Erika and Manu, hosts of the Pinball Minority Report podcast, discuss community engagement activities including a viral Instagram emoji game about pinball machines, the indie game "A Pinball Game That Makes You Mad," the upcoming Golden State Pinball Festival (May 15-17, 2026 in Lodi, California), and Reddit pinball culture. They also highlight a fan-created sci-fi comic exploring an alternate history where Roger Sharpe missed his famous shot, and mention the opening of Pinball Capital arcade in Stone Park, Illinois.
Key Claims
Erika's Instagram emoji guessing game about pinball machines received 346 comments and was highly engaging with the community.
high confidence · Erika stated this directly as a personal anecdote from her social media post
The indie game 'A Pinball Game That Makes You Mad' was released November 18th, 2025 by Azimuth Studios for $9.99.
high confidence · Manu provided specific release date, developer name, and pricing information
Golden State Pinball Festival occurs May 15-17, 2026 at the Lodi Grape Festival grounds in Lodi, California.
high confidence · Both Erika and Manu confirmed these dates and location multiple times
Golden State Pinball Festival ticket prices are $60 for three-day pass, $45 for two-day, $20 for Friday, and $30 for Saturday.
medium confidence · Erika mentioned these prices but noted she should verify them on the website
Pinball Capital in Stone Park, Illinois has over 130 pinball machines and charges $20 for all-day play.
high confidence · Erika looked up and read this information directly
Roger Sharpe recreated his famous shot at the opening of Pinball Capital arcade in Stone Park, Illinois.
high confidence · Both hosts confirmed seeing this on multiple Instagram accounts
A fan is creating a sci-fi comic about an alternate universe where Roger Sharpe missed his famous shot and aliens take over.
high confidence · Erika found and quoted the creator's description of the comic concept
Erika owns a Weird Owl (Multimorphic P3) machine that she acquired from Golden State Pinball Festival.
high confidence · Erika and Manu discussed this as a past purchase
Notable Quotes
“Got 346 comments. Now, granted, some of those are me guessing, but that is the most active post.”
Erika@ 1:16 — Demonstrates the high engagement of pinball community on social media around game identification
“I have now downloaded this game, a pinball game that makes you mad. And it has indeed um made me very mad.”
Erika@ 9:29 — Highlights growing interest in pinball-adjacent indie games among the community
“If if if Roger Sharpe didn't make that shot, you and I wouldn't be friends.”
Manu@ 25:59 — Illustrates the foundational importance of Roger Sharp's historical court case to modern pinball culture
“It's a sci-fi fantasy comic that explores the idea of a world where Lagardia's pinball ban was never lifted.”
Erika (reading creator's description)@ 28:33 — Shows fan creativity exploring counterfactual pinball history rooted in the NYC ban era
“There's pinball everywhere. And I like brought my dad and then I brought some of my friends the next day... This is so cool.”
Erika@ 16:48 — Captures the appeal of Golden State Festival as an accessible community gathering point
“It's Illinois's largest pinball centric arcade. They have over 130 pinball machines.”
Erika@ 31:44 — Signals significant new venue development in the Midwest pinball scene
community_signal: Erika's Instagram emoji guessing game about favorite pinball machines generated 346 comments, indicating high community engagement and willingness to participate in creative pinball content
high · 346 comments on single post; described as 'most active post' ever
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content_signal: Pinball Minority Report podcast launched as April Fool's joke but continuing as bi-weekly show, suggesting successful initial reception and sustainable format for pinball community content
high · Hosts confirm it was joke but continuing; bi-weekly schedule confirmed
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product_strategy: Growth of pinball-adjacent indie games (A Pinball Game That Makes You Mad) gaining traction with mainstream audiences via content creators like Game Grumps, creating new crossover potential
medium · Erika discovered game via Game Grumps recommendation; spent 5 hours playing; encourages others to try it
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venue_signal: New large-scale pinball-centric arcade (Pinball Capital) opened in Stone Park, Illinois with 130+ machines, signaling continued investment in dedicated pinball venues in Midwest
high · Pinball Capital opened recently; 130+ machines; Illinois's largest pinball-centric arcade; $20 all-day play pricing
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event_signal: Golden State Pinball Festival (May 15-17, 2026) remains major West Coast community event with multiple local operators and venues participating, supporting nonprofit
high · Confirmed May 15-17 dates; Lodi location; multiple venue participants (Pinball Pirate, D Flipper House, Flipper Room, Lynn's Arcade, PPM); supports Wonders Museum nonprofit
What is up everybody? My name's Erica and I'm here with Manu and we are the Pinball Minority Report. Um, we just uh a couple of goofballs or at least I can claim myself as a goofball. I don't know what Manu wants to consider himself, but >> why can't I be a goofball?
