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Incredible Pinball Machine | First Look at Dune Pinball | Gameplay, Features & Sandworm Mech!

Gonzo's Pinball Flipperama·video·24m 49s·analyzed·Aug 31, 2025
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Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.025

TL;DR

Gonzo's first-play Dune Pinball review: gorgeous art, immersive mechanics, responsive gameplay.

Summary

Gonzo provides a first-look gameplay video of Dune Pinball by Barrels of Fun at Pinfest. He praises the machine's stunning artwork (thick, durable side decals with layered Arrakis desert and blue spice aesthetics), immersive design, responsive shots, and screen-integrated mechanics. The game features a sandworm toy, harvester battles, one-handed control sequences, ball locks, magnetic saves, and moody sound design that evokes the film. Gonzo rates it highly as a well-executed licensed theme.

Key Claims

  • Dune Pinball is made by Barrels of Fun

    high confidence · Explicitly stated early in video: 'It's made by Barrels of Fun.'

  • This was the first hands-on play of Dune Pinball, just unwrapped at Pinfest

    high confidence · 'I believe I'm lucky enough to be actually the first person to play this here... this is literally just been unwrapped.'

  • Dune Pinball features dual-monitor day/night display with harvester battles

    high confidence · 'If you look at the back, there's a screen in the back of the playfield... Harvester battle. Defeat the Harkin soldiers to destroy the harvester.'

  • The machine has one-handed control sequences requiring button-hold and hand movement

    high confidence · 'Hold on. Hold down the action button... You have to hold the button in the middle and then you got to move your hand backwards and forwards.'

  • The side artwork uses thick, durable application with wear/polish resistance properties

    high confidence · 'They're much thicker than decals... I have a feeling this artwork would be very robust. And actually it's a sort of thing that even if it did get a mark, I wonder if you'd even be able to polish it out. Actually they look thick enough.'

  • The game has substantial bass-heavy audio that can be physically felt

    high confidence · 'It's a very feels there's a very bassy sound to the game... I'm actually holding the game. I can feel the bass.'

  • First code had an annoying kickout sound that has been removed in updates

    high confidence · 'On their the first code on this, they had a really annoying sound when it kicked out and I'm glad they've done away with it actually.'

  • Dune Pinball has multiple ball locks and complex rule progression

    high confidence · 'I've got a ball locked there. I've got a ball locked there... Another ball's got locked somewhere... There's two locks in there.'

Notable Quotes

  • “I just I just love the mixture of the these blues and the way they they've mixed the sand in with it.”

    Gonzo @ early section — Describes aesthetic achievement of Arrakis theme color palette and visual design

  • “I feel like I'm in the film actually to be fair.”

    Spencer (camera operator) @ during gameplay — Confirms immersive design philosophy execution

  • “There's nothing wrong with this game. Nothing wrong with this game at all.”

    Gonzo @ mid-gameplay — Strong endorsement of overall quality and experience

  • “It's like Harry Potter, you know. Harry Potter looks beautiful. It plays beautiful.”

    Gonzo @ post-gameplay analysis — Positions Dune alongside gold-standard licensed pinball in aesthetic and gameplay quality

  • “A triumph. A triumph. Really, really good job. They've done a really really good job with that game.”

    Gonzo @ conclusion — Final assessment: Barrels of Fun has delivered on the licensed theme with quality execution

  • “You when when someone does a dream theme, you want them to do it justice.”

    Gonzo @ post-gameplay reflection — Frames Dune as a dream IP that could have been mishandled; validates quality delivery

  • “The shots on it are lovely, aren't they?... Very hipable, mate.”

    Spencer @ gameplay commentary — Shot design and playfield geometry is accessible and rewarding

  • “It's stunning. Well, do you know what? Let's get you playing.”

    Gonzo @ transition to second player — Enthusiasm transferred between players, indicating strong first impression

  • “Doesn't it shoot beautifully?”

