# The Pinball Show Ep 21: When Is Stern's Next Game Being Released & Why Is Zach So Utterly Lonesome?

**Source:** The Pinball Show  
**Type:** podcast_episode  
**Published:** 2020-07-13  
**Duration:** 44m 8s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.thepinballnetwork.net/e/the-pinball-show-ep-21-when-is-sterns-next-game-being-released-why-is-zach-so-utterly-lonesome/

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## Analysis

Zach Minney hosts solo episode of The Pinball Show discussing Stern's production timeline post-COVID, Jim Patla joining Jersey Jack as COO, Pinball Browser restoration, and detailed analysis of Legends of Valhalla homebrew. Key focus: Stern's constrained production capacity through 2020, small runs of TMNT Pro planned, and speculation on next licensed title release timeline (November-December possible). Positive reception for Multimorphic's Game Heist and Jurassic Park's #2 Pinside ranking.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Jim Patla, legendary designer of Elvira and Party Monsters, joined Jersey Jack Pinball as Chief Operations Officer after working with American Pinball on Hot Wheels — _Ken Rudberg TPN correspondent report; confirmed dates (June 4 departure from American Pinball, JJP move)_
- [HIGH] Stern is planning another small TMNT Pro run in late July before shifting to bigger August production runs — _Zach's direct report from Stern sources; timeline includes LE completion and small Pro run before big August ramp_
- [MEDIUM] Stern's next licensed title release is unlikely before November, possibly December, due to sustained demand and production backlog — _Zach speculation based on COVID-related capacity constraints and historical release patterns (Munsters/Stranger Things timelines cited)_
- [MEDIUM] Pinball Browser custom song/video modification software has been restored after being blocked — _Zach reports new version available on PinSide forums; restoration includes video replacement capability; notes creator appreciation_
- [MEDIUM] Jersey Jack's new Elk Grove Village facility will eventually have production capacity equal to Stern if demand warrants — _Zach's assessment based on facility setup information; conditional speculation on operational capability_
- [HIGH] Legends of Valhalla by Riot Pinball features three flippers, eight tiered modes, magnetic Kraken interaction, and Thor's hammer backboard mechanic — _Zach's detailed analysis of three-hour gameplay stream from Buffalo Pinball/Adam Gasek's house_
- [MEDIUM] Rick and Morty by Spooky Pinball is selling on secondary market for $10,000-$11,000, well above initial pre-order prices — _Zach's observation of marketplace listings; noted as still rare and high-demand title_
- [HIGH] Jurassic Park has risen to #2 on Pinside Top 100 all-time best reviewed machines — _Zach cites Pinside.com ranking data; notes position maintained over ~1 year period_
- [HIGH] American Pinball's Hot Wheels production is delayed; customers still waiting for second shipments months after initial delivery — _Zach reports personal experience with order delays and customer backlog_
- [HIGH] Stern shut down production April-June during pandemic but demand remained high, creating backlog across 10+ titles — _Zach's analysis of production timeline and distributor/customer inventory depletion during shutdown period_

### Notable Quotes

> "Anybody get a flat tire this week? Email us at thepinballnetwork at gmail.com if you received a flat tire this week. Flat tires always suck."
> — **Zach Minney**, Opening segment
> _Establishes show's casual, personal tone; became a running gag/callback_

> "July is free pinball month. So take that, overinflated Gen X market."
> — **Lil Flipper (Zach's daughter Mia)**, Correspondent segment
> _Humorous jab at market pricing; part of comedic correspondent takeover_

> "I love a game that the orbits are so smooth and laser quick that often times when players first step up to it, the ball gets by the flippers before they have a chance to flip because of the speed."
> — **Zach Minney**, Legends of Valhalla analysis (~40 min mark)
> _Core design preference articulated; flow-speed vs stop-go game philosophy_

> "I don't like the exit of that ship... I need something else... Maybe you expose the magnet there and when the balls drop out, they fall lock on that magnet. Twirl around."
> — **Zach Minney**, Legends of Valhalla 'The Bad' section
> _Specific mechanical design criticism; suggests improvement via magnet interaction_

> "They are selling some damn pinball machines, y'all. They are selling a bunch of pinball machines. They're selling so many damn pinball machines that can't keep up with how many pinball machines are ordered and sold."
> — **Zach Minney**, Production analysis segment (~60 min)
> _Emphasizes demand/supply imbalance; explains production constraints_

> "November feels pretty warm. Q4, holiday sales. November feels good. But it wouldn't surprise me if we did get another released title from Stern Pinball that we may see it in December."
> — **Zach Minney**, Stern next release speculation (~65 min)
> _Prediction on unreleased Stern title timing; acknowledges historical December releases_

> "Jurassic Park sits at number two of the all-time best reviewed pinball machines per pinside.com... is it as pretty as medieval madness hell no does it sound as good as medieval madness... hell no."
> — **Zach Minney**, Trending section (~75 min)
> _Acknowledges quality despite ranking; suggests Medieval Madness still stronger on presentation_

