# The Pinball Show Ep 136 BONUS: What I Like, What I Don't, GTF!

**Source:** Pinball Show Patreon Feed  
**Type:** podcast_episode  
**Published:** 2023-08-29  
**Duration:** 21m 11s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.patreon.com/posts/pinball-show-ep-88399969

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## Analysis

The host shares an extended personal review of Galactic Tank Force (GTF), a game they own and play frequently despite its troubled launch and numerous design flaws. While acknowledging poor code quality, cheap 3D-printed components, questionable design choices (tank placement, manual ramp diverter), and weak voice acting, the host praises the machine's striking visual design, clever rule set with unique modes, effective use of magnets, and overall aesthetic appeal. The host concludes GTF is a 'certified winner' and guilty pleasure that has captured their play time more than most 2024 releases, though they remain uncertain about keeping it long-term.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] I've been playing this game more than any new game that was released this year [aside from Bond 60th] — _Host directly discussing their personal play patterns with GTF vs. other 2024 releases like Foo Fighters and James Bond 60th_
- [HIGH] The look of this pinball machine is hard to argue against. Christopher Franchi's artwork is some of my favorite work he's ever done. — _Host praising the visual design and commissioned artwork by artist Christopher Franchi_
- [HIGH] The 3D printed toys are garbage looking. You can see the filaments. It's worse than America's Most Haunted. — _Host criticizing the quality of 3D-printed components, specifically the alien toy with visible print filaments_
- [HIGH] You have to manually turn on the tank LEDs in the back after you turn the game on... You have to physically press the power button on the remote control. — _Host detailing a specific operational flaw with the LED system not being properly integrated into the game's boot sequence_
- [HIGH] The modes are clever and unique. There's one mode that's like a sonar mode where it'll scan the play field with lighting, and only one will show pink. — _Host describing specific game mechanics and rule features they find engaging_
- [HIGH] I've only heard it once so far... 'You can't handle the scoop' – one of my favorite call-outs in all of pinball — _Host highlighting a specific in-game voice call-out they find particularly clever and funny_
- [MEDIUM] The width in between the front legs is thinner than that of a regular game, so a lot of people can't put hydraulic tables under it — _Host describing a physical design constraint affecting aftermarket accessories, noting exceptions like Escalera Tilton truck tables_
- [MEDIUM] The Ask Jack Anything interview was a softball interview [with five people making it difficult to do a solid interview] — _Host offering critical opinion about the official Ask Jack Anything interview format and depth_

### Notable Quotes

> "I shouldn't like this game. Because it's goofy, some of the decisions are downright wrong that they made with this. They launched this game like a cold turd. A lot of it is bad. It's hokey. It's unnecessary... But I've been playing this game more than any new game that was released this year."
> — **Host**, Early in segment
> _Core thesis: GTF is flawed but compulsively playable, contradicting expectations_

> "The look of this pinball machine is hard to argue against. It is cool. It's retro, but it's new. It's beautiful. From the artwork, Christopher Franchi is some of my favorite work he's ever done."
> — **Host**, ~10:30
> _Establishes aesthetic as primary strength and major appeal factor_

> "You can't handle the scoop."
> — **GTF in-game call-out**, ~22:00
> _Host's favorite call-out in the game; example of clever wordplay/game lore the host appreciates_

> "I like Clementine. She's good. You remember her because that's the name of a fruit."
> — **Host**, ~25:00
> _Host's humorous comment about retaining information about voice actors; reveals selective attention during Ask Jack interview_

> "Because I'm playing a game. I want to naturally play a game with a level of skill that takes physicality. It's like a sport. I want it to feel more like that than chess."
> — **Host**, ~35:00
> _Articulates philosophy on player-controlled ramp diverters; explains why third-flipper button mechanic doesn't appeal to them_

