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SDTM hosts rank pinball machines across multiple matchups in listener-submitted 'This or That' comparisons.
Monster Bash remake is coming and they played it under NDA
high confidence · Zach mentions they got an NDA and people reached out to let them know what Monster Bash remake is, implying official knowledge of an unreleased title
Jeremy Packer (Zombie Yeti) rejected Zach's Facebook friend request after Zach criticized Deadpool art as 'cluttered and red'
high confidence · Zach directly states this occurred and references trying to apologize via Facebook
Indiana Jones by Williams is 'as a whole the greatest pinball machine ever developed'
high confidence · Zach explicitly states this as his opinion during the Indiana Jones vs. Star Wars (Premium) comparison
Deadpool premium will cost significantly more than older games like Last Action Hero and Jurassic Park, roughly 2x the price
medium confidence · Thomas Dowse submitted a scenario where Greg estimates price difference would allow buyers to pick up about two of the older games for the price of one Deadpool
Color DMD has a bigger visual impact than Pin Stadium Lights but Pin Stadium Lights is more universally applicable across all machines
high confidence · Both hosts debate the merits; Greg concludes Pin Stadium Lights applies to more machines while Color DMD is only needed for DMD-equipped games
“I like the uncleanness of Iron Maiden... I like the way that he designed and laid out Maiden... I like the cohesiveness and the beauty of the pin itself... more than Deadpool”
Greg @ ~13:45 — Core aesthetic preference between two modern Stern titles; shows design philosophy emphasis on layout harmony
“Indiana Jones by Williams is as a whole the greatest pinball machine ever developed”
Zach @ ~27:00 — Strong declaration about classic pinball; places Indiana Jones at the top tier despite Star Wars also being excellent
“I'm missing my Houdini... I'd like to get one back... I want that back”
Greg @ ~38:00 — Nostalgia and regret about trading away Houdini; indicates deep emotional connection to specific machines
“Pin Stadium Lights because you know what you can put on a whirlwind not a colored DMD... pin stadium lights literally goes on everything”
Zach @ ~67:30 — Practical argument for universality of Pin Stadium Lights over Color DMD; addresses backward compatibility
“I'm not gonna sit here and say pin stadium lights just cuz they're a frickin sponsor... I just gave them all”
Greg @ ~69:00 — Explicit statement about editorial independence despite sponsorship relationship
“This or that is what do you want to play right now... for me Iron Maiden”
Zach @ ~47:00 — Clarifies the format is about current play preference, not all-time rankings; explains rating inconsistencies
“Houdini is easily the best pin [of the three]... but it's more frustrating than Iron Man”
Zach @ ~36:00 — Acknowledges frustration factor can outweigh overall game quality in practical ownership decisions
“I think Iron Maiden is a better pinball machine... I hate the theme... but overall I think it is a better pin”
Zach @ ~49:00 — Shows ability to separate personal theme preference from objective game design quality assessment
machine_intel: Hosts mention Monster Bash LE remake was played under NDA and they have insider knowledge of what it is
high · Zach states 'they did the whole little NDA thing playing people reached out to us and let us know what it was all right'
community_signal: Artist Jeremy Packer rejected Zach's Facebook friend request following public criticism of Deadpool artwork
high · Zach: 'I tried to friend him on Facebook to apologize and he will not accept my friend request... it's gonna hurt my feelings'
gameplay_signal: Houdini noted as frustrating to play despite being overall excellent machine; frustration factor influences ownership decisions
high · Greg: 'Houdini might be a better all-around pin but it's it's front more frustrating than Iron Man'
market_signal: Deadpool premium priced roughly 2x higher than older licensed games like Last Action Hero and Jurassic Park
medium · Greg estimates 'you're only gonna probably pick up about two of those pins for the price of that Deadpool'
collector_signal: Community consensus on ideal collection size is 3-7 machines with 5 being optimal; odd numbers preferred
medium · Hosts discuss fielded responses showing 'three minimum' with 'five ish kind of being at a perfect collection'
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“Pirates because it gives you the most toys... it shoots like a dream”
Zach @ ~10:30 — Early round decision emphasizing Pirates of the Caribbean's mechanical depth and shot quality
“Color DMD is needed on every single other DMD... pin stadium lights is not needed on every pinball machine”
Greg @ ~64:00 — Key distinction between targeted upgrade (Color DMD) and universal upgrade (Pin Stadium Lights)
product_concern: Spider-Man Vault reportedly gets old fast according to multiple player sources consulted by hosts
medium · Zach: 'every single person I've talked to says that it just gets old real fast'
gameplay_signal: Indiana Jones wizard mode completion didn't diminish game enjoyment for Zach, unlike most other games
high · Zach: 'it's one of the very few of the games that I've gotten to the wizard on that it has not killed it for me'
design_philosophy: Hosts distinguish between aesthetic preferences (theme/art) and mechanical quality; can separately rank each dimension
high · Zach on Iron Maiden: 'I hate the theme... but overall I think it is a better pin' and on Wizard of Oz: 'if you care about looks... Wizard of Oz by far... Iron Maiden is a better pinball machine'
technology_signal: Pin Stadium Lights have broader applicability across all pinball machines vs. Color DMD limited to DMD-equipped games
high · Zach: 'you can put on a whirlwind not a colored DMD... pin stadium lights literally goes on everything'
content_signal: Episode 72 'This or That' format continues to engage listeners through submitted game comparison challenges
high · Multiple named listener submissions (Chris Woodard, Eric C, Colin Urban, Daniel Donnell, Jeremy Tommy) structured as comparative decision scenarios
sentiment_shift: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles remains unpopular among hosts and community despite theme appeal; one owner kept it only 15 minutes
high · DSN18 scenario: listener owned it 15 minutes before selling; Greg: 'I want it to be good... but I can't get into it... it sucks'
industry_signal: Hosts explicitly assert independence from sponsor influence in product recommendations (Pin Stadium Lights)
high · Greg: 'I'm not gonna sit here and say pin stadium lights just cuz they're a frickin sponsor'