# SAME PLAYER SHOOTS AGAIN

**Source:** Pinball News Website  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2015-12-04  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2015/12/04/same-player-shoots-again

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## Analysis

A review of the 2015 documentary 'Same Player Shoots Again: A Pinball Pilgrimage,' which covers pinball history, mechanics, design, players/collectors, and the modern revival. The film features interviews with Steve Ritchie, Raphaël Lankar, and Gerrit Zalm, organized into five chapters spanning pinball's origins through contemporary production. While praised for advancing mainstream interest, the review identifies factual errors, inconsistent terminology, and technical editing issues that undermine authority compared to earlier documentaries like 'Special When Lit.'

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Documentary was released in mid-November 2015 — _Direct statement in article opening_
- [HIGH] The documentary features interviews with Steve Ritchie, Raphaël Lankar of the Paris Pinball Museum, and Gerrit Zalm (former Dutch Finance Minister) — _Explicitly stated in introduction and chapter discussions_
- [HIGH] Documentary states 'Stern is the only producer of commercial pinball machines' but this is acknowledged as 'a little behind-the-times' — _Quoted in chapter 3 analysis; reviewer notes this is outdated given Jersey Jack and other manufacturers_
- [MEDIUM] The DVD contains factual errors and inconsistent naming of pinball parts — _Reviewer states 'we won't list the errors we spotted (although we have sent a list to the DVD's makers)' and cites examples like 'shoot-out lane' vs 'shooter lane'_
- [HIGH] Steve Ritchie discusses working with George Gomez and John Borg at Stern in the design process — _Mentioned in chapter 3 analysis discussing the design team composition_

### Notable Quotes

> "Same Player Shoots Again sets itself a hugely ambitious target; to recount the history of pinball examining the highs and lows over the past century, to explain how electromechanical and electronic machines work, to get under the skin of the players and comprehend the game's attraction"
> — **Review author**
> _Summarizes the documentary's scope and ambition_

> "The result is that it's light on the kind of interesting details from which dedicated pinball fans might get a kick."
> — **Review author**
> _Core criticism: documentary sacrifices depth for accessibility_

> "Same Player Shoots Again appears to target a wider audience – those with a limited but tangible interest in the game, and less the kind of devoted fan who will speedily buy every new pinball book"
> — **Review author**
> _Identifies intended vs. actual audience alignment_

> "Films such as Special When Lit or Tilt – The Battle to Save Pinball have raised the bar and made it difficult for any which come after."
> — **Review author**
> _Contextualizes this documentary against higher-quality predecessors_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Same Player Shoots Again | product | 2015 documentary DVD about pinball history, organized in five chapters |
| Steve Ritchie | person | Legendary pinball designer interviewed in documentary; discusses design process and team leadership |
| Raphaël Lankar | person | Paris Pinball Museum curator/representative, featured in documentary |
| Gerrit Zalm | person | Former Dutch Finance Minister and pinball enthusiast interviewed; owns no machines but plays occasionally |
| George Gomez | person | Stern pinball designer mentioned as collaborator with Steve Ritchie in modern era |
| John Borg | person | Stern pinball designer mentioned as collaborator with Steve Ritchie in modern era |
| Paris Pinball Museum | organization | Featured in documentary's revival chapter as institution bringing pinball to new audiences |
| Jersey Jack Pinball | company | Modern pinball manufacturer mentioned as example of contemporary game production |
| Stern Pinball | company | Documentary initially claims it is 'the only producer of commercial pinball machines' (noted as outdated) |
| Special When Lit | product | Earlier pinball documentary referenced as setting higher production standards |
| Tilt – The Battle to Save Pinball | product | Earlier pinball documentary referenced as setting higher production standards |
| Dutch Pinball Museum | organization | Featured in documentary's revival chapter; implies Dutch production team origin |
| Roy Parker | person | Historical pinball designer mentioned in documentary; work recognized but not deeply explored |
| Steve Kordek | person | Historical pinball designer credited with flipper invention; mentioned in documentary |
| Jerry Kelley | person | Pinball artist/designer mentioned as example of striking artwork in pinball history |
| Dave Christensen | person | Pinball artist/designer mentioned as example of striking artwork in pinball history |
| Paul Faris | person | Pinball artist/designer mentioned as example of striking artwork in pinball history |
| Dreamland amusement park | organization | Re-born UK amusement park in Margate featured in documentary's revival chapter |
| Silver Castle Pinball | company | Modern/contemporary pinball manufacturer mentioned in documentary |
| The Matrix | product | Custom pinball machine mentioned as example of contemporary game creation |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Pinball documentary review and analysis, Pinball history and origins, Pinball machine mechanics and design, Contemporary pinball manufacturing and revival
- **Secondary:** Production quality and editorial issues in documentaries, Pinball museums and institutions, Community engagement and audience segmentation