    Gonzo @ second player session — Reinforces responsive ball physics and shot reliability

Entities

DunegameBarrels of FuncompanyGonzopersonSpencerpersonPinfesteventRetro Arcade SpecialistorganizationFrank HerbertpersonDenis VilleneuvepersonArrakisgameStern Star Trekgame

Signals

  • ?

    community_signal: Gonzo granted first-play access and media coverage opportunity at Pinfest; strategic early influencer seeding

    high · Gonzo confirms first hands-on play; Retro Arcade Specialist explicitly allowed this coverage

  • ?

    design_philosophy: Dune demonstrates 'world under glass' immersion philosophy: detailed mechanical toys (sandworm), screen integration, moody soundscape, color-accurate Arrakis aesthetic, one-handed sequences create mini-narrative moments

    high · Multiple references to feeling 'in the film', immersive design elements, screen-playfield integration, kinesthetic control sequences

  • ?

    announcement: Dune Pinball by Barrels of Fun officially released/playable at Pinfest; first hands-on media coverage

    high · Video documents first-ever public play of machine at Pinfest event with fresh unwrapping

  • ?

    product_strategy: Post-launch code update removed annoying kickout sound from first code; iterative quality improvement

    high · Gonzo explicitly notes: 'On their the first code on this, they had a really annoying sound when it kicked out and I'm glad they've done away with it'

  • ~

    sentiment_shift: Positive reception confirms market readiness for premium-priced, immersive, mechanically complex pinball; validates boutique manufacturer approach

    high · Enthusiastic first-play coverage with no design or functionality criticisms; positioned as gold-standard licensed title alongside Harry Potter

