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Guns N Roses Pinball Machine Review (Jersey Jack Pinball, 2020) (SDTM)

Straight Down the Middle·video·48m 28s·analyzed·Apr 15, 2022
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Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.028

TL;DR

SDTM reviews GNR LE by Jersey Jack, praising innovation but critiquing shot variety and mid-playfield design.

Summary

Greg and Zach from Straight Down the Middle review Guns N' Roses N' Roses (2020), designed by Eric Meunier with code by Keith P. Johnson. The video provides detailed playfield breakdown, discusses artwork by Dayne Henry Jr. across three editions (Standard/LE/Collector's), and offers critical assessment of shots, layout, rules, and code. The hosts give overall positive marks while critiquing specific design choices and comparing the game favorably to Pirates of the Caribbean in certain respects.

Key Claims

  • Guns N' Roses is the first Jersey Jack game to have a distinctly different feature between Standard and LE/CE editions: the coma ball lock with physical ball save in the infirmary.

    high confidence · Greg, playfield breakdown section describing exclusive CE feature

  • The game uses light-based optos under plunge inserts (new technology for Jersey Jack) rather than magnet-based sensors.

    high confidence · Greg describing plunge mechanics and opto technology

  • The translucent pick-shaped spinners with RGB lighting inside are a unique visual and mechanical feature of this game.

    high confidence · Greg describing spinner shots and visual effects

  • Eric Meunier design philosophy involves packing the apex of ramps with features, which sometimes makes them feel less satisfying despite complexity.

    medium confidence · Zach's critique of ramp design comparing to Pirates of the Caribbean

  • The artwork package differs significantly across Standard (caricatures), LE (concert poster style), and CE (monster-themed album art) editions.

    high confidence · Both hosts discussing cabinet art across three editions

  • Keith P. Johnson's code execution on GNR handles multiball integration better than on Pirates of the Caribbean.

    medium confidence · Zach comparing code quality between the two Eric Meunier games

  • The center playfield map takes up significant space but serves as visual rest from the detailed artwork elsewhere.

    medium confidence · Greg's argument defending mid-playfield design choice

  • Dayne Henry Jr. delivered artwork that successfully avoided band member photoshop clichés by using character interpretations similar to Metallica's approach.

    medium confidence · Zach praising art direction and comparing to Metallica precedent

Notable Quotes

  • “What is easily the most dynamic, visually captivating, and technological marvel when it comes to not only band pinball machines, but just pinball machines in general, Guns and Roses by Jersey Jack Pinball.”

    Greg@ 19:43 — Overall assessment of the game's innovation and technological achievement

  • “I think that taking that map and having that map up there is a nice little rest on the eyes.”

    Greg@ 26:01 — Defense of controversial mid-playfield design choice

  • “There's nothing that says this is, like, there's so much wow in there. Maybe that could be some of it. Maybe you have so much wow and you have so much going on. But still, you can feel it.”

    Zach@ 28:30 — Explains why shots feel good mechanically but lack standout moments

  • “I went into it with the notion that I was not going to enjoy the code. And I walked away enjoying the code. I like the code more on this than I do Pirates.”

    Zach@ 31:40 — Surprising positive assessment of multiball-heavy code design

  • “I think that's why I would not buy that game. It's in my price point. LE was outside my price point a little bit. I wouldn't buy the standard because it's missing half of the game.”

    Zach@ 27:15 — Explains Standard edition art quality as barrier to purchase despite affordability

  • “The Beatles worked like francie did a fantastic job animating them but it's the beatles but but i like i don't i don't know if you really want to see band members per se in their form i think that's why metallica worked”

Entities

GregpersonZach SharpepersonEric MeunierpersonKeith P. JohnsonpersonDayne Henry Jr.personJersey Jack PinballcompanyGuns N' Rosesgame

Signals

  • ?

    design_innovation: Introduction of light-based optos under plunge inserts as new technology for Jersey Jack, representing shift from magnet-based sensing.

    high · Greg explicitly describes light opto technology and notes it as 'very new to what Jersey Jack was using in this game'

  • ?