> "The assets video and audio integrated into this game are unmatched by most any pinball machine ever made"
> — **Zach Minney**, Rick and Morty analysis (end)
> _Highlights Spooky's integration of licensed IP audio/video as differentiator_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Zach Minney | person | Host of The Pinball Show; co-owner Flippin' Out Pinball; solo on this episode due to Dennis Creasel illness |
| Jim Patla | person | Legendary pinball designer (Elvira, Space Invaders, Centaur, Viking); recently hired as COO of Jersey Jack Pinball after working with American Pinball on Hot Wheels |
| Dennis Creasel | person | Regular co-host of The Pinball Show; under the weather for this episode (COVID-related) |
| Jersey Jack Pinball | company | Pinball manufacturer relocating to new facility in Elk Grove Village, Illinois; actively hiring; Jim Patla appointed COO |
| Stern Pinball | company | Largest pinball manufacturer; currently constrained production capacity post-COVID; running small TMNT Pro batches before August ramp; next release unclear (Nov-Dec speculation) |
| American Pinball | company | Released Hot Wheels with Jim Patla; experiencing production delays with customer backlog |
| Chicago Gaming Company | company | Maker of Medieval Madness Royal Edition remakes; expected in development phase for next title; planning accessory kits |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | game | Stern's current release; small Pro run planned late July, followed by big August production run; Premium editions to follow |
| Legends of Valhalla | game | Homebrew/prototype by Riot Pinball (6 units made); features Norse theme, three flippers, eight tiered modes, magnet Kraken; gameplay streamed by Buffalo Pinball/Skip Natty |
| Jurassic Park | game | Stern release; ranked #2 on Pinside Top 100 all-time; secondary market prices beginning to show slight softening |
| Rick and Morty | game | Spooky Pinball release; rare; secondary market selling for $10k-$11k+, well above pre-order prices; praised for audio/video integration |
| Game Heist | game | Multimorphic P3 non-licensed title; trending up due to positive owner feedback; described as modernized version of Lexi Lightspeed |
| Multimorphic | company | Maker of Game Heist; virtual pinball platform manufacturer with physical machine offerings |
| Spooky Pinball | company | Maker of Rick and Morty; known for strong audio/video asset integration in licensed IP games |
| Flippin' Out Pinball | company | Zach Minney's pinball distribution/rental company; recent pin run delivered Medieval Madness RE, Black Knight Premium, Metallica Pro RE |
| Riot Pinball | company | Maker of Legends of Valhalla homebrew (6 prototypes); also made Wrath of Olympus; non-licensed original themes |
| Dwight Sullivan | person | Coder of TMNT for Stern; appearing on Flippin' Out livestream Monday July 13 for gameplay/discussion |
| Ken Rudberg | person | TPN correspondent reporting on Jersey Jack Pinball news and Jim Patla appointment |
| Lil Flipper | person | Zach's daughter Mia; guest correspondent delivering comedic 'real pinball news' segment with critiques of hosts |
| Craig Bobby | person | Stern News correspondent for The Pinball Show; reports on TMNT shipments and production timeline |
| Buffalo Pinball | person/content_creator | YouTube streamer of Legends of Valhalla gameplay with Skip Natty; available on-demand video |
| Skip Natty | person | Professional pinball player; featured in Legends of Valhalla stream; praised for gameplay and banter |
| Adam Gasek | person | Owner of one of six Legends of Valhalla prototypes; hosted gameplay stream at his house |
| Pinball Browser | software | Custom song/video modification tool for pinball machines; previously blocked but recently restored with new features |
| Pinside | website/community | Pinball forum and review aggregator; hosts Top 100 all-time rankings; source for Jurassic Park #2 ranking and Legends of Valhalla code discussion |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Production capacity and backlog post-COVID, Stern's next licensed title announcement timing, TMNT shipment timeline and Pro/Premium/LE runs, Jersey Jack Pinball facility expansion and Jim Patla appointment
- **Secondary:** Legends of Valhalla homebrew gameplay and design analysis, Pinball Browser restoration and custom modification tools, Secondary market pricing trends (Rick and Morty, Jurassic Park)
- **Mentioned:** Multimorphic non-licensed games and P3 platform

