# Spooky Pinball's Evil Dead: I Played It... **Source:** Cary Hardy **Type:** video **Published:** 2025-01-22 **Duration:** 12m 36s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziCaqTi_aD8 --- ## Analysis Cary Hardy visits Spooky Pinball's Wisconsin facility to play the newly released Evil Dead pinball machine. He praises the game's aesthetics, theme integration, audio design, and gameplay, calling it Christopher Franchi's best work and noting it as the most anticipated game he's previewed. Hardy recommends the game for Evil Dead fans and players seeking quality, though acknowledges the $10,000 price point as a barrier. ### Key Claims - [MEDIUM] Evil Dead is Christopher Franchi's best artwork to date — _Cary Hardy's subjective assessment based on his experience with the machine_ - [MEDIUM] Spooky Pinball leads the industry in theme integration compared to competitors — _Cary Hardy's opinion stated as 'Spooky Pinball is in the lead in this industry for theme integration. No one else is coming close to it.'_ - [HIGH] Evil Dead has a hidden flipper mechanic that is useful for progression, not a gimmick — _Cary Hardy confirmed this feature during gameplay and noted it's necessary for certain shots_ - [HIGH] Demo games at shows like Pinball at the Beach undergo 500 plays as ultimate QC stress tests — _Cary Hardy's explanation of the demo unit structure and value proposition_ - [HIGH] Evil Dead features an 'Insanity Mode' where the game sporadically acts chaotically based on movie lore — _Cary Hardy experienced and described this mode during gameplay_ - [HIGH] Bruce Campbell provides call-outs that include making fun of players for missed and made skill shots — _Cary Hardy noted specific examples of Bruce's audio responses during skill shot attempts_ - [HIGH] Evil Dead games will be available for purchase at Pinball at the Beach (February) and Texas Pinball Festival shows — _Cary Hardy recommends contacting Little Shop of Games and Spooky Pinball directly for demo game purchases_ - [HIGH] The right ramp on Evil Dead is makeable but Cary Hardy struggled to find the sweet spot — _Personal observation from gameplay experience_ ### Notable Quotes > "Christopher Franchi this is by all means one of your best works of art that you have put together And I think the masses agree that this is his best yet" > — **Cary Hardy**, ~2:40 > _Direct praise for artist Christopher Franchi's aesthetic work on Evil Dead_ > "Spooky Pinball is in the lead in this industry for theme integration. No one else is coming close to it." > — **Cary Hardy**, ~3:15 > _Competitive positioning statement about Spooky's manufacturing quality relative to other makers_ > "I think this is an Evil Dead fan's wet dream, basically, when it comes to pinball." > — **Cary Hardy**, ~4:00 > _High endorsement for theme fans; indicates strong IP integration_ > "the shaker motor adds a ton of effects to the gaming experience do not turn that off if you get this at your house" > — **Cary Hardy**, ~6:40 > _Practical recommendation about hardware feature integration_ > "I do have the Spooky Boner. Yep. I do have the Spooky Boner hat right here." > — **Cary Hardy**, ~14:45 > _Self-aware acknowledgment of potential bias accusations; community in-joke about enthusiasm_ > "The only thing that I see that would be holding you back from purchasing this game is obviously the $10,000 price tag." > — **Cary Hardy**, ~12:30 > _Only significant criticism: price point as purchase barrier_ > "I honestly questioned where I was going. I didn't know my GPS was actually taking to me somewhere. If you drive to Benton, Wisconsin, it's not exactly an entertaining ride." > — **Cary Hardy**, ~16:30 > _Context on difficulty reaching Spooky's facility; adds perspective to his relief the game was good_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Cary Hardy | person | YouTube pinball content creator who visited Spooky Pinball facility to preview Evil Dead | | Christopher Franchi | person | Artist/designer at Spooky Pinball; created artwork and visual design for Evil Dead | | Bruce Campbell | person | Actor from Evil Dead franchise; provided voice call-outs for the pinball machine | | Bug | person | Streamer who has played Evil Dead and will stream new code on Twitch (Bug Screamin' Stream) on January 23rd | | Spooky Pinball | company | Boutique pinball manufacturer based in Benton, Wisconsin; producer of Evil Dead pinball machine | | Evil Dead | game | Newly released widebody pinball machine by Spooky Pinball based on Evil Dead franchise; $10,000 MSRP; highly anticipated release | | Little Shop of Games | company | Pinball operator/retailer handling demo units at Pinball at the Beach show | | Pinball at the Beach | event | Pinball show occurring early February 2025 where Evil Dead demo units will be playable and potentially available for purchase | | Texas Pinball Festival | event | Pinball show where Evil Dead demo units will be available for play and purchase | | Texas Chainsaw Massacre | game | Previous Spooky Pinball game featuring horror theme and unique layout; noted as Cary Hardy's favorite before Evil Dead | ### Topics - **Primary:** Evil Dead machine aesthetics and visual design, Theme integration