# WHIZBANG PINBALL TO MAKE SECOND TITLE WITH STERN

**Source:** Pinball News Website  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2016-04-20  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2016/04/20/whizbang-pinball-to-make-second-title-with-stern

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## Analysis

WhizBang Pinball, the joint venture of Dennis Nordman and Greg Freres, has announced a second title in collaboration with Stern Pinball for release in 2017. Following the success of Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons (originally a 2009 prototype, mass-produced by Stern starting in 2015), the new game will continue WhizBang's signature fun and campy style, though specific theme and licensing details remain unannounced.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons was originally intended as a short run of hand-built custom conversions of Continental Cafe — _Article states the game 'was originally intended to be a short run of hand-built custom conversions of the game Continental Cafe'_
- [HIGH] Stern Pinball began producing Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons for mass market in 2015 — _Article explicitly states 'In 2015 Stern Pinball began producing the game for the mass market'_
- [HIGH] The Stern-produced version used the SPIKE control system — _Article confirms the game 'used Stern's new SPIKE control system'_
- [HIGH] Dennis Nordman and Greg Freres had recently said they had no plans for a follow-up before announcing the new game — _Article states 'Dennis and Greg had recently said they had no plans yet for a follow-up to the game, but Stern Pinball have now announced...'_
- [HIGH] Greg Freres heads up the art department at Stern; Dennis Nordman is working on projects at home and assisting Silver Castle Pinball with Timeshock! — _Article directly states 'Greg currently heads up the art department at Stern, while Dennis is working on a number of projects at home while also assisting the Silver Castle Pinball team with their Timeshock! game'_

### Notable Quotes

> "We are thrilled to be doing a brand new game with Dennis and Greg. The Whizbang team brings a unique energy and feel to their games that resonates with pinball players around the world."
> — **Gary Stern, CEO of Stern Pinball**, April 19, 2016
> _Official announcement of the collaboration, expressing confidence in the partnership and the market appeal of WhizBang's design philosophy_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Dennis Nordman | person | Co-founder of WhizBang Pinball; legendary pinball designer; working on multiple projects including assistance with Silver Castle Pinball's Timeshock! |
| Greg Freres | person | Co-founder of WhizBang Pinball; heads art department at Stern Pinball; collaborating on new game with Dennis Nordman |
| WhizBang Pinball | company | Joint-venture company founded by Dennis Nordman and Greg Freres; created Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons in collaboration with Stern Pinball |
| Stern Pinball | company | Major pinball manufacturer; producing WhizBang's games for mass market; announced second WhizBang collaboration for 2017 |
| Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons | game | First WhizBang Pinball title; originally a 2009 prototype/custom conversion of Continental Cafe; mass-produced by Stern starting 2015; features SPIKE control system and LED lighting |
| Gary Stern | person | CEO of Stern Pinball; announced the WhizBang collaboration and expressed enthusiasm for the partnership |
| Continental Cafe | game | Original pinball game upon which Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons was based as a custom conversion |
| Silver Castle Pinball | company | Pinball company for which Dennis Nordman is assisting with Timeshock! game |
| Timeshock! | game | Pinball game in development by Silver Castle Pinball with assistance from Dennis Nordman |
| Pinball Expo 2009 | event | Event where WhizBang Pinball's first game was announced in October 2009; Dennis Nordman and Greg Freres photographed at the event |

### Topics

- **Primary:** WhizBang Pinball collaboration with Stern, Game design philosophy and campy style, Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons production history
- **Secondary:** SPIKE control system adoption, Designer personnel and roles

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.85) — Announcement is enthusiastic and forward-looking; Gary Stern's quote expresses genuine enthusiasm for the partnership; success of first collaboration creates positive momentum for second project