> "Galactic Tank Force is a certified winner for me... I haven't listed it for sale because I play it and I play it frequently and I kind of want to keep it."
> — **Host**, End of segment
> _Final verdict: despite all criticisms, the game has earned keeper status through consistent playtime_

> "It's the reason that I have one in the showroom and I haven't listed it for sale because I play it and I play it frequently and I kind of want to keep it. So I don't know. I don't know what I'm going to do. It's tough."
> — **Host**, Closing
> _Reveals owner dilemma: strong personal attachment vs. market value and business logic_

> "Why people are so against or allergic to magnet use in pinball, I'll never understand it... Why do you not like that?"
> — **Host and Dennis (dialogue)**, ~30:00
> _Highlights community divide on magnet randomness; host defends magnets as gameplay feature_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Galactic Tank Force | game | Original-themed pinball by American Pinball (2023-2024). Subject of this extended review. Host owns an LE (Signature Edition) and plays it frequently despite numerous flaws including poor 3D-printed components, design quirks (tank placement, thin cabinet legs), weak LED integration, and voice acting. Praised for striking visual design, clever rules/modes, effective use of magnets, and aesthetic appeal. Host considers it a 'certified winner' and guilty pleasure. |
| Host (speaker) | person | Pinball enthusiast, content creator, and GTF owner delivering extended personal review. Owns a Galactic Tank Force LE (Signature Edition) in their showroom. Plays GTF more frequently than other 2024 releases. Values aesthetic design, magnet mechanics, and rule depth. Critical of voice acting quality, 3D printing, and player-controlled diverters. Community-facing content creator (Patreon, podcast). |
| Dennis | person | Co-host or guest on the Pinball Show. Has not spent extended time on GTF (only at TPF). Engaged in dialogue about game design choices, voice acting, magnet mechanics, and design philosophy. Questions host's opinions and provides alternative perspectives. |
| Christopher Franchi | person | Pinball artwork artist who created the cabinet and backglass art for Galactic Tank Force. Host praises this as 'some of my favorite work he's ever done.' Recognized for visual quality. |
| Jack Danger | person | Host of 'Ask Jack Anything' podcast series (implied to be Jack Danger based on KB context). Conducted official interview about GTF with five-person panel. Host and Dennis critique this interview as 'softball,' lacking depth, and overly accommodating. |
| Dennis Nordman | person | Pinball game designer. Mentioned in context of Slam Tilt interview discussing design philosophy on tank placement and stand-up target geometry. Attempted to prevent ball from flying over flippers through design tweaks but encountered geometric constraints. |
| Steve Bowden | person | Pinball industry figure encountered by host at TPF. Advised that with a theme like GTF's, 'you got to go all the way in... 100% camp.' Discussed risk/reward of full commitment to comedic tone. |
| Empress Anoya | person | Voice actor in Galactic Tank Force. Host notes she's 'such a bad actress that it nailed what they were going for,' observing her reading cue cards during video sequences. Example of voice acting quality host criticizes but finds oddly effective. |
| Clementine | person | Voice actor/cosplayer in Galactic Tank Force. Described as 'newcomer' and influencer/cosplayer. Host remembers her positively ('She's good'). |
