# EP 21 - One Small Flip for Man...

**Source:** Flip n Out Pinball Podcast  
**Type:** podcast_episode  
**Published:** 2026-04-08  
**Duration:** 33m 10s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://flipnoutpinballpodcast.com/ep-21-one-small-flip-for-man

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## Analysis

Ken Cromwell and Greg Bone discuss space-themed pinball machines in the context of NASA's Artemis 2 lunar mission, speculating on whether a modern space-themed pinball game could succeed and exploring design philosophy around memorable moments, lighting choreography, and creative direction in pinball development. The episode also covers industry updates on Stern and American Pinball releases, includes technical maintenance tips for ball guide adjustments, and features speculation about Transformers as a potential upcoming Stern Cornerstone title.

### Key Claims

- [MEDIUM] Space-themed pinball machines could do well commercially with proper code and aesthetics, potentially including NASA or SpaceX themes — _Ken and Greg discussing potential for modern space-themed pinball machines (mid-episode)_
- [MEDIUM] Pinball manufacturers should employ dedicated creative directors to oversee lighting, sound, and moment choreography separate from rules design and mechanical engineering — _Ken advocating for specialized artistic direction role in pinball companies (extended discussion mid-episode)_
- [HIGH] Godzilla Premium and Pros are now shipping in April; Jaws Pro/Premium, Jurassic Park Pro, King Kong Pro/Premium, and Pokemon Pros shipping in April or May 2026 — _Greg providing specific shipping schedule update (near end of episode)_
- [HIGH] American Pinball is producing a second run of Galactic Tank Force with 150 units, featuring improved sculpts and topper by Melvin Williams — _Greg announcing American Pinball production update (near end of episode)_
- [LOW] Transformers is rumored to be the second Stern Cornerstone title coming in May/June, though not officially confirmed — _Ken expressing hope that rumors about Transformers being the next Cornerstone are true (end of episode)_
- [HIGH] Ball guide adjustment issues on newer pinball games can be fixed without drilling by loosening adjustment screws rather than modifying the playfield — _Greg providing technical maintenance tip (mid-episode technical segment)_
- [HIGH] Elton John pinball machine features a Rocket Man multiball with distinctive lighting and thruster effects that exemplifies memorable pinball moments — _Ken and Greg discussing Elton John machine as example of effective moment design (mid-episode)_

### Notable Quotes

> "I think that we could use a modern space themed pinball machine. I think it would do well."
> — **Ken Cromwell**, ~10:00-12:00
> _Expresses market opportunity for space-themed games as underexplored modern category_

> "I would almost prefer like a really sound light show versus a mech... you can create so many different moments and it's never really the same over and over because you can code it differently."
> — **Ken Cromwell**, ~25:00-28:00
> _Core design philosophy: advocates for lighting/code-driven moments over mechanical toys_

> "You can't tell me that what that person is approaching is going to line up with what I'm looking for out of the game when it comes to that kind of moment."
> — **Ken Cromwell**, ~32:00-35:00
> _Argues that specialized designers may lack vision for creating emotional moments outside their expertise_

> "I want to experience the wizard mode. I need some of those modes in between there that I'm achieving. I want them to feel good when I get there."
> — **Ken Cromwell**, ~42:00-45:00
> _Articulates player motivation shift from scoring-based to moment-based engagement_

> "I really hope the rumors are true that it's Transformers. I can't tell you why... There's something so nostalgic about it."
> — **Ken Cromwell**, ~55:00-57:00
> _Expresses speculation and emotional connection to potential Stern Cornerstone IP choice_

> "We've lost the technology to make a space themed pinball machine. We don't know where it is."
> — **Ken Cromwell**, ~7:30-8:00
> _Humorous callback to earlier Artemis 2 discussion about lost space technology, connecting themes_