You want to be a goofball, too? Can be. I want to be actually specifically a goofy goober. Um, no. I'mma beef on that one. >> Uh, all right. Yeah. Well, today, uh, we
historical_signal: Roger Sharp's famous court shot remains foundational to modern pinball identity; recent recreation at Pinball Capital shows ongoing cultural significance
high · Both hosts acknowledge shot as pivotal; Manu states 'if Roger Sharp didn't make that shot, you and I wouldn't be friends'; shot recreated at Pinball Capital opening
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community_signal: Pinball fans creating original sci-fi comic exploring counterfactual history (Roger Sharp missing shot, aliens takeover) shows creative engagement with pinball's historical mythology
high · Creator posted first pages to Reddit; Erika connected creator to Roger Sharp via Emoto and Zach Sharpe; exploring alternate pinball ban scenario
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market_signal: Established pricing tiers for pinball festivals ($20-60 range) and new arcade venues ($20 all-day play) showing standardization of entry-level community access
medium · Golden State: $60 three-day, $45 two-day, $20 Friday, $30 Saturday; Pinball Capital: $20 all-day
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product_concern: A Pinball Game That Makes You Mad has intentional rage-inducing difficulty mechanics, attracting players seeking challenging gameplay experiences with humor
high · Erika spent 5 hours stuck on one section; watched YouTube guides; described as making her 'very mad'; 'rage quit' button in game
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personnel_signal: Multiple Sharp family members working in pinball industry (Roger Sharp's sons at different manufacturers) showing family legacy continuation
high · Zach Sharpe at Stern; other son mentioned working for 'Rothrils' or 'Play Mechanics'
high · Erika on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube; Manu on YouTube/Twitch; 360 videos of Golden State mentioned
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community_signal: Pinball Reddit community maintains strong new-player onboarding and encouragement culture, with first-purchase posts generating high engagement and welcoming responses
high · Erika describes common Reddit pattern: 'Just bought my first game' posts get 'hella upvotes' and welcoming comments; 'What's next?' mentality
Uh, all right. Yeah. Well, today, uh, we just want to talk about some fun, uh, little pinball things happening in our lives. And, um, yeah, I had a fun little assignment that I showed monu assignment. I don't know if it was an assignment, but I made a post on Instagram. uh asking people Yes, I made a post on Instagram asking people to tell me their favorite pinball machines with emojis. And this post, >> you didn't really get that many
Now, granted, some of those are me guessing, but that is the most active post. I swear you had people stop work. They saw this post. They stopped working at work and went, "Oh, okay. >> Let me put
What's going to be there? So, um I'll like link it in my in the show notes, I guess. Link it in the show notes. Uh how you can find this post. Um because it was a lot of fun. really like I like um I wish I maybe I'll pull up on the side but um there was a lot of really just like different someone put like a crown and a ring and I was like is >> crown and a ring.
Yeah. And then there's this one from good old Jeff or Jof, however you want. They spelled his name wrong at TPL. Um, Jof gave uh an alien ship, a cucumber, one like a the water gun like emoji, >> an old guy, and then like a kid.
spaceship. Everyone in the in the podcast is now screaming at me going, "It's obvious. It's Rick and Morty." >> You got it. I got it wrong. I put Attack
look like that to me. I think it's easier to play this game if you just describe the emojis to me as opposed to me looking at the emojis. >> What about a a lion and a wing?