    design_innovation: Translucent pick-shaped spinners with embedded RGB lighting create unique visual and mechanical appeal.

    high · Greg repeatedly emphasizes these as standout elements: 'there's nothing like hitting this this translucent spinner' and 'I go crazy for. I love those things'

  • ?

    gameplay_signal: Multiball-heavy ruleset successfully integrated into song/album progression system, addressing designer's typical challenge of making multiballs feel purposeful.

    high · Zach: 'I went into it with the notion that I was not going to enjoy the code...I like the code more on this than I do Pirates'

  • ?

    product_strategy: Three distinct art packages (Standard caricatures, LE concert posters, CE album art) with CE also featuring exclusive coma ball lock mechanic.

    high · Greg and Zach extensively compare editions; Greg notes 'The CE edition does have something different than the standard...the first time for Jersey Jack to really do something on the playfield that is distinctly different'

  • ?

    design_philosophy: Eric Meunier's tendency to pack feature complexity at ramp apexes and throughout playfield creates mechanical depth but sometimes reduces individual shot satisfaction.

    medium · Zach: 'Eric stuffs his pins...He puts so much at the apex of these rams...it's hard to make them feel great...when he does that, then you jam-pack them with more toys'

Transcript

youtube_groq_whisper · $0.145

0:00
🎵 Alright, let's kick this shit. The Paradise Take me down to the paradise, See the world, the grass is a pain, And the girls are pretty I don't want to be a fool, Hey, viewer, we're back. It's Greg and Zach from Straight Down the Middle. You feel fresh? Feel good? I feel fresh. Feel alive? fresh and solid meaning. Is that Outcast? That is Outcast. Is it? I don't know. I don't know either. Could be. We're going to review a game today. Ooh. Really an iconic game that changed some things. Ooh. From a company that knows about innovation. Yeah. And that's Jersey Jack Pimble. Oh, what could it be? What are we going to review today? Guns and Roses! Oh.
1:53
Who's your favorite band member of Guns and Roses? Is it Slash? It's got to be Slash. It's not Fat Axel? No. Skinny Axel? No. Skinny Axel's badass. Oh, he's a badass, but I mean, you know. Duff? Like Duff. Frank? Yeah, Frank. They're all cool people, but Slash. It's Slash. Oh, listen. Slash, to me, I don't know Slash. I'm so surprised.
2:17
I'm glad that you told the viewer that you don't know Slash. Well, clarify this. We got close. Yes. We got close. We got real close. Damn. that aside like watching him with like like bmx bikes guitars like like pinball the dude is just to me a giant nerd he's just a giant cool nerd yeah he's one of us but is he really but it's slash so that's why i like slash it's not just because like oh he's like i think the dude is actually probably really super cool yeah and then listen to like eric ming you're talking about him like i feel they were right was over under here do you think that slash has had more sex than we have used conditioner hmm think about that because you did conditioner it was a curveball if i did shampoo or brush your teeth that's an everyday thing but you might be pretty close you might be pretty close with shampoo or toothpaste as well you don't want to get too dry but a conditioner Conditioner is not always an everyday thing. I condition daily now.

Zach@ 22:41 — Explains design philosophy behind avoiding literal band member imagery

  • “It's a B. It's a B. It's just that there could be a little more. It's a good shooter.”

    Zach@ 28:20 — Grades layout as competent but lacking distinctive wow factor

  • “This is guns and fucking roses. The wait is over. A revolution in LED lighting for your pinball is finally here.”