| American Pinball | company | Manufacturer of Galactic Tank Force. Subject of implicit criticism for poor launch, cheap component sourcing, weak LED integration, and design decisions. Also mentioned as using thin stand-ups in cabinet design (per 'Joe Balser design'). |
| James Bond 60th | game | 2024 pinball release mentioned as close second to GTF in host's frequent play rotation. Described as 'quick and fast game' but lacking the engagement factor of GTF. |
| Foo Fighters | game | 2024 band-themed pinball mentioned as less engaging to host than GTF. Host notes: 'Foo Fighters is great, but band pins just don't capture me as much as like a movie or a television show... It shoots so well, it just doesn't kick me in the nuts.' |
| Addams Family | game | Classic pinball referenced as example of hidden magnet under playfield (similar to GTF's magnet under UFO/cow). Host notes tournament directors sometimes cut or pull wires on this magnet to neutralize its effect. |
| Houdini | game | American Pinball game mentioned as example of hidden magnet use (ball save to right with pulsing magnet effect on target hits). Host references this as similar design philosophy to GTF. |
| The Shadow | game | Pinball game mentioned as source of player-controlled ramp diverter mechanic (third flipper button style). GTF implements similar feature that host criticizes as 'meaningless' and 'clunky.' |
| America's Most Haunted | game | Pinball game referenced in comparison to GTF's poor 3D-printed components. Host argues GTF's 3D printing quality is 'worse than America's Most Haunted.' |
| Whirlwind | game | Classic pinball referenced humorously; host compares GTF's alien toy with visible print filaments to 'poop monster from Whirlwind.' |
| Hot Rails | game | Pinball game mentioned as example of properly coded LED effects ('you hit this thing and everything turns on'). Contrasted with GTF's cheap, sound-activated LED remote. |
| Pinball Show Club | organization | Patreon-supported community for the host's content. This episode is exclusive bonus material for Club members. Has a Discord for discussion. |
| IFPA/WPPR | organization | Competitive pinball organization/ranking system. Mentioned implicitly through discussion of 'competitive pinball players' and tournament directors (TDs) who modify machines. |
| Zach | person | Likely the host (uses 'Zach Sharpe' per KB), referenced in third person during dialogue with Dennis. Dennis impersonates Zach: 'I didn't pay attention to jack shit.' |
| Ron and Bruce | person | Mentioned in passing as podcast hosts the host is joking about ('I'm not here to throw them under a bus... I'm not here to throw them under a bus. I totally understand them wanting to be nice to people'). Implied connection to Pinball Show or media outlet. |
| Escalera Tilton | company/product | Manufacturer/seller of truck tables for pinball machines. Host notes their table 'slides under [GTF] perfectly' despite the cabinet's thin leg spacing that blocks standard hydraulic tables. |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Galactic Tank Force design and aesthetic appeal, GTF rule set, modes, and code quality, 3D-printed components and manufacturing quality, Voice acting and character/narrative elements, Magnet mechanics and player-controlled diverters, Physical design constraints (cabinet legs, tank placement, target layout)
- **Secondary:** Host's personal play patterns and collector mentality, Competitive pinball player preferences vs. casual/home player preferences, Ask Jack Anything interview and American Pinball's media strategy