Transcript

youtube_auto_sub · $0.000

0:13
absolutely buzzing to show you this uh a bit of a dream theme for me. This is June. Um, Frank Herbert books. More recently, you've had the films. Um, I I've been really really looking for I I've been really really looking for something like this to come out for quite some time and and for somebody to do it justice, because it's always been a really really big theme for me, long before I even thought about playing pinball machines, in fact. So when you hear that somebody's going to do a theme that you like and that you love, you think, please, please do please do a good job on it. So I was absolutely delighted to hear that June was going to get done. And this is the I believe I'm lucky enough to be actually the first person to play this here. We're at Pinfest at the moment. And so this is literally just been unwrapped. So this is first Eyes on this machine here. It's made by Barrels of Fun. And all I can say is very very excited to play it. I think it looks absolutely stunning. I just think Spencer, if you get in with a camera, people need to, you know, probably have a look at this machine. Um, the apron, before you go too far into there, I don't think I've seen a more stunning apron than that. It is absolutely absolutely wonderful. Now, I'm just going to have a quick look at this this the side of the machine here because the artwork on the sides of the machine, I'm not really doing it justice. It's a little We don't have enough light really. We don't have enough light really. Yeah. Yeah. All I can say is it looks really shiny. All I can say is it looks really shiny. It's I'm not I don't think they're rad cows, but they're much thicker than decals. Yes. Yes. So, the these are not these are not So, the these are not these are not decals. This is really very I have a feeling this artwork would be very robust. And actually, it's a sort of thing that even if it did it's a sort of thing that even if it did get a mark, I wonder if you'd even be able to polish it out. Actually, they look thick enough. There looks to they look thick enough. There looks to be like a top wear layer on there. Let me come around. I'm not sure. You might have to really pump the ISO levels up on that. I don't think Oh, you're getting a bit I don't think Oh, you're getting a bit of it. Oh, there you go. Yeah, there you go. Hopefully, it won't Yeah, there you go. Hopefully, it won't blow too much of it out. We've got a lot of low light there, but take it take it from us. the the um the take it take it from us. the the um the the the artwork, it's really high quality and the way that it's been implemented on the machine is is absolutely stunning. Now, what's to be a little bit geeky uh Now, what's to be a little bit geeky uh about this as you look at it, obviously this is June and and the majority of it is is based on the planet of Arachus and the whole point is in Arachus there is there is a spice which is in the sand and it's a very arid sandy world with very very little water. In fact, the irony is whilst the the spice is a real commodity, so is moisture. So is uh on this in this particular world. So you're you're seeing the spice. You're seeing the sand which is so prominent within this. But you'll also see blues here. It's sparkly. It looks sandy, doesn't It's sparkly. It looks sandy, doesn't it? It's like glistening sand on it. So, it was the right and that's reflected and that's reflected up on the the speaker surrounds there up on the the speaker surrounds there and the screen surround. Well, the other I'm jumping from one Well, the other I'm jumping from one thing to another because I'm genuinely excited to to see this game. The speaker surrounds also I think they've tried to mimic the um the sand worms there as well, which is very much when you see the sandworm coming at you. Uh I think that's this looks that way as well, but it's the blues. So if you look um at Paul the trades there you can see the blue in the eyes which is picked up really well and that's really important because if you spend too much time on a rackus then it turns your eyes blue basically the spice. Um so anyway that's that's the geekiness for me. The the artwork on it is is absolutely stunning. Um, I just I just love the mixture of the these blues and the way they they've mixed the sand in with it. And you can actually see almost like small trails of the sand where it stops being sandy where you have the sand dunes and it goes into the blue there. Um, really lovely. I would as somebody that that really does love the love the films and love the way they've done the films. Um I I do think that they've really captured the colors well and I love the way the inserts are working on here. You might have to turn the ISO down a little bit on that Spence. If you look at the back, there's a screen in the back of the playfield. Well, I did notice this earlier on. Let Well, I did notice this earlier on. Let me just turn the ISO down a little bit and get right in there. It's going to be interesting to see what that actually does. We've got a harvester at the back here. Um, you you you've not even seen any promo you you you've not even seen any promo of these this game, have you? No, no, no, no. I know nothing about this no, no, no. I know nothing about this machine whatsoever. Right. Um, so I'm not going to tell you Right. Um, so I'm not going to tell you that there's there's a I think there's a special pinball moment. It's up to me to display the game. So, as you see see that very special pinball moment. Um, I'm just really excited to play this game fair for all the reasons that I've already described and I'm very very lucky to be able to to get hands on to be to be able to play it now. So, uh, should we shall fire it up? Fire it up. Fire up the quattro, as they Fire it up. Fire up the quattro, as they say. You must have learned to be one with the You must have learned to be one with the desert. So, immediately we've got the So, immediately we've got the soundtrack. Uh, it's a very feels there's a very bassy sound to the game. These look nice. It's got some lighting on the side which is actually in many respects if you watched the uh ants restoration of the Adams family. He actually embedded he actually he actually embedded the the he actually he actually embedded the the lighting into the cabinet and they've done a very very similar thing here. But it's very bassy this game. So, you have to excuse the audio if maybe the audio is is overwhelming for you, but it's I don't Well, number one, I don't have a key, so I can't turn it down. Number two, I'm actually holding the game. I can feel the bass. Yeah. Yeah. Can you feel it? Can you feel it? Yeah. Yeah. Uh, so there's clearly there's also a Uh, so there's clearly there's also a lot of noise in this room at the moment. This is This is winning. This is winning. Okay. Right. far away. Right. far away. [Music]

The playfield in-lane transition drops straight without bounce-back momentum kill

medium confidence · Comparison to Star Trek and Elvira issues where ball bounces and kills flow; 'they've done a good job there' on Dune.

  • The machine has a sandworm toy/mechanical element that appears as a playfield moment

    high confidence · 'I've got me worm... The worm is... the worm... Is a pinball moment. It's definitely a pinball moment.'

  • “I didn't know where the kick out was so me out. Damn it. Damn it. They they actually on their the first code on this, they had a really annoying sound when it kicked out and I'm glad they've done away with it actually.”

