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Pulp Fiction Pinball Gameplay Guide (SDTM, 2024)

Straight Down the Middle·video·27m 48s·analyzed·Mar 6, 2024
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Analysis

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TL;DR

Zach Sharp guides Pulp Fiction pinball gameplay, mechanics, and modes in comprehensive playthrough.

Summary

Zach Sharp from Flippin' Out Pinball presents a comprehensive gameplay guide for Chicago Gaming Company's Pulp Fiction pinball machine, designed by legendary Mark Ritchie. The video showcases the game's innovative '70s-styled aesthetic combined with modern features including ball locks, magnets, and extensive Tarantino film dialogue/soundtrack integration. Sharp demonstrates gameplay mechanics across multiple modes, character collection, and the path to the wizard mode 'Divine Intervention,' emphasizing the game's accessibility to casual players while offering competitive depth.

Key Claims

  • Mark Ritchie designed Pulp Fiction for Play Mechanics/Raw Thrills and is returning to pinball after years designing arcade games.

    high confidence · Sharp explicitly states Ritchie left Bally/Williams, worked at Capcom, then was 'behind the scenes designing arcade games with Play Mechanics and Raw Thrills' before returning to pinball.

  • The game features physical ball locks in a briefcase behind the backboard and a pawn shop lock mechanism.

    high confidence · Sharp describes these mechanisms in detail during the layout walkthrough and demonstrates them during gameplay.

  • Pulp Fiction includes five scene modes that must all be completed to start the mini wizard mode called 'the shot'.

    high confidence · Sharp states: 'if you play all four of them the fifth one will start a mini wizard mode called the shot' and later references completing all five scenes.

  • The wizard mode is called 'Divine Intervention' and requires completing five tasks: briefcase boogie, pawn shop panic, roll scene, cast chaos, and Pulp Fiction frenzy.

    high confidence · Sharp explicitly lists the five requirements for Divine Intervention during the gameplay explanation.

  • David Thiel is 'arguably the greatest sound designer in all of pinball history' and worked on Pulp Fiction.

    medium confidence · Sharp's opinion about Thiel's status in the industry; verifiable as a claim but subjective assessment of skill ranking.

Notable Quotes

  • “this game is kind of special... Chicago Gaming Company is known for all of their Bally Williams remakes right... [but] Play Mechanics and Raw Thrills mostly known for arcade machines”

    Zach Sharp@ 0:21 — Sets up the surprise of a major arcade manufacturer entering pinball; establishes context for why Pulp Fiction is newsworthy.

  • “he is back in the scene his name is Mark Ritchie... some of the most iconic classic funnest pinball machines in existence such as Taxi, Diner and one of my favorites Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure”

    Zach Sharp@ 0:51 — Announces Mark Ritchie's return to pinball design; establishes his legendary status with specific game credits.

  • “it may be the coolest pinball machine ever created”

    Zach Sharp@ 3:18 — Strong endorsement of Pulp Fiction; indicates high community enthusiasm for this release.

  • “it looks like it's from the '70s but all of the features remind you very quickly that this is state-of-the-art pinball”

    Zach Sharp@ 3:03 — Captures the core design philosophy: retro aesthetic with modern mechanics.

  • “the call outs on this game are the greatest ever the greatest ever and they're every one of them too”

    Zach Sharp@ 12:04 — Praises the extensive Tarantino dialogue integration; indicates excellent IP utilization.

  • “it's quick it's fast it's challenging easy to approach hard to master it's Pulp Fiction”

    Zach Sharp@ 7:08 — Summarizes the game's design philosophy; emphasizes accessibility balanced with competitive depth.

Entities

Zach SharppersonMark RitchiepersonSteve RitchiepersonGeorge PetropersonJosh SharppersonMatt ScottpersonDavid ThielpersonQuentin Tarantinoperson

Signals

  • ?

    competitive_signal: Pulp Fiction positioned as premium alternative to Stern machines; accessibility + depth positioning contrasts with perception of other modern machines.

    medium · Sharp emphasizes: 'easy to approach hard to master... not the longest game it's quick it's fast it's challenging' — suggests differentiated target audience vs. complexity-focused competitors.