### Sentiment

**Mixed** (0.62) — Host expresses genuine affection and frequent play of GTF despite cataloging numerous design, manufacturing, and feature flaws. Sentiment is mixed-positive: they criticize harshly but ultimately defend the game as a 'certified winner' and 'guilty pleasure.' The tone shifts between frustrated (3D printing, LED integration, voice acting) and enthusiastic (visual design, rules, magnets). Final position is one of reluctant keeper mentality despite being a 'B-plus game' in a market with many alternatives.

### Signals

- **[product_concern]** 3D-printed components (alien toy) have visible filaments and show poor finishing quality; described as 'garbage looking' and worse than America's Most Haunted. (confidence: high) — Host: 'The 3D printed toys are garbage looking. You can see the filaments... When that alien comes up, you see they don't even clean out the filaments of his teeth... It is worse [than America's Most Haunted].'
- **[product_concern]** Cabinet leg spacing is thinner than standard, preventing installation of common aftermarket hydraulic/truck tables; impacts accessorization for many operators/collectors. (confidence: high) — Host: 'The width in between the front legs is thinner than that of a regular game... A lot of people can't put those tables [hydraulic tables].' Notes Escalera Tilton tables work but standard cheap hardware doesn't fit.
- **[product_concern]** LED tank tread lighting system not properly coded; uses cheap Chinese sound-activated remote controls instead of integrated game logic. Manual power button required after boot. (confidence: high) — Host: 'You have to manually turn on the tank LEDs in the back after you turn the game on... you have to physically press the power button on the remote control... It's a wired remote. Oh, it's bad.'
- **[design_philosophy]** Host dislikes player-controlled ramp diverter (third flipper button) mechanic, viewing it as meaningless busywork vs. physicality-based sport-like gameplay. Contrasts with competitors' preference for predictable behavior. (confidence: high) — Host: 'I would rather them code that ramp diverter for when I need it... It's clunky. It's stupid... Because I'm playing a game. I want to naturally play a game with a level of skill that takes physicality. It's like a sport.'
- **[gameplay_signal]** GTF's rule set is praised as clever and unique with engaging modes (sonar mode with pink/green lighting, spinner mode, repeatable ramp mode). Code difficulty noted as 'hard as shit' with Houdini-esque toughness. (confidence: high) — Host: 'The modes are clever and unique. They're fun. There's one mode that's like a sonar mode... The code is... It could be udders. It could be sprinkles... But it's fun and it's hard as shit.'
- **[design_innovation]** GTF effectively uses multiple true magnets (not just diverters) including front magnet on tank and hidden magnet under UFO/cow. Host praises magnet use and advocates for magnet mechanics despite competitive player resistance. (confidence: high) — Host: 'Magnets, not just bullshit diverter magnets, like magnets, true magnets. They have, what, three or four on this game... The magnet in front of the tank is so much fun.'
- **[sentiment_shift]** Major gap between GTF's negative community reception (especially post-launch) and host's personal positive play experience. Host actively defends game against community narrative of failure. (confidence: high) — Host: 'Overall, guys, things I like, things I don't about Galactic Tank Force... You didn't hear me really complain... because I think those work... maybe I haven't replaced that bracket thing yet... But that's not a game changer for me... Galactic Tank Force is a certified winner for me.'
- **[collector_signal]** Host owns GTF LE in showroom but has not listed for sale despite it being a 'B-plus game' in a market with many alternatives. Genuine attachment and frequent play overrides typical collector/dealer logic. (confidence: high) — Host: 'I haven't listed it for sale because I play it and I play it frequently and I kind of want to keep it. So I don't know. I don't know what I'm going to do. It's tough.'
- **[content_signal]** Host and Dennis critique Ask Jack Anything GTF interview as 'softball' with five-person panel making substantive discussion difficult. Hosts feel interview lacked depth and was overly accommodating to American Pinball. (confidence: medium) — Host: 'I think they're afraid to embrace anything that the community has come up with... But it was a softball interview. Just was.' Dennis on five-person format: 'it's a wired remote... having five people on at a time makes it very difficult to do a solid interview.'
- **[competitive_signal]** Host observes fundamental divide in competitive vs. casual player preferences: competitive players dislike magnet RNG (random number generator) affecting predictability; host defends magnets as fun and argues many competitive players actually enjoy them. (confidence: medium) — Dennis: 'It punishes gameplay because it's randomizing.' Host: 'They don't like RNG in a magnet as an RNG... There's a subset [of competitive players that do like magnets]... You would argue incorrectly.'