> "All you have to do is adjust that ball guide. There's two screws that hold that ball guide... it's a tight squeeze to get in there, but you can manipulate those enough without removing everything entirely."
> — **Greg Bone**, ~48:00-50:00
> _Provides practical maintenance solution countering earlier community workarounds involving drilling_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Ken Cromwell | person | Co-host of Flip N Out Pinball Podcast, appears to be operations/content lead for Flippin' Out Pinball distributor |
| Greg Bone | person | Co-host of Flip N Out Pinball Podcast, provides technical maintenance tips and game updates |
| Zach Meny | person | Operator/owner of Flippin' Out Pinball referenced in conversation about hotel discussion with Ken and Greg |
| Dwight Sullivan | person | Pinball designer/programmer known for complex code and light show choreography; referenced for Star Wars lightsaber duel and Boba Fett designs |
| Melvin Williams | person | Artist/sculptor creating improved sculpts and topper for American Pinball's second Galactic Tank Force run |
| Stern Pinball | company | Major pinball manufacturer; Godzilla, Jaws, Jurassic Park, King Kong, Pokemon, and rumored Transformers Cornerstone titles mentioned as shipping/upcoming |
| American Pinball | company | Pinball manufacturer producing Houdini 100s and second run of Galactic Tank Force (150 units) with production scheduled for May/June 2026 |
| Flippin' Out Pinball | company | Pinball distributor and retailer operated by Ken Cromwell and Zach Meny; sponsors this podcast and provides shipping/availability updates |
| Godzilla | game | Stern Pinball machine; Premium and Pros models shipping in April 2026 according to update |
| Jaws | game | Stern Pinball machine; Pro and Premium models shipping in April 2026 |
| Jurassic Park | game | Stern Pinball machine designed by Keith Elwin; Pro model shipping in April 2026 |
| King Kong | game | Stern Pinball machine; Pro and Premium models shipping in April 2026 |
| Pokemon | game | Stern Pinball machine; LE models experiencing parts delays; Pros shipping in April/May 2026 |
| Houdini | game | American Pinball machine; 100-unit run expected to ship May/June 2026 |
| Galactic Tank Force | game | American Pinball space-themed machine; second run of 150 units with improved sculpts and topper by Melvin Williams, shipping May/June 2026 |
| Elton John | game | Pinball machine featuring Rocket Man multiball with distinctive lighting and thruster effects cited as exemplary moment design |
| Lord of the Rings | game | Pinball machine featuring 'Destroy the Ring' mode cited as memorable moment example |
| Johnny Mnemonic | game | Pinball machine featuring 'Power Down' mode cited as example of simple but effective memorable moment |
| Star Wars | game | Pinball machine designed by Dwight Sullivan featuring lightsaber duel and Boba Fett modes with effective lighting choreography |
| Transformers | game | Rumored potential Stern Cornerstone title for May/June 2026 release; Ken expresses hope rumors are accurate based on nostalgic IP appeal |
| Stern Cornerstone | product | Stern Pinball's premium limited-edition product line; second Cornerstone title expected May/June 2026, rumored to be Transformers |
| NASA | organization | Space agency discussed as potential pinball licensing partner for space-themed game |
| SpaceX | company | Commercial space company discussed as potential pinball licensing partner; deemed not iconic enough yet compared to NASA |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Space-themed pinball machine opportunities and design concepts, Pinball game design philosophy: moments vs. mechanics vs. scoring, Organizational design: need for dedicated creative directors in pinball manufacturing, Stern Pinball shipping updates and production timeline (Godzilla, Jaws, Jurassic Park, King Kong, Pokemon), American Pinball production updates and Galactic Tank Force second run
- **Secondary:** Ball guide maintenance and technical troubleshooting, Transformers as rumored Stern Cornerstone IP, Lighting and audio choreography in pinball design

### Sentiment

**Neutral** (0)

### Signals

- **[product_launch]** Multiple Stern Pinball titles confirmed shipping April-May 2026: Godzilla Premium/Pros (April), Jaws Pro/Premium (April), Jurassic Park Pro (April), King Kong Pro/Premium (April), Pokemon Pros (April/May with May delivery for new orders) (confidence: high) — Greg Bone provides specific shipping schedule: 'In April, Godzilla Premium and Pros are now shipping... Also in April, Jaws Pro and Premium, Jurassic Park Pro, King Kong Pro and Premium'
- **[product_launch]** American Pinball announces second production run of Galactic Tank Force (150 units) with improved sculpts and topper by Melvin Williams, May/June 2026 delivery (confidence: high) — Greg: 'American Pinball, they had the Houdini 100, but they're doing another run of Galactic Tank Force, 150 units. They're going to be implementing some improved sculpts and in Topper, I think, from Melvin Williams.'
- **[machine_intel]** Second Stern Cornerstone title expected May/June 2026; unconfirmed but rumored to be Transformers based on community speculation (confidence: low) — Ken: 'I really hope the rumors are true that it's Transformers. I can't tell you why, that I'm excited for it to be that.' Acknowledges rumors are unconfirmed: 'We don't know what it is. It's not been confirmed.'
- **[supply_chain_signal]** Pokemon LE shipments experiencing parts-related delays affecting multiple dealers across the board (confidence: high) — Greg: 'Some dealers are still waiting for Pokemon LEs. There's a delay due to parts that's happening across the board.'
- **[design_philosophy]** Extended discussion of pinball design philosophy emphasizing memorable 'moments' (lighting effects, choreography, emotional impact) as more important than mechanical complexity or scoring systems for player retention (confidence: high) — Ken: 'I would almost prefer like a really sound light show versus a mech... you can create so many different moments and it's never really the same.' Also: 'I want to experience the wizard mode. I need some of those modes in between there... I want them to feel good when I get there.'
- **[design_innovation]** Advocacy for pinball manufacturers to employ dedicated creative directors/artistic directors separate from rules designers and engineers to oversee lighting choreography, sound design, and emotional moment creation (confidence: medium) — Ken: 'I think that if you had somebody that was like an artistic director at these pinball companies... their job was literally just to be that creative personality... that's why not everyone can direct film and that's why not everybody can direct TV or be a choreography because those are the people that understand.'
- **[rumor_hype]** Community and industry speculation about space-themed pinball potential; discussion of NASA, SpaceX, and sci-fi IP as viable themes for modern pinball machines (confidence: medium) — Ken: 'Will we ever see another space-themed pinball machine?... I think we could use a modern space themed pinball machine. I think it would do well.' Also discussed: NASA as 'ingrained in our head from youth' vs SpaceX as 'not iconic enough yet'
- **[product_concern]** Ball guide feed issues reported on newer pinball machines (particularly Premiums) causing balls to bounce off top slings; issue addressable through simple screw adjustment without drilling modifications (confidence: high) — Greg: 'On the premiums, it's just the direct opposite... bouncing off of that top sling... All you have to do is adjust that ball guide. There is actually two screws that hold that ball guide.'
- **[content_signal]** Flip N Out Pinball Podcast establishing format of combining industry gossip/discussion with technical maintenance tips ('Greg's Tech Tips') and shipping updates for distributor (confidence: high) — Episode structure: opening discussion, technical segment labeled 'Greg's Tech Tips', concluding with 'news on the back end here, just some general updates and information for Flippin Out Pinball'
- **[sentiment_shift]** Shift in conversation around what makes pinball valuable: emphasis moving from mechanical toys/ramps to choreographed lighting, audio, and code-driven moments as driver of player engagement and collection retention (confidence: medium) — Ken contrasts perspectives: 'Not every title... you're going to have that same vision... you're naturally going to make a good game, but not a really great... whereas if you've got somebody and that's their job, they're probably going to be pretty enthusiastic about cool moments in general'
- **[market_signal]** Discussion suggests pinball collector/home player motivation increasingly driven by memorable experience moments rather than scoring benchmarks or mechanical complexity (confidence: medium) — Ken: 'I don't keep a game because I want to beat my high score. I keep a game because... I want to get to something so I feel a moment... That's what keeps me driving. Not just running through the game.'