  • ?

    design_philosophy: Pulp Fiction exemplifies 'retro aesthetic, modern mechanics' approach: '70s-styled playfield with state-of-the-art features including physical ball locks, magnets, LCD screens.

    high · Sharp repeatedly contrasts visual style with mechanical sophistication; explicitly states 'looks like it's from the '70s but all of the features remind you very quickly that this is state-of-the-art pinball.'

  • $

    market_signal: Major arcade manufacturer (Raw Thrills/Play Mechanics) entering pinball market as a credible competitor to established manufacturers.

    high · Sharp emphasizes surprise of Raw Thrills arcade specialists pivoting to pinball with legendary designer Mark Ritchie; frames as industry disruption.

  • ?

    licensing_signal: Pulp Fiction includes extensive licensed content: original film dialogue, licensed soundtrack, character references, props (briefcase, watch, wallet), all integrated thematically into gameplay.

    high · Sharp catalogs: 'all the sound clips even the licensed soundtrack... complete use of intellectual property... even the fucking watch you shove up your ass.'

  • ?

    personnel_signal: Mark Ritchie returning to pinball design after extended period designing arcade games at Play Mechanics/Raw Thrills.

Topics

Pulp Fiction pinball game mechanics and featuresprimaryMark Ritchie's return to pinball designprimaryPlay Mechanics/Raw Thrills entry into pinball manufacturingprimaryGame accessibility vs. competitive depthsecondaryRetro aesthetic with modern mechanics design philosophysecondaryIP integration and licensed soundtrack/dialoguesecondaryChicago Gaming Company's remix/remake strategymentioned

Sentiment

positive(0.92)— Sharp expresses enthusiastic praise throughout: 'may be the coolest pinball machine ever created,' 'I'm in love with this game,' 'phenomenal.' Gameplay demonstrates engagement and enjoyment. Only minor frustration during failed shots during demonstration play, which is expected and framed humorously. Strong endorsement drives toward purchase recommendation.