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## Transcript

 Warning, the following episode contains adult language and screaming goats. Listener discretion is advised. The Pinball Network is online. Launching the Pinball Show. Thanks again for the ongoing support as a Pinball Show Club member. Enjoy this exclusive TPS content and make sure to visit the Pinball Show Club Discord to chat about the bonus material. It's finally time, Dennis, that I speak more about my personal experiences having owned a GTF LE. I think it's time that we do some people's favorite segment. It's called Things I Like, Things I Don't About GTF. So let's jump into it. Things I Like, Things I Don't About GTF. Now, I'm correct in saying, Dennis, that you have not had an extended amount of time on Galactic Tank Force yet, just at TPF. Yeah, I haven't seen it since. Okay. So you can comment or question or whatever you want about this. Overall, I shouldn't like this game. Because it's goofy, some of the decisions are downright wrong that they made with this. They launched this game like a cold turd. A lot of it is bad. It's hokey. It's unnecessary. The design elements with the tank up front, I'm not supposed to like this game. But I've been playing this game more than any new game that was released this year. Can you believe that? Sure. I can believe a lot of things. It's close with Bond 60th. I've been playing a lot of that because it's quick and it's a fast game. But this game has me more intrigued than others. This game is very difficult. And that does pull me in more so than like Foo Fighters. Don't get me wrong. Foo Fighters is great, but band pins just don't capture me as much as like a movie or a television show or just something like that. Or a tank. Even some original stuff. It just doesn't. The band pins don't. Now, that has a storyline that does a little better. But Foo Fighters is like it shoots so well, it just doesn't kick me in the nuts. And sometimes I want to be kicked in the nuts. That's all. So things I like about GTF, the look. Listener, the look of this pinball machine is hard to argue against. It is cool. It's retro, but it's new. It's beautiful. From the artwork, Christopher Franchi is some of my favorite work he's ever done. The simplicity of the cabinet. I'm talking about the LA here with the tank treads and the LEDs and everything. Of course. Of course you're talking about the top tier. Absolutely. Signature. I haven't got one of those. Design. The design of this game is nothing special, but it works. The design works. And I'm talking about design like how high the ramps go up, the materials they use, metal versus plastic versus that kind of stuff. The tank location is questionable with the stand-up targets. But you're not going to hear me complain about those because the one that I own, I don't have the ball flying up and over the flippers. I certainly have it flying back straight down the middle if I hit it wrong, but that's the design of it. You've got to know that if you hit it in that direction, a triple bank drop down. But in the slam tilt interview, Dennis tried to stop that from happening. What did he say? I don't remember. Well, something about how when you have anything, you can't really – what works on paper doesn't always execute in real life. So he tried tweaking it in a variety of ways to have it go to the flipper was the goal. But with the different setups. Anyway, it was, I don't know. Basically, the argument seemed to be geometry doesn't work right. You know what would. GDF. I was waiting for one of them just to say that. You know what? GDF. The design of that concave of the stand-up targets, that's boring. and it's brutal. Well, you hate stand-ups in general. Yeah, they're stupid. They're a pain in the ass. They did this Joe Balcer design, thin stand-ups around the whole game like they do on American Pinball, which I appreciate. Hello. Hello. It would have been boring. But the magnet in front of it fixes everything because it's purpose. When you're hitting it, you do get immediate feedback from that magnet, sometimes holding it, sometimes throwing it in a different direction. So it is fun going for that tank. And the design of the tank, albeit ugly 3D printing, we'll get into that, but it moves. It does react. Alien pops up. It's a pretty cool toy, but some questionable things there. But overall, the looks, the lighting is freaking phenomenal. The whole Penn Stadium thing on the game itself is awesome. The tank treads look cool. The use of mirroring in the back panel the display panel with the green it looks like a submarine panel The head shape works for me The look is fucking beautiful and i would argue that until i turn blue in the face it a pretty pinball machine and you know what i am that person when people come and they always flock to this game whether they're pinball people or not and they're like oh this is weird this is cool like i kind of like the looks of this game and i'm like you want to see this and i do i fold down the head and i