Stern’s Mustang, released in 2014 and designed by John Trudeau, celebrates Ford’s iconic pony car on a fast, accessible playfield — and this Pro edition keeps the action lean and combo-friendly. With a five-bank of drop targets, a spinning target, a captive ball, and a whirlpool, it’s built around the satisfying fantasy of shifting through the gears and opening up the throttle, a clean and rewarding theme for casual players and gearheads alike.
The scoring is anchored by the GEARS shifting system. Completing the GEARS drop targets shifts you up, and reaching third gear or higher lights the main multiball — but the savvy move is to defer it, pushing toward fourth or fifth gear before starting multiball at the scoop for much higher jackpots (third gear only if it’s your third ball and you’ve yet to get a multiball). The “Cruisin'” mode is always the best one to stack with a multiball, since it relies on every shot on the table, spreading your scoring across the whole playfield. During the six-ball multiball, the first Super Jackpot is always fifty million — worth doubling with the N2O boost.
There’s a rewarding super skill shot, too: hold the left flipper while plunging and strike the strobing light on the GEARS bank as it crosses center for a +2 Gears head start. Fast, clean, and dripping with muscle-car cool, the Mustang Pro is an enjoyable Trudeau machine that rewards a player who learns to bank gears before unleashing multiball. For fans of fast cars and combo-driven pinball, it’s a satisfying ride. Start your engine and shift for the win.