and IP authenticity in pinball, Spooky Pinball competitive positioning vs other manufacturers, Gameplay mechanics and shot design, Audio design and call-outs - **Secondary:** Demo unit availability at pinball shows, Pricing and purchase barriers, Code updates and future improvements ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.92) — Cary Hardy is overwhelmingly positive about Evil Dead, praising nearly every aspect from aesthetics to gameplay to theme integration. His only significant criticism is the $10,000 price point. He expresses relief and enthusiasm about the machine quality, though he acknowledges potential bias accusations with self-aware humor. ### Signals - **[competitive_signal]** Evil Dead positioned as significantly improved over Spooky's previous title (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) in terms of variety of shots and bash toys despite similar layout philosophy (confidence: high) — Cary Hardy: 'Before Evil Dead was released, my favorite game from Spooky was Texas Chainsaw Massacre...But I think this game has taken the lead. I mean, Evil Dead just brings more to the overall experience. I mean, you get a variety of shots and a variety of bash toys.' - **[design_philosophy]** Christopher Franchi's artwork on Evil Dead praised as integrating horror theme aesthetically while maintaining strong visual appeal; represents continuation of Spooky's design approach (confidence: high) — Cary Hardy: 'Christopher Franchi this is by all means one of your best works of art...the overall package of it is just it should be beautiful because it's a horror type of thing and it's creepy imagery but if you just look at it from just how well it's put together as a whole it's done so well' - **[event_signal]** Bug will stream Evil Dead code update on Twitch (Bug Screamin' Stream) January 23rd with VOD to YouTube; indicates continued code development and community engagement (confidence: high) — Cary Hardy: 'Bug will be streaming this game again this coming Thursday, January 23rd on his Twitch channel, Bug Screamin' Stream...they will be streaming the new code for Evil Dead this week.' - **[market_signal]** Evil Dead generated exceptionally high anticipation pre-release with numerous inquiries from community asking for preview feedback; indicates strong FOMO and demand signaling (confidence: high) — Cary Hardy: 'out of all the games that I have played before the masses, this has got to be like the most anticipated that I guess people are waiting for my feedback on. I've received emails, messages through all types of platforms wanting to know what I thought about Evil Dead.' - **[community_signal]** Cary Hardy declines to show personal gameplay footage, instead using professional stream footage, indicating awareness of skill gap and desire to fairly represent game quality (confidence: high) — Cary Hardy: 'I will not be showing you gameplay of me playing it, because I think that will not do the game justice at all. If anything, that will just make you think the game shoots poorly, when in fact it's me that's shooting poorly.' - **[product_strategy]** Shaker motor implementation on Evil Dead praised for effective integration with playfield action and screen effects, enhancing immersion and fear factor (confidence: high) — Cary Hardy: 'the shaker motor adds a ton of effects to the gaming experience do not turn that off if you get this at your house...it's implemented very well at this point in time to where it really adds to the effect and a little bit of like, ooh, kind of fear a little bit to it' - **[product_concern]** Demo units at shows function as ultimate quality control stress tests with 500 plays over a weekend, positioned as validation of manufacturing quality (confidence: high) — Cary Hardy: 'You're getting the same game that everybody else is going to get. It's just that you're going to be getting 500 plays over a course of a weekend on your game from the public. So think of it as the ultimate stress test' - **[sentiment_shift]** Cary Hardy expresses significant relief that Evil Dead quality justified the long drive to Benton, Wisconsin facility; indicates potential pre-existing skepticism that was reversed by experience (confidence: medium) — Cary Hardy: 'I honestly questioned where I was going...I was relieved, if anything else, that the game did not suck.' and earlier 'relieved that it didn't suck because it wasn't exactly a short drive.' - **[licensing_signal]** Evil Dead demonstrates extensive asset implementation from Evil Dead 1 and 2 films, including screen visuals, call-outs, and thematic mechanics reflecting strong IP integration (confidence: high) — Cary Hardy: 'they have put so much into this when it comes to the visuals on the screen, obviously the call-outs. It's all there. I think this is an Evil Dead fan's wet dream, basically, when it comes to pinball.' --- ## Transcript Earlier this month I made my way up to Benton, Wisconsin to take a tour of the Spooky Pinball facility and to play their newly highly anticipated Evil Dead. I got to play it and now I'm gonna tell you what I think about it. What's up guys and welcome back to the channel where I talk and do everything pinball so