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Pokemon by Stern Pinball | Reveal Podcast

LoserKid YouTube·video·1h 6m·analyzed·Feb 13, 2026
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claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.029

TL;DR

Pokemon by Stern revealed with design team discussing 30th anniversary game, 180+ Pokemon, licensing complexity, and development journey.

Summary

Pokemon by Stern Pinball was officially revealed with the design team (Jack Danger, George Gomez, Tanya Kleiss, Andrew Wilinski, Josh Anderson) discussing development challenges, creative decisions, and licensing complexity. The game features 180+ Pokemon with plans for future additions, balances accessibility with depth, and represents one of the most meticulous IP collaborations in pinball history. The team navigated unprecedented Pokemon Company oversight on art, sound, music, and game mechanics while creating a region-agnostic design that allows long-term content expansion.

Key Claims

  • Pokemon is the #1 grossing franchise at $288 billion, exceeding combined total of Star Wars, Marvel, and other major franchises

    high confidence · Jack Danger citing franchise revenue statistics during reveal podcast discussion

  • Game features 180+ collectible Pokemon with more coming in future updates

    high confidence · Tanya Kleiss confirming 180 Pokemon in initial release with planned additions

  • All Pokemon artwork is 100% sourced from Pokemon Company with no custom illustration or interpretation

    high confidence · George Gomez describing Pokemon Company's meticulous art oversight and detail requirements

  • Game designed to be region-agnostic rather than Ash's Journey to allow future Pokemon generation integration

    high confidence · Tanya Kleiss and Jack Danger discussing Pokemon Company's requirement for evergreen design

  • Jack Danger had initial concept for Pokemon cards/tokens to spit out but logistics and security concerns made it impractical

    high confidence · Jack Danger joking about card dispenser feature idea, team discussing security guard requirements for refilling

  • Pokemon Company explicitly warned against branded Limited Edition Pokemon variants due to chaos/scarcity concerns

    high confidence · Team discussing LE packaging considerations and Pokemon Company guidance to avoid specific Pokemon branding

  • George Gomez made significant architectural refinements to Jack Danger's layout, including right-side ramps and pop bumper placement, but preserved core conceptual direction

    high confidence · George Gomez and Jack Danger discussing design iteration process, ramp designs, and captive ball placement

  • Rollover buttons originally planned but removed due to power flipper mechanics causing unintended ball lofting and shot disruption

    high confidence · George Gomez explaining technical decision to eliminate rollover buttons that preceded Walking Dead implementation

Notable Quotes

  • “this came about by complaining and asking over and over and over and over and over and over again”

    Jack Danger@ 2:08 — Reveals Jack Danger's long-standing desire to design a Pokemon machine, setting up his role in securing the license

  • “they didn't want us stuck in some sort of ancient history of Pokemon. They wanted us to be able to keep adding Pokemon as Pokemon are developed and come out”

    Jack Danger@ 8:31 — Explains Pokemon Company's strategic requirement for evergreen design enabling future content updates

  • “100% of the Pokemon drawings on the game are by the Pokemon Company. So we didn't illustrate, we didn't interpret. Their attention to detail is beyond anything I've ever encountered with any licenser.”

    George Gomez@ 23:59 — Demonstrates unprecedented level of IP oversight and highlights the complexity of art direction collaboration

  • “the amount of detail that went into this, they were looking at our stuff with a magnifying glass”

    George Gomez@ 24:31 — Emphasizes Pokemon Company's meticulous review process and quality control standards

  • “I just went to see Jack and said, 'Guess what? I'm killing these rollers.' [laughter]”

    George Gomez@ 17:20 — Shows design iteration and pragmatic problem-solving when mechanical concepts conflicted with modern flipper physics

  • “our flippers now compared to what Bally and Williams were using, like we have like rocket ships, man. These things are like cruising the ball.”

    Jack Danger — Illustrates tension between retro design inspiration and modern hardware capabilities

Entities

Jack DangerpersonGeorge GomezpersonTanya KleisspersonAndrew WilinskipersonJosh AndersonpersonJeremy PackerpersonHaley PackerpersonMason Doulyperson

Signals

  • ?

    announcement: Pokemon by Stern Pinball officially revealed with full design team introduction and development details during podcast

    high · Full team panel discussion (Jack Danger, George Gomez, Tanya Kleiss, Andrew Wilinski, Josh Anderson) presenting game at reveal day event

  • ?

    design_innovation: Meowth Balloon features novel motion-sensing spring system inspired by Batman crane, engineered by Tom Malcolm with single directional sensor

    high · George Gomez detailing Meowth Balloon mechanics: 'it senses motion in every direction with a single sensor' and 'when you hit it, it has that Batman crane thing where it'll fire the ball back at you'

  • ?

    design_philosophy: Game intentionally designed as 'easy to learn, difficult to master' with simple structure (Monster Bash/Medieval Madness inspiration) layered with combo systems for depth

    high · Tanya Kleiss: 'we definitely wanted to keep it very easy to learn, difficult to master' and 'golden era of Medieval Madness, Monster Bash and Attack from Mars is definitely what we all agreed'

  • ?

    licensing_signal: Pokemon Company implemented unprecedentedly detailed approval process for art, sound, music, and mechanics, with multi-level Japan headquarters involvement

    high · George Gomez: 'their attention to detail is beyond anything I've ever encountered with any licenser' and Tanya Kleiss: 'they had to ask their team, and then that team had to go to Japan'

  • ?

    design_innovation: Pokemon Company allowed creation of custom Pokedex unique to Stern Pinball rather than using canon regional variants, enabling design freedom

Transcript

youtube_auto_sub · $0.000

0:08
Thanks for tuning in to the Loser Kid Pinball podcast. It's a reveal day. Everyone's excited. I'm excited. This is like a dream come true. Scott is with me, my co- captain, as always, right? >> Yep. I'm here.
0:19
Yep. I'm here.
0:19
Yep. I'm here. >> I'm so excited.
0:19
I'm so excited.
0:20
I'm so excited. >> A few other people here, too.
0:21
A few other people here, too.
@ 17:40

  • “we had to ask our team at Pokemon, they had to ask their team, and then that team had to go to Japan. And it was this like did we make it all the way up? Okay, is it coming back down with a yes?”

    Tanya Kleiss@ 31:42 — Reveals multi-level approval process complexity and Japan headquarters involvement in licensing decisions

  • “if you're spending $13,000 on something, you better freaking know what you're getting”

    Jack Danger@ 28:36 — Addresses Limited Edition customer expectations and explains rejection of blind bag/randomized LE concept

  • “the layout is was it was a fan style layout with with the battle arena was always in the center. The stuff I did to it did not change the conceptual direction of the game at all.”

    George Gomez@ 13:08 — George clarifying his role as architectural refinement rather than fundamental redesign of Jack Danger's layout

  • “I set sort of the vision of like what the overall structure is going to be, but then Josh came on and started really fleshing it out into deeper pinball stuff”

    Tanya Kleiss@ 22:49 — Explains collaborative code development process and team specialization in rules depth

    • Tom Malcolm
    person
    Jodyperson
    Stern Pinballcompany
    Pokemon Companyorganization
    Pokemon by Stern Pinballgame
    Flipping Out Pinballcompany
    LoserKid Pinballorganization
    Scottperson
    Zach Nicole Miniperson

    high · Jack Danger: 'they let us create our very own Pokedex for this game' with 'flippers for buttons' and captive ball on playfield

  • ?

    gameplay_signal: Four-member team system with simple mode lighting (shoot twice to light, third shoot starts), layered Pokeball combo system, and eight secret Eevee evolution combos

    high · Tanya Kleiss and Josh Anderson detailing mode structure and Josh noting Kong banana combo inspiration for Eevee combos

  • ?

    product_concern: Rollover buttons originally planned but removed due to modern flipper power causing unintended ball lofting and disrupting intended shots

    high · George Gomez: 'the rollover buttons that are on Walking Dead... when we tried to put it on our game, all of them were in power stroke and it was messing up all the shots' and 'I'm killing these rollers'

  • ?

    design_philosophy: Pokemon Company required 100% official artwork with no custom illustration or interpretation, maintaining franchise visual integrity

    high · George Gomez: '100% of the Pokemon drawings on the game are by the Pokemon Company. So we didn't illustrate, we didn't interpret.'

  • ?

    product_strategy: Deliberate rejection of randomized Limited Edition variants (blind bags, specific Pokemon branding) due to customer expectations at $13k+ price point and Pokemon Company security concerns

    high · Jack Danger: 'if you're spending $13,000 on something, you better freaking know what you're getting' and team discussing Pokemon Company warnings about scarcity chaos

  • ?

    content_signal: Official reveal conducted via LoserKid Pinball podcast with extended design team panel discussion

    high · Full design team (Jack Danger, George Gomez, Tanya Kleiss, Andrew Wilinski, Josh Anderson) participating in formal reveal podcast

  • ?

    design_innovation: Jack Danger created fan-inspired layout with battle arena center concept, George Gomez refined architecture with right-side ramp designs without altering core direction

    high · George Gomez: 'The stuff I did to it did not change the conceptual direction of the game at all' while taking 'heavy hand in some of the ramp designs'

  • $

    market_signal: Pokemon franchise at $288 billion grossing, exceeds combined total of Star Wars, Marvel, and other major IP franchises

    high · Jack Danger citing $288 billion current franchise value and noting combined other major franchises don't approach this total

