claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.033
Dennis and Greg play extended 'This or That' pinball rankings, discussing released and hypothetical games.
Godzilla Premium is Stern's best game
medium confidence · Dennis/Greg discussion comparing Godzilla Premium to Jaws Premium and other Stern titles
Elton John might be Jersey Jack's best game
medium confidence · Dennis suggests Elton John could be JJP's best alongside historical contenders like Dialed In, Wonka, and Wizard of Oz
Jaws Premium costs $9,600 and Jaws Elite/Jaws Premium + $2,000 are essentially the same thing
high confidence · Editor's note clarifying Jaws pricing in 'This or That' matchup
Venom Premium is significantly better than Venom Pro due to state-change rule set
medium confidence · Greg and Dennis discuss Venom variants, noting Pro without state changing is disappointing
John Wick is early in code development and will improve over time
medium confidence · Dennis notes John Wick code is still early and unfair to judge; expects it to improve
Jurassic Park Pro has better geometry than Stranger Things Pro
medium confidence · Dennis explains Stranger Things Pro ruleset is too similar to Attack from Mars and Jurassic Park Pro's Raptor Pit toy is more dynamic than comparable toys on other games
Walking Dead Pro has better geometry than Walking Dead LE/Premium
medium confidence · Dennis discusses how Walking Dead Pro removed flappy ramp that made shots worse on higher editions
Labyrinth is one of the best 'world-under-glass' captured games ever made
medium confidence · Dennis praises Labyrinth's theme capture despite difficulty and personal theme indifference
Foo Fighters Premium is a better game overall than Beatles Gold
medium confidence · Greg states Foo Fighters is better game overall but acknowledges Beatles Gold might fit personal collections better
“Godzilla Premium is Godzilla Premium. It's not going to leave my lineup.”
Dennis @ ~45:00 — Expresses strongest conviction about Godzilla Premium's value in personal collection despite competing offers
“Arguably, Elton John might be – I'd like a little more time on it, but it might be JJP's best game. And Jaws is not Stern's best game, and I highly doubt John Wick is.”
Dennis @ ~8:30 — Introduces Elton John as potential best JJP game, challenging conventional wisdom around Dialed In and Wonka
“Dennis broke me. Like, I have to break my own rule here and go Godzilla premium. Because all his credibility would have shattered into a million sprinkles of glass.”
Greg Bone @ ~38:00 — Shows Greg's typical preference for '2-for-1' value being overridden by Godzilla Premium's quality
“I do not miss that either. And I don't miss the flappy ramp. Oh, no. That's the part of the geometry being better on the pro.”
Dennis @ ~15:30 — Illustrates how Pro editions can have superior playfield geometry compared to Premium/LE variants
“the more aware you are, the more fucked up your life becomes.”
Greg Bone @ ~end — Closing philosophical quote referenced by host as memorable moment
“Labyrinth may be a little bit more difficult shooter than Pulp Fiction. It's tough.”
Dennis @ ~20:00 — Notes Labyrinth's challenging difficulty level despite strong aesthetic appeal
“I'm not going to call these bastard children of Stern Pinball. But the two games that aren't the best sellers of Stern Pinball. Venom Premium or John Wick Premium?”
Greg Bone @ ~52:30 — Characterizes Venom and John Wick as commercially underperforming Stern titles
“Because all his credibility would have shattered into a million sprinkles of glass.”
Greg Bone — Humorous exaggeration of the weakness of choosing lower-value games over Godzilla Premium
gameplay_signal: Dennis emphasizes superior playfield geometry of Pro editions over Premium variants (e.g., Walking Dead Pro vs. LE, Jurassic Park Pro vs. Stranger Things Pro)
high · Multiple comparisons where mechanical layouts drive gameplay quality; examples include Raptor Pit toy dynamics and flappy ramp removal improving shot quality
design_philosophy: Tension between aesthetic spectacle/theme integration and actual gameplay depth; some hosts prioritize looks and theme capture while others demand rule complexity
high · Dennis chooses Scooby-Doo over Looney Tunes for spectacle; Greg chooses Labyrinth partly for world-under-glass capture despite difficulty concerns
product_concern: John Wick acknowledged as too early in code development to fairly assess; expected to improve significantly with updates
high · Dennis: 'John Wick, I think, is going to come into its own' and 'it's not the fairest comparison because John Wick is so early on code anyway'
market_signal: Godzilla Premium and Jaws variants command strong price premiums; Godzilla Premium valued significantly higher than dual-game packages
high · Editor's note shows Jaws Premium at $9,600; Greg picks Godzilla Premium over $5k+ value package (Barbecue Challenge + GTF LE)
competitive_signal: State-change ruleset on Venom Premium dramatically improves competitive appeal vs. static Pro version; design innovations drive engagement
medium · Dennis: 'the state change stuff, the rule set that Dwight has for that game, I think it's a fun game' vs. 'Pro without the state changing is so disappointing'
groq_whisper · $0.091
The Idea Man (Jim Henson documentary by Ron Howard) is a top-3 film of the year
high confidence · Greg provides personal recommendation at end of episode
sentiment_shift: Elton John gaining recognition as potential best JJP game, challenging historical consensus around Dialed In and Wonka
medium · Dennis proposes Elton John as JJP's best; both hosts choose it in value matchups; suggests recent code improvements shifting perception
machine_intel: Discussion of rumored future JJP games (The Matrix, The Muppet Show) and Stern games (Pokemon, X-Men 97)
low · Hypothetical matchup: 'What about the rumored JJP games, The Matrix or The Muppet Show?' and 'What about what's coming next from Stern, Pokemon or X-Men 97?'
collector_signal: Clear split between collectors who prioritize spectacle/premium versions and those who value gameplay/Pro editions; affects personal collection building strategies
high · Greg notes collection building values variety; Dennis prioritizes gameplay quality; different choices on Walking Dead, Venom, and Jurassic Park editions
manufacturing_signal: Premium and LE editions sometimes feature superior mechanical elements that improve geometry, but Pro editions occasionally have better overall designs due to flappy ramp removal or magnet repositioning
medium · Walking Dead Pro removes flappy ramp (geometry improvement); Venom Premium adds state-change rules; Jaws Premium adds mechanisms not present in Pro
business_signal: Venom and John Wick characterized as 'not the best sellers' of Stern's lineup, suggesting weaker commercial performance despite strong mechanical/rule design
medium · Greg: 'I'm not going to call these bastard children of Stern Pinball. But the two games that aren't the best sellers of Stern Pinball. Venom Premium or John Wick Premium?'
design_innovation: Foo Fighters Premium praised for mixing classic Gottlieb design principles with modern novelty in ways unfamiliar to new players; example of retro-modern design philosophy
medium · Dennis: 'Jack Danger took in a lot of things. Gottlieb had done back in the day, but it's mixed up in a way that's not going to be familiar to new people. And it works.'