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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lotr_pinball.png]]
2%%[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]
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4->'''Gollum:''' "My Precious!"
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6''The Lord of the Rings'' is a 2003 pinball game designed by Creator/GeorgeGomez, programmed by Creator/KeithJohnson, and released by [[{{Creator/Stern}} Stern Pinball]]. Based on ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' film trilogy, it naturally encompasses all of the major characters and events of the epic. Assemble the Fellowship, fight the Balrog, knock down Barad-Dûr, and face the Eye of Sauron. Players who manage to endure all three multiball modes (one for each part of the trilogy) will be able to finally Destroy the Ring. But only the best warriors can ascend into Valinor...
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8Along with sound clips from the movies, Creator/ElijahWood and Creator/JohnRhysDavies reprise their roles as Frodo and Gimli, respectively, to provide custom speech for this game.
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10''The Lord of the Rings'' was re-released in December 2009 as ''The Lord of the Rings: Limited Edition'', which includes a signed playfield, gold-plated and brass metalwork, a mirrored gold backglass, and software and hardware support for a shaker motor. Only 500 units of the limited edition were made.
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13!!This pinball demonstrates the following tropes:
14* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Do poorly on the first two balls, and the Dwarven ring reward will automatically be set to "Start Fellowship [multiball]". If you really shit the bed, then ball 3 starts with Extra Ball being lit.
15* ArtifactOfDoom[=/=]RingOfPower: The One Ring, which must be destroyed during "Destroy the Ring".
16* BitingTheHandHumor: An EasterEgg replaces the "Bash the Balrog" mode with "Bash Gary", a reference to Creator/SternPinball president Gary Stern.[[labelnote:spoiler]]In attract mode, press both flippers, then press left 6 times, right once, left 9 times, right, left 6 times, right once, left 9 times, and right. The Balrog will roar. Then start a game and get "Bash Balrog" from the Mystery Award on the third ball or three up-kicker shots. The display will show Gary Stern instead of the Balrog.[[/labelnote]]
17* {{Combos}}: The "Destroy the Witch King" mode requires the player to shoot either the left ramp or right loop, followed by a right ramp shot to defeat the Witch King.
18* EvilTowerOfOminousness: The Two Towers.
19* GottaCatchThemAll:
20** Collect all Fellowship members to start Fellowship of the Ring Multiball.
21** Collect 5,000 souls to start Return of the King Multiball.
22** Collecting all seven[[labelnote:*]]the final Gift, Super Ring Frenzy Multiball, isn't shown on the playfield inserts, but still needs to be collected[[/labelnote]] Elf Gifts is one of the requirements for Valinor Multiball.
23* RampJump: The Ring Ramp, located in the center.
24* ScoreMultiplier: There's the Jackpot multipliers during Two Towers and Return of the King Multiballs, as well as the 2x Scoring gift, and during Gollum Multiball, you can score twice (Smeagol) or half (Gollum) the value. The player can score an 84x(!) Jackpot during Two Towers Multiball by combining many of these, but it is difficult to do.
25* SecondaryAdaptation: Based on the trilogy of films by Creator/PeterJackson, which themselves were based on ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' books by Creator/JRRTolkien.
26* ShoutOut: Bordering on EasterEgg territory - getting "Big Points" from an elf gift while 2x Scoring is running prompts the game to say "The prize is doubled!", alluding to ''Pinball/IndianaJonesThePinballAdventure'' using the exact same quote when lighting a doubled jackpot. Programmer Keith Johnson confirms it as intentional [[http://tiltforums.com/t/deep-cuts-of-semi-useful-pinball-knowledge/2879/666 here]].
27* SkillShot: There are three skill shots: the Tower Skill Shot, the Flipper Skill Shot, and the Lane Skill Shot.
28** The Tower Skill Shot requires the player to plunge the ball into the Orthanc Tower for points, and to send the ball to the Path of the Dead.
29** The Lane Skill Shot requires the player to plunge the ball over the O-R-C lanes for points.
30** The Flipper Skill Shot requires the player to fully plunge the ball, and then quickly shoot the right ramp for points.
31* SpellingBonus: O-R-C increases the bonus multiplier, while K-E-E-P lights a lock for Two Towers Multiball.
32* TakeThatAudience: Tilting causes the game to insult you:
33-->'''Treebeard:''' "There is no curse in Elvish, Entish, or the tongues of Men for this treachery."
34* WholeEpisodeFlashback: "There and Back Again", which revisits all of the Ring Modes.
35* WizardMode: Valinor Multiball, which is [[NintendoHard as difficult to reach]] as ''Pinball/TheSimpsonsPinballParty'''s "Super Duper Mega Extreme Wizard Mode". It can only be enabled if the player completes all three multiball modes, achieving "There and Back Again" (itself a sort of sub-Wizard Mode resulting from playing through all six Ring Modes), collecting all of the Gifts of the Elves, and Destroying the Ring (which must be done after everything else has been accomplished). And you'd ''better'' destroy that Ring; if you fail, you have to restart ''all three multiballs'' before you get another chance. Considering how notoriously difficult restarting Fellowship Multiball is, you're pretty much ''screwed'' in this scenario.
36* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: The Valinor Multiball teasers are shown after completing Destroy the Ring, if the player hasn't met the requirements to reach it.
37--> ''Valinor awaits, but there is more yet to do.'' -- '''Teaser to Valinor Multiball'''
38* YouShallNotPass: As in the movie, Gandalf shouts "YOU... SHALL NOT... PASS!" upon defeating the Balrog in Fellowship Multiball.

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