    • 0:21
    A few other people here, too. >> Yes. I'm messing up intros. If you want
    0:23
    Yes. I'm messing up intros. If you want
    0:24
    Yes. I'm messing up intros. If you want Pokemon, because I know you want this game, who are you reaching out to, Scott? So, I'll reach out to Zach Nicole Mini at Flipping Out Pinball. I am super excited for this game and I actually have have told people I have a rental property that I rented in Airbnb and I am planning on putting this in the property. So, this will be featured prominently in my rental. >> Yes. Bring bring all those new people
    0:44
    Yes. Bring bring all those new people
    0:44
    Yes. Bring bring all those new people into pinball. Right. >> Fantastic. [clears throat]
    0:47
    Fantastic. [clears throat]
    0:47
    Fantastic. [clears throat] >> Speaking of bringing people into
    0:49
    Speaking of bringing people into
    0:49
    Speaking of bringing people into pinball, we're going to start with the design team. We've got quite the eclectic group of people here. Let's start with the lead designer. Jack, will you introduce yourself and kind of I guess pass this around the table? >> Yeah, absolutely. Uh my name is Jack
    1:01
    Yeah, absolutely. Uh my name is Jack
    1:01
    Yeah, absolutely. Uh my name is Jack Danger. I'm new to pinball, but I'm excited to be here. Um it was a really awesome project to work on. Uh I got to kick this off and um I'm co-designing it with the illustrious George Gomez. [laughter] >> Hello everybody. Uh I'm George Gomez and
    1:19
    Hello everybody. Uh I'm George Gomez and
    1:19
    Hello everybody. Uh I'm George Gomez and I helped Jack with the game. And uh with us we have uh Tanya Clyice who's the lead developer and a couple of his uh close cohorts on this project. Um Andrew Wilining and Josh Anderson. >> Hi everybody. How's it going?
    1:37
    Hi everybody. How's it going?
    1:37
    Hi everybody. How's it going? >> Hey guys.
    1:38
    Hey guys.
    1:38
    Hey guys. >> Awesome. Thanks everyone for joining.
    1:40
    Awesome. Thanks everyone for joining.
    1:40
    Awesome. Thanks everyone for joining. Like I really appreciate I know right now is like it's it's down to the wire. It's game time. Uh we're we're recording right before reveal and so I know that there's a lot on your plate. So, first off, thank you for taking time out of your day to join us on the show. Um, but first, okay, Jack, I I've known you for a while now since you've been streaming and everything like that. You've talked about Pokemon as long as I can remember. So, tell us how this came about and how it was working on this license for you. >> Uh, this came about by complaining and
    2:08
    Uh, this came about by complaining and
    2:08
    Uh, this came about by complaining and asking over and over and over and over and over and over again. [laughter] Um, yeah, this this uh this was sort of a no-brainer license. Obviously, that's why I talked about it so much back in the day. But, um, yeah, as far as like, um, getting this license, if you talk to Jody, our lead licensing guy, he'll say like he had to work on this for quite some time to get our hands on this. Um, and when he did, you know, it was just like this it's it's wild that this didn't already exist as a pinball machine because they do have a history with pinball. Um, but there's also like so many there's like a million different ways you can think of approaching a Pokemon pinball machine, right? Um, so, you know, starting a a game design dock with just uh ideas with the rest of the team, you know, sitting with Tanya and uh Josh Henderson and just trying to like flush out like what are all the like shoot for the shoot for the moon like what what can we do here? Um, and trying to, you know, think of like what kind of integrations we can take from or inspirations we could take from like other avenues of the Pokemon world. And uh, understanding like talking to Pokemon, they didn't say no to anything up front. They just said like we don't want to stifle any of your creativity. Just throw everything at us and like what do you got? And uh yeah, Tanya, if you want to talk a little bit about like how that process went, the daydreaming process. [laughter] >> Well, we dreamed a lot of dreams. Um uh
    3:44
    Well, we dreamed a lot of dreams. Um uh
    3:44
    Well, we dreamed a lot of dreams. Um uh yeah, that so we we uh we knew that this game was was going to be something we we hoped very much that that's going to introduce a lot of new people uh to to pinball. And so, um, we definitely wanted to keep it very, uh, easy to learn, uh, difficult to master kind of style, I know. Um, and took a lot of inspiration. Um, but so, so the some of the key elements were, uh, you know, like what are the the key things you need for a Pokemon machine? One is a Pokeball. Uh, you need you need Pikachu at the very least. And you need uh you need what we want we like to have in pinball, at least I um is is some sort of adversary, some sort of big bad guy that you're going to be battling. And um and the character Meowth, who's the only talking Pokemon, is is the the person is the the character that came to to mind. And so um and that's that's who who we have. It's team It's Team Rocket led by uh you hear the voice of Meowth. You also will hear the leader of Team Rocket is is Giovani and he's the he's the he's the real leader behind the whole thing, the dastardly or he's not so dastardly, but yeah, he's the one that's that's it's that's trying to take your Pokemon and use them for for business purposes. Um and uh it's so so those are the sort of the key things. Um, and then we also talked a lot about like which there's so many different Pokemon, how to uh how to how to pick like which ones we're going to focus on. Um, and and we definitely as um we we focused on the first generation as far as your team. Um, and so we we went through that and decided to to pick, you know, Pikachu, Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur since they're all the starter uh all the Pokemon first partner Pokemon from the first generation um that everybody I think knows. Um, and >> there's 180 of them in the game and
    5:44
    there's 180 of them in the game and
    5:44
    there's 180 of them in the game and there's more coming. >> Yeah.
    5:46
    Yeah.
    5:46
    Yeah. >> Yeah. the the initial like like paper
    5:49
    Yeah. the the initial like like paper
    5:49
    Yeah. the the initial like like paper and pencil idea was, you know, the Pokemon that I think everyone will remember is the original 151, right? So, um if you're new to Pokemon or if you're like you grew up with it, everyone remembers like that first gen chunk [snorts] of Pokemon. So, uh we lean heavily into that sort of Kanto region collection of Pokemon. Um but we with our game were told we had to be region agnostic. So, even though we're leaning heavily on those original 151 with a smattering of like all generations, our area is our own area in this Pokemon game. Um, which allows us a lot more freedoms to integrate hecking everybody uh from the, uh, Pokemon universe, Pokemon catalog there. >> By the way, referencing something that
    6:36
    By the way, referencing something that
    6:36
    By the way, referencing something that Jack mentioned earlier, um, the actual name of the game is Pokemon by Stern Pinball. It is not Pokemon Pinball um for obvious reasons because that title existed as a product um a long time ago. And so um so the the game is you'll see it referred to as Pokemon by Stern Pinball. Uh it's not you know it's like I think uh on all the official stuff it says Pokemon by Stern Pinball. It doesn't it will never say Pokemon Pinball or Poke the Pokemon Pinball Machine etc. Um, true, true. Because there was there was two or three games back on the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance. Yeah. >> Absolutely.
    7:18
    Absolutely.
    7:18
    Absolutely. >> Yeah, that's right.
    7:19
    Yeah, that's right.
    7:19
    Yeah, that's right. >> Which which is amazing. Like I love that
    7:21
    Which which is amazing. Like I love that
    7:21
    Which which is amazing. Like I love that because that was one of the biggest questions. Well, I guess two of the biggest questions when you come to a Pokemon game, right? There was originally video games. It came as a video game then as an animated series. And so I know that like um your teams have spoke before like it's really hard to do 8bit because it's just very exhausting when it comes to software, when it comes to animation and stuff like that. And so I think it was smart going with the actual animated series because then you get those clips, you get the voice actors and stuff like that as well, but also be able to include all the Pokemon. I agree that the one first 151 is the most iconic, but it is cool that they were like, "Hey, you need to include everything that we've got." >> They were um they're very interested on
    7:59
    They were um they're very interested on
    7:59
    They were um they're very interested on in the game being evergreen. So, um, they didn't want us, they specifically didn't want us stuck in some, uh, [clears throat] sort of ancient history of Pokemon. So, they wanted us to be able to kind of like they're going, you know, they're they're always moving, right? They're always doing stuff. And so, they kind of wanted us to feel that way. >> Yeah. Totally. like this not being Ash's
    8:25
    Yeah. Totally. like this not being Ash's
    8:25
    Yeah. Totally. like this not being Ash's Journey means that it allows us to for the foreseeable future keep adding Pokemon as Pokemon are developed and come out and like um again just affords us a lot of freedoms to do some cool stuff that otherwise we would be handcuffed to region specific storylines and ideas and such. Um, so yeah, there's there's a lot of cool What what's also awesome is on top of like the all all the rules and stuff they have in place. Like they're very meticulous about their IP and they should be they're like the biggest IP ever. Um, one of the cool freedoms they did afford us is when you look at a Pokedex, the the object that keeps track of all your Pokemon, every region, uh, as we come to find out, had their own specific Pokedex. and we weren't since we're region agnostic, we couldn't use any of those specific Pokedexes. So, they let us create our very own Pokedex for this game. So, when which is wild. So, when you look at the game and you're look the Pokédex comes up on screen, you'll see this very unique to Stern Pinball Pokedex. It's got like flippers for buttons and stuff. It's pretty cool. say also, and that's mirrored on the on the uh the playfield as well, the the the captive ball that's right to the right of the center is the Pokedex. So, you you smash that to to use your Pokedex to scan Pokemon. >> Can you guys talk about how the the team
    9:51
    Can you guys talk about how the the team
    9:51
    Can you guys talk about how the the team approach to this game came about and and uh tell people more about the process? Yeah, I mean I think so [clears throat] Jack um Jack and Tanya started down the path as in very in a very conventional fashion to how teams work at Stern. Um I think at that time uh you know I forget I think I know Andrew was on Star Wars. I don't know Josh were you were you with us when they started or did you join? >> He was very early on transitioning on to
    10:25
    He was very early on transitioning on to
    10:25
    He was very early on transitioning on to the project but Yeah. My previous game that I worked on was uh King Kong with the Terra Island. >> Right. Right.
    10:32
    Right. Right.
    10:32
    Right. Right. >> March time frame, I think, or March or
    10:34
    March time frame, I think, or March or
    10:34
    March time frame, I think, or March or April. >> Yeah. So, so I Jack and Tanya started
