Carrie Hardy is a prominent pinball content creator and personality with ~10,000 YouTube subscribers who has become a central figure in the pinball community through streaming, reviews, and media appearances. She is known for producing day-one game coverage (Winchester, Beetlejuice), technical expertise in streaming setup, and thoughtful game analysis. She has attended major industry events including Pinball Expo 2025 and midnight launch celebrations, collaborated with other creators, and conducted high-profile interviews addressing community controversies. Over the 2024-2026 period, she evolved from a rival content creator to a more integrated community voice respected for balanced, irreverent critique.
Walking Dead Remastered cabinets (first production units with new design) have received positive feedback from owners regarding sturdiness
Community was not informed in advance about Spike 3 cabinet design changes, causing surprise and backlash
The X-Men topper costs $1,500, which is triple the price of the Black Knight topper Stern released for $500
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Nearly 100% of YouTube comments on the X-Men accessories trailer are negative
A shooter rod was previously leaked/previewed for X-Men accessories but did not make it to final release
The X-Men art blades contain repeated character artwork in close proximity (potential copy-paste issue)
Stern's recent marketing and media releases have become mediocre with declining effort and excitement
X-Men is one of the greatest shooting games made in recent years when properly dialed and built
Carrie Hardy watched Beetlejuice trailer before Kaneda, beating him to first reaction content
Walking Dead remaster color palette is too bright and colorful compared to the original game's gritty, dark theme
Beetlejuice sold out before official announcement, which is the first time this has ever happened in pinball
King Kong LE is the worst LE Stern Pinball has ever put together
Walking Dead color palette decision was likely mandated by AMC as license holder
Spooky is planning distribution control changes for next title following Beetlejuice pre-announcement sellout
Harry Potter (Jersey Jack) has extended backorders on collector's editions
No one at Stern flagged the Walking Dead color palette issue during the build process
Walking Dead remaster gameplay will be revealed on the 14th, showing design upgrades beyond art
Michael Keaton provided callout dialogue from the Beetlejuice movie for the pinball machine
Evil Dead's success at Pinball at the Beach and Texas Pinball Festival created momentum that led to Beeteljuice pre-selling out
This is the first time in pinball industry history that all units of a machine have sold out before any public demo show appearances
Carrie's enthusiasm for Texas Pinball Festival has declined due to recent management changes
Pinball at the Beach is now Carrie's favorite show due to its exclusive atmosphere (1,000 person limit) and vacation appeal
Multimorphic has only 3 total staff members
Pinball at the Beach 2025 is expected to sell out based on word-of-mouth from 2024 inaugural event
Carrie Hardy documentary film about Roger Sharp ('The Man Who Saved Pinball') is frequently shared on social media
King Kong LE is arriving in the next hour
The King Kong LE unboxing livestream will be exclusive to Patreon supporters
Patreon donations funded the King Kong LE machine purchase
Future sale or raffle of the King Kong LE will be Patreon-exclusive
Dune gameplay is more enjoyable to Carrie than Labyrinth despite the latter having a theme she loves
The sandworm mech (codenamed William) is the signature mechanical highlight of Dune
Dune's screen integration and day/night cycle lighting changes are well-implemented and cohesive with gameplay
King Kong will surpass Godzilla as the #1 ranked game on Pinside
King Kong code at version .80 is further along than current X-Men code
The train car multiball sequence cannot be replicated by modding community on Pro versions
Carrie Hardy spent $13,000 of personal/patron funds on King Kong LE with no sponsorship
Godzilla has been the #1 ranked game on Pinside for 4-5 years running
During Godzilla's release, the community's main criticism focused on art direction (the 'cucumber' complaint)
Hardy's track record of predicting game success from stream footage has been correct 'most' times with only a couple of misses
Carrie Hardy stated she likes Dune better than Labyrinth upon first impression
Carrie Hardy produced a critical video destroying/taking down American Pinball's business practices.
Metallica remake features the best animation Stern has released in their games
X-Men Pro model offers nearly equivalent gameplay to Premium/LE despite missing mechanical features
X-Men future mode requires reading multiple paragraphs of on-screen text instructions
X-Men manufacturing variance causes different units to play noticeably different
Stern factory tour of Metallica/X-Men included 20+ invited content creators
X-Men code is still at version 0.85-0.86 range with room for improvement
Stern invited Carrie Hardy to factory tour despite her history of critical commentary on the company
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is the most divided community reaction Hardy has observed regarding a pinball machine.