    Gonzo @ second player session — Evidence of post-launch code updates improving user experience

    • Elvira House of Horrorsgame
    Harry Pottergame
    Dirty Harrygame
    ?

    technology_signal: Barrels of Fun using non-decal thick artwork application with layered wear layer; manufacturing/durability innovation

    high · Gonzo extensively analyzes: 'much thicker than decals... this artwork would be very robust... top wear layer'

    6:54
    Okay, that's good. It's giving me the ball, mate. Harvester battle. Defeat the Harkin soldiers to destroy the harvester. This a beautiful clip that you seen on here. There's a lot of good assets in this. There's a lot of good assets in this. Yeah, absolutely.
    7:20
    Nice shot there. Nice shot. Good shot. Okay. So, the or the orbits are there, Okay. So, the or the orbits are there, which is important. It's lovely. It's lovely. [Laughter]
    8:12
    Oh, damn. I just That's my fault. I keep missing the upper flipper. Ah, the jet has Ah, the jet has I like it. I like it. I like it. I like it. How well is it shooting? How well is it shooting? Yeah. No, it's shooting great. I just Yeah. No, it's shooting great. I just I'm not I'm not timing that orbit is going to take it around there. Then I have to hit the upper flipper which I'm missing at the moment. Um the but the orbits are hitable. So Um the but the orbits are hitable. So that that's a makeable shot. It's not too tight. This is a hitable shot. That's a hitable shot. And I have a feeling Oh, that's nice. I have a feeling you could probably I have a feeling you could probably That's works. You could probably soft plunge and possibly get out to that upper flipper. I'd need to see it. This is a really nice cut scene. Yeah. Um, Yeah. Um, locate proper. Okay. Right then
    9:10
    save on that one. Yeah, Yeah, that's a lovely shot. So, there's actually a little diverter there. [Music] Damn it. I'm just It's me timing it. That's a real shame. I'm not There's something I want to demonstrate and I've not managed it yet because I've not There's one shot I haven't nailed and it's that. And I need to show you that shot. But I'm I'm I'm learning I'm learning the shots on it. Damn. I meant again. I keep forgetting I Damn. I meant again. I keep forgetting I actually meant to soft plunge in. Now watch. Close in. Okay. Okay. [Music]
    10:02
    My goodness, this machine is rattling. [Music] What do you think about that? Wow.
    10:19
    It's all happening. This is really It's really moody here. And I mean that in a good way. I'm I feel like I'm in in feel like I'm in the film actually to be fair.
    10:47
    Okay, so I've got a ball locked there. I've got a ball locked there. Yeah, there's a lot going on here. This is a there's a lot going on here. This is a It's a really Another ball's got locked somewhere. It's a This is a very immersive game. Very We got another one. There's two locks in there. There's so much to learn. They've got the kick back there.
    11:14
    Oh, damn it. Does it come up? Yes. I knocked it out. Harvest of battle one. There was a lot going on there. There was There was a huge amount going There was There was a huge amount going on there. There's an honest. There's an honest. Oh, wow. Nice. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Oh, wow. Nice. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Exactly what I wanted to do. [Music]
    11:45
    Oh, come on. Hit that shot again for goodness sake. Wow, that spinner. really really went for some time then. That that that really was a spinner.
    12:43
    The shots on it are lovely, aren't they? Very hipable, mate. Oh, this is this is Very hipable, mate. Oh, this is this is I love him. What's going on in here? I don't understand. You are wasting water. You are wasting water. Oh, man. Come on. Come on. Give it back Oh, man. Come on. Come on. Give it back to me. Give it. Thank for goodness sake. It was my fault, but I gave you them both. I gave you them both. Yeah. Yeah, it was generous cuz Yeah. Yeah, it was generous cuz obviously I'm in the middle of doing something important. I'm not going to pretend to know what I'm doing, but I feel important in a game. Wow. Come on. This I tell you, there's nothing wrong with this game. Nothing wrong with this game at all.
    13:22
