Stern Pinball is conducting a limited market test of its coin-op pinball machines exclusively in selected US Costco stores.

The test includes a total of 48 reduced feature, lower cost, custom designed Batman pinball machines with less complex playfields.

Participating Costco stores have three games each and Stern is conducting the test to study products best suited for various segments of its market. The games are set on free play and have only one fixed coin setting of five credits per one coin.

If the test is successful, Stern will further simplify the game design for tested market segments.