Premium in 2013. It was also the first US Stern with an LED dot matrix instead of plasma.
Pro (2012, two flippers, no lower playfield)Premium (2012, lower playfield, train, red powder-coated trim)Limited Edition (2012, Let There Be Rock about 200 and Back In Black about 300)LUCI Premium (2013, a purple-skinned woman on the backglass and cabinet)Later runs of the Pro (2014 with LED lighting) and a 2017 rerun of the Pro and PremiumAC/DC Remastered (a new Spike 3 game, announced October 2026)
Stern S.A.M. (Pro and Premium/LE use different boards and code)
Display
128 x 32 LED dot matrix (US games)
Production
Limited Editions: about 200 Let There Be Rock and 300 Back In Black
Cabinet
advertised 55 in long, 27 in wide, 75.5 in high, 250 lb
Also listed as
ACDC pinball, AC DC pinball, Stern AC/DC, AC/DC Premium, AC/DC Pro, AC/DC LE
Bench check
Boards, playfield, toys and the trip home
Boards and batteries
S.A.M. keeps its memory on a CR2430 lithium coin cell that isn't prone to leaking. The Pro and the Premium and LE run different CPU and driver boards, and their software can't be swapped. So check that the board set matches the version in the listing.
Display
AC/DC was the game where Stern moved US models to LED dot matrix displays, so it doesn't have the old high-voltage plasma. Ask for a video of the attract mode. A semi-bright column that stays lit means a failed LED block.
Playfield
The Pro has two flippers and an open playfield, while the Premium and LE add a lower mini-playfield with its own flippers. Ask for raking-light photos of the flipper and inlane areas, and of the lower playfield on a Premium or LE.
Toys and mechs
Every version has the swinging Hells Bells bell and a rotating ball cannon, and the Premium and LE add the train, the TNT detonator and moving band members. Ask for a video of a ball hitting the bell. A bad opto board can upset the bell and the right pop bumper, so watch whether the pop fires when the ball goes into the bell.
Cabinet and art
The Premium has red powder-coated rails, lockdown bar, hinges and legs. The Let There Be Rock LE backglass shows only the band's name, while the Back In Black LE says "AC/DC Back In Black". Match the trim and backglass in the photos to the version listed.
Moving it
Stern advertised it at 250 lb in a 27 in wide cabinet. North American games run on 60 Hz power only. Take the balls out, pull the legs and cover the glass before it moves.
Parts and code
S.A.M. code updates load from a USB stick, so ask what version it runs. Stern built AC/DC again in later runs, including a 2014 Pro update with LED lighting and a 2017 limited rerun of the Pro and Premium. Ask for the build year from the serial plate.
Should come with it
Backbox and coin door keys
Manual
Hard to find if missing
Limited Edition backglasses
Premium and LE lower playfield and train parts
Check the listing photos against these lists, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing toy, glass or key should come off the price.
What to check
The common gremlin is the bell, which a bad opto board can upset along with the right pop bumper. Also make sure the version, boards and code all match, since Pro and Premium software can't be swapped.
01Version: Check the photos for a lower playfield and red powder-coated trim. Both mean a Premium, and the LE backglass names the edition.
02Bell: Ask for a video of a ball shot into the bell. It should swing and score, without firing the right pop bumper.
03Cannon: Ask the seller to show the cannon loading and firing in a game. It should turn and shoot cleanly.
04Display: Ask for a video of the attract mode. No column should stay half-lit.
05Lower playfield: On a Premium or LE, ask for a photo of the lower playfield. Art and flippers should be intact.
06Code: Ask what code version it runs. Updates on these boards load from a USB stick.
07Serial plate: Ask for a photo of the serial and model plate. It dates the run you're buying.
08Moving it: Plan for 250 lb and a 27 in wide cabinet. With the legs off, two people can carry it.
We haven’t been through this game’s listings yet. Search eBay and run every listing through the checklist above. Ask for a video of a full game, a photo of the CPU board and photos of the playfield in good light, and ask what’s been replaced. Pass on any seller who won’t answer.