In 1985, Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation, now called World Wrestling Entertainment, created the sports entertainment event of the year -- WrestleMania. For 39 years, WrestleMania has brought in some of the best and brightest. While not every match is a hit, the legacy WrestleMania has created is impressive.
This year we saw some great matches, including the American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes, going up against the fearsome Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns. I've been a wrestling fan my whole life, and I simply couldn't wait for this year's Showcase of the Immortals. Last year, we looked at a few of the WrestleMania video games, and this year we're taking a look at the 2015 Stern WrestleMania machine!
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Stern's WrestleMania was released in January 2015. Stern only released a Pro version of the game, with an original MSRP of $5,995. According to the original press release;
WWE Wrestlemania calls players into the ring as WWE superstars embarking on a quest to become the WWE worldwide heavyweight champion. Players train their wrestlers and then compete in a series of matches leading them on the road to Wrestlemania.
Created by John Trudeau and Waison Cheng, the game features elements such as the following; two flippers, as well as three pop bumpers, four slingshots, and 10 standup targets. WrestleMania also has a mini wrestling ring playfield on top of the main playfield, making this one of the most engaging machines I've played. WrestleMania was the first Stern coin-operated game to use the new SPIKE hardware system. In the summer of 2015, Stern announced a special WWE Divas translite that could be used instead of the original WrestleMania translite.
In April of the same year, Stern released Legends of WrestleMania. This game has an identical playfield, but the art features legendary wrestlers such as Andre the Giant, The Rock, Rowdy Roddy Piper, and Brett "the Hitman" Hart, among others. This limited edition 400-game run had an MSRP of $8,595. Each game has a plaque signed by Hulk Hogan on it, a COA signed by Gary Stern, and each playfield is signed by designer John Trudeau.
If you're a wrestling fan, or looking to get a solid machine for your own collection, this game can be had for a low cost.
While some older Stern machines become collector's pieces, WrestleMania didn't have that same luck. The current estimated value based on condition is $3700 - $4300, with prices seeing a rise between 2022 and 2023. Legends of WrestleMania fares better on the second-hand market if you can find one.
These machines are routinely listed for over $10K when they do become available. While I wouldn't suggest investing in either machine if you're looking for a bigger return, these are great pieces for collectors. With WrestleMania priced far lower than every new modern pinball, this is a good game for new and long-time collectors.