Kineticist is an independent pinball media and analytics platform founded by Colin Alsheimer in 2022, evolved from the earlier 'Game Room Dude' outlet. Operating on a subscription/reader-supported model, it publishes weekly newsletters (This Week in Pinball), game reviews, strategy guides, tournament coverage, and maintains multiple databases including a competitive Hype Index tracking community interest in upcoming pinball themes. The organization hosts annual community events (Pinball Media Mixer, TWIPYs awards) and provides industry journalism covering game reveals, competitive pinball, and organizational developments.
User voting in v1 was essentially decorative and did not affect rankings
The original Hype Index v1 was a manual operation that read through community threads and ranked IPs by mention frequency with recency weighting
The rebuilt Hype Index monitors 2,300+ intellectual properties with 90,000+ processed community mentions from conversations spanning nearly a decade
Nostalgia scoring now models franchise-specific eras and maps imprinting ages (roughly 10-15) against actual pinball buyer demographics
Publication/platform featuring pinball restoration profiles and expert spotlights; published this article by Michael Swanson
Pinball database and information site; underwent ground-up rebuild; new features include ad-free browsing for TWIP subscribers, game reviews, comments, custom lists, rating saves
Media outlet founded and operated by Colin Patterson; published this interview article
Pinball media outlet that published this article
Publication/platform where Crable publishes rules guides for pinball machines
Media outlet publishing this article; Colin serves as chief editor/writer; connected to This Week in Pinball ecosystem
[Triage: Kineticist was founded in 2022 and by 2025 was being run by Colin, representing a progression from founding to operational leadership rather than a conflict.]
No linked glossary terms
Cultural Pulse uses daily-updated Wikipedia pageview data as reliable proxy for mainstream franchise attention
The Goonies currently ranks #1 on Hype Index with nostalgia score 52 (Peak) and cultural pulse 72 with flat trendline
Star Wars rates 'Multi-gen' nostalgia because it spans multiple franchise eras creating separate nostalgia windows across different age groups
Momentum spike detection is dampened by volume so a franchise going from 0 to 2 mentions doesn't register like one going from 50 to 100
Pokemon has been ranked #1 on the Kineticist Hype Index for as long as they've been tracking it
AI-generated fake leaks were a significant factor in the pre-reveal hype cycle, marking the first Stern release where this occurred
Kineticist operates a competing pinball games database that has seen increased engagement as IPDB declined
Voting runs January 5–20, 2025
2025 TWIPY awards feature seven game-centric categories
Winners will be revealed February 7 on BASH Pinball Podcast
The awards are sponsor-free
Surplus TWIPY donations will go to Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY
Community sentiment around The Walking Dead Remastered is largely unexcited, despite the game's tournament popularity
The Walking Dead can be easily found on secondary markets without a price premium, indicating weak collector demand
Beetlejuice ranks #5 in Kineticist Hype Index at time of publication
Kineticist This Week in Pinball newsletter annual Supporter and Friend plans are 20% off during Black Friday weekend
There is no perfect solution for the IFPA, its players, or those affected by the incident
Beetlejuice ranks #5 on Kineticist's Hype Index, between The Goonies and a new Tron pin
The Walking Dead IP ranking reached #43 in Kineticist's Hype Index driven almost exclusively by remake rumors
The Walking Dead franchise has remained in a dormant state
Zombies and pinball are a match made in heaven
The Walking Dead game is easily found in secondary markets without a price premium
Community sentiment around Walking Dead Remastered launch appears largely unexcited
The mixer events generate authentic candid photos and foster creative collaboration within the pinball community
The Universal Monsters are pop culture legends and their 1998 reunion in Monster Bash recreates their band format
Monster Bash wizard mode is worth 50M+ on average, potentially exceeding 100M with good ball control
Playing Creature Feature immediately before multiball effectively guarantees the full 15M value
Phantom Flip feature is disabled in most competition games due to poor shot accuracy and gameplay issues
The ideal strategic situation is to light everything, then start everything, then start multiball
Mummy Mayhem is the hardest mode to light but is not very valuable compared to easier-to-start Creature Feature
Frankenstein multiball is far and away the most lucrative of the six monster modes when played independently
Monster Bash is as classic as the monsters it represents with some of the greatest callouts and sound cues in pinball
Strategic pre-selection of guests to receive cameras was more effective than last year's approach of distributing cameras broadly
The film camera documentation concept was inspired by Ian Jacoby's previous photography work
324 exposures were generated from disposable film cameras at the event
The Scorbit x Kineticist Pinball Media Mixer 3 was held this year
Card-based qualifying format has grown in recent months and is quickly replacing Herb-style 'pump and dump' format
Fox Cities Pinball continues to offer some of the best live pinball action in streaming coverage
There is no slowing down in competitive pinball until the new year for players pursuing IFPA State Championships
Scorbit and Kineticist have a long-standing partnership
This year's event features free entry and expanded benefits compared to previous years
Early registrations for Pinball Media Mixer 3 reached 50% capacity within a couple of days after opening to paid subscribers
Dan Langlois was attempting to push playfield design boundaries decades before modern designers like Jack Danger
The process of lighting the 50-million-point shot is engaging even if the shot itself dominates scoring
Dan Langlois is one of the most underrated pinball designers ever
Bonus on Gilligan's Island doesn't appear to have a maximum value and is calculated by adding individual thousands for every switch hit
Fall of the Empire improves on the 2017 Steve Ritchie Star Wars game in nearly every component: art, theme integration, code, shot design, and audio/visual systems
61% of Kineticist newsletter readers responded 'No' to excitement for a new original trilogy Star Wars pin.