### Sentiment

**Mixed** (0.55) — Reviewer appreciates the documentary's ambition and potential to broaden pinball interest, but is critical of execution quality, factual accuracy, and technical production standards. Tone is respectful but disappointed—the film is praised for accessibility but criticized for lack of depth and authority compared to predecessors.

### Signals

- **[community_signal]** Documentary targets broader audience beyond dedicated fans to advance general interest in pinball as cultural artifact and hobby (confidence: high) — Reviewer notes: 'Same Player Shoots Again appears to target a wider audience – those with a limited but tangible interest in the game, and less the kind of devoted fan'
- **[market_signal]** Pinball revival narrative positioning modern museums and manufacturers (Jersey Jack, Silver Castle) as evidence of sustained industry growth and renewed mainstream interest (confidence: medium) — Chapter 5 'moves on to new games being produced both by the likes of Jersey Jack and Silver Castle Pinball' and discusses 'surge of interest in all aspects of pinball across all ages'
- **[event_signal]** Release of 'Same Player Shoots Again' documentary in mid-November 2015 featuring interviews with industry figures and examination of pinball history through contemporary revival (confidence: high) — Direct statement: 'In mid-November 2015, a new pinball DVD was released'
- **[product_concern]** Documentary contains factual errors, inconsistent technical terminology, and editing issues that undermine credibility compared to professional predecessors (confidence: medium) — Reviewer states: 'a number of factual errors, strange and inconsistent naming of common pinball parts and some questionable assertions' and notes 'Some of the sound cuts off awkwardly or unexpectedly'

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## Transcript

In mid-November 2015, a new pinball DVD was released. Same Player Shoots Again is a documentary which examines pinball’s origins and development throughout the 20th century and into the early 21st.

![The DVD packaging](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/same-player-shoots-again/1.jpg)

The DVD packaging

Described – and sub-titled – as ‘ A Pinball Pilgrimage’, Same Player Shoots Again features interviews with Raphaël Lankar of the Paris Pinball Museum, game designer Steve Ritchie, and former Dutch Finance Minister and pinball fan Gerrit Zalm. This latter interview reveals the production team’s Dutch origins, although the language of documentary is English.

The DVD is divided into five chapters.

![The DVD menu](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/same-player-shoots-again/4.jpg)

The DVD menu

The first – Pinball History: Rise and Shine of the Silver Ball – tells the story of how pinball began as a development of bagatelle and rapidly grew during the depression years to become a mass-market low-cost form of entertainment. The rise of gambling with pinballs is followed by the effects of World War 2 on machine production and choice of game themes.

Viewers are then taken on a journey through the invention of the many pinball features now considered commonplace, such as the flipper, the pop bumper, return lanes and score reels.

The second chapter is titled Pinball Technique – The Lights are Flashing, The Bells are Ringing and begins by asking how a pinball machine actually works. The answer mainly concentrates on electromechanical games, describing the operation of flippers, bumpers, slingshots, targets, chime bars, score reels, and the tilt mechanism.

![How a pinball works](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/same-player-shoots-again/5.jpg)

How a pinball works

The third chapter looks at the people who design the games. Pinball Art and Pinball Design starts with a potted history of pinball companies, but shows it is a little behind-the-times when it says Stern is the only producer of commercial pinball machines.

The storyline explains how, over the years, the artwork and game theme have all grown in significance, as have the artists and designers who create them, picking out examples of striking art from the likes of Jerry Kelley, Dave Christensen and Paul Faris.

Steve Ritchie is interviewed and talks about his role as the game designer, leading the team of mechanical engineers, software programmers, artists, model makers, and many more.

![Steve Ritchie talks about the design process](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/same-player-shoots-again/6.jpg)

Steve Ritchie talks about the design process

The time-line does jumps around somewhat, bringing us up-to-date with Steve working with George Gomez and John Borg at Stern, before returning to the works of Roy Parker and Steve Kordek. While there’s not enough time to go into any depth about their contributions, it’s good to see their work and influence being recognised.