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## Transcript

Hey, what's going on Pinball Land? Welcome to episode number 21-021 of Flip N Out Pinball Podcast. My name is Ken Cromwell. With me today, the best co-host in the business, Greg Bone joins us. What's up, Greg? How are you? Hey, what is that? A little TNT? Yeah. ACDC style. Remember that song? Oh, fuck yeah. Yeah. Remember listening to it. I'm starting off early with the dropping F-bombs. I apologize, people. You gotta get it out of the way. Gotta hit the quota of seven and a half is what FanDuel has you at today. Over under of the F-bombs. We should start some little side parlays for our podcast that people can bet on, like what's gonna happen. It's like a little podcast bingo card and then maybe you win something. But what's been going on in the first 10 seconds? That's right. Have you been watching the news lately, Greg? It's like a lot of stuff going on. Question for you. Talking about dropping things. Well, yeah, I wasn't going to go that direction. I was talking more about this Artemis 2 where we're flying around the moon and coming back. Greg, do you believe that we've been to the moon before? Because there's a large group of people that believe that we never went to the moon or we certainly didn't go when we first announced that we did. I did. I mean, I did. I fully did. We had actually, do you remember when we had this discussion, we went to a Colts Bears game? Do you remember when me, you and Zach were in the hotel? Yeah, 100%. And we went in depth. And you guys, you guys kind of, you kind of had me, there was a lot of information presented. A lot of information I kind of knew, but listening to your all's arguments, it made me think a little bit more. And I honestly like fully, yeah, we went to the moon. Like, why would we fake that? Why would we do that? But just in light, and I'm going to be completely wrong. I know we're going to have a lot of people. We probably got some people out there that work at NASA and different things. It's going to completely destroy us on this. But we actually do have a friend of ours that works at NASA. So I didn't even think about that. I know 100 percent. And then we know a few that are rocket scientists and everything. It will come back. And they can build a hell of a golden tee stand, by the way. Yes. So I know that this is going to come back. So I'm saying it very loosely, but like it, it, I, it didn't really have so much doubt in my head until the Artemis mission because I'm like, okay, so we went to the moon six times between 1979 and 1972. But now, because we've got new technology, we need to first circle the moon to just check this technology out. Just check it out. Yeah, just to see. We lost the technology to do it. I know! Which had to be unfortunate. And then we accidentally taped over all the original footage. So that was, you know, instead of going in there to see all the original footage from the original space missions, you're watching like the Price is Right reruns. Yeah. So, honestly, that's what started to sow some doubt in my head. I'm gonna be honest. I get it. Are these? So this is the thing that right. So I'm watching the new and I haven't really been, you know, I, I think normally I would be more excited about something like this. But it's like, from what I've been seeing so far, and we're going to get into pinball here in a second. We've lost half the audience. No problem. Oh, no, I'm rolling this in the pinball. I'm rolling it in the pinball. Okay, you just good. Good. But a lot of the footage that I'm seeing now does not look that much more impressive as it did like back in the 60s. No! That picture of that fucking moon? I was like, this is the worst photo. And somebody was like, well, the camera technology hasn't really developed that much. And, you know, it's a different lighting circumstance. The position of the moon, they took it at nighttime. I almost feel like I can get better footage of the moon with my Samsung Galaxy, like space zoom versus some of this aerial. And again, look, huge feat for astronauts to go up there, whip around the moon, come back. I think the astronauts come back down. Incredibly dangerous. Yeah, 100%. So a lot of respect. But you know what? There's a little bit of room for, you know, prove me wrong type of a situation. I'm not saying I totally believe that we didn't go, or am I, or that we didn't go this time. But yeah, because originally I was like, hey, we're going to the moon. We're going to the moon. We're going to the moon in April. Yeah. We didn't go to the moon. We whipped around the moon, which is huge. I thought we were going to the moon. That's what I thought originally back when they started talking about this. You know, these astronauts have been further away from Earth than any other human being has ever been. The other thing that I think might be the biggest punk of all time is that this Artemis II launched on April 1st, which is commonly known as April Fool's Day. Interesting. So are we just getting punked? Is it like the ultimate troll? I don't have any idea. It's fascinating in the conspiracy theory aspect of it. So I'm looking forward to see. Here's what I want to know. So we have discussed multiple titles before, you know, like, you know, kind of generic things like medieval madness, because, you know, people kind of love knights and castles and so forth. We know people love aliens. That's why something like Mars Italian. Love aliens. Yep. Yeah, there's particular themes, generalized themes that draw people. To me, space, 100% one of them. Like, will we ever see another space-themed pinball machine? Because you had Apollo 13, which a movie-themed pinball machine sold pretty well, but it was a Sega, so it's like, you know, whatever, that timeframe. But Space Shuttle, I always feel like Space Shuttle had to have done pretty good. Yeah, I think that was a big deal. Yeah, neat, neat game and so forth. Like, you