show them and they're like oh my god that's actually really cool and they're like why does it do that i'm like well that's too nerdy it's yeah it doesn't really do anything but it does look cool yeah so i for non-pinball people you can just lift the play field and they'll be like whoa look at all those wires you get the same effect so that's a silly one you're right that's a silly one but still the one that i look at and i just smile because i'm like and the the sound activated LEDs around the trees. So stupid, but it looks cool. Alright, what I don't like about GTF, some of the details that they attempt to put in this game. The 3D printed toys are garbage looking. You can see the filaments. No, it's America's Most Haunted. No, it's worse. It is worse. What? I'm here to tell you it's worse than that. I don't know. I think you haven't looked at America's Miss Haunted in a while. When that alien comes up, you see they don't even clean out the filaments of his teeth. It's like I see strings. He's got something in his teeth. He's been eating lettuce. Yeah, he's been eating corn on the cob. Clean out the corn. Straight out of that poop monster from Whirlwind. I don't remember eating corn. Oh, man. So the details. The leg type, they went with those old-style legs, which they don't look bad. The problem is some of the Harbor Freight things don't fit in between them, like the hydraulic tables. You know what I'm talking about? So they're thinner. No, I don't know what you mean. The width in between the front legs is thinner than that of a regular game that you're used to. Okay. A lot of people can't put those tables. Well, I will say the Escalera Tilton truck table slides under it perfectly. But for a lot of people with the cheap hardware ones. So it's weird. It just looks weird. The tank tread lighting is not the cleanest at all. It's not even the most functional or interactive. It's sound activated. They don't have it coded, which is a big fail. It's not like Hot Rails where you hit this thing and everything turns one. No. It's just like the cheap Chinese LED remote control pattern thing. Well, that's what's affordable. But, Dennis, you have to manually turn on the tank LEDs in the back after you turn the game on. It doesn't come on with the game. Well, plug it into the service outlet. I don't know what to tell you. No, it's all plugged in, so it will turn on, but you have to physically press the power button on the remote control. it oh at least it has a remote it's just not clean it's a wired remote it came with that little amazon little 20 300 led color changing strip and they gave you the remote with it that comes with those kits it's like a godly it's a wired remote oh it's bad so the details are poo on this I love the details. They just aren't good. So mean. Things I like, though, about GT, the rules and code. Except for the light show code. Well, no. The light show code on the game is awesome. That's phenomenal. That's what I mean by the rules and code. That's awesome. The modes are clever and unique. They're fun. There's one mode that's like a sonar mode where it'll span the play field with lighting, and only one will show pink. Everything else is like a green sonar. How does sonar work in outer space? Dennis, I don't know why they're trying to get ice cream either. I'm not talking about storylines. Did you not listen to the Slam Tilt interview? They explained why the ice cream was in the interview. I fell asleep because the pillow was so soft. The interview was a soft-to-soft serve ice cream? Is that why you fell asleep? I like more firm on my matches. Just joking, Ron and Bruce. I'm not. I don't think they list. They criticized us having a Patreon. I'm not here to throw them under a bus. I totally understand them wanting to be nice to people, but it was a softball interview. It just was. Mr. Softy. It just was. It just was. Also, having five people on at a time makes it very difficult to do a solid interview, in my opinion. Yeah. It was a good interview, though. It was enjoyable, entertaining, but the code and the rules are fun. What did they say about the sonar thing? No, I said they explained the ice cream. They didn't explain the seminar thing, but I recall. Yeah, Jack Hader did that. Yeah, yeah, I get that. But, yeah, even the modes, like they have a repeatable ramp mode that's a lot of fun. They have a spinner. You have to build up your spins that I think it's something to do with udders or sprinkles or something. The code is. It could be udders. It could be sprinkles. They practically the same thing But it fun and it hard as shit Like I haven even defeated three modes I don think There no way I going to get to the end of that It's kind of Houdini-esque. It's tough. Tight but findable. The call-outs and stuff are so hokey. They don't bother me. I like the video. Even, like, what's her name? Empress Anoya. Empress Anoya. I don't know if she meant it this, but I think she's such a bad actress that it nailed what they were going for. Because if you watch, next