That is a lion and a wing. That is a lion and a wing. Shoot. It sound It sounds It's like so obvious like that is lion's wing. I don't know what what is it. It is Paragon, man. Paragon. >> Oh, that's a deep
That's not fair. If you're at the flipper room, you can't play this game. You got to be playing it like if you're at your office in front of your water cooler. You can't flipp a room. You can't go to your game room and then conjure something. I'm calling foul. >> Oh, I also really like this one from
Yeah. So, it's like, you know, some glasses. Oh, I was really proud of myself for one where it is a horse and a snowflake or it was a snowflake and then a horse. >> A snowflake and a horse.
I love that they didn't answer either. And I said, "Currently thinking, beat the clock." I just got it. I should I'm going to type in now. I just got this >> time. Thank you.
I like to have fun, man. I like to like do something different. do a little, you know, I follow a lot of different uh channels and things and I want to like how do we how do we do some fun pinball stuff? >> This podcast isn't even supposed to be
Yeah, it was a little April Fool's joke. You guys uh probably surprised and grateful, right? No. No. Um probably surprised and No, it was fun. We've been talking about this for for a little bit >> and uh thought it would be kind of fun
I need Erica to I need to give Erica another out outlet for creativity because I was tired of sitting in the car with her and she tells me 27,000 different cool things and and I says, "Okay, we just need we need we need more outlets for you. we need more ways for people to see all this and hear all this cool stuff. So >> yeah, I mean there's a lot of really
yeah, I mean there's a lot of really cool stuff happening in pinball and just like different things that maybe aren't even directly pinball. Like we I've just recently uh thanks to Stephven Bowen, uh he posted something about a pinball game that makes you mad. >> Oh no.
And talk about that. I then I then was curious and I watched this video from this thing called like Game Grumps. And so there's these guys and I think they have like quite a few followers. I think they're like they might be in the millions and I might be like totally missing it. But I don't follow them. I just watched this video of a pinball game that makes you mad and I was like, "Oh, that's so fun. I I want to get this game." I watched them play a little bit of it and then I was like, "Okay, now I want to try." I have now downloaded this game, a pinball game that makes you mad. And it has indeed um made me very mad. >> And oh boy. So Erica hit me up while I
I was so mad. I wanted to share that with Mu. Dude, what's funny is that you you texted me at the exact right time because we were sitting in the airport on ready waiting for the flight to come home and you texted me cuz I and I was like I need something new to play and you texted me, hey, there's this game called a pinball game that makes you mad and I'm looking for the developer. The developer is >> Oh, it's like
So Azimuth Studios. It released. It was released November 18th, 2025. It's a very simple game. It cost at the time that I bought it. It was $9. >> Yeah.
$10. $9.99. Perfect. I said, "Oh, it's a pinball related game. I'll play it." Sat on the plane, almost wanted to jump out of the plane. I was raging. So, flames, flames outside of my head. Um. Yeah. >> Yeah. And it appropriately has the quit
Oh, it is very appropriately labeled. I I have sunk in five hours into this game and I have now watched a few YouTube videos cuz I'm like, how how do I get past this part? I'm like stuck at the part where it falls down and then you get >> the little one and then if you fall down
and the whole time there's a commentator who's like, "Oh, did you really mean to do that?" Cuz we're back to where we were before. >> Yes. And he's just
talking to you and just telling you how you're failing. And then there's jazz m music in the background like >> It reminds me a little bit of the vibes
It reminds me a little bit of the vibes I was getting when I was when I used to play The Stanley Parable. Have you ever played that game? >> Oh yeah. Yeah. Stanley Perble. Yeah.
yeah. So, it's cool. The pinball game that makes you mad. Get some uh hopefully some some cool uh new people want to download your game. >> Not a sponsor, but definitely a fun.
Not a sponsor, but definitely a fun. It's a fun It's cheap and it's fun. Um it's available on Steam. We both have Steam Decks, although I think you can just download it on your PC >> or your Mac.