    10:38
    Yeah. So, so I Jack and Tanya started
    10:38
    Yeah. So, so I Jack and Tanya started down the path um in very in very conventional fashion. I think um as as the company determined the need for Jack and this other role, it's a it's a role that only Jack can fulfill, right? We don't have anyone else that has that combination of talents and skill that can that can do the you know some of the community f facing uh uh stuff that we want him doing. So there were a couple of things were happening. Um they were struggling a little bit with with they were like I don't know was it whitewood 2 or something and >> it might have been white. Yeah.
    11:15
    it might have been white. Yeah.
    11:15
    it might have been white. Yeah. >> Yeah. I don't remember. But but and and
    11:18
    Yeah. I don't remember. But but and and
    11:18
    Yeah. I don't remember. But but and and I think I think the right side you guys were going there was a lot of back and forth on the right side of the game. >> Um and and and time was time was uh was
    11:28
    Um and and and time was time was uh was
    11:28
    Um and and and time was time was uh was uh ticking. And so we became, you know, concerned that hey, you know, time's ticking. Jack's got a a pretty full plate and the marketing guys are throwing stuff at him, you know, with a fire hose and and and so what do we do here? And and you know, I think I think a lot of what I did is refine the architecture. Um, so I took, you know, I mean, you'll recognize a bunch of my signature stuff, but the reality is that it's Jack's layout. Um, I basically, you know, I might have flipped some stuff and switched some things. Um, I took a I took a a pretty heavy hand in some of the ramp designs on the right side um of the game when you see it. Um, but the toy concepts came from Jack and Tano and the layout came from Jack and Tano. It It's interesting. Um, people are saying that Jack had an amazing layout [laughter] and that I I basically uh, you know, chopped it down to my style or whatever. I don't I don't know. I saw something on >> someone tried overlaying like [laughter]
    12:38
    someone tried overlaying like [laughter]
    12:38
    someone tried overlaying like [laughter] some of your old designs on top of this and they're like, "See, George, this is a one to one." >> Yeah. They kept saying Transformers.
    12:44
    Yeah. They kept saying Transformers.
    12:44
    Yeah. They kept saying Transformers. This is just this is just Transformers read. I'm like, >> "No, it's not. It's not." And so,
    12:48
    "No, it's not. It's not." And so,
    12:48
    "No, it's not. It's not." And so, [clears throat] um, >> so what's interesting is is that, um,
    12:52
    so what's interesting is is that, um,
    12:52
    so what's interesting is is that, um, you know, and I, [laughter] Jack, I'll tell you, the layout is was it was a fan, >> um, it was a fan style layout with with
    13:01
    um, it was a fan style layout with with
    13:01
    um, it was a fan style layout with with a, you know, with with, you know, the the battle arena was always in the center. Uh, I mean, I the stuff I did to it did not change the um conceptual direction of the game at all. And uh I I also think it's I mean I think it's it it does um it has a bunch of signature stuff which Jack chose to do. I had nothing to I didn't tell him you know uh put the put the sneaky you know put the Psyduck sneak in on the [laughter] on the left side which is going to fire the ball across the playfield like the Bond scoop. I didn't say anything like that. I just like I didn't you know >> what what's cool what's cool is a I
    13:45
    what what's cool what's cool is a I
    13:45
    what what's cool what's cool is a I forget who posted it but there was a Reddit post where someone took a screenshot of the leak and they were dissecting every area of it to show like where I might have pulled inspiration from for this like layout and while it is a fan they they were dead on. And it's like a lot of the things that I was inspired by with like, you know, Game Show and Junkyard and Judge Dread and Elvar's House of Horror. Like all of that stuff is sort of like, you know, callbacks to a lot of that cool stuff. And it just happened to create a layout that looked like something George [laughter] would have done. It was awesome. >> The you know, you when you see the the
    14:25
    The you know, you when you see the the
    14:25
    The you know, you when you see the the the right side ramps, the combination of the back that out that outside back shot. I mean, I did that on NBA Fast Break, right? The the outer orbit going up the ramp and coming around. Um, and that, you know, I like the steel ramps and so I created that that entire array on the right side. Um, originally Jack had the he had the captive balls to the right of the ramp. >> Yeah.
    14:52
    Yeah.
    14:52
    Yeah. >> And going underneath the ramp and I and
    14:54
    And going underneath the ramp and I and
    14:54
    And going underneath the ramp and I and the one thing I didn't like is that it so much of it was hidden. So, I sort of I I swapped them. Um, the other the other uh issue was that right orbit was super tight and and so I I did some, you know, I did some gymnastics to get that to work better. Um, and I'm actually super happy with the way the thing shoots. >> Yeah, the geometry turned out fantastic.
    15:21
    Yeah, the geometry turned out fantastic.
    15:21
    Yeah, the geometry turned out fantastic. I was like >> tweaking is like tweaking is like 70% of
    15:25
    tweaking is like tweaking is like 70% of
    15:26
    tweaking is like tweaking is like 70% of making >> we you know we had a we had an issue
    15:28
    we you know we had a we had an issue
    15:28
    we you know we had a we had an issue with that center shot. The center shot was like you know was was not working. >> We we got that working and then I think
    15:36
    We we got that working and then I think
    15:36
    We we got that working and then I think you had a single lane into the pops. >> I added a second lane and I I I spent a
    15:43
    I added a second lane and I I I spent a
    15:43
    I added a second lane and I I I spent a lot of time with one of the engineers um Mason Douly. I we turned that whole area into Swiss cheese trying to get the pop bumpers to work and we did. We got it. Um the other thing the the other big architectural change that I made was I killed your rollover buttons. >> Yeah. So the rollover buttons that are
    16:02
    Yeah. So the rollover buttons that are
    16:02
    Yeah. So the rollover buttons that are on Walking Dead, we we were I don't know how to say this. We were allowed to move forward with like experimenting with those because we wanted them on Pokemon, but they're like, "Oh, we could also use these on Walking Dead." And so Walking Dead got in front of us and they got to use it. And then when we tried to put it on our game, all of them were like in sort of like a power stroke and it was messing up all the shots. >> Jack, your your your initial intent was
    16:30
    Jack, your your your initial intent was
    16:30
    Jack, your your your initial intent was that people were just going to randomly roll over them or something, >> right?
    16:34
    right?
    16:34
    right? >> You guys had Tanya, you guys had talked
    16:36
    You guys had Tanya, you guys had talked
    16:36
    You guys had Tanya, you guys had talked about there was some rule tied to that, right? >> Kind of kind of similar to like World
    16:39
    Kind of kind of similar to like World
    16:39
    Kind of kind of similar to like World Cup soccer. >> Exactly. Okay. Yeah. 100%. Yep. Like the
    16:43
    Exactly. Okay. Yeah. 100%. Yep. Like the
    16:43
    Exactly. Okay. Yeah. 100%. Yep. Like the thing like Digletts popping up or who knows what. Like we had a couple of ideas. >> I was sort of imagining older school
    16:48
    I was sort of imagining older school
    16:48
    I was sort of imagining older school like Xenon has those little rollers over the top like >> the little buttons
    16:52
    the little buttons
    16:52
    the little buttons >> or like rollover array that are in like
    16:54
    or like rollover array that are in like
    16:54
    or like rollover array that are in like tic-tac-toe type games, but with the power it's like a whole different thing, you know, from mechanical. It's like zap and bow ping, you know. >> Yeah, it was they were they were killing
    17:05
    Yeah, it was they were they were killing
    17:05
    Yeah, it was they were they were killing every shot. So I was just like, okay, they I mean the they were lofting the ball. they were creating wild, you know, wild reactions and said, and I tried everything [laughter] and and then I one day I went to see Jack and I said, "Guess what? I'm killing these roles." [laughter] >> It's funny because like looking like I
    17:25
    It's funny because like looking like I
    17:25
    It's funny because like looking like I love to pull inspiration from older games. Um, but sometimes when you try to take that stuff and you bring it to a more modern powered game, some of that stuff just doesn't work because our flippers now compared to what like Bali and Williams were using, like we have like rocket ships, man. These things are like cruising the ball. So the tiniest little bumps that they're hitting instead of just casually rolling over it, now they're just like shooting to the moon. >> Yeah, for sure.
    17:52
    Yeah, for sure.
    17:52
    Yeah, for sure. >> Yeah. And one I mean to the advantage of
    17:54
    Yeah. And one I mean to the advantage of
    17:54
    Yeah. And one I mean to the advantage of this game that all turns into like really awesome combo systems and like the game's got really cool flow and then the area right in the middle the arena area where the meow balloon comes down. The geometry is really cool like it it bounces around in there on the premium melee we have a magnet so you get even more random bouncing but you've got some really cool ricochets like you shoot up there and it hit one side of the target go right across and hit the other side and come down. Um and it usually is a pretty nice feed. >> Heck yeah. And I left the pop bumper
    18:22
    Heck yeah. And I left the pop bumper
    18:22
    Heck yeah. And I left the pop bumper exposed up there, too. So there's even more like weirdness. Even if like on the Pro, you don't have the magnet to generate more chaos, that pop bumper still exposed in there. So you're still getting all sorts of like wild interactions. >> The um the other thing is the Meowth
    18:37
    The um the other thing is the Meowth
    18:37
    The um the other thing is the Meowth Balloon. While the, you know, Jack may have been looking at at Junkyard, the reality is that the functionality of it um came from the Batman crane. So there's a spring in there inside a Meowth and when you hit the underside of the balloon, you know, he he can react in all these different ways. The mechanical engineers, uh, Tom Malcolm did an amazing job of absolutely >> that thing senses motion in every
    19:05
    that thing senses motion in every
    19:06
    that thing senses motion in every direction with a single sensor. And um, really super clever. It's a and and it was all done with the arrangement of the geometry. And there's a the spring in there. Actually, what's interesting about it is that when you when you hit it, it has that Batman crane thing where it'll fire the ball back at you. So there's, you know, you it it absorbs some energy and it puts some back. Um, and so it it feels great. Um, and plus, you know, these guys have got me chattering, chattering away. So, um, yeah, that's a lot of fun. So, um, Tanyo, you've made a bunch of like all your codes are great. I don't I don't look at a single one of the games that you've touched and it's like like uh I don't like playing that game. Like every game I walk up to, it's it's it's amazing. I've got to ask, have you used any rules from those previous games or been inspired by them to for Pokemon? >> Yeah, I often I mean I take inspiration