The official reveal trailer for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was poorly executed and failed to showcase essential gameplay information.
If Hardy had seen the trailer in advance, she would have recommended it not be shown publicly.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is selling well in U.S. and U.K. markets despite trailer quality issues.
Dutch Pinball was aware the game would be polarizing before the reveal.
Hardy has not changed her assessment of the game since initial preview statements.
Hands-on experience with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland will occur at Pinball Expo within approximately one week.
Hardy likes the animations and music in the game but not the trailer's presentation of them.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland reveal stream is scheduled for October 7th at 11:30am CST
Media embargo lifts at noon on October 7th
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is one of the prettiest games players will see
Ordering information and game details will be revealed during the reveal stream
The topper's eye screens create a following optical effect
Full game reveal will occur within one week at Expo
Melvin Louwers is willing to conduct a live interview despite timezone constraints (7 hours ahead)
No one else had completed the mirror image assembly of the topper before Carrie Hardy did
Avatar's kinetic shooting mechanics and audio design are significantly better experienced in person than on stream due to camera perspective and audio immersion.
The lower playfields (crab battle area) are the weakest mechanical element of Avatar with unsatisfying shot design.
Avatar's tree/buck aesthetic appears budget-constrained or unfinished compared to other playfield areas.
Carrie achieved a score of 562 million in approximately one hour of play on Avatar.
Avatar's high price point relative to learning curve and accessibility barriers limits market appeal and sales potential.
Avatar's gameplay experience requires extensive hands-on time to fully appreciate rules and progression through code.
Avatar's Eclipse spinner shot produces her favorite spinner sound effect in any pinball game.
Carrie prefers Avatar's shooting mechanics to Jersey Jack's Elton John game based on hands-on comparison.
I have been in the hobby for 12 years and my appreciation for it grows more and more every year
Modern digital entertainment has become so disposable that users often say 'there's nothing to watch' despite hundreds of options available
Every time I push the start button on a pinball game, I am guaranteed to have a different experience
I implemented a two-camera setup and B-roll specifically to maintain audience retention because viewers get bored with static images
Pinball provides therapeutic value as an escape from daily stress and life difficulties
No one walks into a pinball arcade and says 'there's nothing to do', unlike the experience with digital entertainment
Pin Lights costs approximately 50% less than Pin Stadium
Pin Stadium bars warp from heat when left on for extended periods
Pin Lights uses metal rails while Pin Stadium uses plastic rails
Pin Lights has a modular system allowing individual bar replacement while Pin Stadium requires full system replacement
Pin Lights has clearer board labeling with marked connections; Pin Stadium lacks indication of what connections do what
Pin Stadium requires five power cycles to reset; Pin Lights has a button for 3-5 second reset
Pin Lights software app is simpler and more intuitive than Pin Stadium's application
Pin Stadium has been the market leader for pinball lighting for approximately six years
Pin Lights provides usable default lighting settings without requiring programming
Pin Lights has unproven long-term durability compared to Pin Stadium's established track record
Lionsgate made the decision to exclude guns from John Wick pinball art package
Hardy did not initially notice the guns were missing from John Wick artwork
Stern Pinball was not pushing an agenda regarding gun imagery removal
The logical inconsistency of Lionsgate banning gun art but allowing gun violence in movie scenes does not make sense
Mod makers will help restore John Wick to its 'proper true character form' by adding gun imagery
Hardy is a licensed, trained gun owner who carries for family protection
Her initial video reaction was excessive and driven by emotional state rather than rational analysis
Missing gun assets on John Wick art is different from missing assets on other games like Jurassic Park
The Coin Taker speaker lights installation instructions are among the worst instructional videos for pinball products ever created
The power block connector had defective crimping that caused the initial installation to fail
Carrie Hardy created an alternative installation video and submitted it to the manufacturers
The Measel Mods dynamic lighting system operates completely independently from game logic
Light bars ship disassembled, possibly to reduce manufacturing costs
Measel Mods product naming on their website is confusing
The Measel Mods dynamic lighting kit is compatible with both standalone use and expansion of Expression Light Systems
Carrie Hardy is considering purchasing a Stern Expression Light System for her Foo Fighters machine after seeing other examples
The Centaur Revisited Oblivion Edition was received on its side on a pallet jack via DHL at Texas Pinball Festival
Nitro Pinball (the machine owner) specifically requested Hardy unbox the Centaur to verify for shipping damage
A podcast host spread false claims about Hardy promoting Haggis without reaching out to verify or get her perspective
Only one or possibly two Centaur Revisited Oblivion Edition machines currently exist in the United States
The Centaur had drop target issues that were resolved by an overnight code update
Community members are uncritically repeating podcast allegations without being able to substantiate them when asked directly