### Sentiment

**Mixed** (0.62) — Zach expresses frustration with production constraints and lack of patience, but maintains optimism about industry health and upcoming releases. Positive on Legends of Valhalla design despite mechanical criticisms. Constructive analysis of secondary market trends without negativity. Comedic tone lightens overall episode despite supply chain challenges.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Jersey Jack Pinball expanding production capacity at new Elk Grove Village facility with active hiring for QC, assembly, logistics (confidence: high) — Ken Rudberg reports social media ads for hiring; Zach confirms facility will eventually match Stern production capacity if demand exists
- **[community_signal]** Flippin' Out Pinball hosting studio live stream Monday July 13 with TMNT coder Dwight Sullivan for gameplay and giveaway; community engagement through streaming (confidence: high) — Craig Bobby correspondent segment confirms stream on Flippin' Out Pinball channel hosted by Steve Beattie and Bill Webb; Dwight Sullivan confirmed as coder; Art Blades giveaway mentioned
- **[competitive_signal]** Jurassic Park achieves #2 all-time ranking on Pinside Top 100 despite Zach's preference and assessment that it is inferior to Medieval Madness in aesthetics and audio (confidence: high) — Zach confirms JP #2 ranking; states 'is it as pretty as medieval madness hell no does it sound as good... hell no' but personally prefers JP; suggests gameplay depth drives ranking
- **[design_philosophy]** Zach explicitly prefers flow-speed game design (smooth orbits, minimal stops) as evidenced by Legends of Valhalla analysis and preference for fast ball/magnet interactions (confidence: medium) — Praise for laser-fast orbits, magnet interactivity on Kraken, ramp-through-backboard design; criticism of ship exit mechanic as 'thud' lacking directional control
- **[design_philosophy]** Legends of Valhalla demonstrates that non-licensed original themes (Norse/mythology) can generate sustained player interest and potential production viability if priced/coded appropriately (confidence: medium) — Zach speculates American Pinball could sell 100 units at $78.99 price point; notes Riot Pinball's previous title (Wrath of Olympus) similarly rare; questions whether code completion is main blocker
- **[market_signal]** Secondary market softening on Jurassic Park; secondary market prices accelerating upward for Rick and Morty ($10k-$11k+) (confidence: medium) — Zach notes JP 'taking in water' with increased secondary listings due to new releases (Turtles, JJP, CGC remake); Rick and Morty selling above pre-order prices due to scarcity
- **[personnel_signal]** Jim Patla, legendary EM/SS era designer, transitions from retirement and American Pinball to become COO of Jersey Jack Pinball (confidence: high) — Ken Rudberg confirms Jim Patla left American Pinball (Hot Wheels) on June 4 for Jersey Jack COO role; Patla's legacy includes Elvira, Space Invaders, Centaur, Viking, Bally era titles
- **[product_strategy]** American Pinball's Hot Wheels experiencing production delays; customers still awaiting second shipments months after initial promotional release (confidence: medium) — Zach states he ordered second Hot Wheels unit and customers are waiting; attributes to parts issues or facility setup challenges; timeframe: months after initial delivery
- **[product_concern]** Legends of Valhalla ship ball exit mechanic lacks directional control and feels like afterthought; sling artwork saturation issues; center mode inserts under-lit or under-coded (confidence: medium) — Zach detailed critique: ship exit 'just kind of a clunk and a thud'; suggests magnet-based alternative (Iron Man/Whiplash/Doc Ock); notes washed-out plastics similar to Spooky Pinball issue; mode inserts don't light often
- **[rumor_hype]** Stern likely to release next major licensed title in November-December timeframe, possibly December as holiday/year-end release per historical pattern (Munsters Jan, Stranger Things Dec) (confidence: medium) — Zach speculation based on: current production backlog duration, seasonal Q4 release pattern, historical precedent (Munsters Jan CES, Stranger Things Christmas), production ramp timeline through Oct-Nov
- **[supply_chain_signal]** Stern constrained by COVID-related production ramp-up; small TMNT Pro runs planned through August as demand backlog spans 10+ titles (confidence: high) — Zach reports three-week small Pro run to arcades, followed by LE completion, then another small Pro run before big August push; backlog includes Elvira, Jurassic Park, Guardians, Black Knight, Deadpool, Monster
- **[technology_signal]** Pinball Browser custom modification tool restored with new video replacement capabilities after previous block; community enthusiasm for creator restoration (confidence: medium) — Zach reports new version live on PinSide forums; notes potential Stern cost-savings from community-created custom callouts; cites video integration potential (Jurassic Park example)