    Woo. Look, I I need to learn the game. I need to know what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. I said, I need to learn the rules. But sometimes I play a game I don't care for learning the rules. I want to I want to learn more. No, I I can see that. It's an incredibly No, I I can see that. It's an incredibly immersive game, isn't it? isn't it? The ironic thing is both of us have gone very quiet while we're playing it. Both. Feel free to get closer with the camera. Feel free to get closer with the camera. Don't have to get a whole lot in if you if it helps get some shots in. Oh, that held it on a magnet there. That Oh, that held it on a magnet there. That was absolutely cool. That's cool.
    14:03
    [Music] Woo! Oh man, I missed it. I missed it. Come on.
    14:33
    The the the sounds on it are so good. They're so Come here. Come here. True to the film. Look at this. True to the film. Look at this. Put your hand in the box. Put your hand in the box. Oh, Oh, if you Hold on. Hold down the action button.
    14:50
    poison me. Okay, you got to use one hand. I'm using Okay, you got to use one hand. I'm using one hand to play here. You're only allowed to use one hand. This is fantastic, Laura. Oh, shitty. Oh, hold on. What's Laura. Oh, shitty. Oh, hold on. What's going on? Oh, no. Oh, no. So, you have to hold the button in the middle and then you got to move your hand backwards and forwards. Yeah, that was some crazy old Yeah, that was some crazy old I like that. I like that a lot.
    15:20
    Oh, well done. Mind you, you are the first person to play. That's true. I can't get the uh That's true. I can't get the uh Who taught you how to fight like that? Who taught you how to fight like that? Well done. You You did all right on Well done. You You did all right on that. Um Um look, what can I say? A really what a what a really, really, really good game. Um got to say massive thank you to Retro Arcade Specialist for letting letting me be the first person to play it. I mean, what can what can you say? Um what can what can you say? Um Oh, hello. Absolutely wonderful. That's really good. It's a what? It's a triumph. A great job. They've done a great job with this game. And you you feel that um sorry, let me step away from this. It's noisy. You when when someone does a dream theme, you want them to do it justice. Um there's not probably not too many games that look beautiful and play. It's a It's like Harry Potter, you know. Harry Potter looks beautiful. It plays beautiful. I can't wait to have a go. I can't wait to have a go. It's stunn It's stunning. Well, do you It's stunn It's stunning. Well, do you know what? Let's get you playing. Let's do it. Let's do it. I'm not going Let's do it. Let's do it. I'm not going to do as well as you do. But well, there's not too many people that well, there's not too many people that are as skilled at pinball as me. Funny man. Got machine and man in perfect harmony Got machine and man in perfect harmony when I'm when I'm playing. I'm going to clean my glasses for this I'm going to clean my glasses for this one. You getting that? Right. You getting that? Right. I'm going to be a little bit more fruity with the camera than you were, though. Right. It's a soft plunge. I think you Right. It's a soft plunge. I think you can get it up there for about
    17:09
    show you that screen there as well. See what's going on in that screen.
    17:25
    Those orbit shots are lovely, aren't they? They're exactly where you want them. They're exactly where you want them. That's exactly right. That's exactly right. Harvest the battle. Harvest the battle. I got to tell you, I got to tell you, what's going on on the screen?
    18:00
    I didn't know where the kick out was so me out. Damn it. Damn it. They they actually on their the first code on this, they had a really annoying sound when it kicked out and I'm glad they've done away with it actually. Um Right. So, I'm going to try a softish Right. So, I'm going to try a softish plunge. Okay. Okay. No too much. No too much. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, no, you've got it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, no, you've got it. You've got it. That's exactly right. Well done. Well done. No, you didn't make the second shot, but No, you didn't make the second shot, but it was You did exactly the right thing as ridden.
    18:39
