# My Next New Pinball Machine is Ordered

**Source:** Cary Hardy  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2021-11-02  
**Duration:** 12m 20s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8Q6oYZAmiY

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## Analysis

Cary Hardy announces he has ordered a Cactus Canyon Remake instead of Stern's Godzilla, citing cost savings (~$1,000 difference), faster delivery timeline (before end of year vs. spring), family preference, and satisfaction with the game's gameplay. He explains his choice of standard edition over limited edition, noting that most exclusive features can be replicated or purchased separately except the topper.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Cactus Canyon Remake will cost approximately $1,000 less than Godzilla Premium — _Host states 'I'm going to be getting it for around a grand cheaper' when comparing the two games_
- [HIGH] Chicago Gaming Company is only manufacturing 1,250 limited editions of Cactus Canyon Remake — _Host explicitly states 'they are only going to be making 1250 limited editions and those things sold very fast'_
- [HIGH] Godzilla delivery timeline is expected to be springtime, while Cactus Canyon will arrive before end of year — _Host states 'by the time that my game gets made shipped and delivered I looking more than likely at springtime' for Godzilla vs. 'more than likely before the end of the year' for Cactus Canyon_
- [MEDIUM] Part shortage is causing delays in Stern production — _Host asserts 'the part shortage guys. It is real. It is not being exaggerated' as reason for Godzilla delays_
- [MEDIUM] Original 1998 Bally Cactus Canyon machines sell for approximately $9,500-$10,000 — _Host notes 'if I wanted to get the 1998 old school Bally version... you were easily looking at about a $10,000 bill' and mentions one recently sold for $9.5k_
- [HIGH] American Pinball has not released a sizzle reel for Legends of Valhalla — _Host states 'as far as the new and improved and polished version with American Pinball, they have failed to release a sizzle reel for all of us to enjoy and gain hype'_
- [MEDIUM] Upcoming Lyman Sheets and Josh Sharpe code for Cactus Canyon will not be free — _Host notes 'the upcoming Lyman and Sharp code is not going to be free and we have no idea when it's going to be available' and hardware purchase will be required_
- [MEDIUM] Godzilla demand increased significantly after Chicago Pinball Expo — _Host states 'demand for Godzilla has tremendously risen up, especially after Chicago Expo, when everyone got to experience how awesome this game is'_

### Notable Quotes

> "I'm going to be getting a new in-box game with high quality materials. We all know that Chicago Gaming and Churchill Cabinets makes high grade products."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~4:30
> _Validates Chicago Gaming Company's manufacturing quality as a decision factor_

> "The only thing that can be easily cloned is the topper. And the topper without a doubt is damn cool but I think I can live without it."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~11:45
> _Explains rationale for choosing standard edition over limited edition_

> "The part shortage guys. It is real. It is not being exaggerated."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~7:15
> _Confirms ongoing supply chain constraints affecting Stern production timelines_

> "I feel that Cactus Canyon is going to be more family fun, whereas Godzilla is more on the hardcore side."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~9:30
> _Articulates design philosophy difference between the two games_

> "I just like to back people or companies that do me well. And Zach has done me well."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~14:00
> _Explains distributor selection based on personal service relationship_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Cary Hardy | person | YouTube pinball content creator making machine purchase decision |
| Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer of Godzilla pinball machine |
| Chicago Gaming Company | company | Manufacturer of Cactus Canyon Remake |
| American Pinball | company | Manufacturer of Legends of Valhalla; criticized for lacking sizzle reel marketing |
| Cactus Canyon Remake | game | Chicago Gaming Company remake of 1998 Bally Williams game; host's chosen purchase |
| Godzilla | game | Stern Pinball game; alternative option considered by host |
| Legends of Valhalla | game | American Pinball game; played by host at Chicago Pinball Expo but not compelling enough to order |
| Jurassic Park | game | Pinball machine currently owned by host; family doesn't want it removed |
| Lyman Sheets | person | Original Cactus Canyon designer; working on new code for remake with Josh Sharpe |
| Josh Sharpe | person | Programmer working on new code for Cactus Canyon Remake with Lyman Sheets |
| Zach | person | Operator of Flippin' Out distributor; host's chosen supplier for Cactus Canyon Remake |
| Chicago Pinball Expo | event | Major pinball exhibition where host played Legends of Valhalla and Godzilla over the weekend |
| Flippin' Out | company | Pinball distributor operated by Zach; host's chosen supplier |
| Churchill Cabinets | company | Manufacturing partner with Chicago Gaming Company on Cactus Canyon Remake |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Machine purchase decision process, Pricing and cost comparison between Stern and CGC games, Supply chain constraints and production delays, Limited edition vs standard edition strategy
- **Secondary:** Chicago Gaming Company's quality and remakes, American Pinball marketing and game experience, Aftermarket customization and 3D printing possibilities
- **Mentioned:** Upcoming paid code updates and DRM