Hardy's content approach focuses on documenting craftsmanship and build quality rather than promoting specific manufacturers
Haggis failed to include a power cord with the Centaur shipment
American Pinball's first Twitch stream was approximately 1 hour 45 minutes long with substantive content only appearing at the 1 hour 15 minute mark
The stream's only significant announcements were: two new employee hires, a new board system, and plans for regular future streams
The new board system is backwards compatible but does not work with GTF, American Pinball's newest game
The stream had poor lighting that made it difficult to see the Hot Wheels playfield clearly
American Pinball's stream strategy failed to leverage interactive streaming format and audience engagement
The announcement of board repair/replacement coverage is positive for current owners and potential buyers
The information presented in the stream could have been communicated more efficiently via email or social media
Consolidating content creator categories into one pool disadvantages niche creators competing against broader mediums
Permanent past-winner exclusion diminishes award prestige by removing top-tier competitive dynamics
Twippies Awards have lost significant community enthusiasm and excitement compared to previous years
Alternative award show will likely emerge within next year to compete with Twippies
Content creators should prioritize creating for love of hobby rather than trophy motivation
Venom Pro is a barren overpriced game
Jersey Jack needs to make a game with a license that people actually want
American Pinball should have spent more time testing the integrity of GTF instead of focusing on screwing over content creators
Hardy has been contacted by multiple manufacturers and service providers wanting sponsorship deals
A portion of G Fuel sales via the 'hardypinball' promo code goes to Hardy
Carrie Hardy admitted he put zero effort into learning Venom before reviewing it, including not reading the rule card.
Venom Pro is the worst bang for buck Pro model to date
Carrie Hardy has 26 games played on Venom with highest score of 647 million
This is the first time Stern has made such a promotional video for any of their games
Venom Pro's center ramp horseshoe is too wide, described as 'hot dog down a hallway'
There are more YouTube tutorials on how to play Venom than on Food Fighters
Pinball should be an escape from the digital world, prioritizing tactile/mechanical elements over video transitions
Venom Premium features a Doppelgänger mech not previously seen in other pinball games
Venom may be the most colorful game Zombie Yeti has designed
Foo Fighters trailer had better continuous footage and showed ball travel more clearly than Venom trailer
Hardy did not experience the same excited feeling for Venom reveal as she had for Foo Fighters
Video post-processing may artificially increase saturation on Venom playfield
Venom has been rumored for over a year
Venom is Stern's next cornerstone title
Carrie Hardy plans to livestream Venom
The Electric Playground created a TZ Topper promoted in March that is well-received
The Electric Playground's Godzilla topper incorporates design changes based on public feedback
The Godzilla topper will be the first fully modular topper for pinball
American Pinball removed the glass 5 times during the original stream but only showed 3 removals in the edited video
American Pinball did not test the game before the public stream reveal
GTF machines at Texas Pinball Festival and Pinbrew had consistent technical and mechanical issues across multiple units
GTF has audio clipping when the tank explodes and audio ducking issues during multiball jackpots
The tank shot in GTF has unacceptably high ball-loss risk that creates player anxiety
Hardy applies consistent critical standards across all manufacturers, not just American Pinball
GTF does not have good flow compared to games like Foo Fighters, Jurassic Park, or Godzilla
American Pinball provided the high-resolution close-up images of GTF on their own website
Cary Hardy streamed the first ever unboxing of American Pinball's Galactic Tank Force Limited Edition
Over 300 pinball machines will be on free play at Texas Pinball Festival
This will be the most new games ever shown at a pinball expo, and it will never happen again
Christopher Franchi will be available at Texas Pinball Festival for autographs
The Twippy Awards celebrate the best machine of 2022
Roger Sharp documentary 'Pinball: The Man Who Saved It' will have a screening at Texas Pinball Festival
The Simpsons Pinball Party machine in the raffle has been sealed in factory condition for 20 years
Carrie Hardy will be hosting the unboxing of the Simpsons Pinball Party machine
Pinball Brothers will perform rubber and LED upgrades on the Simpsons machine at the event
Christopher Franchi has worked for Stern Pinball, American Pinball, and Jersey Jack Pinball
The main value of Texas Pinball Festival is gathering with others who share passion for pinball
2022 was a bit of a lull year for pinball compared to previous years
Gained over 2,000 subscribers in 2022 (5.5% growth) and 420,000 views (24% YoY growth)
Reviewed 7 different products in 2022
Created 13 how-to videos in 2022
Won Best of Show Award at Texas Pinball Festival 2022 with Getaway restoration
Completely regrets purchasing Need for Speed and likely to sell it
At least one unreleased game has been ready for 1.5-2 years without announcement
This mirrored backglass has significantly more color and visual depth than the original translite
CPR's donation program returns both the original item and a new reproduction to accepted donors
The darker tone of the mirrored backglass is appropriate to Swords of Fury's dungeon theme
Hardy upgraded her Swords of Fury to top-tier components by moving parts from one machine to another and gradually improving quality
The new backglass makes the rest of the machine look outdated and in need of restoration
YouTube platform enabled Hardy to meet numerous people he now considers friends and experience things he couldn't otherwise.
