Stern Pinball's Uncanny X-Men Gets Big Code Update

I don't always talk about new code here, particularly from Stern Pinball which updates its code more than any other pinball manufacturer. However, I did mention the new Dungeons & Dragons code yesterday because it fixed a big issue with Dragon Multiball and I am definitely going to mention this one because it's big news.

A long-awaited code update has arrived for Stern's Uncanny X-Men pinball machine. As I mentioned here last week, Stern revamped the code team for X-Men. The new team now includes the designer - Jack Danger as well as Mike Vinikour, Corey Stup and Stern's Chief Creative Officer George Gomez. According to Jack Danger, today's code update is "This is just the beginning of a huge overhaul! ⚡️," so there's more good stuff to come.

As you can see in the notes below, in Code Version 0.91, a lot of work was put into improving the "Future" mode of the game. Congrats to game owners who have been waiting for this one. I can't wait to try it out on location myself.

A few minutes after the announcement about the new code, Stern dropped a brand new Uncanny X-Men gameplay video showing it off:

"NEW CODE! Stern Pinball has posted new The Uncanny X-Men code v0.91.0 for the Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition models. This code "Days of Future Code Part 1" contains numerous game enhancements, additional polish, game adjustments and bug fixes including:

New:

- New FUTURE mode and rules

- Playing each of the modes will allow you to play in the FUTURE, a timed

challenge where you must DESTROY LIT SENTINELS and escape before time

runs out. Succeed and you collect a character's perks to be used in

both the PAST and the FUTURE.

- Timed challenge is 40 seconds, destroy 6 or more lit SENTINELS

before shooting the LEFT CENTER RAMP to escape and be awarded your

characters perk.

- Hit the SENTINEL HEAD to increase the value of all lit SENTINELS.

- Run out of time or fail to destroy enough SENTINELS and

you're returned to the PAST.

- New Mode Perks

- Complete a mode to travel to the FUTURE — conquer it to unlock the

perk of the character associated with that mode, active in both the

past and future!

BISHOP (RESCUE THE INNOCENT)

- Bishop will require fewer pop hits to award a BISHOP action button.

COLOSSUS (MAYHEM IN MIDTOWN)

- All multiball ball saves are increased.

GAMBIT (SMUGGLED CARGO)

- Gambit assisted shots will be 3X.

MAGNETO (GENOSAH UNDER SIEGE)

- All mode and FUTURE timers are increased.

PROFESSOR X (STOPPING A JUGGERNAUT)

- The DANGER ROOM can be advanced in THE FUTURE.

- Once per ball a DANGER ROOM ball save is activated the first time

the DANGER ROOM is entered and no other ball save is active.

ROGUE (SENTINEL FACILITY RAID)

- Holds KITTY PRYDE lane values across balls.

- KITTY PRYDE TARGET is available in the FUTURE.

- KITTY PRYDE LANE scores are doubled in the FUTURE.

STORM (A FIERY ASSAULT)

- Bonus damage to other SENTINELS in SENTINEL MULTIBALL.

- SENTINEL MULTIBALL will be extended once per play

WOLVERINE (BITTER RIVALRY)

- Time added to all single ball savers in past and future.

- Increased damage on the first shot of SENTINELS in

SENTINEL MULTIBALL.

- Updated Perks

BEAST - Collect by advancing BEAST LAB to level 3.

- BEAST LAB awards are available in the FUTURE.

CYCLOPS - Earn by maximizing the Danger Room Level

- Combo timers are increased

JEAN GREY - Collect by hitting 10 X-MANSION TARGETS

- X-MANSION ball save can now be advanced in the FUTURE.

- Next level 2 BEAST'S LAB award will be LIGHT X-MANSION BALL SAVE.

NIGHTCRAWLER - Earn by completing 20 targets

- Nightcrawler will spot any lit SENTINELS in the FUTURE by hitting

the NIGHTCRAWLER targets between them.

- BISHOP ACTION BUTTON

- The BISHOP rule has been changed to now collect the highest scoring

shot on the playfield when available. Stack up to 3 BISHOPS

by hitting the BISHOP POP BUMPER. When the ACTION BUTTON

flashes RED, BISHOP is available to collect a shot!

- SKILL SHOT

- The SKILL SHOT no longer requires holding the left flipper for

some of the skill shots. All SKILL SHOTS are now available

from the plunge.

- The 2X SKILL SHOT has been removed.

- The LEFT LOOP SKILL SHOT has new progressive sound effects.

- When all 8 modes have been completed, they will reset. Any perks

collected will be carried forward.

- EXTRA BALLS are only awarded the first time through the modes.

- Added MODE START DIFFICULTY adjustment. Makes starting modes

easier or harder.

- SENTINELS DESTROYED counter added to the main score display.

- Added SENTINEL CHAMPION.

- On the last shot to start SENTINEL MULTIBALL, the ball will attempt

to be caught on the MAGNENTO magnet and flung once multiball starts.

- Added speech to the start of SENTINEL MULTIBALL.

- Added audits for major shots.

Bugs fixed:

- Fixed issue where some of the switch sounds were being played twice.

- Fixed issue where the upper shooter lane switch was playing sounds on

top of itself for skillshots.

- The wrong switch sounds were being played for the RIGHT RAMP.

- Sometimes GAMBIT wasn't multiplying shots correctly.

- Lit SENTINEL shots destroyed during SENTINEL MULTIBALL were being

counted twice for INSIDER CONNECTED achievements.

- Competition mode wasn't always being considered correctly during SENTINEL

MULTIBALL.

- SMUGGLED CARGO wasn't showing an award for the red shot awards.

- Sometimes the award for collecting a city in SAVE THE CITY was not

correct.

- EXTRA BALL would sometimes say it was being lit even when no extra balls

were available.

Tweaks:

- (PRE/LE ONLY) The SENTINEL HAND will now only break the ramp during

SENTINEL MULTIBALL.

- You can no longer stack SENTINEL MULTIBALL and TO ME, MY XMEN MULTIBALL.

- The DANGER ROOM ABORT TARGET is now lit at the start of a game.

- During MAYHEM IN MIDTOWN, the lit arrows weren't visible during the target

light effects.

- Improved the music choreography when the modes and multiballs start.

- Tweaked the initial spawning of SENTINELS for SENTINEL MULTIBALL.

- Removed unused adjustments for SPECIAL.

- BEAST LAB no longer awards ADD TIME, replaced by MAGNETO's perk."