# I'm Not Buying Labyrinth...

**Source:** Cary Hardy  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2023-10-25  
**Duration:** 6m 5s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh4pNffsNKM

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## Analysis

Cary Hardy reviews Labyrinth pinball from Barrels of Fun after playing it at Expo, praising the art, theme execution, and music while criticizing the $10,600 MSRP and dark playfield brightness. He discusses Sarah's absence from the game, comparing it favorably to the film, and declines to purchase due to budget constraints and anticipation for a future 'dream theme' game. Hardy hints at upcoming Barrels of Fun games with drastically different themes.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Labyrinth MSRP is $10,600, positioned between JJP and Stern Premium pricing — _Hardy explicitly states the MSRP figure during gameplay/purchase discussion_
- [HIGH] Barrels of Fun CEO David Van Ness approached Hardy at Expo and prioritized theme execution over gameplay mechanics — _Hardy recounts direct conversation with David (CEO) about focusing on 'How did we do on the theme?'_
- [HIGH] Labyrinth has no Sarah character in the game; the player is the adventurer instead — _Hardy explicitly discusses Sarah's removal and states 'you are the adventurer going through this labyrinth'_
- [HIGH] The game plays like a Bally Williams machine with classic ruleset feel — _Hardy states 'The game plays like a Bally Williams which I believe a lot of you would like'_
- [MEDIUM] Labyrinth's playfield is dark and requires aftermarket lighting upgrades for adequate brightness — _Hardy notes the game 'is dark judging by what we saw during the gameplay reveal videos' and recommends Penn Stadium lighting or alternatives_
- [HIGH] Barrels of Fun's next two themes will be 'drastically different' from Labyrinth — _Hardy states this was mentioned off-record but he is divulging: 'their next theme will be drastically different from this theme and the next theme after that is going to be drastically different from that theme'_
- [MEDIUM] Hardy has knowledge of an upcoming 'dream theme' game coming around one year out, which will drive his purchasing decision — _Hardy hints at specific future theme information: 'there is some information available about what theme we should be getting around this time next year. And that will be my dream theme'_
- [HIGH] Labyrinth 'stole the show at Pinball Expo' and was the most discussed game — _Hardy states directly: 'Now Labyrinth stole the show at Pinball Expo. That's what everyone was talking about'_

### Notable Quotes

> "honestly, Carrie, I don't care if you like how it shoots. How did we do on the theme?"
> — **David Van Ness (CEO, Barrels of Fun)**, ~1:15
> _Reveals Barrels of Fun's design philosophy prioritizing theme authenticity over mechanical depth, demonstrates CEO's direct engagement with content creators_

> "it's not labyrinth without jennifer conelly... But they have removed Sarah, and you are the adventurer going through this labyrinth, which in my opinion, I think makes it better."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~2:30
> _Core tension point in the design: absence of iconic character, but Hardy reconciles it as potentially superior design choice_

> "The game plays like a Bally Williams which I believe a lot of you would like and I would like to play it on a machine that hasn't been on all day though."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~4:00
> _Identifies classic rule design direction and hints at potential mechanical wear/coil fatigue on show units_

> "I personally didn't see any issues with hardware i didn't see them having to lift the playfield to fix anything"
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~5:30
> _Notes reliability of show unit, no major mechanical failures observed_

> "The MSRP on the game is $10,600. I mean, it's priced between your JJP price and your Sterns premium so it's not priced crazy high but it is priced to a point to where i definitely don't feel like comfortable divulging that much money"
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~6:00
> _Critical context on pricing perception and market positioning; reveals Hardy's personal budget constraints for collector purchases_

> "their next theme will be drastically different from this theme and the next theme after that is going to be drastically different from that theme"
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~11:45
> _Hints at Barrels of Fun's future pipeline with theme diversity strategy; information sourced from off-record conversation with company leadership_

> "there is some information available about what theme we should be getting around this time next year. And that will be my dream theme."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~12:30
> _Hardy has non-public knowledge of a specific future game release timeline and theme identity that influences his purchasing decision_

