Addams Family was the 12th highest-grossing film of 1991 and not a major cultural event at release

Godzilla is on track to pass Addams Family as the best-selling pinball game of all time

Joe Kamenec claimed Godzilla sold 28,000 units, but this claim is unreliable

Addams Family established the mode-based gameplay design paradigm that became industry standard

Firepower was on the top 10 list longest before being cut as the 11th best game due to underwhelming art package

Medieval Madness castle toy explosion is the most memorable single moment in pinball that people remember for life

Medieval Madness is objectively the #1 best pinball game of all time.

Medieval Madness only sold 4,000 units when released in 1997.

The Addams Family sold 22,000 units, the most of any pinball machine.

The Addams Family was the 12th biggest movie of 1991.

Godzilla is on track to pass The Addams Family as the best-selling pinball game.

Joe Kamencal's claim of 28,000 Godzilla sales is unreliable and unverified.

Godzilla is the most common pinball game on location in 2026.

Firepower was originally on the top 10 list and is the #11 best game of all time.

Medieval Madness' castle toy mechanic creates a uniquely memorable visual moment that no other pinball feature matches.

The Addams Family established the blueprint for mode-based pinball design that all modern games follow.

Ko-fi fundraiser at ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast funds travel to pinball locations

IFPA tournaments provide legitimacy and structure that helps new event organizers succeed

The 100th episode is the best episode Wedgehead has ever produced

External parties advised Wedgehead not to release the 100th episode

The suppression is temporary; the podcast will return

Modern pinball community expectations (multiple wizard modes, comprehensive rulesets, complete content) drive feature bloat even among players who won't access that content

Bounty Hunter's art style was inspired by an old French comic book

Sorcerer is not as exploitable as other games from 1985, making it superior from a gameplay balance perspective

The biplane sound effect on King Kong's pigtail ramp makes that shot feel better than the equivalent on Godzilla.

Dune is still in limited production and not yet released to the public

Pinball machines were made to be placed on location, not kept in homes

Fixing a game before sale is worth the investment; buyers trust working machines far more than mystery repairs

Honest pricing (listing acceptable price rather than high anchor point) leads to better overall transaction experience

Pinball machines are not investments and do not appreciate in value reliably

New Stern games are available below MSRP if buyers negotiate with multiple distributors

Used machines from casual sellers often have undisclosed defects that cost hundreds to repair

Honda Fit can fit a pinball machine; Rivian electric SUVs cannot

Quality distributors provide white-glove setup services to first-time buyers including unboxing, testing, and configuration

Credit card sign-up bonuses (~$500 cash back) can offset ~7% of typical pinball machine purchase cost

Pinball machines should not be purchased on credit or financed; buyers should only purchase with cash they already possess or via credit card rewards without carrying balance.

Most new Stern games no longer sell at MSRP and smart buyers can negotiate discounts of $100-$500 from distributors, particularly for slower-moving titles.

The Hobbit pinball machine weighs 350 pounds and can be successfully transported in a Volkswagen station wagon across 12-hour distances.

Non-enthusiast used game sellers describe machines as 'working perfect' based only on basic plunge/flip functionality and are often unaware of mechanical/electrical failures.

Alex has purchased and cycled through approximately a dozen pinball machines over his collecting career.

Stern wait lists for out-of-production games like House of Horrors can extend 1-2+ years with no guarantee of fulfillment.

Ghostbusters is NOT a fan layout due to Scoleri Brothers mechanic and goofy ramp design

Pinball players use Pinball Map to plan road trips based on location game lineups

Gottlieb had a golden era in 1988 with five killer games: Robo-War, TX-Sector, Diamond Lady, Bad Girls, and Excalibur

A friendly plunge is more important than easy ramps for gateway games

Most of the best gateway games are from the 1990s era

Godzilla Premium multiball where the building crashes and dumps balls is one of the best hook mechanics from modern Stern games

Spooky Pinball games cannot reliably survive months on location unattended without major failures.

Operators buy tokens at 15 cents per unit but bank quarters cost 25 cents

Ground Control uses a card system with games priced at 66 cents to $1.00

There may be a geographic clustering of unusual electrical splicing/hacking patterns in machines, possibly from a single operator or family business in Rochester area

Sharky's Shootout was the only U.S. Stern release with outlane post save buttons (dual-button center post)

Rebuilding Sharky's Shootout flipper and drop target mechs makes them feel strong and snappy rather than cheap

Modern Stern games can reset to zero by simultaneously holding left flipper button and start button

Jersey Jack Pinball games come from the factory with a headphone jack

Spooky Pinball machines have built-in subwoofers that allow audio to be heard over ambient bar noise

Playing pinball during slower hours (early afternoon) provides better audio and game experience than busy evenings

Pinside users never improve their understanding of games and carry forward negative opinions without learning or revision.

Alex owns 6 pinball machines

Attack from Mars is a gateway game that teaches new players about rule objectives and multiball through intuitive gameplay

Tournament play is not a requirement to become a good pinball player; friends play and high score chasing are equally valid paths

Ground Control arcade in Portland opened 20+ years ago and influenced arcade bar culture across the country

Portland has had a long, strong tradition of weekly pinball tournament events that have broadened the community.

California arcades and barcades will open June 12 in Phase 3 reopening with limited capacity

Cyclone is 'probably the best of the late model single ball games that we ever did' despite repeating shots

Diner pinball machines are rare and not commonly seen in modern operator routes

Jurassic Park is a two-for-two home run for designer Keith Elwin, following Iron Maiden success

Black Knight: Swords of Rage is the best Steve Ritchie game ever or close to it

Pat Lawlor previously designed The Addams Family, Twilight Zone, Whirlwind, and other classic games

The current era of pinball design is a renaissance compared to prior decades

Holy Diver is a new Sacramento pinball venue with three premium Stern games (AC/DC Luci, Metallica, Iron Maiden) and live band entertainment