John Borg's 1992 Data East Star Wars sold 10,400 units, the best-selling Stern title until Godzilla surpassed it in 2021.
Roger Sharpe was instrumental in saving pinball from total cultural obsolescence
August 1st is now recognized as International Pinball Day
Colin initiated a change.org petition in early 2019 for US Senate to recognize August 1st as National Pinball Day
The National Pinball Day petition received over 1,700 pledges despite initial community skepticism
Pinball is a uniquely American invention that has been a cultural touchstone for generations of American players and collectors
Hoops contains both normal and basketball scoring years before Bally's NBA Fastbreak implemented a similar dual-scoring rule
Multiball is where the bulk of points on Hoops come from and requires skilled, controlled play
Keith Elwin and Jack Danger have returned to Gottlieb street-level design ideas and introduced them to new generations
Silver Slugger was a massive hit for Gottlieb and created demand for another sports-themed table
Hoops is predominantly a left flipper game with right flipper used only for specific shots
Hoops is an incredibly underrated tournament-friendly Gottlieb table that offers multiple high-scoring methods
The creative QA process failed because key management team members were not informed of AI tool usage despite it being marketed as hand-drawn
Jesper Abels' 2021 'Solar Script' project demonstrates the compositing-based methodology likely used in Harry Potter artwork
The pinball industry needs better transparency and QA practices around AI-enabled creative tools to preserve authenticity
AI-generated content in commercial art represents a slippery slope toward erosion of human creativity and authentic connection in pinball
Before the official announcement, Predator theme ranked #52 in the Kineticist Hype Index with 100 user ratings and never exceeded #49 in the rankings
The Amazing Pinball Race format is favorite among players but lesser-seen due to operational complexity
EPC2025 Classics tournament featured 350+ competitors in qualifying rounds
IFPA World Pinball Championship will host 80 players from over 20 countries June 27-29 at Flippnic
Summer months see increased attendance at local leagues and monthly pinball events
Paul Englert defeated Johannes Ostermeier 4-0 in best-of-seven finals for EPC2025 Main championship
Jesse Baker won The Amazing Pinball Race 8 A Division with a 40 million point game on Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast
Jim Belsito won YEGPin 2025 Match Play Championship by defeating Gregory Kennedy on Warlok
YEGPin 2025 Match Play Championship had over 230 competitors with 28 advancing to A Division
Harry Potter has potential to bring new and younger players into pinball in unprecedented ways, similar to Star Wars for Gen-X.
Harry Potter has consistently been in the top 10 of Kineticist's Hype Index since 2022, with highest position #3 and lowest #7.
Jersey Jack Pinball's Units in Market have declined since 2020's Guns n' Roses, with each subsequent release underperforming.
The marketing rollout was characterized by an uncharacteristic and sloppy approach, with initial exposure through informal channels rather than official announcements.
J.K. Rowling's advocacy positions are 'exclusionary, transphobic, hateful' and at odds with stated pinball community values.
The Collector's Edition is 'Built-to-Order' with no unit cap, contrary to earlier reporting of 1,000-unit limit.
JJP would likely experience disappointment if Harry Potter does not match or exceed Guns n' Roses Units in Market.