if that sounds interesting to you then hit that subscribe button down below. Now I must say that out of all the games that I have played before the masses, this has got to be like the most anticipated that I guess people are waiting for my feedback on. I've received emails, messages through all types of platforms wanting to know what I thought about Evil Dead. You know, where's the video, Kerry? When's the video going up? Apologies for this being so delayed but I know a lot of you out there want to know if what like was your deposit you know worth it is it something that you know that you should get I mean but I know that you buyers out there are curious and want to know if this game is worth a damn and hopefully I can answer or at least give you enough information to ease your mind at this point. Now, first off, I will not be showing you gameplay of me playing it, because I think that will not do the game justice at all. If anything, that will just make you think the game shoots poorly, when in fact it's me that's shooting poorly. So instead, I am going to be using footage from the latest stream from Bug, whenever they streamed it, I don't know, a month ago, but I will be having that footage as well as some of my b-roll footage. I'll have that interlaced in with this video and everything, but for those that do not know, Bug will be streaming this game again this coming Thursday, January 23rd on his Twitch channel, Bug Screamin' Stream, and the VOD will be uploaded to YouTube shortly after that. But they will be streaming the new code for Evil Dead this week. So if you want to see what that's all about, then by all means, be sure to check it out. Let's start with the aesthetics. This game is absolutely beautiful, guys. To just walk around it, to have the glass taken off, and to be able to look inside it, they have done such a great job on just merely the aesthetics the visual appeal to stand back if this was your only game in your game room and have it sitting in the corner to stand back and look at it it's very appealing that. Christopher Franchi, this is by all means one of your best works of art that you have put together. And I think the masses agree that this is his best yet and I kind of lean towards maybe as well because I think the overall package of it is just it should be beautiful because it's a horror type of thing and it's creepy imagery but if if you just look at it from just how well it's put together as a whole it's done so well. They have also done a great job of bringing the assets for this particular theme. I mean, Spooky Pinball is in the lead in this industry for theme integration. No one else is coming close to it. And when it comes to implementing the assets from Evil Dead 1 and 2, they've obviously done it. They have put so much into this when it comes to the visuals on the screen, obviously the call-outs. It's all there. I think this is an Evil Dead fan's wet dream, basically, when it comes to pinball. I mean, if you love the Evil Dead movies, I would find it very hard to believe that you will not love this game. I would be honestly very surprised. Now, before Evil Dead was released, my favorite game from Spooky was Texas Chainsaw. The layout on that game was very unique, and they did a great job on theme integration for that one as well. But I think this game has taken the lead. I mean, Evil Dead just brings more to the overall experience. I mean, you get a variety of shots and a variety of bash toys. I mean, the layout may not be, you know, unique. But honestly, I don't care because there is so much to shoot at. I mean, especially if you remember about the hidden flipper. And for some reason, I just couldn't remember that it was there. I kept forgetting to use it. Bug had to keep reminding me, Carrie, use the flipper, use the flipper, because you can hold it up as the ball, I mean, it's very useful. Highly useful to progress in this game. So don't forget about the damn flipper, guys. It's very useful. It's not a gimmick. You need it to make certain shots. And along with not being able to remember using the hidden flipper, for some weird reason, I found it difficult to hit the right ramp. And it's not hard to hit. It's quite makeable. And if you watch the streams, you can see him making it no problem. I, for whatever reason, could not find the sweet spot. That's what she said. But I just I found it difficult to hit I don't know I just want to get better at it put some more time on it I'll figure it out but the right ramp was just tricky for me to hit and that's another reason why I'm not showing you my gameplay because it's only going to piss you off. The shaker motor adds a ton of effects to the gaming experience do not turn that off if you get this at your house I mean it a loud shaking motor that shakes and rattles your game but when it comes to what's going on in the play field and on the screen, it's implemented very well at this point in time to where it really adds to the effect and a little bit of like, ooh, kind of fear a little bit to it. So I really like that. Now on the call outs when it comes to audio i loved them you've got a variety a large variety of call outs whenever just to make a note