TNT Twins assisted with equipment loading until 3 AM on final night of Chicago Expo despite exhaustion.
Todd Tuckey was the first person Hardy encountered when arriving at Chicago Expo hotel.
Scott Darren paid for Hardy's hotel and travel to attend both Expos he has attended.
Hardy covered all meals and drinks for Hardy during Expo weekend of his own volition.
TNT Twins declined Penn Stadium merchandise compensation worth $500 retail value.
Community members at Expo told Hardy his content had influenced or affected them on a personal level.
Hardy did not purchase a single drink during Expo weekend; all were bought by community members.
I only played the Led Zeppelin Pro model, not the Premium or LE
Stranger Things is Brian Eddy's worst game compared to his previous designs
I do not make a living from YouTube or pinball content
I have never told people not to buy a game, only shared my opinions
Led Zeppelin Pro is stripped down and bare without the wire form return ramp
My main complaint with Stranger Things is the playfield layout and game shots, not the code
I repeat myself in videos during the editing process, which I acknowledge and will work on
I was initially excited about Black Knight: Sword of Rage but changed my mind after seeing gameplay
People contact me asking for my opinion before buying specific game models (Pro vs Premium)
My YouTube persona is not acting; it's authentic to how I am in real life
A modification is performed by those who do not work for the game company and is not licensed by that company.
Stern's UV kit for Stranger Things should be categorized as an accessory, not a mod.
The 2021 Twippies live show will likely be held at the Texas Pinball Festival.
Carrie hasn't played Guns N' Roses yet but was invited to and expects to give positive feedback.
Carrie believes Guns N' Roses' Game of the Year win should signal to other manufacturers to improve their game quality.
The Alien prototype has extensive dimpling on the playfield that may concern players who dislike this aesthetic
The original Alien prototype shown at Texas Pinball Festival had significant mechanical issues including ball-sticking that required removing the glass for playability
The Alien artwork/theme execution is not appealing and does not do justice to the alien theme
Hardy is not currently excited about the Alien title
Hardy plans to do an unboxing video and thorough review of Alien in the future
The Alien prototype ramps feature clean, polished stainless steel construction
Over 60% of channel viewers are not subscribed
PinSound Brothers initiated the giveaway idea
Back to the Future PinSound compatibility was discussed two years ago but remains incomplete
Hardy has not received manufacturer products for giveaways prior to PinSound partnership
More giveaways will happen if manufacturers reach out and sponsor them
Gaming chairs are not comfortable despite looking cool
YouTube algorithm favors channels with higher subscriber counts and engagement metrics like comments and likes
Guns N' Roses music was created many years ago and not specifically for pinball, while Rick and Morty music was meticulously crafted for the pinball machine by Scott Denski
Emoto works very hard creating pinball content on a weekly basis, streams with Marco Pinball, has done Stern content, and edited the Twippy awards the previous year
The Pinball Industry Awards had top-notch production value and editing quality
Everyone in the filmography section received approximately 70-80 seconds of screen time, with Todd Tuckey possibly receiving the most
Slow Mo Guys is not a pinball-exclusive content creator and should not have won the filmography award over creators who focus entirely on pinball
The Best Music in Pinball award category should only recognize music specifically composed for pinball machines, not pre-existing licensed songs
First-impression podcast content about unreleased games is legitimate community engagement equivalent to Pinside forum discussions
Audience members primarily consume pinball content that aligns with their pre-formed opinions rather than seeking contrarian perspectives
Younger podcasters who lack experience through pinball's 1990s-2000s decline period may lack perspective on industry context and valuation
Carrie Hardy will not host the 2026 Twippies
The previous Twippies broadcast was completed and uploaded only 2 hours before premiere
Carrie Hardy's critical commentary this year may have contributed to her removal
The Twippies production is extremely work-intensive and labor-demanding
2026 Twippies will be virtual again due to COVID-19 pandemic ongoing concerns
Carrie Hardy fell asleep during both Avengers reveal streams