Average tournament scoring on King Kong is 100M with 300M+ scores often winning
Cross the Chasm and Stegosaurus Encounter modes should be avoided during multiball play due to shot difficulty
Giant Spider multiball is significantly higher-scoring than the other two pit multiballs and can 'blow up the game if played well'
KING KONG letters are easier to score than RAMPAGE letters on Godzilla due to being lit at the gong rather than left spinner
King Kong is the first machine since The Uncanny X-Men intentionally designed with a center post
Data East completed a King Kong table in 1990 with finished ROMs and playfield but did not release it due to production costs
The game is comparable to Avengers: Infinity Quest due to heavy emphasis on flow, drop targets, and mode selection decisions
King Kong: Myth of Terror Island emulates the feel of 90s Williams tables, particularly Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure and Congo
The Kineticist rule article is a comprehensive resource for detailed Alice Cooper's Nightmare Castle mechanics
Kineticist has a feature allowing community voting on theme ideas to pressure manufacturers into production
Kineticist has acquired This Week in Pinball
Kineticist has identified approximately 1,800 unique pinball themes and surfaced 250 of them on the site
Community moderation is the primary reason Kineticist has not yet launched a comment section or community forum on the site
Non-expert contributors bring valuable diverse perspectives to pinball media creation
Back to the Future, Jaws, and He-Man are the current top three themes on the Hype Index
Kineticist plans to introduce collectible action figures and other non-traditional products within three years
Kineticist exceeded 30,000 monthly website visitors and 55,000 page views with 1,800 email subscribers
Licensed IP themes receive far more momentum on the Hype Index than original theme ideas
Pinball media outlet that published this review; affiliated with This Week in Pinball ecosystem
Media organization founded/run by Colin
Source publication for this article
Pinball media and analysis outlet led by Colin Patterson, delivering pinball news and analysis
Publication/platform hosting this interview; provides pinball news and analysis content
Pinball news and media outlet; author Colin conducted extended interview with Scorbit founders
Publication source for this article
Review publication/reviewer analyzing Pinball FX releases
Pinball media outlet/creator hosting the annual Pinball Media Mixer event
Pinball media outlet publishing this analysis of IFPA statements; covers industry news and developments
Media and newsletter outlet publishing pinball news and analysis; operates live-updated Black Friday deal aggregation
Pinball news and analysis outlet; maintains Hype Index tracking community interest in unreleased themes
Pinball media outlet; Colin is chief editor
Industry analyst/media outlet tracking game announcements, community sentiment, and Hype Index rankings
Media outlet publishing this analysis; Colin is chief editor/pixel pusher.
Media outlet publishing this article; covers pinball industry news and analysis
Pinball media outlet and newsletter; published this analysis and IFPA statement
Media outlet publishing this analysis; covers pinball industry news and developments.
Media outlet publishing this article and monitoring IFPA developments
Source of this ruleset guide article
Independent pinball media outlet founded/operated by Colin; provides pinball news, analysis, and deep dives via newsletter and subscription model
Pinball news and analysis publication; parent organization of author Colin
Media/publishing outlet where Colin works as chief editor
Modern pinball news and media organization operating competing pinball database; author of this analysis
Media publication publishing this article; associated with This Week in Pinball ecosystem
Pinball media platform founded/run by Colin; conducts industry interviews and news coverage; integration with This Week in Pinball ecosystem mentioned.
Publication/platform where Colin works; appears to be part of broader pinball media ecosystem
Media/publishing platform covering pinball industry. Colin is chief editor ('chief pixel pusher'). Connected to This Week in Pinball.
Media outlet publishing this news; Colin is identified as chief contributor; operates in pinball news/analysis space
Pinball media/news outlet publishing this rumor analysis; authored by Colin
Pinball news and analysis outlet; tracks hype index; produces deep dives on pinball industry; affiliated with This Week in Pinball
Publisher of TWIPY coverage; produced the 2025 KISS Edition broadcast with hosts Matt and Don; Colin is chief editor
Pinball industry media and data platform that publishes the Hype Index ranking system for pinball IP themes; associated with This Week in Pinball
Publishing outlet; Colin is chief editor; prior interview with Rob Rath about Nick Neitzel's background
Content publication/blog platform featuring pinball analysis and news
Pinball news and analysis media outlet; published this analysis
Source of this gameplay guide article
Robust pinball machine database with tutorials, videos, rules, and pictures; includes community idea/voting feature to pressure manufacturers
Machine database that Colin contributed thousands of entries to
Facebook-based pinball coverage entity that registered the expired Special When Lit Pinball Podcast domain and redirects to their site
Pinball-related project run by Colin Alshimer; purchased the specialwhenlitpinball.com domain during SWL's hiatus; has Facebook and web presence
Organization where Colin works, handling sponsorships for Twippies
Media company acquiring/integrating This Week in Pinball. Described as having existing media operations that are pooling resources with TWIP.