time anybody's playing GTF, watch her video. You can see her eyes scan the cue cards as she's reading in the distance. But in the Slam Tilt interview, they spent a lot of time explaining the work with the voice actors. Yeah. And there was quite a struggle because only one was local. I think they thought two of them were going to be. The guy with the long hair is annoying. The professor guy is super annoying, cringy. He's local, though. Clementine, the newcomer, I think she's an influencer or something. She's a cosplayer. Cosplayer, okay. Wow, you really didn't listen at all, did you? Look, neurons, I only have so many. Let me quote Zach. This interview was entertaining. Let me also now quote Dennis impersonating Zach. I didn't pay attention to Jack shit. I like Clementine. She's good. You remember her because that's the name of a fruit. Yeah. Oh, Clemmy. Oh, Clemmy's good. But impersonal. I like the hard-hitting Clementine. So they have one of my favorite call-outs in all of pinball, though, Dennis. So it's a win for me. What's your favorite call-out? It is complete. I know you want to say it. I want to say it repeatedly. When they said this, I smiled, and I can't wait to hear it again. I've only heard it once so far. It's the following. You can't handle the scoop. You can't handle the scoop. Hell, yeah. Okay. I do understand, because you also really like with Punny Factory game Clover. Oh, my God. This does align. This does align with your sense of humor. You can't handle the scoop. It's game Clover, man. You can't handle the scoop. He says it like that, too. That's fantastic. That is funny. I still think that when you start the game up and once it's fully done with its boot, it really should say, You know what? But I think they're afraid to embrace that. They are afraid of selling games. I think they're afraid to embrace anything that the community has come up with, and that's all going to be through their weird insular process. That's why they went with the launch that they did. I don't understand any of it. But that doesn't mean that I can bash a game that I really, really, actually borderline love. Borderline love. It's like, but it's also borderline friend zone. No, this is definitely friends with benefits. Like, it's my guilty pleasure. I like this game. So the downside also with the rules and code is some of the call outs, some of the acting. it would have been okay if i thought they were acting in that day i think they were just so bad that it turned out that way um and it it can be annoying but there are some redeemable ones uh that aren't focusing around like cows twerking no that's not funny and it's not cute who gives a shit like they're how do i say this without being mean the reason this works is because they thought it was going to be perceived in a whole different way. And that's why it amuses me so. Well, you know, but humor is so tough. I think it's harder than a lot of people. I mean, you go through any reviews of this show, and some people are like, I love the screaming goat, and I love the stupid voices, and I love the weird jokes. And then other people are like, I hate the potty humor, and I hate the stupid fucking voices, and I hate all the stuff. So, you know, it's kind of like, it's tough when you're, And I mean, as Steven Bowden told, when I ran into him at TPF, he was kind of like, with a theme like this, you got to go all the way in, right? You got to go all the way. And I'm like, I don't know. It's so risky to me. It was what I was thinking. I was like, maybe I could see why you'd think you have no choice but to give it 100%. You got to go 100% camp. But if it doesn't click with everyone, is the voice acting bad by design? Is it bad because they hired bad voice actors, or is it bad because the voice actors didn't get paid enough, and they're like, we're not really going to try here? I don't know. It's clear that they did not try to. Yeah, no, I can't be convinced of that. I can't be. One of the other things I love about GTF, things I like, magnets. I know you love magnets. Magnets, not just bullshit diverter magnets, like magnets, true magnets. They have, what, three or four of this game. but magnets that make the ball do fun stuff. Why people are so against or allergic to magnet use and pinball, I'll never understand it. It punishes gameplay because it's randomizing. Thank you That why they hate it People like pinball because it a ball bearing doing physical stuff So when you see something defy physics and there no good explanation besides just magnets, it's cool. It's just cool. But people, but again, yeah, I know, yeah, I know they're your favorite subset of pinball players, but competitive people want the ball to predictably behave when they execute a shot and a magnet changes how You can make the same exact precise shot over and over, and the magnet changes how the ball behaves. And they don't like that because it's not predictable. They don't like RNG, random number generator. They don't want RNG in a magnet as an RNG. I love those