    20:06
    Yeah, I often I mean I take inspiration
    20:06
    Yeah, I often I mean I take inspiration from I mean probably both um both Deadpool and Foo Fighters. I generally start with monster bash rules like and and everything goes from there. So I I'm more of a I like simple stuff. So personally like the structure especially for this game to be accessible like the that golden era of Medieval Madness, Monster Bash and Attack from Mars is definitely what we all agreed was was the way to go. Um, so each each of the four shots for your team members has, you know, you shoot it twice, it lights mode, you shoot it again and it starts it. And then and same thing. It's very simple kind of stuff that's very accessible for someone who has no idea what they're doing. But then on top of that, we we um we've added some combo systems and and some of that took inspiration both from like the from Deadpool, the weapons and Deadpool leading up to a big uh mech suit multiball. We're not going to be mechs in this game, but we but the combo system, the Pokeball combo will you collect Pokeballs and eventually in later code will will lead to some cool stuff. Um, and on top of that, uh, have Josh talk about we have another combo system as well, the EV evolution combos. Yeah, there's like eight secret combos. I mean, I like secret combos in games. It's like, you know, I did all the banana combos and Kongs. So, it's just a it's just a fun little, you know, side quest, if you will, to go for. So, there's eight of them. And um there's some cool stuff that we have planned once you get through all of them, >> which is really cool. That's like really
    21:38
    which is really cool. That's like really
    21:38
    which is really cool. That's like really theme integrated to me. Like those that are not aware of an Eevee, it's it's similar to imagine like a corgi puppy. I think that's the closest you could say, but it can involve like eight different ways. So, that's really cool. thinking of combos because you can definitely combine Eevee into multiple different things. So, love it. >> Yeah. The thing that I learned from Kong
    21:55
    Yeah. The thing that I learned from Kong
    21:55
    Yeah. The thing that I learned from Kong is like when I'm so in general when I'm working on rules of the game, I just like to flip the game and that's where I usually just kind of organically come up with rules and many of the combos I found on Kong I just found from just playing the game like left orbit to the riverot. That's cool. And I felt like the game should acknowledge you for doing something cool like that. So that's kind of how the u the different combinations for the Eevee evolution combos came to be just from playing the game. >> I mean as you you can see here like I I
    22:22
    I mean as you you can see here like I I
    22:22
    I mean as you you can see here like I I rely on often you know other other people for for like the deeper rule sets and things like that. I mean both on Deadpool and uh you know we had Tim and uh and Mike Mikor both contributed quite a lot to the rules and then on Foo Fighters. I mean it was both Jack and me but also Raymond Davidson was quite involved in the in the rules on that. Um, so I I'm sort of like the I I set sort of the vision of like what you know what the overall structure is going to be, but but like then Josh came on and started really fleshing it out into into deep deeper pinball stuff and then Andrew came on even later and started fleshing out we have a separate component that's even more Pokemonish kind of gameplay. So, you know, one thing super high level, we like Jack mentioned in the beginning, one of the things that's really important is it's obvious that this game is going to touch a lot of people that maybe don't know pinball or maybe new to pinball or it's going to attract people that are playing for the first time. So I think we all felt it had to be super approachable and and so the you know the architecture was about making it super approachable and the you know the rules can can give you know the the the more advanced players uh the interest uh beyond you know beyond the the stuff on the playfield. So, um, the other thing that was like really key was the notion of being true to the franchise. And so, for example, 100% of the Pokemon drawings on the game are by the Pokemon Company. So, we didn't illustrate, we didn't interpret. Um, and their attention to detail is beyond anything I've ever encountered with any lensur. So, the line weights, the scale of one Pokemon relative to another when you overlap them, the body positions in the composition, um, not to mention color palettes, not to mention this color next to that color. I mean, the amount of detail that went into this, they were looking at our stuff with a magnifying glass. Um, you know, Jeremy Packer led the art charge and, uh, him and his daughter did the bulk of the art and Haley and they, um, you know, they did an amazing job at compositing material that they could not alter in such a way that it still fits and works into the layout of a pinball machine. Right. So, um, and that was I mean that was an effort that I it's really hard to, uh, explain to you how complicated that is. But the reality is that, you know, when you see it, it's a Pokemon pinball machine and it's it all makes sense. It all looks like it belongs. Um, and but he it was it was torturous work. I say I I got to say it does look like you literally pulled it from the Pokemon universe, which it makes sense if there was that much >> restriction or uh oversight when it came
    25:36
    restriction or uh oversight when it came
    25:36
    restriction or uh oversight when it came to the heart. So, you guys hit it spot on. I I got to say I personally am it it feels >> the artwork for Pokemon feels kind of
    25:44
    the artwork for Pokemon feels kind of
    25:44
    the artwork for Pokemon feels kind of childish, but hey, this is a child's game, right? Like >> Yeah.
    25:47
    Yeah.
    25:47
    Yeah. >> But it very much this looks just like if
    25:50
    But it very much this looks just like if
    25:50
    But it very much this looks just like if you set it up next to any other Pokemon product, I think you guys nailed it right on the head for their franchise. Absolutely. >> I I want to kick it back to Jack for a
    25:58
    I I want to kick it back to Jack for a
    25:58
    I I want to kick it back to Jack for a second. Um, one of the things that convinced me solid of this too, you'd said on stream like Pokemon is the top grossing franchise and you threw out this is like a four or five year old number, 92 billion at the time. Like >> Oh no, it's 288 billion now. Oh my
    26:14
    Oh no, it's 288 billion now. Oh my
    26:14
    Oh no, it's 288 billion now. Oh my goodness. So, I mean, this is insane. >> There's no um there's no franchise even
    26:19
    There's no um there's no franchise even
    26:19
    There's no um there's no franchise even close to it. >> I think I think Potter was 50 billion, I
    26:23
    I think I think Potter was 50 billion, I
    26:24
    I think I think Potter was 50 billion, I think. >> Yeah. Um, I think Seth has a slide in
    26:28
    Yeah. Um, I think Seth has a slide in
    26:28
    Yeah. Um, I think Seth has a slide in the presentation that the dealers and maybe the influencers got that where he added like Star Wars, Marvel, and a bunch of others and the combined addition of all the other big franchises doesn't touch Pokemon. [laughter] >> It's still smaller.
    26:45
    It's still smaller.
    26:45
    It's still smaller. >> So, I got to applaud you guys for
    26:47
    So, I got to applaud you guys for
    26:47
    So, I got to applaud you guys for getting this franchise because this this is an amazing stepping stone for people that are in pinball to bring them in. Um, was there anything specific, Jack, that you wanted that you just like, I it's Pokemon. I've always thought of this ever since I thought Pokemon. >> Um, I wanted it to spit cards out, but
    27:04
    Um, I wanted it to spit cards out, but
    27:04
    Um, I wanted it to spit cards out, but boy, that that's not a thing. [laughter] The And >> you never know, that may still happen,
    27:09
    you never know, that may still happen,
    27:09
    you never know, that may still happen, Jack. the it just from a pure logistics standpoint of um like security like people that fill up those Pokemon vending machines have security guards with them and we don't need pinball operators needing a security detail >> to refill their pinball machines.
    27:29
    to refill their pinball machines.
    27:29
    to refill their pinball machines. >> Yeah. Instead of the coin deposit on the
    27:30
    Yeah. Instead of the coin deposit on the
    27:30
    Yeah. Instead of the coin deposit on the coin door the uh the dollar bill you just shoot out shoot out. Well, that was one of the rumors though, like you have like 100 or 1,000 cuz there's 1,025 Pokemon, your Ellies all be 1,025 and then have a specific card and that addition to that. I was like, that's a lot of it's a lot of work though. But that >> the numbers even even the numbers the
    27:49
    the numbers even even the numbers the
    27:49
    the numbers even even the numbers the the conversation came up because we published the numbers of each Pokemon and so everybody was assuming that the that the Ellies were a a specific Pokemon and >> branded. Yeah.
    28:01
    branded. Yeah.
    28:02
    branded. Yeah. >> Yeah. And the Pokemon Company um warned
    28:04
    Yeah. And the Pokemon Company um warned
    28:04
    Yeah. And the Pokemon Company um warned us not to do that because >> that would be a nightmare,
    28:07
    that would be a nightmare,
    28:07
    that would be a nightmare, >> you know, it it really it creates chaos
    28:10
    you know, it it really it creates chaos
    28:10
    you know, it it really it creates chaos for the ones that people want, right? And so um I think and they've had they've had some extreme cases that they just they just did not want us to do that. >> There's also the case for like, you
    28:22
    There's also the case for like, you
    28:22
    There's also the case for like, you know, we spoke about ideas on like how to do Ellie packages or even blind bags. So when you opened up your Ellie, you don't know which one you got sort of thing. Like very Pokemon card opening. But at the end of the day, if you're spending $13,000 on something, you better freaking know what you're getting. You know, you don't want to you don't want to open this up like >> the conversation did come up, right? And
    28:43
    the conversation did come up, right? And
    28:43
    the conversation did come up, right? And and at one time we were we play we also considered playing up the colors more and um we we considered you know different color LE and um we had all those conversations guys we landed where we landed for a whole host of reasons after really really kind of thinking through it. >> This is such a huge license. How does it
    29:09
    This is such a huge license. How does it
    29:09
    This is such a huge license. How does it how does it come apart getting all of these people together lined up to do a pinball machine? >> It was super hard. [laughter]
    29:17
    It was super hard. [laughter]
    29:17
