# Top 5 Greatest Pinball Machines From Chicago Gaming Company (SDTM, 2025)

**Source:** Straight Down the Middle  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2025-03-11  
**Duration:** 4m 34s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-Nf3GClmSM

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## Analysis

Two hosts from Straight Down the Middle rank Chicago Gaming Company's five pinball games, debating their merits and discussing what makes remakes successful. The list places Medieval Madness at #1, Attack from Mars at #2, Pulp Fiction at #3, Cactus Canyon at #4, and Monster Bash at #5, with hosts acknowledging overlap between top games and disagreement on ordering.

### Key Claims

- [MEDIUM] Monster Bash Remake is overrated with limited replayability despite being beautiful and fun — _Host opinion: 'overrated people very much it's overrated rules overrated...there's just not a lot of replayability I don't think so once you done it you done it'_
- [HIGH] Cactus Canyon had an interactive topper that shoots at players — _'had a cool topper one that interacts and shoots shoots at you and you play the topper too'_
- [MEDIUM] Pulp Fiction has code designed to look like it's from the 1970s but incorporates 2024 innovation — _'it looks like it's from the '70s but it has all the innovation from 2024'_
- [MEDIUM] Medieval Madness and Attack from Mars are generally always rated in the top three Chicago Gaming Company games — _'generally always rated in the top three'_
- [MEDIUM] Original Cactus Canyon was produced as one of the last Williams games and lacked built-in nostalgia factor — _'came out like it was the last one of the last produced Williams games...didn't have that built-in nostalgia right'_

### Notable Quotes

> "there's just something about the special yeah about the comedy about the castle that gets defeated about the Merlin like there's just something that fits so well"
> — **Host**, N/A
> _Explains why Medieval Madness resonates despite preferring Attack from Mars rules; identifies theme/narrative appeal as critical success factor_

> "it looks like it's from the '70s but it has all the innovation from 2024"
> — **Host**, N/A
> _Describes Pulp Fiction's design philosophy successfully blending retro aesthetic with modern game mechanics_

> "Monster Bash...there's not a lot to it it's fine it's fun it's beautiful gorgeous game actually great theme sounds great looks great toys are cool but there's just not a lot of replayability"
> — **Host**, N/A
> _Critiques Monster Bash as limited in depth despite surface appeal; defines replayability concern_

> "it didn't have that ability to really get on cuz they yeah they never really got their hand it didn't have that built-in nostalgia right"
> — **Host**, N/A
> _Explains original Cactus Canyon's market disadvantage vs Medieval Madness/Bash due to lack of nostalgic recognition_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Chicago Gaming Company | company | Pinball remake manufacturer with five games released to date (all discussed in this ranking) |
| Medieval Madness Remake | game | #1 ranked Chicago Gaming Company game; hosts note it's their strongest despite some preferring Attack from Mars ruleset |
| Attack from Mars Remake | game | #2 ranked Chicago Gaming Company game; one host prefers its rules to Medieval Madness but acknowledges the castle theme/narrative appeal of Medieval |
| Pulp Fiction | game | #3 ranked Chicago Gaming Company game; designed by Play Mechanics, praised for detailed aesthetic, code, and blending 1970s look with modern innovation |
| Cactus Canyon Remake | game | #4 ranked Chicago Gaming Company game; features reworked rules, interactive shooting topper, praised for toys and Wild West theme |
| Monster Bash Remake | game | #5 ranked Chicago Gaming Company game; criticized as overrated with limited replayability despite beautiful presentation and fun factor |
| Play Mechanics | company | Game designer/developer credited as building and designing Pulp Fiction pinball game for Chicago Gaming Company |
| Straight Down the Middle | organization | Pinball podcast/show hosting this top-5 ranking discussion |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Remake vs Original game design philosophy, Chicago Gaming Company product line evaluation
- **Secondary:** Replayability vs presentation trade-offs, Nostalgia and theme impact on game success, Ruleset complexity and accessibility

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.72) — Hosts are generally impressed with Chicago Gaming Company output despite criticisms of Monster Bash. Debate is good-natured and reflects genuine appreciation for remake quality. Tone is enthusiastic about games ranking #1-3, with constructive critique acknowledging both strengths and weaknesses.