So Erica's showing for people in audio, Erica's showing her Steam Deck, and it's got a portal, like a aperture portal skin, and and it's cooler than mine. Mine is the naked skin. >> I like yours, though. I like I like that
Yeah. Um, I bought so I sold my old Steam Deck and um bought this one from my brother. So I bought my brother's old Steam Deck because he bought the newest one. So um thank shout out to his little brother. Thanks, Philipe. Um yeah. Uh so that was fun. I've put some time into be being mad um cuz the world isn't infuriating enough. Um, yeah. Uh, well, pinball. Pinball's can be hard. But yeah, I actually really I do highly recommend looking up this game or at least looking up gameplay. >> It's so not pinball, though.
and stuff, but it's it's fun. So, that's kind of like what I wanted to chat about those things. But I also thought it could be fun to talk a little bit about Golden State, >> what's coming up.
Uh yeah, bro. Uh so we're called a Golden State because of Actually, it's really embarrassing. I don't know. Um is it because the poppy flower? Why Golden State? >> Well, I mean it's just a great name
Well, I mean it's just a great name because yes, it is a Golden State. and it is out in um it's May 15th through 17th this year, 2026. >> The weekend after Mother's Day weekend.
you know what's funny? the the I I never really went to this until the first year I went to this and I absolutely fell in love with this event. This is like my have to mustgo event now. >> Oh yeah. I I found out about Golden
Oh yeah. I I found out about Golden State after I bought my second pinball machine. I kind of fun story. So, I had bought my Lord of the Rings and then I really wanted a second game as you know sometimes as it happens. It was a few months I was maybe two or three months into owning Lord of the Rings and then I was like I was playing a two-player game with my dad and then I was like damn he's taking so long. What if I had another game right here? >> What if I had another game I could play
I could play while my dad plays his ball on Lord of the Rings. And then I started thinking about like because at the time I didn't have my YouTube channel. I was just like me and Pinball were just vibing just on a different wavelength. And uh then I I looked up some games on Craigslist and I found Big Guns and I was like, "Oh, this is cool. This is like original IP. I could like make a short film about this because I wouldn't need to get licensing. It's not something that's already made." So, I actually bought Big Guns with the original intent to make a short film based off of the game. And I thought that that I would have like the guy gets sucked up into the game and then he has to save his mom who got captured to be the queen. And I figured maybe um with it being original IP, Mark Richie, I think, was the main designer for the game. And this game's super cool. It's got such a fun feature. It's uh it's one of the very few symmetrical playfields. I bought this big guns from this guy in uh I think Paluma or something. I forget. I forget where, but he when I was buying the game from him, he's like, "Oh, are you going to Golden State?" >> Okay.
And I'm not I barely know that tournaments exist. Like I just found out that stuff was real. And then I'm like, "Golden State? What's that?" And he's like, "Oh, it's a pinball festival. It's amazing. You should go." And then I learn about it and then I go and then it was like the best thing ever cuz I was like, "There's pinball everywhere." And I like brought my dad and then I brought some of my friends the next day and I bought like actually you can't see it now. I bought this Johnny Nemonic Playfield. Uh I can put a picture I can cuz I've posted it on my um Instagram but uh yeah I bought a Johnny pnemonic playfield as art cuz I thought it was so cool. And then I was like >> super obsessed uh and like oh my god I
super obsessed uh and like oh my god I have to be here all day. I just uh I just got to play pinball all day and I don't know all these games. This is so cool. and learned a lot about pinball that day. And um I Yeah, I want to say that was the year that Weird Owl was at Golden State as well because fun fact, Weirdowl that came to Golden State is now my Weirdowl. >> Oh yeah, that's right.
Yeah. Um, but no, Loi, uh, the Golden State Penso Festival. I knew about it for a while. I just didn't go. And then one year I just decided uh who did I go with? I went with my buddy Kirk. He and I drove down and it's great. It's such a chill vibe. Um >> is there a tournament there? I don't
yeah, it's like in a side room. Yeah, it's a little side room if you want to do your tournament thing, but there's a lot of uh you know, we live in California, so there's a there's there's a lot of um representation of all the different groups of California. There's like the pinball museum in Alama. They I think they have games there. Um >> yeah, they bring a lot of games to PPM.