know, a couple other, you know, comment. I mean, we got some OVMs, a space station. I mean, yes, space themes have always been widely. So will we see a modern one? I think we could use a modern space themed pinball machine. I think it would do well. You know why we can't do it? Because we lost the technology to make a space themed pinball machine. We don't know where it is. That was a glorious setup. No, I think you could potentially see like a SpaceX pinball machine or a NASA pinball machine. I don't know that you see like an Artemis too, but I think maybe when we land on the moon, like legitimately next time or for the first time, for the sake of argument. Yeah. You put a space station or like a big space station on the moon where you've got rover vehicles. I mean, that's cool. That's cool. Or, you know, something sci-fi comes up that space themed. I mean, Star Trek, Star Wars, these are all space themed games. So space has a big and look when you're when you're little and you're growing up. There's probably very few things that are more fascinating than thinking that you could travel off of the globe and out into outer space into the unknown. It's I mean, that's just a it's just a huge thing. I naturally I think we're drawn to that. And even though it's technically a generic theme, but if you did a NASA pin or a space theme, just think of the different... I mean, to me, you've got the door open code-wise for a really stellar pin, like just moon missions and different missions. A stellar pin or an interstellar pin? Interstellar. That's so deep of a movie, though. I'd play that. It would have to be a confusing game. Let's put Dwight's deep code set with all his multipliers on there. Dwight's perfect for that. For interstellar. Because he would nail it. Yes. Be like, what the fuck is this? That movie, man? And I don't mean to – we got to come back to that for just a quick second. I just watched that movie recently, I think a year and a half ago, first time I had ever seen it. It impacted me for like six months, and there might not be two days that have gone by where I haven't thought about something in that movie. It's a stunning film. I mean, it's crazy. Greatest movies ever. If you like that, if you've never seen Contact, watch Contact with Matthew McConaughey and Jodie Foster. You will like that too because the end of it, it will blow your mind. Like it not as deep as Interstellar but it is Yeah right Like watch it It it fantastic Interstellar So fascinating and so gloriously sad and depressing Yeah I don even know what going on You know, you just want to go hug your family at the end of that movie. And then I don't don't want to see it. Well, everyone's like, you got to watch it again because you're going to pick up on all this other stuff. And I'm like, I don't know if I could go through that again. Emotionally, I need to take some time off. So I've been referring friends of mine to watch it. And then they're coming back to me and they're like, dude, that's a crazy movie. That's unbelievable. It is unbelievable. It is really intense. I like the space jam we got going right here. I do too. I would take a nice space-themed pin, you know, guide the rover. You could do a ton of things with that pinball machine. To me, it's one of those things that's just like the ideas are almost limitless with what you can do, you know, and you're just progressing towards, you know, more exploration. That's kind of the modes. I mean, to me, that would be fun. Yeah, that would be. I mean, do you think that it's possible that SpaceX could have a pinball machine because they're doing a lot of things that are technologically superior in my mind? Or is Elon Musk like a little bit too, too controversial? Because I feel like I feel like the public's kind of split in half about Elon and his ideologies. And I'm not going to share mine. I agree with conversation. It's like, yeah, I'm just curious. Yeah. And I just don't think it's an iconic enough brand yet. I mean, it's a very obviously well-known, but I think that they need to achieve a little bit more. NASA, to me, when you go NASA, it's just one of those things that's so ingrained in our head, like you said, from our youth. It's American pop culture almost, but NASA, right? Yeah. Exactly. So I think that if you had a NASA pinball machine, I think it could do well. It would need the code and it would need to look really good to grab people and bring them in. But I think, you know, maybe one of these smaller boutique companies, I think that if you did it right, it could be kind of a neat, it could be a neat pin. Toss up. I'm not saying it's a hot seller, but I'm saying it could have its place. I would be interested in it. You know, one of the space themed moments that I appreciate so much in pinball, and it's not even a space themed game, but it's on Elton John. When you start the Rocket Man multiball and that machine does that countdown and the whole machine explodes in the orange and the thrusters and it just launches. Oh, man, it's such a good feeling just to have a rocket in a game that does something like that would be would be killer. Oh, I think that's that's pinball moments, right? Like, that's what we talk about. Elicit emotion. Do you know how awesome it would be if you had a fucking rocket in the game? Like just even if it's the size of like the dildo rocket in Bond. Like James Bond? Yeah. Can you imagine? I've not heard of it referred to as that. That's a ball. What are you talking about? It's a family show, Greg. And you're still in only one F-bomb, I think. Oh, I've had like three or four already. You've got to get a couple in at the end there. It's the coffee, man. I put one too many scoops in this morning. One too many scoops. It's got me. But can you imagine having that rocket? You've got two spots on that rocket. The entire play field goes dim. And then you've got some circulating LEDs underneath that rocket that's glowing orange and