    It was super hard. [laughter] It was like I just, you know, it was a lot of work. Um I think it was a lot of work. I think these guys um will tell you that we had we had a lot of a lot of it was a roller coaster ride for the development team. I think that, you know, in in um things we, you know, maybe things we we thought we were going to be able to do, things that, you know, um the the franchise is is very um designed and like their strategy is very um cohesive laid out, you know, and so, you know, we fit in a place and and I think the challenge is to execute on this game within the place that you fit. Does that make sense? >> Yes.
    30:12
    Yes.
    30:12
    Yes. >> Yeah. I mean, I'd like to add on to
    30:13
    Yeah. I mean, I'd like to add on to
    30:13
    Yeah. I mean, I'd like to add on to that. I mean, part of a lot of the complexity I mean, we did the development team spent a tremendous amount of time um working with the Pokemon company on this. Um, and they spent um I mean they put a lot of time and effort. they have a very large organization of of people who who handle the licensing and of of every aspect of Pokemon. And so, um, we we sort of pushed them. Well, not sort of, we pushed them there. The the group we started with was was toys and and and merchandise and physical physical stuff. But, um, they had never made a pinball machine before. And pinball machine is a lot more complicated than anything that this particular uh the first, you know, the group that we worked with. Then we ended up they ended up learning a lot um like reaching out to their AV department and to their sound people and and and like all like all the way through the organization um sort of pushing like like how they it was the first time they've done like sound music licensing but I mean they other people in the building have and so they sort of did a lot of cross department talking. >> Nothing nothing they've ever um nothing
    31:20
    Nothing nothing they've ever um nothing
    31:20
    Nothing nothing they've ever um nothing they've ever worked on is as complex as the pinball machine. We may have also like helped Pokemon in a way expand what they're capable of doing in some of these avenues because they they had to branch out so much to like ask permissions for things. And when it came to like permissions, it was like we had to ask our team at Pokemon, they had to ask their team, and then that team had to go to Japan. And it was this like did we make it all the way up? Okay, is it coming back down with a yes? If it was a no, we gota we got to figure this out. So, um, >> exactly. There was there was a form to
    31:53
    exactly. There was there was a form to
    31:54
    exactly. There was there was a form to fill out for if you want Pikachu speaking in the game. It can't come from the TV show and it can't come from Spendalike. You have to have the original voice actor from Japan doing the voiceover. So there's a form that we filled out and like you know we wrote about 80 different lines and they all I mean it all comes out saying saying the words the syllables pika pikachu you know that kind of stuff but each one of them has a different emotional content and it was a form that we submitted and then that went to their group they approved everything they said hey come back and give us some time you know like should this be 3 seconds or two seconds and then that resubmitted then they scheduled the the the recording session and then about a month later we got back this incredible sound package from them. So, think about think about the um the breath of stuff in the pinball machine. So, the sculpts had to be approved by the same people that approved toys, right? And and things like printed materials, two-dimensional printed materials were approved by people that approved those kinds of things. Um and then of course you got the video components and the audio components. They had never ever had to marry all this stuff, right? Um, you know, a toy goes in a box um with some printed material, but it doesn't contain video and you know, it may contain audio, but it it doesn't contain video, right? >> Or live updates for that. [laughter]
    33:16
    Or live updates for that. [laughter]
    33:16
    Or live updates for that. [laughter] >> Right. Right.
    33:17
    Right. Right.
    33:17
    Right. Right. >> Or speech calls from Yel, you know.
    33:19
    Or speech calls from Yel, you know.
    33:19
    Or speech calls from Yel, you know. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, um, one
    33:22
    Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, um, one
    33:22
    Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, um, one thing, uh, Tanya, I think one thing you you should talk about is you and Andrew should talk about like just things like the battles and, you know, just how we had to, you know, some of the things the environments and how we had to handle some of that stuff. Um, just the notion of, you know, uh, discover, train, um, you know, that that whole thing. >> Sure. Sure. So yeah, I mean the there
    33:46
    Sure. Sure. So yeah, I mean the there
    33:46
    Sure. Sure. So yeah, I mean the there I'll start and I'll hand it off to Andrew, but but the um yeah, you'll see there's the discover catch train battle mechanic which is which is a whole other mechanic going on that happens in main play. You explore the playfield. I mean basically you hit switches and you make progress and a Pokemon will spawn every every poke like 182 different Pokemon can spawn in our game >> and more coming.
    34:10
    and more coming.
    34:10
    and more coming. >> And more coming. Yeah. And and there's
    34:11
    And more coming. Yeah. And and there's
    34:11
    And more coming. Yeah. And and there's there's four different areas in our in our game. You'll see a map on the playfield of forest, lake, mountain, and desert. And each one has their own characteristics of who spawns there. And um I I mean I have all the books here, you know, I've got I've got this one and I've got this one. But um what it took uh it took um what it really takes is a real Pokemon master to to really give advice. And that's that's when Andrew came on both both like an awesome player pinball player, but also like a Pokemon card game and video game and and just a Pokemon, you know, dude. So So he helped to a lot going over to you. >> Yeah. Well, I I joined Stern just this
    34:51
    Yeah. Well, I I joined Stern just this
    34:51
    Yeah. Well, I I joined Stern just this past June and I got straight into the Star Wars project, but as soon as I heard that we were tackling Pokemon, I was like, I need to be on this this project. I mean, speaking of dream themes, this is it for me, right? So, it was really exciting to try and merge the intuitive sense that comes to a pinball player with the intuitive sense that comes to a Pokemon, you know, enjoyer, player, consumer, etc. So, trying to merge these two worlds into things that make sense for both worlds was really the challenge. So, with catching, for example, you're just navigating the playfield as you would, like walking through the tall grass or just in Pokémon Go, just kind of exploring new areas. And eventually you get an encounter chance and you decide, well, let me take this on, let me not. So by that we hit the captive ball stack. Once you're there, then you're chasing after this Pokemon and trying to, you know, chase it until you can catch up to it. And you can use berries on the playfield to kind of, you know, from a pinball sense enhance your hurry up, start over your hurry up, but in a Pokemon sense to, you know, try and slow it down so you can catch up to it, right? Um, and eventually it ends at that Pokeball mech. Um, on the premium the LE, of course, we go into the subway. On the Pro, you go up through the ramp and we have an uppost that'll hold it so you can enjoy, you know, this light show. And then again, on the premium LE, the, you know, animations with the Pokeball, um, that, you know, I think a Pokémon fan will really appreciate and kind of, you know, enjoy seeing. Um, and then of course besides catching, there's battling and trying to merge kind of what a Pokemon player would expect with what a pinball player expects, you know, and we can lean a little bit on what people are familiar with in Deadpool, which had its own fighting mechanism, right, or mechanic system. Um, merging those two worlds together with all the typing, which we've kind of simplified to, you know, spare the pinball world from having to learn the massive 18 by8 grid of type matchups. Um, but communicating some of that information to pinball players with faster flashing and slower flashing for typing advantaging and, you know, extra points. Um, but then something that I think a Pokemon player can walk up and kind of intuit it just, oh, green and purple when I'm playing Bulbasaur, that's grass and poison. And like, oh, the guy on the screen is a water type. I'm going to hit the green shots and do extra grass damage, right? you know, that's just out of the box for a Pokemon player, but for a pinball player who's never touched the stuff, they just see a faster flashing and a slower flashing light. So hopefully that gets them through that and they can both, you know, move through this game in the same way, but with a different knowledge base and with a different experience walking up to it. Um, and that's my goal, trying to bring together. >> I think you did a you did a remarkable
    37:37
    I think you did a you did a remarkable
    37:37
    I think you did a you did a remarkable job with the colors on the lighting. >> Totally.
    37:40
    Totally.
    37:40
    Totally. um the the insert lighting colors throughout the game and the integration with the expression lights on the LEDs both in speaker on the both on the speaker panel and on the cabinet lights and all all of this stuff is like really seamlessly put together and um I mean I I I play the colors, right? I was like, "Oh, I know what I'm doing because I'm playing I play the colors and I so I think more so than in anything I've seen recently, even from us, you know, I play the colors." >> Appreciate it. Yeah.
    38:15
    Appreciate it. Yeah.
    38:15
    Appreciate it. Yeah. >> So So Andrew, um, do you get to pick a
    38:18
    So So Andrew, um, do you get to pick a
    38:18
    So So Andrew, um, do you get to pick a Pokemon that you use to battle or is it is it kind of assigned to you? How does that work with the battles? >> So you start the game off and you've got
    38:25
    So you start the game off and you've got
    38:26
    So you start the game off and you've got the four Gen One starter Pokemon out of the box. So, you've got Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charmander, and Pikachu. So, you've really got the tools at your disposal to take on basically anybody um as you kind of move from the forest, which has the bug and the grass types, to the lake, which has a lot of water types featured. So, you have the tools at your disposal from from the start button to really kind of make your way through the Pokemon world. >> Can you evolve them, too?
    38:53
    Can you evolve them, too?
    38:54
    Can you evolve them, too? We're still working with Pokemon to figure out exactly how deep we're going to get into that space. Um, but you know, coming from the Pokemon world with, you know, I mean, I learned how to read playing Pokemon Yellow. So, like I I you know, I wish I could just drag and drop all of that straight from the Pokemon games into it. Um, but like we've discussed before, you know, Pokemon's a really complex license with a lot of stakeholders on their end. So, we're working with them. Yeah. >> One cool thing is you're going to be
    39:24
    One cool thing is you're going to be
    39:24
    One cool thing is you're going to be able to collect them on IC. So, there's going to be a collection. So, as you collect them in the game, they'll show up in the IC app when you're when you're logged in. Taniel, can you show your There it is. There [laughter] it is. >> Pokemon collection. Yeah. So, and
    39:40
    Pokemon collection. Yeah. So, and
    39:40
