Homebrew Showcase: The Greatest Showman Pinball by Jeffrey and Lisa Sue Jones

Marco Pinball·video·8m 39s·analyzed·Nov 7, 2025

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.022

TL;DR

Greatest Showman homebrew by Jeffrey & Lisa Sue Jones wins expo with Mission Pinball Framework.

Summary

Jeffrey and Lisa Sue Jones showcase their homebrew pinball machine based on The Greatest Showman movie at what appears to be a pinball expo. Built on a Whirlwind base cabinet with completely new electronics, playfield, and code written in Mission Pinball Framework, the game features five initial challenges leading to multiball and wizard mode with circus oddities. The project marks Lisa Sue's first venture into pinball code development after learning to code specifically for this build, and won Best in Show at the previous year's expo homebrew competition.

Key Claims

The Greatest Showman homebrew uses a Whirlwind base cabinet but has completely new boards, wiring, and rule set
high confidence · Jeffrey Jones directly states: 'The only thing this whirlwind is the geometry. We have changed everything else. It's all new boards and wiring and completely different rule set and codes.'
Lisa Sue Jones learned to code for the first time specifically for this project and had never written a line of code four months before debuting at Expo
high confidence · Jeffrey states: 'Four months before that, she had never written a line of code in her life. And in that four months, we got enough done to bring it to expo.' Also confirmed by Lisa Sue's earlier statement about agreeing to learn code as a condition for building the game.
The game won Best in Show out of 40 homebrews at the previous year's Expo
high confidence · Jeffrey states: 'out of the 40 homebrews that were here last year, we won best in the show, which we were honored. It was amazing.'
The game features five initial challenges that must be completed before accessing the multiball and wizard mode
high confidence · Jeffrey describes: 'there are five initial goals we call challenges that are listed on the left side of the screen... they're on the left side of the screen that the player wants to get to get to challenges multiball. After they do that, it opens up the wizard mode where they collect the circus oddities for the final six ball multiball.'
Jeffrey has been doing high-end pinball restorations for about a decade and the couple owns about 15 pinball machines
high confidence · Lisa Sue states: 'He's been doing restorations for about a decade' and 'We have about 15.' (machines)
The game uses music and movie clips from The Greatest Showman movie and artwork by Alexi Cot and Jay French
high confidence · Lisa Sue confirms the game 'has all the music from the movie and movie clips from the movie' and Jeffrey identifies the artists: 'Alexi Cot... did about 10 or 20% of it... and then Jay French did everything else.'

Notable Quotes

“He knows how to make machines gorgeous. He does high-end restorations and makes beautiful pinball machines. So he knew he could make it beautiful but I had to figure out the code.”
Lisa Sue Jones — Explains the division of labor between Jeffrey (mechanical/restoration expertise) and Lisa Sue (coding responsibility) for the project.
“The only thing this whirlwind is the geometry. We have changed everything else. It's all new boards and wiring and completely different rule set and codes.”
Jeffrey Jones — Clarifies that despite using a Whirlwind base, the machine is essentially a complete ground-up build with custom electronics and gameplay.
“I wanted this to look like it came off of a of off of a production floor. I didn't want it to look like like a home brerew that wasn't quite finished yet.”
Jeffrey Jones — Articulates the design philosophy and quality standard aimed for the homebrew machine.
“Four months before that, she had never written a line of code in her life. And in that four months, we got enough done to bring it to expo.”
Jeffrey Jones — Highlights the accelerated learning curve and achievement in bringing the game to competition-ready state in a short timeframe.
“If I can do it, anybody can. I think I'm the poster child for Mission Pinball because I don't know anything about code, but I was able to do this.”
Lisa Sue Jones — Demonstrates that Mission Pinball Framework is accessible to non-programmers and encourages others to attempt homebrew projects.
“We like games that you can walk up to and figure out how to play it immediately and what you're supposed to do.”
Lisa Sue Jones — Reveals their game design philosophy prioritizing accessibility and intuitive gameplay over complexity.
“it's a wonderful community and we'll all help and we all share our code with each other too which helps because looking at other people's code is very helpful”
Lisa Sue Jones — Praises the Mission Pinball/homebrew community's collaborative and supportive culture.