of a couple here when it comes to skill shots if you miss your skill shot they're gonna make fun of you they're gonna be like you missed your shot that little thing is in there so that's pretty nice but also even when you make your skill shot there's a chance that Bruce may make fun of you still on that like oh you hit your skill shot like like big whoopety do little things like that that made me laugh and that's what i want in pinball is like to play a game that's fun it's well implemented but also makes me chuckle every once in a while. Now i was also lucky enough to experience what they call Insanity mode and this is when in the movie things start coming to life and the you know the deer on the wall and things start moving and talking on their own and going crazy this is when the game starts sporadically doing things and it's really coded like very well it's really cool to see it in action and the objective there is to obviously hit the things that are acting insane so i really like that mode and I didn't get to experience a lot of the other modes because I'm horrible. But like from what modes I did play I liked what was going on and obviously code is only going to get better from here. I'm looking forward to playing this game at Pinball at the Beach and for those of you that are interested in picking this game up before a lot of other people then you may want to reach out to Little Shop of Games to see if the games that are going to be at that show are still available for purchase because I doubt very seriously that at the end of that show there's going to be some that are going to be up for sale still. I mean it's a good time to pick up a demo game and if you can't make it to Pinball at the Beach next month then their next chance to play this game will be at Texas Pinball Festival and if you want to buy one of those demo games then reach out to Spooky Pinball directly to see if you can line up one of those games. And when I say demo game, don't let that scare you. You're getting the same game that everybody else is going to get. It's just that you're going to be getting 500 plays over a course of a weekend on your game from the public. So think of it as the ultimate stress test to make sure the game that you're bringing home is going to be able to take whatever you throw at it. So this is going to be the ultimate QC check for Spooky during these weekend shows. So for you Evil Dead fans this is almost a no-brainer. The only thing that I see that would be holding you back from purchasing this game is obviously the $10,000 price tag. But other than the price, I do not see a reason why you would not want this game. And for those of us out there with not being so much excited about the theme of Evil Dead, I still think this is a very enjoyable game to play. There are not any shots that don't feel good. I mean, like I said, I still want to get more time on it. But the only thing really holding me back on it is just that it's not a theme for me. But who knows? Maybe the next title from Spooky will be one that speaks to me. And if they put as much effort as they put into this game, into their next, then it's going to be very very difficult to turn down. That about wraps up this video guys i just wanted to give you some information in regards to my experience with the game and hopefully put those of you out there with currently waiting on your game a little bit of peace of mind knowing that okay it's not a waste of money kind of thing maybe Spooky has done great by this and they have. So rest easy, guys. Your game's going to get made. You're going to get it. And if you're still just waiting to play it first, by all means, Pinball at the Beach, coming up this early February. Pinballatthebeach.com for that. And you can always play it at Texas Pinball Festival. Go to texaspinball.com for the dates and where that's at. So you have two shows coming up to experience Evil Dead if it's a game that you want to add to your collection. And especially for you Evil Dead fans out there, this is the time. And I know there's going to be people out there in the comments section like, oh yes, it's Kerry got invited over to Spooky. He's gushing over. He's got the Spooky Boner, which I do have the Spooky Boner hat right here. So yeah, I guess you could say I've got that. What's your current thoughts and opinions on Evil Dead from Spooky Pinball. Let me know in the comment section down below and do not forget about the stream coming up this Thursday. I will catch you guys on the next one. Oh my god. And for those of you that think that I'm out there with the Spooky Boner and everything, no. You have no idea how relieved I was to experience the game and be like, relieved that it didn't suck. Because it wasn't exactly a short drive. I honestly questioned where I was going. I didn't know my GPS was actually taking me somewhere. If you drive to Benton, Wisconsin, it's not exactly an entertaining ride. There's a lot of fields and taking back roads. It was, yeah, it just, so I was relieved, if anything else, that the game did not suck. Oh, there is that. So, yeah. _(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: e4fb5591-c8c6-4c1e-bb94-31e276d9a810*