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## Transcript

 The Pinball Network is online. Launching The Pinball Show. Pinball is a game of skill. For some, it's a passion and a lifestyle. It's time for The Pinball Show. It's pinball with personality. Welcome everybody to episode 21 of the pinball show. I'm your host Zach Minney. Today we're flying solo because our cowboy creasel is a bit under the Carl Weathers. Get well soon Dennis, we're all thinking about you buddy. Here's hoping everybody had a great weekend and a good start to this week. Happy Monday for those of you listening appropriately on day one of the release. For those of you listening later, I don't know, hopefully your week was okay. Anybody get a flat tire this week? Email us at thepinballnetwork at gmail.com if you received a flat tire this week. Flat tires always suck. This past weekend, Nicole and I from Flip N Out Pinball, we were on a pin run. We went and delivered, what did we deliver? We delivered a Medieval Madness Royal Edition. We delivered a Black Knight Premium, and we delivered a Metallica Pro Refinery Edition. We did bring home some pins in trade. We brought home an Oktoberfest by American Pinball and a Dirty Harry. So if you guys are interested in those two titles, be on the lookout at Flip N Out Pinball's Facebook for those pre-owned games. I also was able to receive some new Speaker Light Kits from SpeakerLightKits.com. I'm going to install those on Jurassic Park LE and on the Turtles LE. Ooh, and I do have a powder-coated coin door and shooter housing for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles LE. So that's what's going to keep me busy, hopefully, this week. Ooh, speaking of Turtles, tonight, if you're listening Monday, tonight, July 13th, around 6 p.m. Central, the flipping out pinball streaming channel hosted by Steve Beattie and Bill Webb will have a special guest in Dwight Sullivan coder of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles they're going to be playing the pro and they're all going to be in Studio B having a lot of fun there's going to be a giveaway of a free set of Art Blades for TMNT so tune in to that to see how you can win who knows, you may only be able to win if you listen to this podcast we're going to make it nice and quick today update you guys with the happenings in pinball. But first, let's kick it over to our TPN correspondents. It's time for TPN Industry News. Hi, this is Ken Rudberg with your Jersey Jack update. I don't think it's a secret that Jersey Jack is now hiring positions at their new facility in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. There are Facebook and other social media ads looking for quality control people, assemblers, logistics specialists, and other positions. One position that they recently filled, though, was not expected, and that is the role of Chief Operations Officer, filled by Jim Patla, one of Pinball's most prolific and celebrated designers. Jim has decades of experience designing games for Bally, all the way from the EMs like Space Time, Monte Carlo, and Flip Flop, through the solid state age with games like Viking, Space Invaders, and Centaur. He even designed the classic Elvira and the Party Monsters. Jim has been retired since the 90s, and he just recently got back into the pinball world by working with American Pinball on their recent release, Hot Wheels. Since June 4th, he's no longer working with American and has since moved to Jersey Jack. I'm looking forward to seeing if Jim can take his vast experience and help move Jersey Jack to the next level. For the Pinball Show, this has been Ken Rudberg. Hey everyone, Lil Flipper here. My dad is fast asleep this afternoon, or what he calls his COVID nap time. So I thought I'd just grab the mic and give you all the real pinball news this week. So get ready, yo! Okay, so first off, for the rest of July, all pinball machines are free. Yahoo! That's right. It doesn't matter if it's new or used. July is free pinball month. So take that, overinflated Gen X market. Get flippin', everyone. And I've got first dibs on the Hobbit, so hands off, dudes. Next up, Zach and Dennis. I love your podcast, guys, but I have some show notes for you two old-timers. Zach, sometimes you sound too happy, and I find it mildly annoying. Say what? Plus, what's the deal with all the B-plus pinball reviews you give on YouTube? Everyone knows that Stranger Things is a C-minus at best. Here she comes to wreck the day! And Dennis, would it kill you to smile once in a while and say something nice to your best friend, Zach? You like that, old man? You want a piece of me? Also, since my dad says you're a video game expert, I was wondering if you could give me some tips on how to adopt me on Roblox. Hopefully you know how to play something more recent than Pac-Man. Come on, man. I know you have all the best neon animals. Give them up, yo. Mia, what are you up to? Okay, guys. Clownby Pants is getting up, so I gotta fly. Remember, free pinball month for all of July. And Zach and Dennis, I'm only being hard on you because I love you. Keep up the good work. Love you, dudes. Lil Flipper out. Hey, what's going on Mia? What are you up to? Nothing dad, just getting your mic ready for you Here you go Okay honey, thanks Wow, how nice Hey everyone, Craig here again Your pinball show's Stern News Correspondent Well the hot days of summer are here And with them means the news from Stern Has gone from here's what's coming To let's start building So with TMNT pros and LEs being shipped and unboxed every day now, it won't be long before those Ninja Turtle Premium Editions start rolling off the line as well. And speaking of which, be sure to check out Oklahoma State Pinball Champion Travis Muri on his Marv Loco YouTube channel this week, as Travis gives his first impressions and gameplay strategies on TMNT Pro and LE versions. A great 15 minute video to watch if you're interested in buying or playing this title in the coming weeks or months, as Travis gives some good gameplay tips, and also some little quirks he's discovered with the two models that he's been playing, so worth checking out for sure. Other than that, we're waiting with bated breath as always on what might be next for the world's largest pinball manufacturer. Will it be the highly rumored rock classic, or as some say, dad rock theme of Led Zeppelin, or possibly even Rush by designer Steve Ritchie? Or does Stern have something else up their sleeve? Hmm. We shall wait and see. For the Pinball Show, I'm Craig Bobby. Catch you on the flip side. Always great hearing from the correspondents, Dennis. Dennis. I need you. Ken? Where's Ken? I'm all alone. And since I'm all alone, it's only fitting as I sit here solo on this podcast episode without my sidekick and my main man, Dennis Creasel, to sing him a little song. I know you're out there, Dennis. This goes out to you, and it's by Heart, and the song is called Alone. I hear the ticking of the clock. I'm lying here, the room's pitch dark. And I wonder where you are tonight No answer on the telephone Or text or Skype And the night goes by so very slow Oh, and I hope that it won't end though Alone Hey, hit the hook, baby. Tell me how I'm not alone I never really cared until I met you And if you tell me to the moon How do I get you alone? I haven't been too long I haven't been too long there, Lil Flip. Always great to hear from the correspondents. I think Lil Flip has just stole the correspondence segment. Oh, step your game up, fellas. Step it up. Not a heavy news week here in pinball, but we do have some fun stuff to