Yeah. And uh we'll be helping. I'll I'll be helping. I don't know if you're welcome to help with it if you want. I'll be helping with the pinball university that Emoto does at the show. >> I know they asked me about it. I don't
I know they asked me about it. I don't I'm going to only be there on Friday, so I'm not sure if I can do anything. But, you know, >> Emoto is our boss, so
Yeah, I'm sure. I got some other people too I was going to look into to help with some camera stuff. But yeah, it's a fun time. So, they also besides like there's a room that has like all of the the older games in it so that you can actually hear the bells and chimes and stuff which I really like which is also where they hold like the raffle and stuff. But then they also have um the big room that has like all the other games and the vendors are all like on the edges. So like in the middle is just pinball. So very different from Texas Pinball Festival where you have like a vendor here, a vendor there, and some games and some games. But this is just like the whole community coming together bringing games. Uh and it supports a nonprofit, the Wonders Museum something. I feel bad that I don't know the name of that right now, but uh yeah, it's a it's a great event. the whole community comes together. We got a lot of great players. There's tournaments that happen. There's raffles. People win pinball machines. This year there's two like there's Foo Fighters you can win if you enter the raffle on Saturday. Um well, I guess the winner picks the game. So either you can win Foo Fighters or you can win Halloween, which um very graciously is being donated in memory of Rob >> Rob Anthony who passed.
that's my phone. So that's um Golden State Pinball Festival here in in Loi, California. May 15th through the 17th. Uh, get your tickets now. Although I think you can just sign up on >> Yeah, you can sign up at the door. It's
Yeah, you can sign up at the door. It's I would say it's pretty inexpensive. Um, a family I think it's like $60 for the whole weekend. I should look these prices up. Yeah, it's it's $60 um for a three-day pass, 45 for a two-day, and day of is uh I think $30 or Saturday is 30 and f Friday is 20. But you can check the the website at goldenstatepinball.org. >> Yeah. And it's such honestly, yeah, I
Yeah. And it's such honestly, yeah, I love the show. It's uh definitely a must for me. It's our local show. It's hard not to want to go and people are like camping out there. Um, I've know I've posted like a 360 video like I think twice of this show. So, you could definitely find it uh here on my YouTube page or on my not here, wherever you're listening to or watching this. Uh, you can find it on my YouTube page. There is a 360 video of the show. So, you can see how it's evolved or how it changes and how it looks. So, yeah. I love the show. So good. I also segue um I wanted the art of segueing. >> And my art of segue is not as good. I
Reddit. Um I found some I found some fun things on Reddit, and I don't know. I just like I like pinball Reddit. I think that there's some really fun stories >> about Pinball Reddit. I don't know
Pinball Reddit. Like, one of my favorite things about Pinball Reddit is that people will share stories of buying their first game. People be like, "Just bought this my first game." And then it gets like hella up votes. So many comments. People like, "Oh, that's a great game. That's a great game." And some people are like, "Well, what's the next one?" You know, like because it's like everyone. >> Is that how they talk, Erica? Is that
Um, no. People are like, "Oh, no." They be like, "Sc, yo, that's so sick, dude. What you getting next, bro?" Um um I you know I could do a really good Mickey Mouse. >> I did not know that. That's a that's a
I will sample that on the next episode. So um anyway, now I I could do it. Um now I feel like I'm on the spot. Manu I just like And there's no one else here, but I'm like embarrassed.
Mickey Mouse is on Reddit, right? And yeah, I just love that. And then I found somebody was making a pinball comic and I connected them to Roger Sharp because >> Oh, shut the front door.
Is a story about an alternate universe where Let me I got to find it. I should have pulled it up sooner. Uh it's a story about if he missed >> and then like aliens.