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.75) — Host is enthusiastic about Cactus Canyon Remake purchase despite initially preferring Godzilla. Positive toward Chicago Gaming Company's quality and Flippin' Out distributor. Somewhat critical of American Pinball's marketing efforts and display quality, but not harshly so. Overall constructive tone focused on practical decision-making factors.

### Signals

- **[event_signal]** Chicago Pinball Expo significantly raised Godzilla demand and visibility through hands-on gameplay experience (confidence: medium) — Host notes 'demand for Godzilla has tremendously risen up, especially after Chicago Expo, when everyone got to experience how awesome this game is'
- **[competitive_signal]** Chicago Gaming Company Cactus Canyon Remake positioned as cost-effective alternative to premium Stern releases, with faster delivery (confidence: high) — ~$1,000 price difference and delivery timeline disparity (end of year vs. spring) directly influence purchasing decision
- **[community_signal]** Household decision-making on game selection factored family preference for campy Cactus Canyon theme over hardcore Godzilla experience (confidence: high) — Host explains 'The wife likes the campy nature of Cactus Canyon' and 'the trailer for Godzilla honestly scared my youngest child'; 'majority rules' principle applied
- **[market_signal]** Cactus Canyon Remake limited edition (1,250 units) selling out quickly; standard edition becomes more accessible alternative (confidence: high) — Host states limited editions 'sold very fast' and explains rationale for choosing standard edition due to scarcity
- **[market_signal]** American Pinball failing to produce marketing sizzle reel for Legends of Valhalla, limiting consumer hype and engagement (confidence: high) — Host directly criticizes 'they have failed to release a sizzle reel for all of us to enjoy and gain hype' and attributes this to reduced purchase interest
- **[market_signal]** Cactus Canyon Remake standard edition priced ~$1,000 less than Godzilla Premium, making price-conscious buyers trade features for cost (confidence: high) — Host states 'I'm going to be getting it for around a grand cheaper' as primary decision factor
- **[product_strategy]** Stern Godzilla experiencing significant production delays (orders expected to deliver in springtime) due to parts shortage (confidence: high) — Host explicitly states 'the part shortage guys. It is real. It is not being exaggerated' and projects spring delivery timeline vs. end-of-year for CGC
- **[product_strategy]** Cactus Canyon Remake limited edition includes topper and emblem features; standard edition missing exclusive cosmetics (confidence: high) — Host details that topper is only exclusive item not easily replicated; side art, emblem, mine cart topper, and railroad tracks can be 3D printed or aftermarket sourced
- **[product_strategy]** Future paid code update (Lyman Sheets and Josh Sharpe) planned for Cactus Canyon Remake; hardware purchase required for DRM (confidence: medium) — Host states 'the upcoming Lyman and Sharp code is not going to be free and we have no idea when it's going to be available' and 'we will be required to purchase the hardware that goes along with it'