### Signals

- **[design_philosophy]** Monster Bash Remake criticized as overrated with limited replayability despite strong aesthetic presentation; hosts suggest ruleset lacks depth for long-term engagement (confidence: medium) — 'overrated rules overrated...there's just not a lot to it...there's just not a lot of replayability I don't think so once you done it you done it'
- **[design_philosophy]** Chicago Gaming Company successful strategy: remakes with enhanced rulesets (Cactus Canyon), modern innovation in retro aesthetic (Pulp Fiction), and thematic/narrative resonance (Medieval Madness) (confidence: high) — Ranking discussion shows consistent praise for ruleset improvements, code quality, and theme execution across top-ranked titles
- **[market_signal]** Original Cactus Canyon suffered from limited market penetration as late-stage Williams release lacking built-in nostalgia; remake potentially found broader audience (confidence: medium) — 'it didn't have that ability to really get on cuz they...it didn't have that built-in nostalgia right...a lot of people didn't get a chance to play this game'

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## Transcript

Chicago gaming company I guess we can do a top five because they made five games even if they're REM they still top five got throw them in there and we'll start with number five the and people are going to be mad at us great they're going to say that's number three no the fifth greatest Chicago gaming company game pinball machine is Monster Bash remake yeah they've only made five and it's their last one it's overrated people very much it's overrated rules overrated they're overrated there's not a lot of to it it's fine it's fun it's beautiful gorgeous game actually great theme sounds great looks great toys are cool but there's just not a lot of replayability I don't think so once you done it you done it exactly it's like Braum stroker Dracula I love that game yes but if I have three games yeah you want that in a large collection and again this is fine in a large collection but there's better games I own it don't get me wrong yeah I own it cuz it's pretty yeah and it's fun to play every couple times a year yeah but yeah don't shoot the messenger I just number five number four I think it's better it's Cactus Canyon remake agreed that's a it's a better game they've redone the rules they I like the rules set completed it I agree and with this enhancement pack it still looks cool it's still beautiful might not be be able to them twe by Lyman in a way that I like modes and different stuff and who doesn't like San Paulie a I like San Paul and I like the Wild West theme too I do too that's a fun it's just got a lot of cool toys everything Bart everything is just neat in that game came out like it was the last one of the last produced Bally Williams games so a lot of people didn't get a chance to play this game yeah it it it didn't have that ability like Monster Bash or Medieval Madness and stuff it didn't have it didn't have that ability to really get on cuz they yeah they never really got their hand it didn't have that built-in Nostalgia right agreed but it had a cool topper one that interacts and shoots shoots at you and you play the topper too yeah oh that's cool number three the number three greatest Chicago gaming company game is not a Chicago gaming company game at all we're cheating here it's a play mechanic game they built it and they kind of designed it to it's Pulp Fiction Pulp Fiction it's Pulp Fiction I don't know how you get better we did a review or upcoming review on that it's a just a single level great game but it's nostalgic and classic very to the best detailed degree very much so and it's pop fiction shoots amazing the music the call outs code's amazing it looks like it's from the 70s but it has all the Innovation from 2024 theeast so it's number three number two though these are these are tried and true number two and number one it's just which which day is it GNA be to to determine if it's going to be a number one or two you're not wrong on that I'd like like number two better than I like number one I agree but I think number one's probably better than number two I I know exactly what you're saying that sounds complicated the second best Chicago gaming company game is attack for Mars remake I like it better I than the number one but it's just it's not I know I know what you mean the castle is still hard to beat and some of the things are still medieval manness number one we'll talk we'll talk about together yeah medieval manness remakes number attack from Mars number two I like the rules better than attack I do too I might even like the I like the way shoots a little better yeah I do too I do too but there's just something about the special yeah about the comedy about the castle that gets defeated about the Merlin like there's just something that fits so well the princess it just it it I agree I agree and like you were not wrong when you brought that up when you brought that up it's like it depends on the the catapults yeah just got more going on even though I prefer number two with a attack from Mars like I know both of them are some of the greatest ever that's why they're rated in the top three generally always rated in the top three that's two games alone let us know which one's your number one yeah what is your number one is it Cactus be Cactus we're going to have some monster bashes on there what are you talking about must B that's the top five greatest Chicago gaming company games of all [Music] time but

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 7e707699-536a-4feb-b485-bfa744f6f342*