    Go. Dark desert digs the weak until I'm out of practice. I tell you what, this is good. I tell you what, this is good. It's lovely. It's lovely. Well, I tell you what, we've actually Well, I tell you what, we've actually only played two games today so far. It's Dirty Harry and this and they've both played really well, haven't they? They've been absolutely lovely. They've been absolutely lovely. Absolutely lovely. I need to go to the other side. I got a I need to go to the other side. I got a big reflection of the light in the playfield. The paper was so shiny. It's reflecting the light. Oh, I've got me worm. Oh, I've got me worm. Oh, you got your worm. Oh, there we go.
    19:13
    At the same time, by the way, on the screen, you've got that going on.
    19:24
    It's quite frick, isn't it? Jackpot and literally long though. Never mind the length. Look at the Never mind the length. Look at the width. Unless it's a bumper, isn't it? Jackpot. Got a jackpot. Okay.
    19:55
    Lovely. Eh, doesn't it shoot beautifully? I've got to say that there's a little pet hate of mine on pinball machines and it is so if you look on the wire form where it goes down here at the point where it drops into the in lane some of them when the ball goes down it bounces back up and kills the momentum that pretty much drops straight down. I mean it's keeping your momentum definitely one of the ones that's really definitely one of the ones that's really guilty for that is the stern Star Trek. Yeah. um on the certainly on the pro Yeah. um on the certainly on the pro version has a plastic ramp an Elvivra actually house of horrors and it will drop and it'll bounce and then it will drop down through the aperture and it that just kills the flow of the game. So they Oh, damn it.
    20:51
    Yeah, they've done a good job there. I don't know what I'm doing but I'm I don't know what I'm doing but I'm enjoying it. So there's a lot going on on the screen. So there's a lot going on on the screen. [Music] Come on. Shall is not done with you yet. Beautiful man. This is
    21:16
    sounded like my old bed springs. Yeah. Sorry, I can't hear you. Yeah. Sorry, I can't hear you. I said that sounded like my old bed I said that sounded like my old bed springs. [Music]
    21:36
    [Music] Sh. Okay. [Music] Come on. If only I can shoot the right round. Shoot the right.
    22:14
    Come on. Nearly. I think what I think because you're I think what I think because you're hitting the ball on the fly so much. Yeah. Yeah, it's not quite got the Yeah. Yeah, it's not quite got the momentum that you want. There you go. You'll trap up now. Now you'll make it easily. Whatever you're going for. I got to go for the right ramp. So, I I got to go for the right ramp. So, I got to get it. [Music] Oh, no.
    22:38
    Shoot your right. I know. No, no. Come on. There you go. There's your shot. Holy cow. Holy cow. Oh no. Oh no. Look at the light. Really? Look at the light. Really? Oh yeah. Yeah. So you got to hold that. Oh yeah. Yeah. So you got to hold that. This is right. So basically, he can only use one hand. Let's Let's watch him. Let's Let's watch him. Remove your hand. You better be using that bounce pass.
    23:37
    I tell you what, next time. Oh, he's going to put his torger on Oh, he's going to put his torger on there. That's cheating. That'll do it. That'll do it. I'll get the uh I'll get the old chap on and hold it. Well done. Well done. Oh my goodness. He I think he feels the same way as you, Spence. That's something that Mr. Fix. That's something that Mr. Fix. My word. There you go. My word. There you go. Wow. Wow. I'll be Yeah. I mean, I'll be Yeah. I mean, you fought well once you you fought well once you A triumph. A triumph. Really, really A triumph. A triumph. Really, really good job. They've done a really really good job with that game. That is very honorable. There you go. There you go. I enjoyed that. Had no idea what I was I enjoyed that. Had no idea what I was doing and no skill whatsoever. But that is a cracking game. And this here, the um the um the I don't know what the I don't know what I don't know what I don't know what that I don't know what I don't know what that mime is, but um grapefruit the melody. The worm. The worm is The worm. The worm is the worm. Yes. Yes. the worm. Yes. Yes. Is a pinball moment. It's definitely a Is a pinball moment. It's definitely a pinball moment. [Music] What a wonderful machine. What a wonderful machine. [Music]