shit. And then you hear this. And then all of a sudden, your fucking shaker motor takes off and your fucking pin is just shaking. And then the rocket glow is flashing. You're like, yes, smokes. Yeah. And then LEDs around that, like spread out. You know what I'm saying? Like then LEDs illuminate around on other plastics around it. So it's like gradually flared out. Dude, that's a moment. Like you said, it's a moment. That's huge, man. Like I got a little bit of pinball chills when you were kind of playing that to me because I can envision that. Yeah. And that's something where it's like for that moment alone, like I want to keep a machine like that in my collection for a little bit. You know what I mean? It's so impressive. And it's one of those things, too. We're always talking about toys and mechs, toys and mechs. We want this complicated shit. That is not complicated. That is the easiest thing in the world. You know, I mean, back to Dwight Sullivan. I mean, that's what he did with like, to me, lightsaber duel and Boba Fett in Star Wars. Like, dude, he created moments with just lighting that was insane. It didn't require special mechs or anything. And that's what you could do with this. Like nothing over the top special, nothing expensive. It's just utilizing an idea and implementing it. That's awesome. I almost I think that and again, not everybody's going to agree with me and probably most won't agree with me, but I would almost prefer like a really sound light show versus a mech. I think that's limited in nature that can only do the repetitive thing over and over and over again because I think you can create so many different moments and it's never really the same over and over because you can code it differently. And visually, like I've always been a light show guy. Yeah. Well, and I think sometimes people get caught up when they're doing light shows and games just for beauty, not effect, beauty. Like attract mode almost. It's like, yeah, this is what we're capable of doing. But when you have to put choreography behind the lights, time them appropriately to the moments. See, that's the other thing, right? If you're a pinball programmer or you're somebody that's writing code, it's one thing to write rules. And it's one thing to make it make sense when the ball is going to the play field and scoring and starting modes. But now a whole nother element is running that symphony of how these light shows come together with the story that that's almost a different talent to me. It is very much right. Very much. Because in Hollywood, the director is not necessary. And you would know this better than I would. But the director is kind of overseeing everything. But he's not a specialist in every single thing. Right. That's why you've got people that come in. Yeah. To assist on a movie set. But it's lighting and it's sound and it's yes. Right. But but I mean, it's sort of the idea of the director of what he sees that envisionment. And that's what I was at. You and I that talked about this or early on when we first started this podcast about having someone that was like an artistic director at these pinball companies that. Yeah, I think we did have that conversation. Yeah. That had these ideas. Great. That's where something like that would come in. Yes. Even the sound, right? You've got an audio engineer and he's getting all the sounds ready, but they still have to play nicely with the lighting, with the shots, with the rules, with the code. And I'm wondering if why that's not a bigger... And I'm not saying that the existing formula is not doing a good job, but I think in moments it could be done a little bit better. Because we utilize, and I don't think it's necessarily cost effectiveness, but I think that we allow the designers and the coders to be the designers and the coders of the entire pinball machine. It's like their baby. So it's their ideas for the code and rules. It's their ideas for what a light show should be or so forth. But, you know, just because they're very good. And like you said, I'm not taking anything away because we've got really great games coming out and really detailed games with some of this stuff. This beautiful and got some good moments. But sometimes like if you had that outside direction that somebody's job was literally just to be that creative personality, you're not just pigeonholing, you know, because you could be a very good pinball designer, but that doesn't mean you've got the ideas to implement cool moments and to do things. You know what I'm saying? That's why not everyone can direct film. And that's why not everybody can direct TV or be a choreography because those are the people that understand and have a different flair and a different portion of their brain firing, you know, for those creative moments, you know, and they allow the dancers or the actors who specialize in their craft to me, who are the pinball designers, you know, the coders, the engineers to flourish in their job. But they're they're they're the storyboarders, you know, I think that we could I still think pinball could could utilize something like that. And that's the thing, right? You can't tell me and I'm not again not singling anybody out by any means, because I don't think that there's a consistent a consistent basis in which I could be critical with any one person that's in the industry making games. No But if I am a pinball designer and my focus is shots and scoring I have a hard time believing that what that person is approaching or that person approach to the game isn going to line up with what I looking for out of the game when it comes to that kind of that the issue Right. You know, I mean, same thing with pinball programming. I'm rule based. This is just in general, right? I'm rule based, scoring based, stacking multipliers and this. But do I know what a pinball moment is for somebody? Because if I'm more scoring driven and you could be a miraculous coder. Fantastic. If