Media organization that interviewed IFPA staff
Website founded by Colin Alshimer for pinball and arcade fans, showcases community vibrancy and engages new players
Pinball news website with tutorials and arcade coverage; collaborated with Erika on top 5 content series
Pinball news and analysis website; author of this article speculating on DCC pinball manufacturer identity
Mentioned as host of Twippies Awards that are subject of Kaneda's commentary about leadership changes
Website option for news/rumors/speculation category in Kaneda's alternative awards
Media organization run by Colin; associated with pinball news and Twippies Awards management
Pinball media platform launched in 2022 providing games database, Hype Index theme tracking, tutorial series, location guides, and people database; subscription/reader-supported model
Uses Pinball Map API; pulls and augments data with additional analysis/information
Pinball industry news site that acquired This Week in Pinball; publishes Hype Index and Twippies voting
Merged with This Week in Pinball (TWIP); manages Twippies awards and pinball news; Colin is committee member
Pinball publication/blog with detailed articles on X-Men and Avatar reveals
Pinball media outlet; published coverage of D&D pinball announcement
Held media mixer event on Thursday night; collaborated with host on artwork including badges and banner; provided superior food service compared to other events
Organization run by Colin; operates This Week in Pinball; acquired Twippies brand/concept and is reviving it for 2025; organizing team around Twippies revival
Produced Roger Sharp commemorative figure that sold out; first 100 units reportedly signed
Pinball media organization; Colin organizing media mixer at Expo
Founder of This Week in Pinball media outlet; organized Media Mixer 2.0 event at Expo; reconciled with Cliff Albert at the event
Publication covering pinball industry; first source hosts encountered reporting on Jack Danger's role change
Pinball analyst/writer; produced thorough written coverage of factory trip. Hosts praised his detailed 'kineticist' writeup.
Pinball media organization that partnered with This Week in Pinball and Wormhole Pinball to organize 2025 Twippies awards
Pinball media outlet/content creator; referenced for gameplay stream and layout analysis of Princess Bride
Source publication/author of this venue guide article
Pinball data analytics and journalism source; tracks Hype Index since 2022; author of this analysis
Publisher of The Score Card pinball tournament coverage and news
Pinball news and analysis publication maintaining Hype Index tracking of community interest in upcoming themes; author of this reveal article
Interviewer/publication conducting this interview with Kyle
Pinball industry analyst and media outlet that published this investigation; ran by Colin
Source publication reporting on pinball news and updates
Pinball industry analysis publication; author of this piece conducting interviews and providing commentary
Community-run pinball enthusiast database and media outlet; maintains the Hype Index of crowdsourced theme ideas since 2022.
Publisher of this article; known for pinball industry analysis and coverage
Twippies administrator; mentioned as receiving threats and concerns; maintains voting/award operations despite drama
Pinball media/analytics organization; invited to Stern Chicago media event; produces Twippy awards voting.
Organization running Twippies (community voting); conducted venue ranking survey showing RPC as second-largest in New York State
Pinball media outlet; conducted poll on reader excitement for Star Wars pin; maintains Hype Index and This Week in Pinball newsletter.
Pinball media outlet publishing The Score Card competitive results coverage
Pinball media platform founded by Colin; covers news, reviews, database; runs Twippies awards; operates on subscription/donation model
Runs Kineticist media organization and Twippies awards; Kaneda directly attacks him as vindictive, spiteful, destructive to the hobby
Made obnoxious comments on Kaneda's Facebook; attempted to connect Harry Potter to trans debate; blocked by Kaneda; plans civil interaction at Expo
Organizer of Twippy awards; voting participation collapsed under Colin's management per Kaneda; credibility questioned
Published high-res ABBA pinball pictures Thursday prior to Saturday official launch, forcing early dealer coordination
Colin's pinball media organization; hosts This Week in Pinball; created Discord community for industry professionals
Independent pinball media platform founded by Colin in 2022; publishes weekly newsletters, game reviews, tutorials, and strategy guides; runs the Hype Index and maintains industry databases; operates on reader subscription model.
Media organization run by Colin that publishes This Week in Pinball and organizes the Twippies awards
Recommended Bash Pinball to This Week in Pinball; featured them as podcast of the week; instrumental in early podcast discovery/credibility
Pinball analytics organization that published detailed timeline of Haggis from beginning to end
Pinball writer and media outlet referenced for quality content
Organizer of Twippy Awards; expected to announce ceremony time details via Kineticist media outlet
Pinball media and analytics platform that publishes the Hype Index and This Week in Pinball; operator of pinball community voting and industry tracking.
