There are things that just stay in your mind… the kind of things you’d love to have someday. Nothing urgent, nothing that needs to happen right now…
but still, one day, I’d really like to get my hands on it.
And every time I look at that movie poster hanging in my game room, it reminds me that this cool object exists… even if it’s not directly tied to one of my childhood cult films, namely The Last Starfighter!
I remember perfectly the first time I saw this pinball machine.
It was exactly 19 years ago (gulp… all that time, my god), back in 2007, during the roadtrip I made to pick up STUN RUNNER / FATHOM / 8 BALL CHAMP...
Don’t bother looking for a picture of the Saturn 2 pinball in that roadtrip story - there isn’t one!
I barely noticed it at the time…
...I just remember being genuinely surprised that a pinball machine based on The Last Starfighter even existed?
The backglass went all‑in, too - right there, front and center, was the iconic ship from the film: the GUNSTAR
I did manage to dig up one old photo from that trip where you can just make it out in the background.
Well, I completely forget about this pinball machine (I’m an arcade guy, not a pinball guy to begin with v
)… and anyway this “Saturn 2” pinball isn’t officially tied to the movie at all, despite the big close‑up of the GUNSTAR on the backglass…
Except I love that film — I rewatch it every three or four years — and I do remember this pinball.
And what if it was actually fun to play? Well, whatever, it would still be a cool piece even just as decoration? And when you start thinking like that, it’s already too late…
I need this pinball machine. But no rush... I’ll grab one when the opportunity comes along!
And the day of that opportunity has finally arrived!
It’s
Monday, September 8th, 2025. I’m at work. The seller tells me it’s available this afternoon. I have to move fast — good deals don’t stay on the table for long.
So I need to improvise a half‑day off.
Funny… just like I did 19 years ago for the Stun Runner road trip. Back then, the first time I ever saw this Saturn 2, the starting point of the adventure was also my workplace.
So here we go again, the road trip begins in the company parking lot…
No need for my work clothes for this story anymore. I just toss everything into the car.
It isn't some epic road trip or anything like that, just a small run for me
I had barely pulled out of the parking lot when my mind drifted away...
Suddenly I wasn’t in my car anymore. I was standing in the GUNSTAR hangar, engines humming, ready for launch
I was already reaching the Belgian border - that’s the perk of living at the crossroads of four countries: Belgium, France, Luxembourg, and Germany.
So much hunting ground packed into such a small radius, my friends.
Speaking of toys… here’s a pretty sweet one right in front of me.
Damn, I didn’t see that coming… eleven kilometers of roadworks.
I might’ve found it funny if I were on a road trip to pick up a Road Show pinball... but no, today it’s just bad timing
I settle in and try to be patient, letting the minutes crawl by while I watch all those machines around me…
I finally made it out of the traffic jam… and look at that, something right back on theme: the Euro Space Center
I’ll spare you my usual landmarks
Here’s the Arc Majeur…
And the AC restaurant in Wanlin.
I feel like I’ve seen all of this dozens of times… Wait! that’s because I have...
Alright, let’s pull into the next rest area.
It’s already the afternoon, and I haven’t eaten a thing all day…
Cinnamon roll and carrot cake?
What more could anyone ask for...
I stock up a bit, the kids will be happy with this tonight.
Everyone gets their own little treat.
And if you ever feel like making me happy, just remember this: cinnamon rolls are my guilty pleasure
Funny how wolfing down a cake in the car instantly reminds me of someone
…
Alright, enough messing around! One country later, and here we are. Welcome to France.
And here I am, finally at the seller’s place.
I finally get to see the pinball machine.
It’s in pretty good cosmetic shape… but unfortunately, it’s not working.
As expected, aside from the Gunstar artwork, there’s no real reference to The Last Starfighter...
But honestly, that’s fine. I love this kind of pinball machine: simple, clean, and dripping with that unmistakable 80s sci‑fi vibe.
Alright, time to load the beast
And another stop ... a small break that always feels good. I love doing road trips
I’ll spare you the details of the trip back.
Nothing exciting to see or tell… just plenty of traffic jams, and an arrival in the dark.
It’s late, and I’m in no shape to unload a pinball machine on my own.
So it’ll spend the night in the car… and it’s even coming with me to work tomorrow, since no one can help before tomorrow evening.
RT statistics :
Trip : Luxembourg > Belgium > France> Belgium
Total length : 7h21min - 521 km on road
Here it is today (Sunday, 22/02/26).
The pinball machine is exactly as I brought it back… I haven’t had time yet to look into what’s wrong with it.
Coming up: more details about this pinball machine, an attempt to understand how such a blatant rip‑off of the Gunstar image could happen without a license, a restoration attempt, ...