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## Transcript

 All right guys we've got Godzilla and Cactus Canyon remake. Which one am I going to get and why? Coming up. What's up guys and welcome back to my channel where I talk and do everything pinball. So if that sounds interesting to you then hit that subscribe button down below. Let's start out with the poll results that I put up today where I ask which one would you prefer to own Cactus Canyon versus Godzilla or neither and as of right now Cactus Canyon is pretty far behind at 28% why Godzilla takes a lead at 62% and 9% is on neither. Some of those comments include Damon says Godzilla has the edge to me however Cactus Canyon remake with Topper was impressive. That makes me excited at the possibility of them doing Totan next. I doubt they're gonna do Totan next guys. Just saying. This comment from TC Bowling. I miss the old Bally and Williams games. I got late into the hobby and the remakes bring back memories. Cigars and Pins says I'm waiting for my Godzilla premium. No interest in Cactus Canyon. Played the hell out of that back in the day. I enjoy new games over 25 year old remakes. Oh Captain, My Captain says, has to be Cactus, but the limited release. The standard is two, blah. The Godzilla art package is what deters me from owning it. Bummer. Plays very well. So some of you may be also wondering, carry wide limited to just two why not both or what about american pinball's legends of valhalla okay fair point what about ap's legends of valhalla that i got to play this weekend at chicago pinball expo so you know what maybe i need a little more incentive to bring this up and i just need to watch like their sizzle reel to give me a better idea and maybe get me motivated and more interested in the title let's look it up right now let's see here legend oh that's why that's right because there isn't one there is not a sizzle reel for legends of valhalla all we got was images and of course the year-old videos that are on youtube from previous owners from riot pinball that have played it on different various locations i think buffalo pinball was one of those and stuff like that but as far as the new and improved and polished version with American Pinball, they have failed to release a sizzle reel for all of us to enjoy and gain hype. And why that is, is beyond me. But I did play Ball Holla this weekend, and I played it multiple times. And I feel that this will more than likely be their best shooter, American Pinball that is. But while playing it I didn feel the need to keep going with it It wasn like it was a bad game It just that I was making these particular shots and I didn really understand I guess why I was doing it The display is lacking when it comes to the effects on there and art and stuff like that. And that's always a big secondary for me, guys, the display. So I'm not really harping them for the display stuff because I have no problems with like alphanumerics and having excellent gameplay. So, but that aside, it's just that it's a theme and I just didn't have that kinetic satisfaction or fun while playing the game. And that could be just me. Nothing against those of you out there that had fun and want that game. Nothing at all against that. It's just not for me. So that means it's down to two. And I was torn about this, guys, over the weekend. I was thinking about it. People were asking me my thoughts and opinions on Cactus Canyon, my thoughts and opinions on Godzilla. And I kept stating it because I honestly was torn. I didn't know if I wanted Cactus Canyon or the Godzilla Premium. So, my decision is... Welcome to Cactus Canyon, stranger! I'm getting Cactus Canyon Remake. Now, some of you may be cheering, others may have their minds exploding and just not understanding why I made this decision. So allow me to go over some of the reasons why I will be getting Cactus Canyon Remake. Number one is cost. Now, we can obviously go back and forth all day or just five minutes, but I think the end result decision would obviously be that you're getting a lot more within Godzilla vs. Cactus Canyon. There's no argument against what all you're going to be getting for the price. But the fact remains is that I'm going to be getting a new in-box game with high quality materials. We all know that Chicago Gaming and Churchill Cabinets makes high grade products. And I'm going to be getting it for around a grand cheaper. And not to mention, if I wanted to get the 1998 old school Bally version of the Cactus Canyon game, or even a continued, you were easily looking at about a $10,000 bill in order to get this. But it just so happens, one went up for sale a couple of days ago for $9.5, and the reason why they're selling that is because they want to get the remake. So, this guy is wanting to sell an original for $9.5 when he could get the remake for cheaper. Nothing against the guy. I mean, if you make the sale, congratulations, but... Number two is the wait time. I did not throw down my order for Godzilla on the initial announcement because I don't like buying games that I have not played yet. and I didn play Godzilla till this past weekend which means by the time that my game gets made shipped and delivered I looking more than likely at springtime and stir is more than likely going to be announcing two titles in between me ordering and