Organization run by Colin that produces This Week in Pinball and organizes Twippies awards
Pinball media company co-producing 2025 TWIPYs with BASH Pinball; implemented 'KISS Edition' format focusing on design categories
Independent pinball news and media publication founded by Colin; operates on reader subscription model; produces weekly coverage, interviews, and Score Card content
Pinball media publication; tracks Pokemon as #1 on their Hype Index; published this comprehensive reveal analysis
Author of ranked list, pinball enthusiast and analyst who prioritizes personal gameplay experience
Pinball media company hosting the annual Media Mixer event; founded by Colin in 2022
Pinball journalist/analyst; reporting on IFPA incident and leadership decision-making
Pinball analysis publication; maintains Hype Index tracking; author of this article; identified Walking Dead as #43 in pre-launch rankings
Author/journalist covering pinball industry; broke story; interviewed multiple people involved; noted unresolved questions about IFPA accountability
Pinball industry analysis and content organization; maintains Hype Index rankings
Author of article; industry analyst covering pinball
Author/publisher of Monster Bash tutorial guide
Pinball content reviewer and analyst; author of this Pinball FX table review article
Author of this comprehensive strategy guide; pinball content creator/analyst
Pinball industry analyst and author of this assessment; maintains skepticism pending further clarification
Pinball media company and news publication that operates competing pinball games database; article author Colin acknowledges increased engagement as IPDB declines
Author of article; pinball industry analyst; has long-standing relationship with Scorbit team
Pinball industry analyst and reporter providing coverage of Barrels of Fun reveal
Pinball strategy and analysis publication; author of this comprehensive game guide
Publisher/host of This Week in Pinball and organizer of TWIPY Awards
Author/publisher of this investigative article
Pinball media outlet conducting exclusive pre-release review; authors Jordan Allen (interviewer) alongside main reviewer
Author/analyst providing independent commentary on Walking Dead Remastered launch
Pinball news source providing analysis and reporting on IFPA changes and community response
Pinball industry news publication and database platform founded by Colin; evolved from Game Room Dude; now requires ~$10K/year operating costs
Author/analyst producing educational pinball content; known for detailed game guides and rule documentation
Pinball media company co-hosting the Pinball Media Mixer 3
Pinball industry news/analysis publication; source of this article
Content creator publishing detailed pinball game tutorials and analysis
Author of The Score Card; provides tournament coverage and competitive pinball analysis
Pinball news outlet and media company publishing Black Friday deal tracker; offers newsletter subscription discount
Journalist/analyst who published Slack conversations and provided analytical commentary on IFPA leadership motivations
Parent organization/platform for This Week in Pinball content
Pinball media/educational platform mentioned for learning game rules
Pinball media organization; organizes media mixer events at Chicago Expo; associated with Colin and Glenn
Media/publishing outlet run by Colin; covers pinball news and reviews; considering vintage game review initiative
Media outlet publishing tournament coverage; Matt Owen produces tournament articles on Pinburgh and The Beast
Pinball media outlet conducting written interviews regarding American Pinball ownership change
Media company publishing pinball news and analysis; runs Pinball Media Mixer happy hour at Expo
Pinball news/media organization founded by Colin; publishes weekly newsletter and Hype Index metrics; formerly hosted Twippies
Pinball media source providing industry information about Pinball Brothers' background and Highway Pinball history
Pinball media source of Winchester Mystery House images and analysis
Pinball media outlet; published in-depth article on Pokémon Pinball modes and approach
Pinball media/analysis company; article referenced with photos of Winchester Mystery House
Pinball media outlet; posted stories about recent IFPA organizational drama and controversy
Pinball media outlet referenced in show notes; published content about Keith Elwin
Pinball media/analyst figure (Colin) who creates top games lists; supporter of WAP; sends weekly pinball news emails
Pinball media/analytics company; provided technical support during press visit
Pinball media company; Kaneda dismisses its credibility and Colin's judgment
Pinball media company that published the game breakdown and marketing materials referenced in the video
Media outlet; Colin provided live Dune gameplay footage to Dirtypool for analysis
Pinball media company; Colin mentioned as having been featured in Beetlejuice game graphics
Pinball news and media publication founded by Colin in 2022 (previously 'Game Room Dude'). Operates as comprehensive pinball resource with game database, industry people database, and news articles. Publishes Hype Index tracking desired IP themes.
Pinball media outlet; criticized by Kaneda for content attribution practices
Pinball media company; Colin (founder) seeking Patreon support; Kaneda critical of subscription pitch
Pinball media outlet; Colin is editor; recently inquired about Pinball Brothers sales figures