    Pokemon collection. Yeah. So, and there's like I can uh hit that button just to see just the ones I've collected so far. Oh, >> and then of course when you when you
    39:47
    and then of course when you when you
    39:47
    and then of course when you when you when you click it, you know, he'll zoom into it and then you get and you'll hear you'll you'll read all about him, right? >> Is that a separate app or is that
    39:56
    Is that a separate app or is that
    39:56
    Is that a separate app or is that included in your insider connected? >> That's insider.
    39:57
    That's insider.
    39:57
    That's insider. >> That's insider.
    39:58
    That's insider.
    39:58
    That's insider. >> Yeah, that's insider.
    39:59
    Yeah, that's insider.
    40:00
    Yeah, that's insider. >> That's an insider.
    40:02
    That's an insider.
    40:02
    That's an insider. Yeah, >> sub sub insider.
    40:04
    sub sub insider.
    40:04
    sub sub insider. >> So, with 180 Pokemon,
    40:06
    So, with 180 Pokemon,
    40:06
    So, with 180 Pokemon, >> are you going to be able to be able to
    40:08
    are you going to be able to be able to
    40:08
    are you going to be able to be able to somehow narrow down which ones you want to go after, or is it all random encounter? >> It's it's up to the biomes right now.
    40:14
    It's it's up to the biomes right now.
    40:14
    It's it's up to the biomes right now. Um, but like everything else, the conversation is still developing a bit for us, you know, as we approach 1.0 down the road. Um, you know, we'll be we'll be tidying up that vision, but we've got a lot of different ideas. Um, you know, like from the video games, they have the route system where each different very specific region uh really narrows down that focus. We're exploring a lot of different options. >> Um, because the video games, it's
    40:40
    Um, because the video games, it's
    40:40
    Um, because the video games, it's there's Pokémon Go, there's the card games which come in series, right? there's TCG Pocket and they all have their own way of kind of targeting. And so we're still narrowing in on how do we let a Pokemon player really run through that collection as fast as they, you know, want to besides just enjoying, of course, the random encounters that come up. >> I had a guy, um, you know, I was at
    41:02
    I had a guy, um, you know, I was at
    41:02
    I had a guy, um, you know, I was at pinball at the beach last weekend and I had a guy come up to me and he goes, he goes, "I am going to be able to have my Pokemon collection on IC, right? >> [laughter]
    41:14
    [laughter]
    41:14
    [laughter] >> I was like, I think probably a good, you
    41:17
    I was like, I think probably a good, you
    41:17
    I was like, I think probably a good, you know, probably a good idea. >> Absolutely.
    41:20
    Absolutely.
    41:20
    Absolutely. >> So, so do you do you have to take your
    41:22
    So, so do you do you have to take your
    41:22
    So, so do you do you have to take your machine to different locations to catch different Pokemon? So, like load up the game and drive it around town because >> you need the specific Pokeball off of
    41:30
    you need the specific Pokeball off of
    41:30
    you need the specific Pokeball off of your game, remove it, and throw it at another, you know. Yeah. Uh very early on we had a jail location concept um associated to where your machine was um and we you know it's like we I think I think uh Pokemon Company discouraged us from it. >> Yeah, [laughter]
    41:51
    Yeah, [laughter]
    41:51
    Yeah, [laughter] Jack, I've got to say I I think every game you've put out so far has been amazing. >> It's been great. X-Men's been great.
    42:00
    It's been great. X-Men's been great.
    42:00
    It's been great. X-Men's been great. This looks fantastic. I know like there was a lot of heartbreak when you said you were stepping back. Are we going to be able to see Jack making more cornerstones as we move forward? Maybe when life gets not so chaotic. >> Um, I am in a new role now with
    42:13
    Um, I am in a new role now with
    42:13
    Um, I am in a new role now with marketing, but I'm not saying I'm done with designing, especially from like a marketing standpoint. Um, [snorts] we're trying to develop a game, but in that universe of developing that, we're going to sort of like humanize every single person that is associated with every part of making something there. So, we'll be I'll be bugging George to ask him for some trade secrets on how does he prototype a ramp because he's got this like secret way of like melting plastic together with like super glue and like baking soda. Um or you know to like talking to the different electrical engineers like how would you approach a game like that? So, I want like every single human that would put their hands on a game to uh be highlighted in like a project that we're doing and then at the end if a game shows up it shows up and you get to jam on it. Um, but like I love designing. Um, it's like even when I'm like off duty, I'm here in my studio still bending metal and doing stuff. So, you never know what the future holds. I don't know. >> Well, I was going to say with this
    43:11
    Well, I was going to say with this
    43:11
    Well, I was going to say with this design, I think what you do great with all of your designs is you take really good essence of what people love about certain pinball machines and you're able to meld them together to make a very cohesive, fun playing game. Um, is that just kind of how you started this process as a designer or is it kind of something you learned as you went on? >> Yeah, I I love looking back at things
    43:32
    Yeah, I I love looking back at things
    43:32
    Yeah, I I love looking back at things that I enjoyed from different games and trying to figure out how I can bring that forward, you know, like um laying out a pinball machine. Um, infinite possibilities, so why not choose the things that you loved the most from all those different things to try to like bring them into this, you know, new world that you're trying to develop. And, uh, it's it's worked out so far. So, >> this is a a huge license. Now, you're
    43:58
    this is a a huge license. Now, you're
    43:58
    this is a a huge license. Now, you're going to dip your toe into the water on other licenses that people have been clamoring for for a long time, including a lot of Nintendo licenses. And so is is this possibly something that we can see in the future where you're dipping the toe into the water on these behemoth themes that haven't had a lot of pinball overlap, but there's certainly the desire there. >> You're talking about um like other video
    44:26
    You're talking about um like other video
    44:26
    You're talking about um like other video game IP or something or >> Yeah. And basically everybody like Super
    44:31
    Yeah. And basically everybody like Super
    44:31
    Yeah. And basically everybody like Super Mario Brothers, you know, Zelda, Metro Legend of Zelda, >> all Yeah. All all of these awesome
    44:37
    all Yeah. All all of these awesome
    44:38
    all Yeah. All all of these awesome games. It's not a it's it's it's you know, you're not off the mark. I mean, we we see the same things you see, right? So, we'll see how we do, but I think I think we're and I think there's a lot of I think on the staff there's a lot of people play games, all kinds of games, not just pinball games. So, um, you know, you you never know, but I think it's it's there's obvious there's obvious entertainment stuff in those franchises that um could apply. >> Awesome.
    45:15
    Awesome.
    45:15
    Awesome. >> Anything's possible.
    45:16
    Anything's possible.
    45:16
    Anything's possible. >> Never say never. You You never know.
    45:18
    Never say never. You You never know.
    45:18
    Never say never. You You never know. Okay, Josh, I want to know about your favorite part of this game coming up and what are the things that you're like, "This is awesome. I'm glad we put this in the game." >> I don't know. I mean, the I think really
    45:29
    I don't know. I mean, the I think really
    45:29
    I don't know. I mean, the I think really just the highlight of the project for me was just being able to I I knew the license was huge. I wasn't familiar with it myself. Uh so I just focused on, you know, the basic pinball rules like modes and multiballs because I I felt like this game really should not have any kind of barrier to entry. Like it's everyone should be able to enjoy it regardless of their familiar familiarity with pinball or not or with pinball or not. Uh Pokemon or not, excuse me. Um, but you know, I I think it was I think the highlight of the project was just I think I I really liked the Team Rocket multiball because I mean, we knew right from the beginning like it was this um it's right up the middle. It's one of the first things you notice when you approach the game and it was just, you know, it was important for that multiball to be very approachable for the casual player and the Meow Mech itself is fun. Um, and it's fun to hit that around. So, it was really cool. I think probably to get that in um get that playable. [snorts] >> I if I can piggy back, I you know, I
    46:31
    I if I can piggy back, I you know, I
    46:32
    I if I can piggy back, I you know, I know Junkyard's not everybody's favorite game, but to see the Meowth Balloon from the show merged with such an iconic mech as the Junkyard mech, I thought that was genius. Like, when I saw that the first time, Jack, close your ears. Don't get your Don't let your head get too big. I thought it was great. I saw it and I was like, "This is going to be great. People are going to love this. That Meowth balloon is is killer." And it's it's right where it needs to be for a pinball player who doesn't know pinball or a Pokemon player who doesn't know pinball to just walk up and whack at it, right? And you're going to have a good time. Y's going to pop up, call you a twerp, and then you're going to have a good time. So, I I think >> it's interesting because I, you know,
    47:09
    it's interesting because I, you know,
    47:09
    it's interesting because I, you know, you guys, you guys keep referencing Junkyard, but when I think of Junkyard, I think of the ball hitting those targets, right? >> So, I don't see it the same way.
    47:17
    So, I don't see it the same way.
    47:17
    So, I don't see it the same way. >> Yeah. Dwight doesn't like Dwight Dwight
    47:20
    Yeah. Dwight doesn't like Dwight Dwight
    47:20
    Yeah. Dwight doesn't like Dwight Dwight said to me, he goes, "What are you what are they talking about?" I said, "I don't know either, Dwight." [laughter] >> I guess another another uh close example
    47:29
    I guess another another uh close example
    47:29
    I guess another another uh close example of that layout, but without something dangling in there is fire had the same sort of like triangular area inside of there. >> So, the kinetics of that, you know,
    47:39
    So, the kinetics of that, you know,
    47:39
    So, the kinetics of that, you know, those angles and and it's funny because when I started messing with the playfield, Jack was really scared I was going to break it. I was too. [laughter] >> So these guys are like these are now you
    47:50
    So these guys are like these are now you
    47:50
    So these guys are like these are now you gota you got to understand I've done this so many times that to me this was not a big deal. So I moved the entire right side of the playfield and u and Jack's like is that center section you that's got to you know that's still got to work [laughter] dude relax it's going to work just fine. >> Well I love the movement of the balloon
    48:11
    Well I love the movement of the balloon