Okay, let's let's back up a minute. So Erica is referring to the famous story where Roger Sharp was uh brought into court to defend Pinball's right not to be a gambling game, right? And he if you go watch the movie The Man Who Saved Pinball, >> I think that's what it's called,
Yeah. Um, it depicts Roger Sharp's famous shot on a pinball machine where he called a shot and he got the shot and the judge and jury were like, "Okay, it's pinball is cool." Um, if he did not make that shot, why would you think of that? We would be in We wouldn't be talking right now, Erica. We wouldn't be friends. If if if Roger Sharp didn't make that shot Oh, that just blew my mind. If Roger Sharp didn't make that shot, you and I wouldn't be friends. Oh, that's a deep cut.
let's get away from it because this this thought is scaring me. But he made a comic. That son of a made a a comic. >> He made a comic. If if it if it didn't
He made a comic. If if it if it didn't ah if pinball didn't exist in the way it does and like aliens take over. I know I shared it with Emoto and um anyway I've I have >> also told I I gave him he was like hey
also told I I gave him he was like hey I'd like to get like Roger Sharp's blessing on this idea basically and I was like I have to connect this man to Roger Sharp. So then I like used my ways. I basically I texted Moto. I was like, "Hey, do you Roger Shop's email? Like can I can I give somebody?" And then I also told Zach about it when I went to the Stern factory for >> Zack Sharp.
It was about Oh, man. This was like three months ago, but it's a sci-fi comic and it's I think just in its infancy. He posted the first few pages. He's making this like comic about if Roger Sharp missed and then like aliens take over. the free aliens. >> But like one of the aliens is like a is
Yeah. It's so cool. So, it's a So, his little description, I found it here. says, "It's a sci-fi fantasy comic that explores the idea of a world where Lagardia's pinball ban was never lifted. The whole first issue is basically a prologue showing how aliens, government agents, and the authoritin figures interfered with an alternate universe that stopped Roger Sharp from saving the game." So, he gave a a few pages and he wanted to share because of uh love to hear the thoughts about like if he made it a whole book. um should they have it at a comic shop or even expo? And then also yeah um he wanted to get in touch with Roger Sharp and I was like I will get you in like I couldn't do that. I couldn't do that. I couldn't get you in touch with Roger Sharp and uh it happened. So um we're going to find out hopefully sooner than later about this pinball comic. >> That's very cool. That's a it's a real
you know how old I am here's the here's the thing how old am I couldn't think of any dating app except for Tinder which No, no, no. >> Which is I'm not the one that's used
He made the shot again. It was so cool. I like just been so happy with a lot of pinball stuff lately. There's a lot of really fun stuff to see on Instagram. I saw >> Where was that, Erica? Where they
I'm very sorry. But it is in I pulled it up here. They have just started the pinball capital in Stone Park, Illinois. It's Illinois's largest pinball ccentric arcade. They have over 130 pinball machines. >> That's a lot.
It's $20 for all day play and they are open to the public as of now. And uh yeah, it's super exciting. And they had Roger Sharp recreate. He was basically there to like bless >> the establishment.
Yeah. A lot of fun stuff happening in pinball, you know, comics, games, shows, uh new arcades opening. Yeah, we got cool things going on in pinball. >> Yep. Yep.
Feels like 12 hours. Jesus Christ. Um, no, I I really appreciate uh getting to just chat some pinball, share some new fun things with you. And yeah, that's kind of basically what we want to just do here is just talk random fun pinball things. Maybe what's coming up, you know. Uh, you're building a homebrew. I'm in the infancy of building a homebrew, but you or you're a part of a homebrew like matrix you've been working on. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm not the one building it,
But um yeah, hopefully that journey will won't end in that and I'll start building one uh here at the house with my son Skyler. >> So we're we're working on some stuff.
too. Definitely. Yeah, there's so much pinball things to talk about and um yeah, we just uh I just have a great time. Manu, thanks for hanging out with me. Um I know you don't have to. So, >> we know you have choices in your travel.
we know you have choices in your travel. Thank you for flying Erica's journey. Um Erica, where where can the folks find you? Uh outside of this podcast, >> you can find me at my parents house
I thought you'd never ask. I'm Mystery Pinball Theater. You can search up on YouTube and and Twitch. MPT3K. You know what the kids say? It drives me nuts. Search up Search up. >> Search up. Search it up. It's a
Yeah. Yeah. Well, hopefully you guys enjoy it. Episode two. Um and we'll be back in like I don't know. I think it's like a bi-weekly thing we're we're doing here every other week. >> And uh yeah, stay tuned for more fun