Transcript

youtube_auto_sub · $0.000

[Music] hello again Zach from flipping out pinball straight down the middle and the pinball Show podcast back with another gameplay guide this time for Chicago gaming company and play mechanics Pulp Fiction pinball are you a bad mother flipper this game is kind of special the reason being Chicago gaming company is known for all of their Bal Williams remakes right play mechanics and raw Thrills mostly known for arcade machines Cruis and blast Big Buck Hunter Reloaded the new Kong and Godzilla VR stuff Moto GP Nitro trucks Fast and Furious so what are they doing making pinball machines over a play mechanics and raw Thrills they have a team member that is very special historically to the pinball industry he's created some of the most iconic classic funnest pinball machines in existence games such as taxi Diner and one of my favorites Indiana Jones the pinball adventure and then remember when Capcom was developing pinball machines so he left B Williams went over there to help design some games and just like that he was gone there were Rumblings that he was still out there designing behind the scenes and lo and behold he was over designing some arcade games with play mechanics and raw Thrills known throughout the industry as a pinball badass he is back in his name is Mark Ritchie it's in the blood some of you may know his designed brother Steve Ritchie currently a jersey Jack pinball another iconic designer but Mark Ritchie comes back to the scene and he designs Pulp Fiction with a great team from play mechanics such as George Petro George Petro was a designer back in the valley Williams time and he was coding games as Mark Ritchie was designing them Petro is now running play mechanics we also have rules by Josh Sharpe the sharp family royalty in the pinball industry we got Scott pulski on artwork and arguably the greatest sound designer in all of pinball history David theel Quinton Tarantino you may have heard of him crazy enough he approaches play mechanics and raw Thrills and once an arcade game produced around the theme of his film film Pulp Fiction and play mechanic says we can do that QT friends just call him QT but why don't we make you something nostalgic something retro that fits more to the styling of your artwork and nothing better can represent one of the greatest films of all time in pinball and that is simply Pulp quite simply put this game comes out and kind of just shocks the entire industry seemingly a single level Playfield but hidden in its features including playing areas behind the backboard under the Playfield physical ball locks sculpts mechanics complete use of intellectual property all the sound Clips even the licensed soundtrack Pulp Fiction pinball looks like like it's from the '70s but all of the features remind you very quickly that this is state-of-the-art pinball a briefcase that locks balls it's got magnets it's even got the [ __ ] a watch you shove up your ass I'm in love with this game and it may be the coolest pinball machine ever created Zed's Dead baby there's two models of Pulp Fiction pinball the SE model standard or special edition and the limited edition model the Ellie also known as the bad mother flipper Edition see what they did there yeah it comes with one of the greatest interactive Toppers ever made but you can catch that in another video today I'm going to give you a general walkr of the game some gameplay strategies what you're doing how the mechanisms interact and work and I assure you it's not going to take much convincing for you to add this to the top of your list for next pinball machine that you're going to purchase we're all going to be like three little findes [Music] really quick let's run through the layout and features of this game you've got a standup Target here Royale with cheese you've got two standup targets right here by Bruce Willis's head you've got a left and a right orbit that can go all the way around or it can be controlled up top there you've got an in inline drop bank here uh for briefcase if you hit all three of them down you then start locking balls physically into the briefcase behind the backboard basically uh and then once you have three of them you start briefcase book you got three pop bumpers you got a saucer up top very nostalgic 1970s 80s kind of thing there in the center you got three drop targets right here and then the pawn shop this is basically the pawn shop you can go lock balls within there in the subway you lock three uh you'll start the pawn shop multiball whatever that may be called uh then you've got two standup targets right there in the pop bumpers I don't know if you see them right there Big Kahuna is advancing and building up a lot of that bonus jackpot then you've got the saucer right here as you see these are the r scenes so you can play the different movie modes there if you play all four of them the fifth one will start a mini wizard Mode called the shot I don't want to ruin it we will not get there today but it is one of the coolest moments in all of pinball you're also going to collect characters there as well we'll talk about that here shortly you got your right orbit opto Spinners those things those things spin so so good you got two more standup targets by walking and then you've got a standup Target right under the watch here and his ass and then you got a magnet right here that will ruin you so much fun to see uh regular uh Italian bottom here two inlanes two outlanes ball saves you got a one one two 3 4 uh right here bu Bo boom uh you light those up that's dry fast we talk about that layer it's more specifics pulp fixtion you're probably wondering why the letters are inserts there the arrow inserts and and shots you hit all of those to spell Pulp Fiction and that'll start Pulp Fiction frenzy the characters right here every time you hit it in a saucer you will uh make eligible a character so once you make eligible a character you can collect that character at this little saucer right there and then once you get the characters collected you start cast chaos and crazy enough that's pretty much it but here's the genius behind it all it's understandable but it is challenging the big wizard Mode's called divine intervention and to get there you have five tasks to complete they are right down here briefcase boogie that's not just starting I think