talk about, like one of the highlights for me this year with all of the shit and crap going on in pinball. Remember months back when pinball browser was no more something was blocked i don't know all the technical stuff but needless to say all of those awesome pinball collectors hobbyists players and coders who were giving us these pinball browser updates to add custom songs and and vocals to some of these pinball machines most notably as of late the stranger things right cleveland did that it was dead it was gone but it has risen we now have a new pinball browser software fix just looking at the thread on pin side i'm not again i don't know coding i don't know any of this stuff but people seem to be excited about it everything is back with additional stuff maybe some maybe some video stuff in there as well that you can replace some video stuff so for now it is back and I can't thank the creator enough for that and I just hope that it sticks around. I'm trying to see from Stern Pinball's point of view why they wouldn't want this around and stuff but the fact remains, it's just fun. Nobody's being charged any money. There no assets that are being sold It helps customize and modify a game and listeners you guys know i always said why if i stirring pinball this is ignorance here because i don know enough about the ins and outs i get that but if i'm stirring pinball i'm kind of saving money on some of the custom call outs because there are genius people that can work that pinball browser to update and and upload mixes that include those vocals from the film or from the actual song or whatever it may be. So I just hope it sticks around. And with the idea that there's some video aspects that can be added to, I'm just thinking like Jurassic Park with some of the film. Oh, please. We know that Cleland is kind of the king of those updates, but there's a lot of other people that are updating stuff using pinball browsers. Well, Delt, the individual who shits on me any second he can get on pin side still loving for his uh for his pin browser updates though thanks delt and many other people if you guys are doing some pretty comprehensive and elaborate pin browser updates email us at the pinball network at gmail.com i'd like to hear from you about the ups and downs of doing such time-consuming but very much appreciated work pinball browsers back baby we also got the first that I know of gameplay footage of Legends of Valhalla pinball by Riot Pinball. They've only made six of these things. I think they're considered prototypes. I don't know. Buffalo Pinball and Skip Natty in particular went over to Adam Gasek's house and streamed Legends of Valhalla this past weekend. If you all have not seen this stream, you've got to go to Buffalo Pinball. Go to the YouTube page of Buffalo Pinball. Make sure to subscribe there but watch the video on demand of this because you're not going to see this very often with only six of them being made they stream this thing for nearly three hours so anything you want to see about legends of Valhalla you can check it out here I watched a good hour or more of this game it was very entertaining especially with the players there and their banter and going through this game Skip Natty's always just such a great pinball player so it's fun watching him dig into a game, but some of the notes that I've taken on this game. The first appearance, when you walk up to this machine, the artwork, the artwork's nice. It looks really good. Now, this isn't a theme. This is, it's not a licensed theme, but it is a theme that people have heard of, they know of. They know of Thor, they know of the Kraken, warriors and skulls and all of that. So, it's familiar to people. The artwork looks good. I think the individual who designed this layout and designed the game also did the artwork, so very talented there. The game features three ramps, some orbits, inner orbits, magnet use, under the flipper scoop shots, a pass-through to go back to the shooter lane. Looks like eight different modes, but of these eight modes, they can be tiered to become more difficult tier one two three etc rgb light show throughout interactive thor's hammer in the backboard you got a ball locking mechanism of the ship it's got a lot going on and based on the gameplay i can say that it is more of a flow speed type of game a mode base but flow speed type of game it's not a lot of stop and go from what i've seen and let's run down just a quick the good the bad, the questionable. I like that. The good, the bad, the questionable. The good. The game looks to shoot very, very well. The materials used, a lot of metal. A lot of us pinball players like the kinetic satisfaction of metal ramps. Although, I will say that don't poo-poo plastic. I like some smoothness of some plastic ramps as well. And it should also be noted that Riot Pinball is known for Woolly. Wrath of Olympus, the pin that started out I believe is a virtual pin and then made into an actual pinball machine. That looked like a fun game as well. You don't see those either. Other things that I love I love the orbits. The orbits are laser fast. So quick. I love a game that the orbits are so smooth and laser quick that often times when players first step up to it, the ball gets by the flippers before they have a chance to flip because of the speed. And there's nothing better than having a full-blown 50 mile per hour ball coming back at the flipper and being able to hit it on the fly. That feels really, really good. Something else I really appreciated was the use of the magnet. There's a kraken up in the top right of the play field. There's a little inner loop up there that you can hit with the upper flipper. There's three flippers in this game. Upper left flipper shot, side flipper. you can hit the loop um or you can hit a side ramp now what i love about the magnet use is it's right at the opening of that loop when you feed a ball up the side ramp it comes out there as well so you get a lot of interactivity with that magnet it's somewhat chaotic it makes the ball fly around everywhere and it's fitting whenever you have a kraken up there an octopus or something all bets are off we're in the water at that point the the ball is going to go a little bit wild i love the use of that unpredictability of the ball when it goes up into that area. I really like the backboard Thor's hammer, how it interacts and it slams down and you get that effect throughout the play field and the feel of the game. It's a nice sculpt back there. I'd like to see more interactivity on backboards in games. I'm always a sucker for a ramp that goes through that backboard as well. The center ramp in this game goes through the backboard and out to the right side of the backboard coming down to your right flipper. I cannot love that enough. Anytime I'm hitting it under the flipper into a scoop or in back into the shooter lane and it identifies that and awards you for some way, I really like the uniqueness of that. The speaker grill has RGB interactive speaker lighting with laser cut covers. That's a really nice touch as well. Nice big, looks like a stern sized LCD screen in the backbox. And overall, this just looks like a fun ass game to play. The bad. Okay. So the bad for me would be the artwork is nice, but it doesn't scream to me, especially on the slings. The slings are a little bit, I want to see some more saturation in those sling art plastics and just the plastics in general. They look a little bit washed out. We get that with spooky pens a lot. That's something I wish Charlie over at Spooky would take some time to screen print