> "I will not be purchasing a labyrinth. It's not that they did anything wrong. They did everything that they could possibly do to bring this thing to life"
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~13:00
> _Final positioning: critical acclaim despite declining to purchase; emphasis on personal financial constraints rather than game quality_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Cary Hardy | person | Pinball content creator and YouTube personality; played Labyrinth at Expo, known for honest game reviews and collector perspective |
| David Van Ness | person | CEO of Barrels of Fun; directly engaged with Hardy at Expo to discuss game's theme execution |
| Barrels of Fun | company | Boutique pinball manufacturer; released Labyrinth as their debut title; developing future games with 'drastically different' themes |
| Labyrinth | game | Barrels of Fun pinball machine based on Jim Henson's 1986 film; features Bally/Williams-style rules, innovative art package, dark playfield, Sarah character removed in favor of player-as-adventurer design; MSRP $10,600; 'stole the show' at Pinball Expo |
| Pinball Expo | event | Major pinball community event where Labyrinth was displayed and played by enthusiasts including Hardy |
| Jim Henson's Labyrinth | product | 1986 film that serves as the IP base for the pinball game; Hardy notes frequent viewing in childhood and recent re-watch |
| Jennifer Connelly | person | Actress who played Sarah in the 1986 Labyrinth film; her character was removed from the pinball game |
| Stern Pinball | company | Major pinball manufacturer; referenced for Premium tier pricing comparison with Labyrinth's MSRP |
| Jersey Jack Pinball | company | Major pinball manufacturer; referenced for pricing comparison with Labyrinth |
| Foo Fighters Premium | game | Stern pinball machine that Hardy owns; he paid over $9,000 for it, referenced as price sensitivity context |
| Penn Stadium | product | Pinball LED lighting solution mentioned as alternative for brightening dark playfields like Labyrinth |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Labyrinth game design and theme execution, Barrels of Fun manufacturing and product pipeline, Pinball pricing and collector purchasing decisions, Sarah character absence and gameplay philosophy
- **Secondary:** Playfield brightness and lighting aftermarket solutions, Bally/Williams rule design aesthetic, Content creator access and manufacturer relationships, Future Barrels of Fun game announcements

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.78) — Hardy praises Labyrinth's theme execution, art, music, and sculpts while criticizing only the price point and dark playfield. Despite declining to purchase, he frames this as a personal financial decision rather than a game quality issue. Enthusiasm for Barrels of Fun's future pipeline is evident. Overall sentiment is respectful and celebratory of the game's accomplishment.

### Signals

- **[event_signal]** Labyrinth dominated conversation and engagement at Pinball Expo, confirming strong community interest in Barrels of Fun's debut title (confidence: high) — 'Labyrinth stole the show at Pinball Expo. That's what everyone was talking about'
- **[product_concern]** Labyrinth's dark playfield brightness is a documented design trade-off that may require aftermarket lighting solutions for home collectors, limiting out-of-the-box playability experience (confidence: high) — Hardy states 'i know this game is dark judging by what we saw during the gameplay reveal videos' and recommends Penn Stadium or alternative lighting for adequate brightness
- **[design_philosophy]** Sarah character's removal from Labyrinth generated community debate (evidenced by Hardy's reference to comment section jokes), though Hardy defends the design choice as potentially superior to repetitive in-game callouts (confidence: high) — Hardy states 'I make a fun of some of you out there I've seen the comment section' and discusses Sarah's absence at length, noting his initial criticism then defense
- **[design_philosophy]** Barrels of Fun CEO Van Ness explicitly prioritizes theme authenticity and execution over mechanical gameplay innovation, as evidenced by his opening question to Hardy about theme rather than mechanics (confidence: high) — David Van Ness stated 'I don't care if you like how it shoots. How did we do on the theme?'
- **[leak_detection]** Hardy is divulging off-record information from Barrels of Fun leadership about the timeline and theme diversity strategy for their next two games (confidence: medium) — Hardy explicitly states 'there were things mentioned that are off the record but i can state here that their next theme will be drastically different' indicating selective disclosure of non-public information
- **[community_signal]** Content creator Cary Hardy has non-public knowledge of Barrels of Fun's future product pipeline, indicating direct industry access and information-sharing relationships with manufacturer leadership (confidence: high) — Hardy references 'information available about what theme we should be getting around this time next year' and frames it as special knowledge from off-record conversations
- **[market_signal]** Even as a dedicated collector and content creator, Hardy expresses discomfort with Labyrinth's $10,600 MSRP, positioning pricing as a barrier to purchase despite positive game reception (confidence: high) — Hardy states 'it is priced to a point to where i definitely don't feel like comfortable divulging that much money out of my account' and references previous $9k+ purchase anxiety
- **[product_concern]** Labyrinth may have mechanical wear issues on show units; Hardy experienced difficulty with left ramp shots, hinting at possible coil fatigue on frequently-played demo machines (confidence: medium) — Hardy noted 'I found it a little hard to get up that left ramp at times hinting that maybe there was some coil fatigue' and expressed desire to play a fresh machine
- **[product_strategy]** Barrels of Fun is planning significant theme diversity in next two releases, with deliberately contrasting IP selections to differentiate from Labyrinth's fantasy aesthetic (confidence: high) — Hardy reveals off-record information: 'their next theme will be drastically different from this theme and the next theme after that is going to be drastically different from that theme'