I'm more, yeah, if I'm just into the rules and I'm more scoring driven, like a pinball moment isn't anything that's even on my rate. I don't care about that. Your brain just doesn't work like that because you don't care about it. You don't think about it. You don't. And that's okay because, again, there's a lot of people that are buying games and aren't going to care about that, too. But I do care about that because guess what? I don't really care about scoring that much. I'm not trying to light the game up. I'm not trying to GC everything, GC meaning Grand Champ. I am looking to explore the modes. I am looking to see the new light shows. I'm looking to see new content that's coming up on the LCD screen. I'm looking to hear new audio, new sounds like I'm in a more like just a different experience of pinball is what I'm looking at. And if I'm doing all that, my scoring should be OK. But I'm not sitting down and being like, all right, how am I going to exploit this multiplier? So with the exception of Star Wars, when I get into the asteroid field, I want to get that 40 times multiplier. Just be just blow the whole game up. But that's the only instance of scoring that like I'm down with that. So and that's where I'm like, I almost think that every single company should have somebody in there that is that, like you said, bringing that all together. And can have a fresh take from the outside. Maybe somebody that's not in the scoring, that's not into design, just into pinball. Like, how is this impacting me as somebody that's stepping up to a game? What emotion am I feeling playing this game? What is it presenting to me? And they don't have to dictate because I understand it's like competing and conflicting points of interest. Like you kind of brought up before, like, you know, you have a designer. It's going to be hard for them to relinquish part of what they envision a game being and allow somebody else to come in And then dictate and put in these particular moments. But I think that if you train your personnel and your staff to work that way, I think it would be very beneficial and you could drop the egos and drop the worry about that. Because the thing is, too, is not every title that is brought in, you're going to have that same vision. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's going to be something that you're not so passionate about. So you're naturally going to make a good game, but not a really great, you know what I'm saying? Whereas you might leave out some of those ideas just because you don't care about it. Whereas if you've got somebody and that's their job, they're probably going to be pretty enthusiastic about cool moments in general and creating stuff no matter what the theme is. You know, some are obviously going to lend their self better than others, but you see what I'm saying? I do. And a lot of it is time. Like these guys that are, you know, writing code and, you know, engineers and the designer. Does he have time to try to choreograph all this in the background? I don't know. I would like to see somebody professionally. That's that's what they do. They come to a pinball company and that's their job. Make it make it all make sense because there are you know and I'm not going to call out any games right now. Maybe I will down the road, but there's a lot of games that I like, but I can't I can't identify where it's like, man, this game's got a lot of great moments. Maybe it has one moments create staying power to me. I think it's beneficial to pinball manufacturers to do so because then you've got games that stay in homes longer because like you said, like I don't keep a game because I want to beat my high score. I keep a game because I want to, you know, it's like Destroy the Ring and, you know, Lord of the Rings. Oh yeah, Lord of the Rings. I want to get to something so I feel a moment, you know, Power Down and Johnny Mnemonic. That's one of the coolest moments I think in Pinball. So simplistic but still cool and great when you reach it. So it's like I'm wanting to achieve those moments and I'm wanting to see more of those moments. That's what keeps me driving. Not just running through the game or even get to the wizard mode and experience the wizard mode. I want to experience the wizard mode. I need the wizard mode. I need some of those modes in between there that I'm achieving. I want them to feel good when I get there, not just be, oh, yeah, I did that. Like, I want them to be exciting. So it drives me to get there again. If I'm looking at the screen and I see a high score or I'm looking at the screen and something amazing happens, like when I hit that high score instead of just like a knock, you know what I mean? Give me something where it's like, man, that's maybe now I want to maybe now I am scoring driven because the machine's going to do something that's way different than it ever does during a high score. I just simple things like that again. Yeah. Now trying to be critical here, but on a slow news week, we talked about lunar landings and I do like that. I do like that. It's Greg's Tactics! It's potentially on some of the games driving the ball straight down the middle. So it's setting away from the post and bent out to the right a little too far. On the premiums, it's just the direct opposite. That ball guide is shoved in just a little too much and you typically will get a feed down to the top of the slings. If you're experiencing either one of those, primarily the premium is probably where you're going to have that issue of it bouncing off of that top sling there. All you have to do is adjust that ball guide. There is actually there's two screws that hold that ball guide and on the front screw on the guide itself and the leg that holds it on there. There's actually a nice little slot in there that makes that adjustable. So to access that, you just need to remove the entire ramp or I have found that you can remove one. There's a center screw that