or do something to those to make them much more rich. I don't know if it's code or not, but the center mode inserts, they're predominant in the middle of the play field. They're screaming at you. Here they are. But I don't see them light up very often. I don't know if that's a coding thing or if they're still in the beta process of code, but I don't see those lighting up very often. Some of the characters in the artwork in the background, they don't really stand out we get that main viking character up front he is he's nicely done everybody else in the background octopus is really nicely done the herringbone pattern or some of the art patterns and texture choices are are terrific as well but even the composition of the artwork with the stone with the layering of the playfield middle playfield focal point characters right there. You've got your modes down below with some stone etchings. The skull with horns down by the flippers. Even the dragon and the wolf on the slings composition wise. Excellent, excellent, excellent work there. One of the things I dislike the most in this game. This is a big one too. I don't mean to be negative but this is a big one. I don't like the exit of that ship and the exit of the ship so you can hit the side ramp with that upper flipper right and you can physically lock balls up there within that ship very cool the problem is the exit of that ball is just kind of a clunk and a thud onto your play field almost as an afterthought i need something else i need that ball coming out in a smoother way a more directional controllable way something there. Maybe you expose the magnet there and when the balls drop out, they fall lock on that magnet. Twirl around. Think Iron Man. Not the monger, but the, what's his name? Whiplash. Hit it there or even Doc Ock. Hit it there. It stops and then it throws that ball around. Because even when you're hitting that side ramp shot, you're going into the boat, right? But you don't physically lock it so it's a pass through which is fine but again the exit's just that doesn't do much for me there. That was really a disappointing exit for me. And the questionable for me would be the code. I haven't had a chance to play it. I would love a chance to play this game because it looks really really intriguing but I wonder where the code's going to go. If the code is complete. How close we are. With games like this usually you see a lot of bugs here and there. We had difficulty with some ball searches watching this stream at times. It looks like it could sell some games. I don't know how many it would sell, but I don't know. I'm second guessing when I say things like themes and intellectual property and licenses are always better than non-licensed original themes or Houdini-esque. People know what it is, but I think that a game like this for American Pinball would do pretty well. If American Pinball is wanting to stick to the non-licensed stuff, I think recreating this with working with Riot Pinball or contracting out with American Pinball, Riot Pinball could sell, I don't know, I'm guessing, I'm guessing they could sell 100 units of this if priced appropriately. I think price-wise, if I'm looking at, whatever I'm looking at right now, I would say your price point is for 100 units, $78.99. But you've got to get that code. You've got to get that code done. I don't know how much these pens ended up selling for. The six that they did have. And I think that's probably going to be pretty private. But interested to see where this game ends up. Whether it is just the six that are made. Or if it gets an increase in some production there. I can't wait to play it. Oh, and speaking of not being able to wait to play something. I want to give you guys an update on Stern Pinball's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shipments. So the timeline thus far, about, I don't know, three weeks ago, a very small run of pros left the factory and went predominantly to arcades, locations, barcades, entertainment centers, etc. It was purposeful. They just wanted them to go to those establishments so that they would have them first to try to I would guess to try to boost up the location scene especially as these companies are likely struggling during this pandemic time So nicely done. Then they ran all of the LEs. I believe they're done with the LE run. Again, very nicely done. We didn't wait long at all for these LEs to pop out. And the most recent update is the plan is to run pros again, then to start running premiums then pros and premiums so on and so forth like they typically do on releases however information is now coming in that this next pro run whether it's this week or next before the end of july it's another small run that surprised me however knowing what i know about stern pinball you guys have to think uh when they shut this thing down what was it april May, June, during that time, the desire and the demand for pinball was still the same, if not higher. Distributors ran out of inventory. Stern ran out of inventory. So all of these produced titles, hell, I think there's probably 10 or more titles that Stern is producing. Those back orders continue to backlog more and more and more. Then you've got a hit with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. What are you to do? because as you ramp up production, you start production from this pandemic stuff, you're still not going to start like a light switch from zero games to 50 plus a day. You've got to ease into that. Precautions are being taken at Stern Pinball and all these other manufacturers for keeping distant and safe mask use as much as possible. So that's going to limit probably the efficiency of your productivity. but you're dealt with the dilemma of incredibly long list of games that need to be made elvira jurassic park pro and premium guardians of the galaxy black nine monster i mean you name it they've deadpool pros and premiums we haven't had a premium run of deadpool that was slated for before covid we're still waiting for that so they're trying to balance creating all of these pros that people are demanding and wanting. All of these back orders that people need to restock on distribution wise as well as customer wise wanting their game that they ordered months ago. So I think that's why we're seeing these smaller runs here. I don't like it. I hate it but I don't see there being anything that can be done to really help this from a production and business standpoint. I think they're probably doing it right. Doesn't make it feel any better but I think they're probably doing it right. So you're going to see another small run in the next week or so of Turtles Pro. And then we roll into August. I believe we're still going to see another big run, like the big hefty run of Turtles Pro beginning to mid-August. Patience is tough, especially for a guy like me. I just am not patient. I'd rather overpay and get something quicker. But have some patience here. Once they start rolling out this big run of pros in August, I can assure you anyone that was early on this purchase, you guys are going to have your games very shortly. So not even a month. And then you're going to see premiums start rolling. I think their first premium run is probably going to be a big hefty amount as well on the production line. So they'll be running these things pretty heavy here in August. And at least people are still getting their games. We've seen the same hold up with Hot Wheels at American Pinball. I've ordered some Hot Wheels, and I'm still waiting for my second game. I got that first game for promotional purposes and