Entities

Lisa Sue JonespersonJeffrey JonespersonThe Greatest ShowmangameWhirlwindproduct Mission Pinball Frameworkproduct FASTproductAlexi CotpersonJay Frenchperson

Signals

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design_innovation: The Greatest Showman demonstrates successful use of Mission Pinball Framework and FAST electronics for a complete homebrew build that achieved production-quality finish and won major homebrew competition.
high · Jeffrey states they completely rebuilt electronics and wiring using new platforms and achieved 'production floor' quality that won Best in Show out of 40 homebrews.
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community_signal: Lisa Sue Jones's successful code development despite zero prior programming experience signals that Mission Pinball Framework is becoming more accessible to non-technical builders; demonstrates gender diversity growing in homebrew community.
high · Lisa Sue learned to code in 4 months from zero experience and states 'If I can do it, anybody can'; Marco comments positively on need for more gender representation in pinball.
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product_launch: The Greatest Showman homebrew debuted at Expo competition and won Best in Show; machine is now being showcased and played by public audiences.
high · Jeffrey states 'We debuted this at Expo last year... out of the 40 homebrews that were here last year, we won best in the show.'
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licensing_signal: The Greatest Showman (2017) film is being used as IP basis for homebrew pinball with music, clips, and thematic elements integrated; represents trend of filmmakers/IP holders tolerating high-quality fan-made pinball games.
medium · Game features 'all the music from the movie and movie clips from the movie' and is based entirely on movie themes; no licensing issues mentioned despite substantial IP usage.
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Topics

Homebrew pinball machine design and developmentprimaryMission Pinball Framework and FAST electronics platformprimaryGender representation and diversity in pinball communitysecondaryMovie licensing and IP integration in pinball gamessecondaryHomebrew community culture and collaborationsecondaryPinball restoration and custom buildsmentionedGame design philosophy and accessibilitymentionedPinball expo events and homebrew competitionsmentioned

Sentiment

positive(0.92)— Very positive throughout; enthusiastic discussion of the project, celebration of accomplishment (Best in Show), praise for the community, encouragement for others to participate in homebrew builds, and appreciation for diversity in the hobby.