goes into a post that holds the center of the ramp. Then unscrew the two screws that go into the wire form down by the in lane. And it'll give you typically enough room, just be careful, don't snap your ramp, to bend that ramp slightly out of the way. And then there are two, I mean three nuts that hold the plastic on above that ball guide. Just remove those, it's a tight squeeze to get in there, but you can manipulate those enough without, you know, removing everything entirely. Just loosen that screw, adjust that ball guide inwards or outwards, and then tighten that screw back down and you guys are good to go. Nothing to freak out about or anything like that. Simple, easy fix. Typically take you five to ten minutes. That's amazing because early on it seemed like people were drilling holes into their playfields and moving stuff around. So you're saying that this can be adjusted without getting in there and drilling? Yeah, and I think in some of those they were maybe extreme situations on some of those first games that went out to where it didn't allow enough adjustment over closer to that post. But, you know, that has seemed to quiet down a little bit. I think it's mainly coming down to these premiums with it bouncing off the top of that sling. And that is definitely an easy adjustment that you can make. And if for some reason in that direction, you're still not getting the appropriate feed that you need to because you ran out of room on being able to adjust that screw. Just like any ball guide, this happens all the time. Don't freak out. Get you a washcloth, a microfiber towel, put around the end of some pliers and then slightly bend. You can extend the end of that ball guide out just slightly there. And you do have to be careful because you will have some, you know, your ball can hit the end of that. There's no protector or anything on the end of that ball guide. So, I mean, you know, you do risk kind of banging the edge of that with your balls. But I mean, that happens on some games too. Just be wary. I'm not giving you bad advice because I know somebody else will fire up and be like, Greg, you extend that out too far. Now there's nothing protecting that. Right, right, right. I'm aware. You don't want it. You don't need it to feed all the way to like perfectly to the flipper. Just adjust it out to get it off the top of that sling. So you got some ball control. Yeah, very, very good. I would assume the newer builds now that are coming off the line that are getting delivered in what may. I'm sure that adjustment is going to be on those games at that point. It's a it's a known or at least it was repetitive enough for people to be like, all right, hey, we're going to check for this. Yes I would think so Perfect man That is this week Greg Tech Tips Greg I think we going to make this a little digestible version of Flip N Out Pinball podcast We've got some news on the back end here, just some general updates and information for Flippin Out Pinball in general. And you can go to FlippinOutPinball.com today, pick up your next new game, whether that's pinball, arcade, whatever floats your boat. We want to help you to get that game room in a little bit better of a spot. But in April, Godzilla Premium and Pros are now shipping. So if you've been waiting for that time, now's the time to jump in on that. Some dealers are still waiting for Pokemon LEs. There's a delay due to parts that's happening across the board. Also in April, Jaws Pro and Premium, Jurassic Park Pro, King Kong Pro and Premium, and the remainder of the first run Pokemon Pros are in this month. If you're buying a Pokemon today, Pro and Premium, you're looking at a May delivery. And then May and June from American Pinball, you can expect delivery on the Houdini 100s. We didn't talk about this, but on American Pinball, they had the Houdini 100, but they're doing another run of Galactic Tank Force, 150 units. They're going to be implementing some improved sculpts and in Topper, I think, from Melvin Williams. Be on the lookout for that. We should have some more information. I don't really have a lot of time on Galactic Tank Force. I played it a couple of times. I liked the game. My first impression was that it looks like it's space themed, right? Yeah. He said better than what people give it credit for. Yeah. So I'll be curious to see what the upgrades consist of with that. Also, May and June, we've got the second Stern Cornerstone that's expected. We don't know what it is. It's not been confirmed. But guess what? We've got you covered with the rumored interest list. You can contact me, Ken, at flip the letter N out pinball.com. You can say, hey, hey, Ken, can you put me on the list for so and so? Let me know what it is. Now, it's not a vague list. You can't go on the next Stern title list. But if you think you have an idea of what you'd like it to be, let me know and I'll put you on the list. And I will tell you, I will tell you this. Like, I really hope the rumors are true that it's Transformers. I can't tell you why, that I'm excited for it to be that. Like, I really can't. I mean, it's nostalgic. You know, when I was really young, Transformers was that hit then. Then you kind of grow out of Transformers. But like, I still just I don't know. There's something so nostalgic about it. And Transformers is still so badass, man. Like, I just I really hope there's Transformers. I remember coming home from school watching Transformers cartoons. Like, I didn't have a lot of Transformers. My younger brother. They were expensive. That was very expensive. It was kind of a rich kids toy, like upper middle class toy. I feel in a sense, a weird way. Well, you know, you had to settle for GoBots because you're like, these things are smaller. And it's like they're like the poor man's Transformers. So it's like, I'll take some GoBots. It was the transforming freaking Happy Meal toys that were like the dinosaurs that were like a chicken nugget. That's