    Greg@ 20:28 — Emphatic closing statement positioning the game as industry-shifting

    • Straight Down the Middle
    organization
    Brad Brad Albrightperson
    Slashperson
    Pirates of the Caribbeangame
    Twilight Zonegame
    Metallica (LE)game
    Flip N Out Pinballcompany
    Pin Stadium Lightscompany
    [name withheld pending review]company
    Comet Pinballcompany
    PinGraffixcompany
  • ~

    sentiment_shift: Zach's pre-judgment about multiball-heavy code design was contradicted by positive in-game experience, indicating skillful implementation.

    medium · Zach admits preconception versus outcome: 'when I heard that it was so multiball heavy and everything, I was actually kind of terrified...I walked away enjoying the code'

  • ?

    collector_signal: Collector's Edition values holding well in secondary market, suggesting strong collectibility and player demand.

    medium · Greg: 'Values are holding really well, especially on these collector's edition'

  • $

    market_signal: Three-tier pricing model creates accessibility ($7k-15k+ implied range) but LE pricing positioned above casual buyer threshold.

    medium · Zach: 'I wouldn't buy the standard because it's missing half of the game...LE was outside my price point a little bit'

  • ?

    product_concern: Standard edition cabinet art (caricature style) widely criticized as major deterrent despite mechanical quality and price accessibility.

    high · Zach: 'I hate that art so much...I literally think that's why I would not buy that game' despite being in price point

  • ?

    gameplay_signal: Shots and layout rated as solid B-grade: competent and well-executed but lacking distinctive wow factor or memorable standout moments.

    high · Zach: 'There's nothing that says this is, like, there's so much wow in there...There's nothing that really stands out and nothing goes wow that felt amazing to shoot'

  • ?

    design_innovation: Upper playfield integration with flipper, ball locks, and multi-path routing adds depth without sacrificing lower playfield functionality.

    medium · Greg describes upper playfield as 'very fun' with multiple shot options and technical features like physical ball lock holding up to 6 balls

  • ?

    content_signal: SDTM producing detailed merchandise (art prints, decals, apparel) and organizing social media sharing campaigns for giveaways, indicating strong community engagement.

    medium · Greg and Zach describe Kraken artwork merchandise, decal production, and multi-platform sharing requirements for giveaway eligibility