competitive pinball players, but – Apparently not. If I'm relying on them to open up their wallet versus other people – You're magnetizing all their credit cards. They're not going to work. How are they going to buy, buy, buy when their card is fry, fry, fried? Don't cater to if there is that subset of – I would argue that the competitive pinball players like magnets. There's a subset there that do. You would argue incorrectly. There's a subset. They might like a magnet, like if it's like a Stranger Things backbox magnet hold effect that doesn't induce randomness, but then they hate that too because it doesn't always work right, so whatever. You're going to turn it off. So the magnet in front of the tank is so much fun. It can do a lot of things. As well as the one under the UFO and the cow, that's a hidden magnet. So it's under the play field a la Addams Family. Or American Pinball has done that with Houdini. The ball saves to the right. Like there's some randomness. If you hit a target, it'll just pulse that magnet. It's so cool. Speaking of that, I've played in pinball tournaments, Zach, where they've gone in and cut or pulled the wires on Addams Family to kill that magnet. Bastards. Yeah. It's what they do. It's a pinball tournament. I'd play in. The first one you'd play in, too. We talked about this. These TDs thinking they're cute and bastardizing these games. It's not cute. Hee hee. That's the sound they make when they cut the wire. Hee hee. All right, so Magnus is awesome. But the thing that I don't like, the last thing I don't like about GTF, this whole third flipper button multimorphic thing where you're doing the ramp diverter, player-controlled ramp diverter. What? It's straight out of the shadow. Why do you not like that? No, it's not straight out of the shadow. It's partially out of the shadow. It's shadow's second cousin twice removed. Because it's meaningless. I just don't give a shit if it goes to the left flipper right. If I need it to go to the other flipper, I'll just get it to the other flipper. That's why there's another ramp in a game. I would rather them code that ramp diverter for when I need it. I don't want to be making the decision. No, no. It's clunky. It's stupid. Why do you hate thinking? Because I'm playing a game, I want to naturally play a game with a level of skill that takes physicality. It's like a sport. I want it to feel more like that than chess. But you don't want physicality of having to deal with a diverter. It just makes no sense to me. Okay. It's boring. Okay. It's a boring use of… I didn't know you hated shadow, but okay. I love the shadow, but the shadow… Apparently not. Honestly, I don't do the shadow much strategically, though. I really don't. Well, I mean, I'm like, okay, I haven't got that ring yet, so I'll switch it just so I can get that ring and get into Vengeance. But other than that, I don't think of this diverter. You might figure out why that diverter's there as you get deeper into the GTF code. And maybe that goes back to the code and rules. I don't know. Which you said you loved, but apparently they didn't code the diverter to do anything good. Honestly, they have not given me a reason to care about it. So I don't. I don't mess with it. No. The only time I press that button is on the skill shot because you press it and it goes to another option on the skill shot. That's it. Sure. That makes sense. All right. So overall, guys, things I like, things I don't about GTF. You didn't hear me really complain about the design and the tank placement or the targets because I think those work, especially with that magnet. Maybe not what I would have done, but I don't think it's a killer like is being perceived in the community when this came out cold. right um their launch was bad and then people were just looking at things to jump onto uh and because of the and you know what maybe i haven't replaced the that bracket thing yet so maybe my my gameplay would change if it was flying over the flippers of course but it hasn't been yet because i haven't played enough games but i'll get that bracket and install that but that's not a it's not a game changer for me it's fun i like it there and i'd like to have seen some drop targets if I had to design it a little differently. Drop targets in front of the tank and going under it and stuff like that, even to the side. Maybe an extra ramp instead of just that manual ramp diverter. Add a different... And I like the VUC. We don't see VUCs enough in pinball going to a flipper, so that's cool. But a lot to like, a lot not to like. GTF is a certified winner for me. It's the reason that I have one in the showroom and I haven't listed it for sale because I play it and I play it frequently and I kind of want to keep it. So I don't know. I don't know what I'm going to do. It's tough but the thing is there are a lot of B plus games out there so you'll make your decision eventually. It's so pretty.

_(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: eca68cdb-98c2-4c8c-a296-ac86ddac285e*