it's completing it or getting a Super Jackpot in it same with pawnshop Panic pawn shop Panic has started up middle there remember uh I don't think it's just starting it I believe you have to either complete it Super Jackpot I'm still learning this game roll scene you got to get through all five scene modes not easy to do cast chaos we talked about how to start to cast chaos Pulp Fiction frenzy spelling the letters Pulp Fiction so you got to get all five of those just to start dividing intervention uh that's why I love this game so much that's why I keep coming back it's it's not the longest game it's quick it's fast it's challenging easy to approach hard to master it's pul fiction let's shotguns skill shot super simple uh you try to plunge it up into the saucer when all five arrows are [Music] lit so what I tried to do is stay alive but what else I try to do is I'm trying to make eligible the locks so I can stack my multiballs with my modes essentially that's what I'm trying to do uh I'm also collecting characters every time I get to the saucer so you'll see roll scene is lit with a drop Target in its way we're going to try and knock that down to make a a mode eligible now keep in mind if we were to hit that saucer right now it's going to make a character eligible and we won't be able to make eligible a mode until we collect that character so that's why I like to get the drop Target and the roll scene [Applause] oh uh done first all right there's that now we can start a mode or we can go up top and get a character woo got to be fast on this [Applause] game all right I lock the ball into the pawn shop love it it's physical ball lock so right now the scene that is lit is Twist contest see it every time you hit a pop bumper those will cycle through let's get right in the middle there oh missed it we'll try to start a scene oh there is a center I got a ball save there there's a Center Post in this game don't rely on it though it'll burn you I'm missing that saucer all right let's start a mode shots not the easiest it's probably the hardest shot is that saucer shot oh I'm going to pay for it you can almost backhand it like I can backhand the drop targets see see if I can backhand that gold watch this is a tasty burger this is a tasted [Applause] burger oh I love it Cornerstone of any nutritious oh my God you see that love it Vincent pleas would be nice please would be nice so now since Vincent is lit you'll see him lit there if I hit that saucer right there I'll start the mode as well as collect Vincent as a character we're starting BF BMF wallet so I collected Vincent roll cameras and I want you to go in that bag and find my wallet it's the one that says bad [ __ ] all right so the modes are fairly quick in this you don't have much time and I'm trying to get my uh briefcase Boogie going at the same time you see the stand up arrows or the arrow targets that's for uh BMF mode here I would love to get that uh that multiball going right now I'm losing white people see Mode's almost over four you got to hit that ah cut cut come on people let's focus all right I didn't do much here did not do much I was trying to get that multiball going on top of that that scene mode but I didn't get that going that's okay you got to see what a bad mother flipper wallet is all about and I was able to hold my character if you don't if I don't know how to hold the characters I'm not going to lie but if you don't get those characters held you have to start over on the character uh on getting the characters all right y'all ball two what I'm going to try to do again is I'm going to try to get a scene going and then start briefcase boogie that's my goal you know what they call a qu pound of the cheese in France Roy with cheese you got a corpse in a car minus a head in a garage take me to it the call outs on this game are the greatest ever the greatest ever and they've got every one of them too every call out you could ever want all right see I can't roll a scene I can't start a scene because I had a character lit so I have to collect them perfect we could have planned this better I got Mr Wolf collected then before I hit that saucer again I need to hit down this drop Target go that's that Hawaiian burger J there you go now I can collect characters or whatever I want to do damn you fight this game let's start another mode what's it going to give me oh [Applause] oh all right twist contest oh I do love some twist contest if I could show you all that got my Big Kahuna don't kill me Stone of any nutritious breakast [Applause] ah we're about to clean the car roll cameras I'm going to try to get that briefcase Boogie going at the same time sugar on top clean the [ __ ] baby so clean the car or orbits they call me expensive stuff cuz when I drink it I want to past it ah I can't get that mode going there we go ball one [Music] locked I don't think I'm going to get all three locks in this mode though it's all right orbits or lock there's two I got 20 seconds in this mode I can do right get in there all right making another is more Mia exciting you don't have permission eligible don't drain me back in back in back in I'm losing life people I didn't get my scene oh well let's not start sucking each other's dicks F yet cut PR it that's a w oh my God oh wow okay in my bedroom I suggest you get going I said godamn God damn all right no I didn't want to start all right well I started anyway you guys get to see briefcase Boogie all right I'm trying to get a uh a jackpot during this oh my God this is not the greatest start watch the light show too insane all right now I'm trying to hit the payoff shots do you hear these sounds oh my God no you've got to be [ __ ] me that was it wa on side get in there talk about blowing that uh that multiball there that's all right we're starting we got here it's first purchased by your great grandfather during the first world war that's right we're starting a gold watch I'm also going to try to lock some Bowls in the P shop is that bowl too flock too it'd be nice if we can get this multiball I'd love to show you guys this multiball and right now we've got four of the five characters guys so I can if I can get get back up in that saucer and get jewels then I can show you that too that cast chaos tasty burger it's okay that sucked that that really sucked we got one more ball right super approachable