    • 3:23
    He's had a lot of sex. We've never put conditioner in his hair twice a day. No, that's where I went. If you doubled up for one year.
    3:36
    You're a badass, Slash. You're a badass. I will find a comparison. Before we review this game, because a lot of people want us to review this game. we're going to do a giveaway. You want to give away some stuff? Yeah. We commissioned out the genius artist.
    3:56
    We did some artist work for the new Kraken t-shirt, memorabilia, merchandise, art prints, pillows, phone cases, pants. We did all kinds of stuff for Straight Down the Middle. We did My Homie Gomi, our tagline. We did all kinds of different stuff.
    4:14
    Recently commissioned all of that out. And I want to give away, we got stickers, decals. These are, they might be available on the website now to purchase. FlippinOutPenball.com, maybe. I don't know when this is coming out. But they are the Kraken. Oh, my gosh. They're the Kraken artwork, but with custom metallic finish to them. I was blown away when you showed me these. They're a rather large decal, too, isn't it? It is a large decal. Three by three. I got lost for a minute and thought. Still trying to figure out, what do you do on a semi-daily basis?
    4:49
    What do you mean? Regarding what? Slash having sex. Oh, you're picturing Slash having sex? No. But I'm trying to find something more... What would you do if you were a rock star, but you had a small penis? That would suck. Oh. Actually, that's the best scenario. Really? Yeah. Why? Because you're still a rock star, so you're still going to get it.
    5:10
    Where? As? If you were normal, then meh. Yeah, you need that. You're like, yeah, you need rock star status. That is a rock star. Why are we talking about this? It happens. So we're going to give away these decals by the wonderful artist Brad Albright. He did our work. Brad Albright. Go check out Brad Albright illustrations. Here they are right here. Look at that. That's sick. I don't even know. Oh, my gosh. Oh, he does show. Does he show? Yeah. Oh, look at that. Go a little closer. Look at that. Was that hot? Oh, my God. That thing is so sick. Look at Dolly. I love it. couple Easter eggs in here too ah so amazing no red here guys give it a little time all right so we're gonna give away a couple of these yes what do people have to do to win one of these these nice decat you can put these on anything put it on a card probably on your Facebook account go and share this awesome straight down the middle video okay simple enough to share a long hour straight down the middle share a link to this video from our Facebook from our it doesn't matter share a link to it as long as you share it take a picture of that share send it to okay T and pinball is gmail.com for proof of that sharing you can also share on if you don't have the Facebook's you share on the Twitters share on the tick tocks I think you can tick talks it what other people do snapchats it I don't know just share it on anything but myspace and you can be eligible to win one of these. Thank the MSRP on these. Like, $10, too. Yeah, they're expensive. If you're out of the country, I'm not spending $20 to ship this to you, but we can talk. Let's review a game that's called Guns N' Roses. Who designed this game back in 2020? Mr. Eric Minya. Eric Minya, our buddy. Yeah. Can we even review this as our buddy? Yeah. We're going to give him A's on everything, right? No. Nope. Sorry. Sorry, Eric. we're we're I'm just waiting to see what comes out here we're we're what we're honest people okay try to uphold our integrity okay while maintaining close relations to those around us in other words where we keep it real without being complete dick offs well a little simpler man absolutely designed by Eric men you're in team over there we had coding Keith Johnson Keith Johnson Oh the magnificent Joe Joe probably yeah they get a whole crew they got like two things I do the job work on yeah there's like ten programmers there yeah we had Oh JP for to win all the animations always murdering it I mean come on Artwork by Dane Henry Jr. The new guy. So, that's what, if you go back and you watch our Godzilla and we were talking about our favorite artists. Yeah, yeah. That was where I was talking about, like, Dane maybe slipping into, like, my third favorite artist or getting in there. But, like, he needs to prove himself a little more. Okay. I want to see him do more. Okay. But, like, I follow Dane, like, on Facebook and stuff a lot and I look at his normal art. He does some cool stuff. And it's fantastic and he's always showing himself drawing. Like, he's always in the midst. Like, he does. Transparent. Very transparent. It just doesn't show you the the finished product like he shows you the process a lot and works through which is amazing But but yeah, I want to see more out of Dane. So then I'll make a decision in the pinball world Okay, but I like the guy but we're gonna review this game But first we can't review this game until we give you a proper SDTM overview on the shots the layouts the rules Rules will take a lot going on a quick one and then we'll be right back back. Okay, let's learn more about Jersey Jack Pinball's Guns and Roses. This particular model is the collector's edition. You'll see some beautiful powder coat, purple powder coat illusion here. You'll see the roses down here on the lockdown bar. The apron itself and a lot of the plastics are more purple in color than the LE that has like a rusty red look. You'll see also, This is game 369 to 500 all signatures from the band there as well as Frank signature We'll see up soon on the drumsticks now the CE edition does have something different than the standard in the le This is the first time for Jersey Jack to really do something on the playfield that is distinctly different You'll see it right here. This is the coma ball lock the coma ball lock once Once qualified you can do a physical ball save so it will open up the infirmary right here your ball will go down there that you can physically see. That is a really, really cool feature. So with respect to the rules of this game, there are tons of rules just like any other Keith Johnson and team-based game, but the short and sweet of it is this. You see this honeycomb down here? It's like a revolver with the bullets. Each one of these is associated with a shot on the play field, also associated with a particular band member, i.e. Slash is the hat and so forth. Your goal is to qualify and hit every one of those shots enough to where you qualify that particular insert. Once all of those are filled up, you can hit