receiving my game whereas i'll be getting my cactus canyon more than likely before the end of the year and without a doubt the reason behind this length of time is because the part shortage guys. It is real. It is not being exaggerated. I know that Stern would love to be able to pump out these games a lot faster and give them all to you as soon as possible. The thing is also, the demand for Godzilla has tremendously risen up, especially after Chicago Expo, when everyone got to experience how awesome this game is. Reason number three, majority rules. The wife likes the campy nature of Cactus Canyon, and the trailer for Godzilla honestly scared my youngest child. I don't know, she's weird. Charlotte and me were on board for getting a Godzilla, but we were just catered to by getting the Jurassic Park. So the wife gets the majority vote here, even though she does not want to see Jurassic Park leave the home. So Keith, it's nothing against your game, I love it, and I hope to own it someday in the future. Number four, I enjoy the game. Just because I wanted Godzilla more doesn't mean I didn't like Cactus Canyon Remake. I have been waiting for this release since I played Cactus Canyon Continued months ago. I felt the theme was great along with the campy sounds, music, and call outs. Now the code I can't comment on because I didn't get enough time on the game to really experience either the fullness or lacking of it. But I feel that Cactus Canyon is going to be more family fun, whereas Godzilla is more on the hardcore side. And not like that's a bad thing. So which version of Cactus Canyon remake and why? I'm going to be getting the standard edition. And the reason behind that is because they are only going to be making 1250 limited editions and those things sold very fast. But also the only thing that's going to be extra on the limited edition versus the standard that I feel is like going to be greatly missed is the topper. Everything else can be obtained or crafted here at my house or easily purchased online by individuals and I know it's going to be it's not going to be hard to come by these things guys. The only thing you're going to be missing in the standard edition is your side art. You know that they're going to be able to sell that separately or someone's going to easily be able to create side art to go in that game. The other portion is the emblem on your apron that I believe that will easily be 3D modeled and able to be printed out if you so much wanted that. The mine cart on top of the gold mine, that will be available for 3D modeling, I'm sure of it. And the railroad tracks underneath the train mech That pretty darn easy to 3dcast and get those things printed out so there no big deal missing that Powder coating is only maybe a few hundred bucks depending on your powder coater of course So the only thing that can be easily cloned is the topper And the topper without a doubt is damn cool but I think I can live without it. Because at least the game mechanics and flow everything underneath the glass will be the same. downside of course is that the upcoming Lyman and Sharp code is not going to be free and we have no idea when it's going to be available they have mentioned that when the code does go up for sale we will be required to purchase the hardware that goes along with it and what that is we don't know but I'm sure it has something to do with managing the DRM for this software because if it was just code then I feel like it could easily be pirated and shared amongst those that don't want to pay for it. But we'll just have to wait and see. For those of you out there curious of where I'm getting my game from, that's why I'm wearing my Flip N Out Pinball t-shirt. I'm getting mine through Zach at Flip N Out Pinball. He's not a sponsor, not sponsoring the channel or any of my videos. I just like to back people or companies that do me well. And Zach has done me well. That sounds bad. There are many distributors out there that I'm sure will do you just fine but if you want to be done as well as me i just keep saying things bad but you know what we're just gonna roll with it if you would like to be done by flipping out by sure i can't say that all i can say is if you have interest in a particular pinball machine or any questions about ordering a new pinball machine then give them a shot i will put a link down below so guys let me know what you think about my decision down below do you feel like this is going to be a big mistake or did I make a right decision? But please remember one of the reasons I chose Cactus Canyon is because happy wife happy life. So the next game should be for me. A big shout out to all of my Patreon supporters. Your contributions on a monthly basis are greatly appreciated. If you would like to join them link is down below. Give me the thumbs up guys and if you haven't already be sure to hit that subscribe button down below that way you can be notified of whenever I upload something for your viewing pleasure. And until next time, guys, peace out. oh man we've got stern's godzilla and what the fuck alright guys we have got Stern's Godzilla vs Chicago fucking can't say the damn names alright guys we've got Stern's Godzilla and Chicago Gaming Company's fucking Cactus Canyon

_(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: c17b37cb-041b-433f-8c45-9a1036c97841*