Transcript

youtube_auto_sub · $0.000

right, we're back. We are here. The greatest showman pinball homebrew. I'm talking to Lisa Sue and Jeffrey. Um, let's talk about how this game was created. Like, where did the idea for The Greatest Showman come? Well, we just really love the movie. It came out in 2017 and I think I saw it six or seven times in the theater. I loved it so much and I we had talked about building a custom pin and I begged him to do this one and he finally agreed only when I agreed I would learn how to code. He knows how to make machines gorgeous. He does high-end restorations and makes beautiful pinball machines. So he knew he could make it beautiful but I had to figure out the code. Okay. So but a pinball machine. So you guys you guys own any pimo machines? We have about 15. Oh. He's been doing restorations for about a decade. And so for about a decade you guys had these machines, but this was the time when you went, "Okay, we need to make some." After we came to Expo numerous times and we saw what the homebrew was was doing, we wanted to join. We we thought it'd be fun. And I and honestly fixing pinball, restoring pinball is my hobby. She never we don't really work on pinball together. We play. So this was the first time we've ever done a pinball project together and it was a lot of fun. It was frustrating at times. So it was a lot of fun. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So um as far as I can see, this is a Isn't it I'm going to guess I I can't guess. Whirlwind. It's a whirlwind. Whirlwind. Okay. It's so different. The only thing this whirlwind is the geometry. We have changed everything else. It's all new boards and wiring and completely different rule set and codes. Yeah. So, this is no rookie job here. And it seems like over the weekend we we went from uh uh games that are not quite done and on like white woods and stuff to uh these these are basically ready to be sold extra. That was that was our goal. We I wanted this to look like it came off of a of off of a production floor. I I didn't want it to look like like a home brerew that wasn't quite finished yet. So, what was the So, this was is this written with Fast and Mission Pinball? Yes, it is. It's Fast Forwards and I wrote the code on Mission Pinball Framework. Yes. Yeah. So, what is the So, talk us through a little bit about who is who is the player and what do they have to do in this game. So, in this game, there are five initial goals we call challenges that are listed on the left side of the screen when it's not in a special mode like it is now, but they're on the left side of the screen that the player wants to get to get to challenges multiball. After they do that, it opens up the wizard mode where they collect the circus oddities for the final six ball multiball. Yeah. Is that that's so it's roughly based on the movie or it's all based on the movie and has all the music from the movie and movie clips from the movie and it's all from So so how wonderful is the time where you're like okay let's make a game now we have to sit down and think about what do we want to put in the game and you guys are talk to me about that that process when we very first started I told her I said all right we need to sit down we hadn't done anything yet we need to sit down and discuss some of the of the rules And she said, "We don't have to do that. That's way down the line." I'm like I'm like, "No." I said, "You got to think about that. The the playfield will have words and numbers and things that need to mean something." So we so we needed to decide the basic rules. And then once we had the playfield artwork, uh, we were able to to make other rules from there. How how how fun was that to kind of go through like rules or like how challenging was that? Well, we never really thought about it before cuz we had money. So, it really was a lot to think about. He obviously got it more than I did, but it was a lot to think about. Yeah. And we we like games that you can walk up to and figure out how to play it immediately and what you're supposed to do. So, so our screen where it tells you like right now he's done uh five orbits but but he's only needed four. Um so it tells you what you've done if uh if you're short if you've done two of something that you need 10 of so it's very obvious what what you can what you need to do. What is he in right now? The challenge is multiball. So when I talked about those initial five challenges on the left, he has completed those jack. So now there's a movie scene on the screen and he has a multiball. How many balls in this game? There are six. Once he's down to to just one ball on this multiball, then it'll go into the wizard mode and he'll uh he'll be given three red flashing targets. And when he hits those in any order, he will have gained the bearded lady. And then the next one is a a set of I think blue, but but each each one are three targets you have to hit in in any order you want. I love that you guys kind of repurposed the Pat Walt Lawler spinners. There's like horses on one and it's so it's so beautiful. Who did the artwork for this? So that you can start the show. Two artists that did the artwork. Uh, one did about uh, 10 or 20% of it named Alexi Cot and then Jay French did everything else. Wow. And so the sounds and stuff, who who was working on that? The sounds were all from the movie. Well, not the not the like when you pitch shots, but all the music and that and then we had Jeff Tias do fall outs for us. Yeah. And he's so awesome. Yes. Yes. He's awesome. Yep. Wow. Isaiah, you blew it up. So Isaiah was able to achieve one of the He got through the first five initial challenges and got to challenge his multiball and then just started to move on to the oddities challenge which is the wizard mode. Well, I'm going to ask Isaiah, how does this feel? It was awesome. I I believe I stacked all three multiballs. I had a two ball and then I got a third ball locked and then I finished all the challenges and it all started happening at once and it felt really good to play. So, okay. I I I want to I want to try it, but I don't want to because we only have like a minute left, but I want to definitely come over to your booth and give it a shot. I feel like you guys make me feel like I could do this. If I can do it, anybody can. I think I'm the poster child for Mission Pinball because I don't know anything about code, but I was able to do this. So, do it. We we debuted this at Expo last year. Four months before that, she had never written a line of code in her life. And in that four months, we got enough done to bring it to expo. And out of the 40 homebrews that were here last year, we won best in the show, which we were honored. It was amazing. Well, at least Sue, it's amazing because, you know, typically pinball is really like a dude sport and stuff like that. And it really it really makes me happy to have um you're working on this game because I feel like we need more um representation from all genders, I'll say it that way, to to add their ideas to this kinetic game that we call pinball. Um so I really appreciate both of you coming by and and showing us this game. Um we did talk a little bit about how games are built or everything whatever but um what was one of the most challenging as we as we close up what was one of the most challenging parts of this project and maybe not the fights all about the learning code it was learning mission pinball framework was very complicated at first but there's a wonderful community anybody who wants to do this do it because it's a wonderful community and we'll all help and we all share our code with each other too which helps because looking at other people's code is very helpful That's that's the thing. It's been nothing this weekend is more than oh the community is great. The community love all the community. You know what it is guys. Thank you guys. The greatest showmen. We got Jeff and Lisa Sue. Thank you guys so much and enjoy the rest of your show. We appreciate you guys.