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Stern Pinball expanding partnership with WhizBang Pinball for second collaborative title, indicating successful first collaboration and confidence in the design duo's market appeal (confidence: high) — Stern announces second game collaboration with Dennis Nordman and Greg Freres; Gary Stern states partnership 'resonates with pinball players around the world'
- **[community_signal]** Greg Freres transitioned from independent designer to head of art department at Stern Pinball, while maintaining external design collaborations (confidence: high) — Article states 'Greg currently heads up the art department at Stern' while also being co-founder of WhizBang Pinball and working on new collaborative project
- **[product_strategy]** WhizBang Pinball and Stern planning second collaborative release for 2017 with unannounced theme and licensing details (confidence: high) — Stern Pinball announcement: 'announced today that it is working with Whizbang Pinball founders Greg Freres and Dennis Nordman to bring a new pinball game to the market in 2017'
- **[technology_signal]** Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons adoption of SPIKE control system represents broader industry transition to Stern's modern platform (confidence: high) — Article notes mass-market version 'was fully lit by LEDs and used Stern's new SPIKE control system'

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## Transcript

Dennis Nordman’s and Greg Freres’s joint-venture company, WhizBang Pinball, shot to prominence in October 2009 when the first title created by the duo was first announced at Pinball Expo.

![The backglass sketch for the game](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/whizbang-second-title/119.jpg)

The backglass sketch for the game

Whoa Nellie! Sweet Juicy Melons was originally intended to be a short run of hand-built custom conversions of the game Continental Cafe, but as ‘Sweet Juicy Melons‘ became ‘Big Juicy Melons‘, the potential for the game also grew.

![Dennis and Greg at Pinball Expo 2009](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/whizbang-second-title/118.jpg)

Dennis and Greg at Pinball Expo 2009

In 2015 Stern Pinball began producing the game for the mass market. The now fully electronic game was cosmetically very similar to the original look of the prototype, but was fully lit by LEDs and used Stern’s new SPIKE control system.

![The Stern-produced Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/whizbang-second-title/8.jpg)

The Stern-produced Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons

Dennis and Greg had recently said they had no plans yet for a follow-up to the game, but Stern Pinball have now announced that the pair is to create a game in conjunction with Stern in 2017.

![Dennis and Greg](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/whizbang-second-title/dennisgreg.jpg)

Dennis and Greg

No details of the theme, whether it will be licensed or not, or the style of game have been announced, but Stern Pinball say it will be designed “in the fun, campy style for which the Whizbang team is known”.

Greg currently heads up the art department at Stern, while Dennis is working on a number of projects at home while also assisting the Silver Castle Pinball team with their Timeshock! game.

Here’s what Stern Pinball had to say when announcing the collaboration:

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| Greg Freres and Dennis Nordman Set To Create Another Pinball Classic ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL – April 19, 2016 – Stern Pinball, Inc., the world’s oldest and largest producer of arcade-quality pinball machines, announced today that it is working with Whizbang Pinball founders Greg Freres and Dennis Nordman to bring a new pinball game to the market in 2017. Following up on the successful collaboration that brought Whoa Nellie Big Juicy Melons to the market, the new project will present a modern pinball game created in the fun, campy style for which the Whizbang team is known. “We are thrilled to be doing a brand new game with Dennis and Greg. The Whizbang team brings a unique energy and feel to their games that resonates with pinball players around the world,” said Gary Stern, CEO of Stern Pinball, Inc. More details will be announced in the future as the project progresses. About Stern Pinball, Inc. Stern Pinball, Inc., headquartered just outside Chicago, Illinois, is the oldest and largest producer of arcade-quality pinball games in the world. Stern’s highly talented creative and technical teams design, engineer and manufacture a full line of popular pinball games, merchandise and accessories. Recent Stern titles include Ghostbusters, Spider-Man Vault, Game of Thrones, KISS, WWE WrestleMania, The Walking Dead, Mustang, Star Trek, Metallica, The Avengers, X-Men, AC/DC, Tron, Transformers, Avatar, Iron Man, Batman, and many more! All of Stern’s pinball games are crafted by hand and assembled by Stern’s expert team. A broad range of players enjoy Stern’s games from professional pinball players that compete in high-stakes international competitions around the globe to novice players who are discovering the allure of the silver ball for the first time. To join the fun and learn more, please visit http://www.sternpinball.com. |

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 782078fc-6e28-4b3b-846d-05627da3c08d*