    48:11
    Well I love the movement of the balloon because it's not like just back and forth. It's like you're hitting and it's it's it's just chaotic, right? >> Yeah.
    48:16
    Yeah.
    48:16
    Yeah. >> Um, one thing I wanted to point out that
    48:18
    Um, one thing I wanted to point out that
    48:18
    Um, one thing I wanted to point out that Tanya had said is you said that you had to send in like 80 lines for Pikachu. So, those that are familiar with Pokemon, Pokemon only speak in their name, the syllables of their name. >> I thought you just said Pokemon. Like,
    48:31
    I thought you just said Pokemon. Like,
    48:31
    I thought you just said Pokemon. Like, help me out here cuz I don't play Pokemon. >> So, Pikachu says Pika, Pikachu, you
    48:36
    So, Pikachu says Pika, Pikachu, you
    48:36
    So, Pikachu says Pika, Pikachu, you know, Snorlax, Snore, Snorlax, you know. So, how the heck do you come up with 80 lines worth of dialogue when you only have the word Pikachu to work with? >> Well, there's a lot of emotion in the
    48:47
    Well, there's a lot of emotion in the
    48:47
    Well, there's a lot of emotion in the game. [laughter] >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, I mean, it's it was an
    48:51
    Yeah. Yeah. Well, I mean, it's it was an
    48:51
    Yeah. Yeah. Well, I mean, it's it was an interesting exercise. Um, I guess I can tell you the secret, which is I mean, first we identify like how you're you're thinking about how is Pikachu going to react like what events in the game like you did something awesome or the ball drained or you tilted, you know? So, and like what emotion does that? What we ended up doing was writing small English sentences that Pikach, you know, you want to say like, "Hi, I'm Pikachu. I'm really happy to meet you." And then just like, "Here, make that into Pikachu speak." And then the the the voice actress that's been doing this for years just knows how to do that. Like, like express like how do you express this particular utterance by only saying these syllables? Pika chew, right? Or pika pika. Um it it but it worked like we basically put little English sentences together um and and then said and and talked about the emotion that was being or what you're reacting to and then you send it off into the into the the Pikachu cloud and it comes back and it's it's perfect. >> Full Pikachu. Yeah. Even the said like
    49:50
    Full Pikachu. Yeah. Even the said like
    49:50
    Full Pikachu. Yeah. Even the said like she has the best uh contract in the world for any talent because you're not allowed to use pre-recorded clips of her saying Pika for anything. anything that goes into a new product, she has to record fresh new right now. So, she for as long as Pokemon products will come out, she's got paychecks rolling in. >> So, um we did have the Pokemon company
    50:15
    So, um we did have the Pokemon company
    50:15
    So, um we did have the Pokemon company at all the recording sessions to make sure all the pronunciations were correct and and one of the funny things that happened is when Jack and I did the intro video, which you're going to see tomorrow, I don't know if you've seen it. Have you already have you did you guys get a a pre >> Yep. Yeah, we got a preview of it. Yeah.
    50:32
    Yep. Yeah, we got a preview of it. Yeah.
    50:32
    Yep. Yeah, we got a preview of it. Yeah. >> Right. So, in that video um like uh when
    50:36
    Right. So, in that video um like uh when
    50:36
    Right. So, in that video um like uh when they when it went in for marketing approvals, one of the comments was um both George and Jack mispronounced both. >> I'm saying it [laughter] wrong.
    50:46
    I'm saying it [laughter] wrong.
    50:46
    I'm saying it [laughter] wrong. So now now Zack Sharp was um you know like directing the shoot and he had us say he had us both say Pokemon like 10 different ways and and um and it's a good thing he did because he knew that they might they might have something to say with the pronunciation. So, the final video that you'll see tomorrow that the world will see tomorrow has the correct [laughter] uh dubbed in Pokemon. >> Okay. What is the correct way of
    51:19
    Okay. What is the correct way of
    51:19
    Okay. What is the correct way of pronouncing it now? I I Okay, go. >> I So, it's it's [laughter] hard. I mean,
    51:24
    I So, it's it's [laughter] hard. I mean,
    51:24
    I So, it's it's [laughter] hard. I mean, it's like we say Pokemon, but the that somebody apparently we I don't know whether we did one of us say Pokemon or I don't know what we said. It's like you've been you've been saying it a certain way for 30 years. Like how do you train your brain not to say that? >> The main Yeah, it's Pokemon, right?
    51:43
    The main Yeah, it's Pokemon, right?
    51:44
    The main Yeah, it's Pokemon, right? >> Pokemon.
    51:44
    Pokemon.
    51:44
    Pokemon. >> Wow. It's Pokemon.
    51:47
    Wow. It's Pokemon.
    51:47
    Wow. It's Pokemon. >> Yeah. Yeah. I used to say it the wrong
    51:48
    Yeah. Yeah. I used to say it the wrong
    51:48
    Yeah. Yeah. I used to say it the wrong way. Well, the way I used to say it was Pokemon. >> That That's how I
    51:52
    That That's how I
    51:52
    That That's how I >> Yeah. And I probably said Pokemon.
    51:53
    Yeah. And I probably said Pokemon.
    51:53
    Yeah. And I probably said Pokemon. [laughter] >> The plural the plural Pokemon is not
    51:57
    The plural the plural Pokemon is not
    51:57
    The plural the plural Pokemon is not Pokemon. >> It's not that. Yeah, we definitely
    51:59
    It's not that. Yeah, we definitely
    51:59
    It's not that. Yeah, we definitely don't. We don't make that mistake. But of course you have >> there are there are
    52:05
    there are there are
    52:05
    there are there are >> this the the old CFO Michael Donald
    52:08
    this the the old CFO Michael Donald
    52:08
    this the the old CFO Michael Donald [laughter] like we make fun of him because he says Pokemon. >> Yeah.
    52:13
    Yeah.
    52:13
    Yeah. Wait, what is there a plural of Pokemon? Is it Pokemons or >> Pokemon?
    52:18
    Pokemon?
    52:18
    Pokemon? >> Pokemon.
    52:18
    Pokemon.
    52:18
    Pokemon. >> Yeah, it is. It actually translates from
    52:21
    Yeah, it is. It actually translates from
    52:21
    Yeah, it is. It actually translates from Japanese pocket monster. >> So there you go.
    52:23
    So there you go.
    52:24
    So there you go. >> That's what Pokemon means. Yep.
    52:25
    That's what Pokemon means. Yep.
    52:25
    That's what Pokemon means. Yep. Interesting. Um, so you have voice actors from Pikachu and from Giovani, but you have spoke about Meowith and some of the other characters. So Giovani's off obviously custom language is like Jesse and James in it, but it's it's speech from the animated series. Where else do we >> are not in it? But yeah, we have we have
    52:44
    are not in it? But yeah, we have we have
    52:44
    are not in it? But yeah, we have we have Meowth and Giovani and Giovani. Meowth was was all um so sadly the the voice actor who did Meowth in the show passed away just in the last year. Um, so all the voice that's in the game is is is from the TV show uh that we've we've harvested from like episodes from seasons 10 through 25. Um, but there's there's a ton every episode he talks and he's he's funny and he's um but then for Giovani we we have the we we wrote custom speech for Giovani who's the um and the voice actor was the original was Giovani from the TV show and from the movies. Um, we also have the announcer. He the same voice actor is doing the announcer voice for the battle. When you go into a battle, you hear the announcer voice. Um, and he he's done announcer voices in the TV show and also some of the video games. Um, uh, we have the narrator. Um, the narrator introduces everything for you and and um, he's he was the original voice actor from the TV show. He was on the show for about 12 to 14 years, >> something like that. Um, so and then we
    53:45
    something like that. Um, so and then we
    53:45
    something like that. Um, so and then we have and then the Pokedex also has a voice. The Pokedex is is, you know, whenever you learning about Pokemon, the Pokédex speaks and when and also gives you instructions and prompts on what to do in pinball as well. >> So, who's the voice of the Pokedex?
    53:57
    So, who's the voice of the Pokedex?
    53:58
    So, who's the voice of the Pokedex? Because because it's obviously a stern Pokedex. Did you get to pick your own voice? >> Yeah, we we did. Yes, we it's one of our
    54:04
    Yeah, we we did. Yes, we it's one of our
    54:04
    Yeah, we we did. Yes, we it's one of our um I wish I can't Jerry will be Jerry Thompson who's our sound guy. Yes. >> Founder.
    54:10
    Founder.
    54:10
    Founder. >> It's not him.
    54:10
    It's not him.
    54:10
    It's not him. >> Yeah.
    54:11
    Yeah.
    54:11
    Yeah. >> Yeah. It's not him. Yeah. but [laughter]
    54:12
    Yeah. It's not him. Yeah. but [laughter]
    54:12
    Yeah. It's not him. Yeah. but [laughter] he found her and she's she's great and I apologize to her right now that I don't remember what her name is. We we actually went through we had about four different Pokedex uh speaker auditions and we we we picked a couple and then we submitted to them and we we narrowed down on the perfect one for this game. >> Jack's not yelling flippers and butts
    54:32
    Jack's not yelling flippers and butts
    54:32
    Jack's not yelling flippers and butts babies this time. >> It wasn't that would be interesting. It
    54:36
    It wasn't that would be interesting. It
    54:36
    It wasn't that would be interesting. It wasn't me. [laughter] >> Okay.
    54:39
    Okay.
    54:39
    Okay. >> The battles as like a big call out.
    54:41
    The battles as like a big call out.
    54:41
    The battles as like a big call out. >> [laughter]
    54:42
    [laughter]
    54:42
    [laughter] >> Okay, we we did talk to Josh about this,
    54:44
    Okay, we we did talk to Josh about this,
    54:44
    Okay, we we did talk to Josh about this, but I actually want to get uh you know, George, Daniel, Andrew, and Jack. So, I walk up to the game. My first time, I'm looking at it, and what's the one thing that you're going to tell me about the game? You're like, "Do this. It's really cool. >> Work the middle. Work work that triangle
    55:01
    Work the middle. Work work that triangle
    55:01
    Work the middle. Work work that triangle up. Uh, you know, work that the diamond at the top. Um, that'll get Meowth down. Um, bang Meowth. uh you know, bang on me and then make that center shot and you're into Team Rocket multiball almost right away. Um so, uh lots of chaos. The the the beauty of that multiball is it actually really shows off the ramp system and I'm really proud of the ramp system. I think that that all of that all those combinations, you know, um it really work really well. And so I think if you work the middle, when you get that multiball, the jackpots are out throughout. So that'll force you to shoot around the playfield. And I think it's a it's a quick fun chaos moment and um with a lot of energy. >> I I'll tell you, go catch a Pokemon and
    55:59
    I I'll tell you, go catch a Pokemon and
    55:59