Chapter four is called Pinball Mania and Pinball Maniacs – The Men and Their Machines, which is enough to tell you it’s all about players and collectors. The commentary sets up some interesting questions – who are the pinball players and who are the collectors who amass or even hoard machines in their homes?

The first interview is with Gerrit Zalm who admits he owns no machines and only plays pinball a couple of times a year, but he does have a passion for the game and lists his top three titles.

Steve Ritchie then speaks up for pinball on location, dispelling any lingering suspicions of shadiness which might remain from a long-lost era when playing pinball had less wholesome connotations.

But ultimately we don’t gain much insight into why people play, why they compete, or why they collect machines in such large numbers.

The final chapter is Pinball Revival and Pinball Future – The Silver Ball Rolls On, and it begins with a look at three pinball museums who are bringing pinball’s past to the current and next generation of players.

The Dutch Pinball Museum, Freddy’s Pinball Paradise and the Paris Pinball Museum are all featured, while the re-born Dreamland amusement park in Margate, UK, gets a look-in too.

![Raphaël Lankar of the Paris Pinball Museum](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/same-player-shoots-again/7.jpg)

Raphaël Lankar of the Paris Pinball Museum

The narrative moves on to new games being produced both by the likes of Jersey Jack and Silver Castle Pinball, and custom machines such as The Matrix. The commentary acknowledges the surge of interest in all aspects of pinball across all ages, ending on an upbeat note about pinball’s future.

Same Player Shoots Again sets itself a hugely ambitious target; to recount the history of pinball examining the highs and lows over the past century, to explain how electromechanical and electronic machines work, to get under the skin of the players and comprehend the game’s attraction, to understand what motivates collectors, to explore the state of the machine, parts and add-on businesses, and to look at what lies ahead for the game, the industry and the hobby.

Each of those could – and in some cases already has – fill a DVD in itself, so it’s no surprise that this documentary skips over large sections to avoid getting bogged down in the minutia. The result is that it’s light on the kind of interesting details from which dedicated pinball fans might get a kick.

![Inside the DVD case](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/same-player-shoots-again/2.jpg)

Inside the DVD case

Same Player Shoots Again appears to target a wider audience – those with a limited but tangible interest in the game, and less the kind of devoted fan who will speedily buy every new pinball book even before the ink is dry.

If that advances interest in pinball then it has to be applauded and a good thing for pinball in general.

![The back of the DVD case](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/same-player-shoots-again/3.jpg)

The back of the DVD case

However, there are a couple of issues which might diminish this DVD’s appeal to the kind of dedicated fans who might be reading this review, and it’s only right we point those out too.

Any documentary has to give the impression of authority and in-depth knowledge of the subject it covers, but a number of factual errors, strange and inconsistent naming of common pinball parts and some questionable assertions in the commentary work to undermine the DVD’s credentials.

We won’t list the errors we spotted (although we have sent a list to the DVD’s makers), but there are a few moments where viewers will question whether the commentary really said what they thought they heard.

Familiar pinball parts are sometimes given unusual names. ‘Shoot-out lane’, ‘play deck’, ‘back flash’, and ‘top glass’ are all used, although the more common ‘shooter lane’, ‘playfield’ and ‘backglass’ get the occasional look-in too, which could confuse the uninitiated.

Finally, there are a few technical issues in the edit. Some of the sound cuts off awkwardly or unexpectedly, and while most of the graphics are nicely done, a few others appear hurriedly put together and seem out of place.

None of these things would be significant were it not for the high production standards of pinball documentaries which came before. Films such as Special When Lit or Tilt – The Battle to Save Pinball have raised the bar and made it difficult for any which come after.

Same Player Shoots Again doesn’t have the resources to rival those professional productions, but that doesn’t mean it should in any way be dismissed. Instead, we should look on it more as a semi-pro take on pinball’s history and its place in the modern world, shot from a distinctly European angle.

Same Player Shoots Again is available direct from the makers through their website pinball-dvd.com. The cost is €15 ($15.92/£10.65) plus shipping (€4.50 within the Netherlands, €5.50 internationally), it is rated a ’12’ and doesn’t appear to be region locked.

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 063e7b0a-2689-4be3-b569-13718f7d568c*