marketing purposes. I have customers waiting for games as well. Now, that's an even bigger surprise. Because they've had months. They've just had one title to prep for. Is this a parts issue? What kind of issue are we seeing here? And something tells me that as Jersey Jack Pinball is just settling into their new location and their new manufacturing plant, And that's why we didn't see a new release as soon as the Illinois guidelines let up and allowed manufacturing plants to start productivity again. They're taking their time. They're making sure everything is right. And it wouldn't surprise me if you've seen a small run of games that are not their new title over Jersey Jack Pinball. And that is very, very, very smart as well, if that is the case. because then you're getting all of the, probably the new employees on the line, you're getting them equipped, you're educating them, you're training them. They know what to look out for so that when we do have the next title by Jersey Jack Pinball, we have less hiccups, more efficiency, quicker turnaround time. And I can also confirm this. After hearing about the plant setup at the new Jersey Jack facility, they are going to be capable, if the demand is there, to probably run just as many pins per day as a Stern pinball if need be. Now that's a guess. I like money too much to gamble it away, but if I was a gambling man, I'd say they could do it. Got to get those parts though. Got to get those employees ready to go. And Chicago Gaming Company, I'm not sure where we're at. I think they're probably just still in development of their next remake. We know that Medieval Madness Royal Editions, I believe, are done. I believe they've ran those. I still get a lot of people asking for those, unfortunately. I wish I had more. But something tells me between now and the fall-winter, the next release we'll see of a remake, they're going to be making those MMR kits. I think they've probably inventoried enough Monster Bash. They're no longer making Attack from Mars. They're no longer making Medieval Madness. So I think this time between is still development of that next release as well as those accessory kits for Medieval Madness. Your topper accessory kit, your RGB lighting kit, and your enhanced XL display and speaker kit. The big question for me, listener, are we going to see a release by Stern pinball before year's end? Now, quickly, you're probably telling yourself, absolutely, we'll see one. I would think so as well. But, man, when we have this many, they are selling some damn pinball machines, y'all. They are selling a bunch of pinball machines. They're selling so many damn pinball machines that can't keep up with how many pinball machines are ordered and sold. They can't just throw another one in there right now. I can certainly tell you they're not going to throw one in there in August. September, they're still going to be stockpiled making pinball machines. October, November, we're warming up. And truly and honestly, I have no clue when they're revealing and releasing their next game over at Stern Pinball. November feels pretty warm. Q4, holiday sales. November feels good. But it wouldn't surprise me if we did get another released title from Stern Pinball that we may see it in December. Closer to the actual end of the month holiday. Wouldn't surprise me at all. We've actually seen that with the Munsters, The Year Before Last, and Stranger Things. Remember that? Munsters, hell that didn't roll out until beginning of January CES time. Stranger Things, shown on the day of Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas, the day after. Do we see a vault in between then? I don't think so. I wouldn't guess that to be the case. They're filled with enough orders that I think they go new title or nothing. I could be wrong. Maybe they roll new title in January and they have a remake between now and the end of the year. So who knows what Stern Pinball is going to do. but you guys know when you listen to the pinball show what we're going to do each and every week, and that's to give you your weekly dose of the pinball market trends. I want to insert Orbital Albert's goats. Orby just got a couple new goats, and I told him we're going to have to hire those two for a little voice work. very clean vocals with that uh with that female goat leia luke and leia that's what he named him shout out to the orvi goats all right let's get into it turning up this week is multi-morphic p3s game heist you heard it now when i'm saying trending up the trend here for heist is feedback Everybody is liking some Heist. I've talked to owners of Heist, we've seen recent streams of Heist, and people seem to really be digging this game. I've been told it's kind of like a Lexi Lightspeed, but just really, really brought into the 21st century. It is the non-licensed game that people are having fun with. The layout looks strong, the animations are strong, the mechanisms are strong. All of the innovation that Multimorphic brings is all done in spades. But is it enough? Is it enough to finally see this company trend in the up direction for the future? Only time will tell. We'll have to wait and see. Also trending up this week is Jurassic Park by Stern Pinball. Now the trend here is based on the Pinside Top 100. This little sweet ass has floated all the way up the Pinside Top 100 to number two. peace out attack from mars bye-bye monster bash jurassic park sits at number two of the all-time best reviewed pinball machines per pinside.com top 100 reviews done by this that and everybody is it deserving of number two will it ever approach number one knocking off the king of medieval madness i don't think so do i like it better than medieval madness you damn right i do is it as pretty as medieval madness hell no does it sound as good as medieval madness if you take the score into consideration but without that score hell no now price wise on jurassic park i have seen it so this is this is trending up because of the ranking and just it holding so long for the last year but i will tell you with these recent announcements turtles coming out, JJP coming out with something, we've got the CGC remake, we have started to see some Jurassic Parks go up on the marketplace. So, I do predict that we're not going to see it continue to increase. I don't think the pricing is going to hold steady for much longer. She's holding steady now, Captain, but she's taking in some water. I don think too much water but she taking in a little bit of water Price is still sustained secondary market is still okay on them still selling this game a lot But I do predict like any other game this one less so than all the others You'll start to see that dip in secondary prices. But they're still holding well. Also trending out this week is Spooky Pinballs Rick and Morty. This pin is still considered rare. It is a blast to play. the assets video and audio integrated into this game are unmatched by most any pinball machine ever made you heard it pre-orders are still selling for a shitload more money than the actual initial pre-order cost itself some people are listing their rick and morty's over 10k now 11k and they're selling now you'll hear and see an upcoming rick and morty sdtm review and i think you may be surprised. So tune in to that. But until then, I'm pressing the start button on this game a lot, ladies and gentlemen. A lot. Oh! Tsk, tsk though. Trending down this week is Chicago Gaming Company's Monster Bash remake. I'm starting to see the prices now. Attack from Mars they're no longer making. So those prices actually holding steady if not going