the extent of my Transformers. That's hilarious, man. But yeah, Transformers more than me. See, I was more into He-Man Masters of the Universe. I think at the time you get those. Thunder Cats were big. But you can get a He-Man figure for like five or six bucks when they originally were coming out. And I loved it, man. It was a good time. Yeah, G.I. Joe's. I would still take a G.I. Joe pin. I would still really like that. That would probably be one of my top. Going with those 80s cartoons would be G.I. Joe. Just because it was so huge. That universe, that toy line had to have been the most spectacular toy line in all of existence because, I mean, there were so many accessories. I remember buying like an accessory pack with like dive equipment in it and everything. So you could put like a little respirator on your people and like flippers that went on the bottom of their feet. So you could turn any of your GI Joes into like a diver. Oh, no way. Yes. Dude, everything, all the vehicles. You're just swimming in the toilet with the brown sharks. Yeah. Oh, dude. Look out. The repelling gear. I mean, there was so much that went with GI Joes that like it was just such an extreme toy line that I don't think you really hear people talk about or, you know, especially when it comes to nostalgia. So yeah, man, dude, I would love that. That would be cool. When I was growing up, like it was myself, my parents, my two brothers, we lived in like an 1100 square foot house, real humble little neighborhood. Well, one year, my parents, like, I don't know how they pulled it off. They get my brother that the G.I. Joe aircraft carrier thing. Oh, yeah. It's like six, seven feet long. It took up literally our whole living room. It was like this craziest thing I've ever seen in my entire life. That's what I'm saying, dude, it's spectacular. Spectacular. That's that's nuts. Pretty, pretty big, pretty big. All right. Harry Potter, Arcade and CEs are now back in stock. So if you go to flip it on pinball dot com, you can check out and get in the cart, get it delivered. Delivery is taking what two to four days on average from the time that you check out. Yeah. Checking in with Barrels of Fun. We've got Dune and Winchesters. They continue to kind of trickle out. No clear timeline. So if you have either on order, just hang tight. If we get any major update as far as what's going on with delivery of those games, we'll pass it along. But right now they're coming out. So no worries. Just got to be a little bit more patient than you've already been at this point at Chicago Gaming Company, the medieval madness Merlin editions. They're already on the line and they're starting to ship. So every month those should be shipping from us all the way through the fall. So if you're looking for that Merlin edition, now's the time. Jump in. Flip it up pinball dot com. I was talking to Zach earlier this morning. I said, hey, we're recording the podcast. Do you by any chance want to offer up a little deal of the week? I said we would be happy to offer a deal of the week. On behalf of Flip N Out Pinball. And Zach said, absolutely. So this is the deal of the week, Greg. You ready? This is for Flip N Out Pinball podcast listeners. You would have no way of knowing about this unless you're listening to the podcast. So congratulations and thank you. Used Uncanny X-Men Pro. Okay, we currently have it listed at $54.99. $5,499. The deal of the week. $51.99. So just for listening. Plus shipping. Save a couple hundred bucks plus shipping. That's solid for that game. That's a good game, man. It is a good game. You're right at five G's on that game. Yeah, that's insane. That's good. It's hard to get anything. Yeah. So if you'd like to take advantage, because that's a used game, pre-owned game, great condition. You can email Ken or Greg at FlippinOutPinball.com. We'll write you up and get the game out next day. So it's pretty good. I wanted to take a moment as always, and thank our Patreon members at Patreon.com slash FlippinOutPinballPodcast. If you'd like to get involved with the show in a little bit more of a special way, you can go to Patreon, search Flippin Out Pinball Podcast. We've got a lot of bonus content up, some bonus episodes that were never aired publicly, which are fun. Greg's throwing out his solo session. His latest solo session was about Dungeon Crawler Carl and his newfound appreciation. Solo sessions will be increasing here over the next few weeks. Also would encourage you to go over to YouTube.com because Greg's favorite thing to do is video. And that's going to be coming out pretty soon. We have some video podcasts, so if you don't mind going over there and subscribing, it's free. You'll just be notified when a new episode airs. But other than that, Mr. Bone, I think we're about wrapped up. I don't know. Is there anything else that you want to vent about, get off your chest? No, I think that's about it. I enjoyed the space talk. I do, too. I'm curious about the comments on our space commentary. I'm just waiting. See where it goes. And it should be fun in our next After Hours over at Patreon when we go live with the Patreon subscribers. Because I would like to get their input on space. I would too. Yeah. And if it is the final frontier or if we're on a flat earth stuck under a firmament. Who knows? That I do not believe in. I will give you that. I'm not a flat earther. I'll tell you what. I'm not either. But there's a lot of things that I didn't believe in 10 years ago that I am a believer in now. I almost feel like I lost a lot of my innocence and youth based on terrible information that I was given. I love it. We'll leave it at that. This is episode 21 of Flip N Out Pinball Podcast. For Greg Bone, I'm Ken Cromwell. Don't forget to take some time out of your day and play some pinball. So long, everybody. You good? Yeah, I like that.

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: d4abac68-1bcf-46e9-809e-abc9e60c6cba*