Carrie Hardy will not pre-order Avengers and will only consider buying after playing it at a location
Jurassic Park's artwork was the primary downside to an otherwise well-designed game with excellent soundtrack and theme
Zombie Yeti will be the artist for Keith Elwin's next two games
Kaneda has more extensive industry sources and resources than most other pinball podcasters
TMNT will receive a high score in Hardy's review
Hardy has confidential industry information about certain manufacturers but cannot disclose due to limited sourcing
Content creators often don't ask for compensation but would benefit from viewer/listener financial support
Carrie Hardy has never received long-term sponsorships and likely will never receive them due to not being 'brand safe'
Carrie Hardy was given hardware by a pinball product manufacturer in Chicago who requested it back after learning about her critical review approach
Most pinball content creators avoid critical commentary about manufacturers to maintain friendly relationships
Kaneda's critical approach to pinball pricing and manufacturer announcements resonated because he provided a contrarian perspective missing from other podcasts
Anonymous forum users are more likely to engage in harassment because there are no repercussions for their actions
Carrie Hardy's video criticizing Kaneda's treatment will likely receive more downvotes due to community response to his mention
Carrie Hardy designed the original artwork for Star Trek pinball
The pinball hobby has been on a continuous upward trajectory for the past 7-8 years with accelerating growth
Carrie Hardy grew her YouTube channel to 663 subscribers in exactly one year (starting with ~20)
Straight Down the Middle (Zach and Greg Bone) contacted Carrie Hardy to collaborate on their channel
Carrie Hardy intends to continue producing content on both her solo channel and Straight Down the Middle
Most of Carrie Hardy's pinball activity (machine work, projects) occurs regardless of YouTube documentation
Content hiatus is due to personal and occupational reasons, not channel abandonment
New DSLR camera and Studio Light Kit will improve video quality for future content
Has multiple content pieces in editing for Straight Down the Middle
The damaged Swords of Fury had 16 severed wires/connections in the backbox that required soldering and heat shrink repair
5 amp slow-blow fuses are the most commonly used fuse type in pinball machines
Testing fuses using in-circuit multimeter ohm readings produces inconsistent results across different circuits and board designs
Visual inspection cannot reliably identify blown or bad fuses; multimeter testing is required for proper verification
Isopropyl alcohol or deionized water with a soft bristle brush is the proper method for cleaning heavily soiled pinball circuit boards
Maintaining a personal scrap parts inventory enables faster repairs and avoids shipping delays and costs compared to ordering new components
Complex, interconnected switch issues that create multiple mysterious symptoms can be metaphorically described as 'switch dragons'
Swords of Fury is typically found in heavily worn condition and mint condition examples are extremely rare
Brian W. Schmidt composed the soundtrack for Swords of Fury
A hardtop conversion for Swords of Fury has been announced
The purchased Swords of Fury machine was acquired at a very good price
Initial internal inspection of the machine revealed no burnt coils, damaged wiring, or frayed wires
Clear coat booth can be built for approximately $70 in materials and tools
69 feet of 3/4-inch PVC pipe is required for the specified booth configuration
Balanced intake/exhaust airflow prevents both particle contamination and fume accumulation in the workspace
The booth design can be disassembled and stored for reuse rather than taking up permanent garage space
This booth design is sufficient for clear coating playfields but not optimized for best results
Previous canopy-based booth setup took up unnecessary space and prevented full garage door access
Texas humidity conditions are favorable for clear coat drying without excessive dust particles
Carrie Hardy brings new content categories to SDTM including restoration and troubleshooting tutorials
EL Wire has been around for years and is most commonly seen on Tron pinball
The Tron EL Wire mod requires drilling holes in ramps and using transparent zip ties
Drilling holes into ramps for zip-tie mounting looks tacky
EL Wire appears much brighter on camera than in person
EL Wire produces a high-pitched hum when powered on
3D-printed clamps could provide a sleek, non-destructive mounting solution for EL Wire on pinball ramps