but so addictive I held my cast too so that's great we've got a couple different things we can do if I can plunge it into the saucer up top there that I'm going to make Jewels eligible once I hit that saucer and get jewels it's going to immediately start uh cast chaos I wouldn't mind holding off on that and starting another mode it's starting the pawn shop multiball to show you guys that but it's probably safer to just full plunge up top instead of short plunge yeah see now we're not going to start a mode what we're going to showcast chaos oh man if I could have got it I like the way you stink I like the way you stink damn you guys get the feel of Pulp Fiction order yours today at flipping out pinball just go to flipping out pinball.com what happened here was a miracle and I want you to [ __ ] acknowledge it I'm going to putli my high score in but go to flipin out pinball.com order yours today or email me at ZZ flip the letter inout pinball.com what did I get a high store [Music] for this game is going in my collection without a [Music] doubt phenomenal Grand champ 3.5 I'll take it and if you love this theme forget it you know forget it damn want to play again let's do it that was a pretty good game of Pulp Fiction but I want to show you guys all of the other features that this game has to offer including cast chaos the pawn shop Panic multi Bowl as well as some of the other modes so let's do that now skill [Applause] shot I mean I want to help you but I don't want to lose my wife doing it all right all right Jimmy look I want to help you I want to live my lose my life doing it you're a smart [ __ ] that's right that's right you are a smart [ __ ] this Mode's called twist contest I'm going to turn the lights off because frankly the uh I want to win I want that trophy so dance good the light show is amazing it's based on pop bumper so I'm going try to hit some pop bumpers and really light this mode [Music] up self-preservation is an instinct you possess you better [ __ ] do it and do it quick look at the display oh [Music] down down 12 more seconds in this mode people got to get in the saucer you know what they call a qu hamburger Cornerstone of any exp 4 seconds left on the mode backand when time running out C people let's focus I blew it here we G trying to lock it back in there there you [Applause] go wouldn't mind locking the ball right there for the jackpot still can't get to it there it is all right we've got a good uh briefcase Boogie going [Music] here see if we can troll nope one more shot [Music] no get ball say ball safe don't don't shake the machine that now God damn it's a pretty [ __ ] good milk godamn it's pretty [ __ ] good mil chei so now you see if I can get control the ball here uh-oh it's going crazy now you can see that I've got Jimmy and Mr Wolf already collected I've got Jules me and Vin in eligible for collecting see that right there it's going crazy cuz it wants me to start cast chaos see if I can get up there see if I can backhand it forehand I have the hardest time with that shot of any shot in the game oh that's a spin get up there backhand forehand still can't get it cast chaos if I hit this uh and remember they I might not be able to hold either hold my cast backand you have got to be joking right I can't hit it [Applause] y'all all right shake off nerves big Goa bir that's that Hawaiian ain't nothing let me just start this real quick there we go I said God damn godamn place through all of it I'm moment turn tasty beverage you tasty beverage I'm going to turn the lights off so you guys see the light show of cast chaos here collected all characters and away we go going to hit the payoffs you guys hit the payoff spots you see calm don't shoot that's it I blew it I B I just blow it ah fight it Zach [Laughter] okay hey look man I didn't I didn't mean to shoot the son of a [ __ ] I G went off and I don't know why gold watch start some gold watch roll cameras and action I'm going to try to get got here it's first purchased by your great grandfather I'm going try to get pawn shop Panic going I only need one more there we go I'll turn off lights for pawn shop panic I love this shut up starts awesome here we go shop is closed even the ball releases are triggered to uh the sounds of the there we [Music] go bring out the [ __ ] bring out the [ __ ] drain no I tried to sneak it past [Music] don't you hate that I do I do hate that as a reminder you know where to pick up your next pinball machine or arcade machine it's none other than our company flipping out pinball do so because we do more than just sell you a pinball machine we have the best customer service in the entire industry some of the fastest shipping times and we don't just answer the phone and take your money hell we're creating media for you we treat you how you should be treated because we're pinball people too so we kind of get [Music] it hamburger Cornerstone of any [Applause] damn the Spinner's not going to stop spinning sh up right now [ __ ] [ __ ] up right now how about you lero can you keep your Spurs from Jing and jangling how about you lero keep your Spurs and jingling
  • “we have the best customer service in the entire industry some of the fastest shipping times... we're pinball people too so we kind of get it”

    Zach Sharp@ 26:20 — Promotional pitch for Flippin' Out Pinball emphasizing community alignment and service quality.

  • Chicago Gaming Company
    company
    Play Mechanicscompany
    Raw Thrillscompany
    Flippin' Out Pinballcompany
    Pulp Fictiongame
    Straight Down the Middle: a pinball showmedia

    high · Sharp explicitly states Ritchie was 'gone' designing arcade games and is now 'back in the scene' with Pulp Fiction design.

  • ?

    announcement: Pulp Fiction pinball officially released by Chicago Gaming Company with two variants: Standard Edition (SE) and Limited Edition ('bad mother flipper edition').

    high · Sharp describes both models and references Limited Edition interactive topper in promotional context.

  • ?

    licensing_signal: Quentin Tarantino directly approached Play Mechanics/Raw Thrills to develop pinball game based on Pulp Fiction film.

    high · Sharp narrates: 'Quentin Tarantino you may have heard of him crazy enough he approaches Play Mechanics and Raw Thrills and wants an arcade game produced around the theme of his film Pulp Fiction.'