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## Transcript

 So I played Labyrinth at Expo, and I was approached by David, the CEO of Barrels of Fun, and I was caught off guard because as I began to speak about my thoughts and feelings of the game, he interrupted me by stating that he's like, honestly, Carrie, I don't care if you like how it shoots. How did we do on the theme? and they freaking nailed it art package sculpts music call outs it's labyrinth but there's no sarah without jennifer conley it's not labyrinth oh yeah i make a fun of some of you out there I've seen the comment section, but look, it may not be like the movie Labyrinth, but in a way it is. But they have removed Sarah, and you are the adventurer going through this labyrinth, which in my opinion, I think makes it better. Because having Sarah's call-outs and her voice throughout the game, I think would actually get a little irritating after a while. I mean, this is coming from a Labyrinth fan. I've seen the movie plenty of times. and as of just recently I've watched it also. She whines and complains throughout the whole movie pretty much, guys. And I don know about you but I don think I like to hear a lot of those repetitive call from her throughout the game Although I think having a nod to her character in general on the alternate back glass would have been appreciated The game plays like a Bally Williams which I believe a lot of you would like and I would like to play it on a machine that hasn't been on all day though. I mean I found it a little hard to get up that left ramp at times hinting that maybe there was some coil fatigue. I love the right ramp and how it returns to your flipper the game was well lit during the show but i know this game is dark judging by what we saw during the gameplay reveal videos so if you like your games well lit then you may want to look into PinStadiums or another alternative to light up your playfield i personally didn't see any issues with hardware i didn't see them having to lift the playfield to fix anything i have heard from one or two individuals that there was a hiccup in the software at some point in their game, but I personally didn't have any problems. Except that I played the game horribly. Now, I could tell people what to shoot for and what to do, but God forbid if I had to do it. The MSRP on the game is $10,600. I mean, it's priced between your JJP price and your Sterns premium so it's not priced crazy high but it is priced to a point to where i definitely don't feel like comfortable divulging that much money out of my account at this time at least i mean do you think i enjoyed coughing up over 9k for a pinball machine back here on my Foo Fighters Premium Hell no So anything above that isn gonna make me feel any better. Now even though the movie Labyrinth holds a great place in my heart in my childhood, I watched it like I said plenty of times growing up. Enjoy the theme. Love it. It's not a dream theme though for me. People keep stating, oh Gary, you gotta get it. It's your dream theme. And I'm like, I never said it was my dream theme. I merely watched it a bunch as a kid, and I loved the movie, and I just wanted to see the game. I wanted to see a pinball machine do the theme justice, and I think Barrels of Fun has done that. And I'm looking forward definitely to what games they have coming in the future. there were things mentioned that are off the record but i can state here that their next theme will be drastically different from this theme and the next theme after that is going to be drastically different from that theme so there's a little bit of information right there that i should be able to divulge i'm hoping that sometime in the future that i'll be able to travel to the barrels of fun manufacturing area in houston and maybe get some footage for you guys I don't know if we were talking about it, but nothing set in stone. We'll just see how it goes. But I will not be purchasing a labyrinth. It's not that they did anything wrong. They did everything that they could possibly do to bring this thing to life It just that I currently not in a position to disperse that much money out of my account I would feel very uncomfortable with that And it also may have something to do with there is some information available about what theme we should be getting around this time next year. And that will be my dream theme. And God knows how much that's going cost so i may be having to save up for that one but if you are a fan of labyrinth and you have been waiting for this thing to be brought to a pinball machine here you go you have got labyrinth the world of labyrinth is under glass ready for you to enjoy and if you would like to pre-order your game i will put links in the video description down below so that way you can check out all the distros that are available to pre-order your very own Labyrinth. Now Labyrinth stole the show at Pinball Expo. That's what everyone was talking about but I didn't get to hear from everybody so by all means for those that played it and even those that didn't let me know what your thoughts about Labyrinth are down below. We'll see you next time.

_(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: deb84464-3ace-4e8c-b646-fea2c119efbf*