    I I'll tell you, go catch a Pokemon and then and then go do a co Pokemon battle. It's It's a little more advanced, but but um but you want to but the more Pokemon you catch and the more battling, the more you'll you'll uh you'll score points there. Actually, there's lots of ways to score points, but like going up the middle and doing Meowth is is awesome, but you can also explore each one of the different features like the the Squirtle Squirtle Squad mode if you go up the Squirtle ramp or the Charmander Bulbasaur. But but um the more subtle thing just happening in main play is you just go hit some pop bumpers and switches and eventually a Pokemon pops up. You hit the Pokedex to scan them and then you chase them and then you go and you catch them and then once you you've done just one you can do you can go into the town scoop on the right to start a battle. It's um the other thing is listen listen if it's really great to be able to play the game where it's not a big noisy environment because we're we're putting a lot of instructional speech in it. So hopefully just you just go up and play the game and you'll start learning the, you know, all the different things you can do. >> Yeah, I'll go for more of a deep cut.
    56:57
    Yeah, I'll go for more of a deep cut.
    56:57
    Yeah, I'll go for more of a deep cut. I'm on my game specifically, and I haven't done this on the other ones yet. When I shoot up into the middle area, I can actually bounce it all the way around the battle arena and hit the sneakin on purpose. >> Really?
    57:09
    Really?
    57:09
    Really? >> Well, if you if anyone else can dial
    57:11
    Well, if you if anyone else can dial
    57:11
    Well, if you if anyone else can dial that shot in, you can go off those, off those, off the 10point, and then go flying into the sneak in. I'm wondering if anyone else can pull that one off. >> That was intentional. That was designed
    57:21
    That was intentional. That was designed
    57:21
    That was intentional. That was designed like that. >> Okay. [laughter] I didn't mean to steal
    57:23
    Okay. [laughter] I didn't mean to steal
    57:23
    Okay. [laughter] I didn't mean to steal your thunder then, Jack. Uh triple captain ball stack. That's [laughter]
    57:34
    you know I just a small aside. So there
    57:34
    you know I just a small aside. So there were there's probably uh there's been about besides the games in the programmer's offices, there's probably been like three games floating around the studio. And um and and the games are in this room we call the test room where the testers hang out. And um every time I walk past that room, there is someone playing the games. And I mean, and I'm not kidding. And to the point where to work on the game, I've had to kick people off the game. Now, that more than anything tells you that the game is something special because a lot of times you're actually having to like create like playlists and say, "Okay, everybody, you're playing at 10, you're playing at 11. I don't think you had to do that with this game." And people just like gravitated on the game. >> Yeah. I love seeing the the things move,
    58:34
    Yeah. I love seeing the the things move,
    58:34
    Yeah. I love seeing the the things move, right? So shooting up the middle, getting all those cool ricochets. When that magnet takes over in that battle arena and it starts generating that chaos, every once in a while it'll surprise you by like throwing it up into the the shot straight up the middle. Um, when the Meowth balloon comes down and you're bashing that, as George was saying, like that spring action, it sort of fights back a little bit and every once in a while also you'll like get a weird sneak in in the back. It's just like a a really fun area to battle in. But I mean, if I had to pick something else that we haven't talked about, you know, we got a bowl on this game and uh the when you shoot the left ramp once it's lit and it diverts into the bowl above the left flipper. Um bowls are interesting because if your tilt isn't set tight, you could sit there and probably keep that thing in there forever. Uh but we've gone to great lengths to make sure that that is not the case. But it's fun to like shoot that on repeat and try to see how many revolutions you can get to just really start racking up points on those uh Squirtle Squad modes there. >> Yeah, that Squirtle Bowl was a um was a
    59:37
    Yeah, that Squirtle Bowl was a um was a
    59:37
    Yeah, that Squirtle Bowl was a um was a bit of a pain because uh the initial design kept the ball in there for six years. >> And so we had to like [laughter]
    59:48
    And so we had to like [laughter]
    59:48
    And so we had to like [laughter] and I've seen this over the years. I've seen every time somebody's tried a bowl, it's it's it's feast or famine. >> Some some of them you can't get them to
    59:57
    Some some of them you can't get them to
    59:57
    Some some of them you can't get them to work right and other times they work too good. And this this one happened to work too good so >> too well. And um and Mason Douly did uh
    60:07
    too well. And um and Mason Douly did uh
    60:07
    too well. And um and Mason Douly did uh a lot of work to get um Mason Mason and and Mason Douly and Thomas Malcolm were the two mechanical engineers on the game and they did amazing remarkable work. Um, uh, you know, I talked about the, um, the Meowmech and, um, you know, Mason Chased a lot of details on things like that that the Squirtle Bowl and, um, you know, that ramp system on the left side. >> Yep. That's one that I actually had I
    60:40
    Yep. That's one that I actually had I
    60:40
    Yep. That's one that I actually had I didn't touch that rat that that left ramp that was all Thomas and and Jack and um and that works that works great too. >> Yep. Yep. It's a fun ramp and like the
    60:52
    Yep. Yep. It's a fun ramp and like the
    60:52
    Yep. Yep. It's a fun ramp and like the the catching mechanism on that ramp as far as like the the Pokeball will like rock back and forth when you're ready to catch and you shoot it and the ball just disappears. Objectively, you just put the ball inside the Pokeball. You don't know. it just vanished. But then it plays it animation kicks out of the the side there. Um yeah, there's a lot of cool little fun things hidden all over this game that um I think people are going to appreciate. >> I'm I'm a home buyer. I'm looking at
    61:22
    I'm I'm a home buyer. I'm looking at
    61:22
    I'm I'm a home buyer. I'm looking at buying different games. Tell me about the different upgrades that I get by getting the the premium and and the LE and the the things that would enhance the entire game experience for me. So my I mean my feeling is if you can get an LE there's 750 of them and by the way this is the 30th anniversary year of the franchise and we are not doing a 30th anniversary game. >> This is the 30th
    61:48
    This is the 30th
    61:48
    This is the 30th >> this is the 30th anniversary game. Um
    61:52
    this is the 30th anniversary game. Um
    61:52
    this is the 30th anniversary game. Um and and and you know a a small aside about that is that all the places that that Pokemon is doing all kinds of things in all kinds of places to celebrate the franchise on this year and and you'll see the pinball machine in a lot of places. Um because you know it's it's just going to fit in. But I think if you can afford the if you can afford one and you can get one the Ali is a stunner. I mean, it's just a beautiful, beautiful game. Um, especially, you know, the mirror came out great. The, um, the side armor. Um, by the way, the, you know, the the armor system now is modular, so you can buy just the inside lights. You can buy the inside and the outside lights. You can buy just the armor with no lights. Um, so it's it that's intended to make it affordable and um and also let you sort of customize your game however you want and that's going to be the same for the you know that's that fits the pros and the premiums. But I would say if cost is no object and you can actually get one cuz like I said there's only 750 of them get the LE. if you can't the the the magnet which is missing from the pro and the sneak in um and the lock on the left ramp um that underneath the Pokeball which makes the makes the pinball disappears >> um I think it's worth it. Um that said,
    63:24
    um I think it's worth it. Um that said,
    63:24
    um I think it's worth it. Um that said, I think those pros, you know, they're going to kill on location. Uh, you get all the all the flow, you get um, you know, you get Meowth, you get um, you know, you get basically a lot of the game with the Pro. So, it's a super high value pro. You look inside and it's got a Pokeball, it's got Meowth, um, and it's got Pikachu. Pikachu doesn't, you know, his head doesn't track the action and stuff like that, but on the Pro. foot. So, I mean, those are the differences. I'd say I'm I'm a big fan of premiums. So, >> I would say the same thing that the what
    64:05
    I would say the same thing that the what
    64:05
    I would say the same thing that the what the premium has is magic. Like, it's got hidden magic like the magnet. It has the ball that disappears underneath the Pokeball and then also has and it has the Pokeball animating. It has Pikachu animating. Um, those are especially the and the magnet is just is it's a lot of fun. Um, it just the magnet >> of their level of of interaction.
    64:26
    of their level of of interaction.
    64:26
    of their level of of interaction. >> What what you can't tell until you play
    64:28
    What what you can't tell until you play
    64:28
    What what you can't tell until you play it is that the combination of the magnet, the target array, Meowth, and the exposed pop bumper creates all kinds of really cool stuff up there. >> Yeah, definitely. Well, it's we've taken
    64:44
    Yeah, definitely. Well, it's we've taken
    64:44
    Yeah, definitely. Well, it's we've taken plenty of your time. Thank you so much for you guys coming on. I just I really appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to talk about this amazing franchise, this amazing pinball machine. And and George, I know we're the day before, but I heard these are already all sold out for the Ellies. So, >> if you're listening to this, good luck.
    65:01
    if you're listening to this, good luck.
    65:01
    if you're listening to this, good luck. I don't know what else to tell you. Like, it's >> I did I heard the same thing. [laughter]
    65:06
    I did I heard the same thing. [laughter]
    65:06
    I did I heard the same thing. [laughter] >> I heard the same thing, man. And I kept
    65:08
    I heard the same thing, man. And I kept
    65:08
    I heard the same thing, man. And I kept telling Seth, I was like, "Maybe that 1025 wasn't such a bad idea." [laughter] >> I don't think it was.
    65:15
    I don't think it was.
    65:15
    I don't think it was. Oh my goodness. Um, but no, thank you again for coming on. Uh, if there there's five of you if you want to get a hold of them. I'm just going to say reach out to Stern. I don't I'm not going to have you all throw your deets on here. Um, >> I'm good. Everybody play Pokemon
    65:29
    I'm good. Everybody play Pokemon
    65:29
    I'm good. Everybody play Pokemon Pinball. I'm sorry. >> Well, go ahead.
    65:32
    Well, go ahead.
    65:32
    Well, go ahead. >> Uh, Pokemon by Stern Pinball.
    65:34
    Uh, Pokemon by Stern Pinball.
    65:34
    Uh, Pokemon by Stern Pinball. >> Yeah, Pokemon by [laughter]
    65:38
    Yeah, Pokemon by [laughter]
    65:38
    Yeah, Pokemon by [laughter] >> If you want to get a hold of us, we are
    65:39
    If you want to get a hold of us, we are
    65:39
    If you want to get a hold of us, we are loser kid pinball podcast@gmail.com loserkid pinball on all the socials. Seriously, this game is amazing. If you want to get one, call flipping out. And if you want some of our swag, silverballsswag.com/loserkid. [music] Scott, give us our last words. You want to unmute your mic. [laughter] Oh my gosh, I'm the worst. Okay. All right, we'll try it again. Go ahead, John. >> Scott, give us our last words.
    66:03
    Scott, give us our last words.
    66:03
    Scott, give us our last words. >> You got to catch them all.