up. That's where your value is going to be Attack from Mars. Medieval, they've made more. It's still the number one game. It's still a blast to play. It is pinball iconic. But with the accessories pack that can be added to the remakes now on the top of the display and the RGB, don't see those holding as good as Attack from Mars. But the least of all of them, unfortunately, is Monster Bash Remake. Starting to see the classics and specials really take a dip almost to that $1,000 below new in box prices on the secondary market. LE is holding a little bit stronger, but even so, of the three Medieval Madness, Monster Bash, and Attack from Mars, you're seeing the prices hit that Monster Bash more than all of them. It'll end up leveling out once they stop making Monster Bash, once inventory starts drying up, they will level out. But for now, we're going to be on a slide, everybody. We'll keep sliding. If I'm guessing, my projection for the slides on the secondary market for Monster Bash Remake would include the classics falling. We know that they're $6,000 plus shipping for a classic. I think you're going to start seeing them creep into the $5,000 to $5,200 range. Think about that. Monster Bash, $5,000 to $5,200. That's absurd. The special editions, those are about $7,300 new in box plus shipping. I'm already seeing those creep down. I'm seeing mid-sixes on those. I think you're going to see lower sixes on those. And the LEs, they're $8,000, probably the best value out of all of them, considering what you're getting. You're starting to see those lower sevens. Oh, and I can't forget about this non-pinball-related training. Oh, this week is a new show on HBO. Any HBO lovers out there, this new Max HBO is just the hell best training up by itself with all of the additional networks that have joined that HBO Max, including you get Rick and Morty now when you get HBO Max. but in particular a new show that i almost breezed by because i was like and sounds a little bit feels a little bit dated and perry mason boy was i wrong i've watched the first three episodes i'm watching the fourth episode tonight don't sleep on perry mason y'all the cinematography the look the sound, the feel of this series is among the best from HBO. I dare you to find a better looking film in the last year. The details in the show are great. The writing is phenomenal. The acting is top notch. This ensemble cast has got to be considered an Emmy nominations Golden Globes this year. It is that good. And I almost just skipped over it. You watch that first full episode and tell me your thoughts by emailing thepinballnetwork at gmail.com. And we can't go anywhere without giving you some viewer trends, can we? Now, we had to skip the following week because I was on vacation. But during that time, TPN's very own David Dennis, host of the Silver Ball Chronicles, submitted a viewer or listener trend. Transparency last week, I forgot all about it. So we're airing it this week on the Pinball Show's Viewer Trends. Take it away, Double D. Hey guys, this is David Dennis from the Silver Ball Chronicles, the best show on the pinball network. Trending up this week, posting your fucking machine photos sideways in the pin side marketplace. For fuck's sakes, get the 12 year old to post your photos in your for sale ad in the right direction. God damn it, that drives me insane. Trending up this week, Tron Pro. Because I own that machine, and it never trends down. Oh, trending down this week, Bruce Nightingale from the Slam Tilt Podcast's Chances of Guest Hosting the Pinball Show. Sorry, Bruce. Dennis Creasel provides all the off-color jokes, poor quality impressions, and no-fucks-given hot takes here on TPN. Ladies and gentlemen, David Dennis. He's really carving a spot in pinball media. It's greatly appreciated. His work is nicely done. And I respect his work because he takes the heel position a lot of times in ways that only I can appreciate. And you think I was going to let you leave without giving you your wham, bam, thank you, man deal of the week? Bye, bye, bye! Get your pocketbooks out. Get your checkbooks out, I guess. checks are fine. Get your credit cards out. Hurry, hurry, step it up, folks. So I look through Pinside. I look through Facebook. Not a lot of killer deals out there, so I figured I'd create my own. You can call me biased if you want, but try to find a better deal than this this week. Up for your consideration is a Jersey Jack pinball Willy Wonka Standard, right? That's your bang for your buck right there. Now, this was one of the earlier run games, so it does have some of the playfield issues. That needs to be said. So around the slings, I had the bubbling. I had some of the chipping around the sling posts, right? It's there. There's no hiding it. Now it has been stopped because we put some clear Lexan over that. So I've got this one at Greg Bone's house right now from straight down the middle. He's loving the hell out of it. He is the pickiest little bastard ever when it comes to quality issues on his pinball machines. And even he said, sure it sucks, but it doesn't really bother me. I feel like I'm giving this thing away at $6,600. Buy, buy, buy! And if you act now, ladies and gentlemen, you will also receive a brand new, supple, beautiful, Mirko, unpopulated playfield of Willy Wonka. So if you're worried about any of those playfield issues, boom! $6,600 and you get a brand new damn playfield. Buy, buy, buy! Now I'll tell you what, let's say you're fine with the the playfield stuff and you're like, I just want to shoot a game and there's no way I can get a Willy Wonka for mid-sixes. I'm going to do one better for you. If you don't want that extra playfield, $6,300. You leave out the playfield. I'll hang it on my wall and I will enjoy it. $6,300 for a Willy Wonka standard? Buy, buy, buy! Come get you some! Alright guys, I hate to say goodbye, but that's our show for this week. Episode 21 of the Pinball Show. Din, din, I miss you. Come back to me. I'll be waiting with open arms if you want to email us it's thepinballnetwork at gmail.com also check out our Facebook page and YouTube channel as well as following and subscribing to every one of those TPN Twitch streaming correspondents a lot of cool stuff that we're working on check out our top 5 streamer clips of the week special shout out to We Love Pinball a TPN streaming affiliate that puts those together every week much appreciated and if you haven't listened yet you gotta tune in to the final round pinball podcast episode 12 of the big pinberg battle that they did the trivia challenge this past weekend that was a ton of fun and if you're ever looking for a brand new pinball machine or an escalera stair climbing hand truck reach out to yours truly Zach at Flippin Out Pinball give us a shot you will not be disappointed for myself Zach Menny this has been the pinball show Always practice safe pinball and Win Schilling and killing up. See you next week. you'll see what your love means to me. Open arms. Trending up this week, posting your fucking photos sideways on the pin side marketplace. For fuck's sakes, are you trying to sell your machine or chiropractic services for my neck? If you have issues posting photos, find any 14 year old out there to post your goddamn photos. If not, just use the classified ad in your local penny saver in Wichita. Bye-bye now. So now I come to you With open arms Nothing to hide Believe what I say So here I am With open arms Hoping you'll see What your love means to me Open arms

_(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: a3705d11-fb5c-459d-89a9-156d80f71337*