the scoop to start a song. That's when the band comes together for that headliner. Once you start a song, depending on how well you play throughout that song or songs within these albums up here, you can qualify a mini wizard mode. let's say you're playing a song in the appetite for destruction album and you play well enough and you don't get booed off the stage then you qualify this appetite for destruction mini wizard mode once the song is over once you've completed that or played that it will stay lit and then you try to fill up all of the albums once all the albums are filled up as well as a couple other features you can try to get to not in this lifetime and that's basically the rules of this game from a very surface level it's just 90 of you or you're going to be chasing songs chasing albums and trying to uh try to do that poor keith johnson and joe cash just rolling their eyes right now and cringing with this explanation eric menier the designer of this game set up two left-in lanes one right in lane a typical right out lane typical left out lane but instead of that kickback you do get the infirmary possibility there as you're going for the in lanes the left outermost in lane here has amp you try to spell amp on that amp and other things like i don't think you see it right now but up in there amps lights pyro and crowd these are your warm-ups they're warm-up multi bowls you're building up some value before you start those album headlining songs. So and go through there enough and you get the amp multi to the left of that is GNR You try to get those GNR going I think that don kill me but I think that has to do with the patches you can earn for extra awards The right outline spells Jam, so you try to fill up Jam right there. Far left outline is Coma. When that's lit, it's qualified. An art package down around this area. Look at this Dane Henry artwork. Just phenomenal. Phenomenal, iconic piece of skillery right there. I don't know if you guys can see it, but the collector's edition also has embedded glitter and flakes within the clear coat. So it really sparkles. It really shines. It's what makes that collector's edition extra special. Working our way up left to right, as we typically do, we get to the left orbit responsible for travel. The more you're hitting that, the more you're traveling the country. Again, another side quest, a little side achievement that you can do. You will see very unique to this game are translucent spinners shaped like picks very theme appropriate There's nothing like hitting this this translucent spinner and you see there's a light an RGB light that is going to fill that spinner It's hard to see through your lens there But it's gonna fill this pick spinner and really give you a nice visual effect whenever you're ripping the spinner
    13:16
    You've got a couple stand-up targets that are blocking this ramp here this left ramp goes up whips around comes back down safely to your left flipper or a diverter right here can go down to access that upper play field let's talk about the upper play field now upper play fields aren't always fun this one in particular is very fun you've got an exit hole here that's going to come through an inner inner orbit you have a flipper up here that can be activated to hit many things you've got a leaf switch here rubber for fog you've got the back buck again hard to see but back buck kicks it up here for a band member goes through this whiny womb and then uh then goes down one of three different ways to your left flipper but you have to hit this buck shot to qualify that specific band member to get that song going it's typically one of the last ones you get you can also backhand this flipper up into a physical ball lock right here. This physical ball lock can hold up to six different balls. They have optos there, so it knows how many balls you're saving. Thus, whenever you start that song or that headliner, you're going to use that many balls for that particular song. The more balls you have up there, the more points you're going to get in general, but also the more multiplied points you're going to get. So that's a really cool feature. And you see even the frets and stuff like that have that sharp glitter in them which is a really nice feature also up top here you're going to have a stand-up target for lights that's another one of those warm-up uh warm-up lights pyro amp and crowd those multi balls are those kind of fillers that we've talked about um but that's what you do all the way up there you also see these uh articulating actuating lights that are badass that go crazy during the light show okay now as we head back down from that upper play field We have a stand-up target right here that does you qualify that lock coma shot to the left out lane You also do you guys see you got an upper flipper right here? Upper flipper hits either into that inner loop comes around a repeatable inner loop or there's a magnet up top That's gonna hold it and put it into the pops to qualify actually so in your loop You also the in my opinion the the nicest shot of this game is that inner it's like an inner I don't even know what to call it, inner path, inner orbit, but it comes in and goes right back to your pops. But it has another one of those translucent pick spinners in it that I just go crazy for. I love those things.
    15:46
    But that's also going to qualify a band member as well. Center scoop here is going to be responsible for things like starting your song, seeing what you can get for a mystery. Also, be sure to notice the Guns N' Roses logo insignia on different shots as well. those light up during particular songs to kind of tell you where to go and how to collect same with the arrows you see the arrows those are activated during songs they'll light up to show you what you need to be hitting or sometimes they might show up red and say you know avoid those shots to the right of that one of the funnest i'm going to call it a spinner one of the funnest spinner shots in all of pinball oh look at that this spinner shot is set up on a disc This disc has a post on it and a rubber, and it makes it just go crazy. This is Slash's top hat. The top hat, you guessed it, the more you hit this, the closer you are to qualifying Slash to get that band together again. You can shoot if this isn't blocking your way right up through the gut. Eric Menier, as a designer, likes to design difficult extra bowls. So getting that extra ball might be fine to qualify, but to actually achieve it and to redeem it is more difficult. For him, you have to not have this in the way, and you have to shoot it up through, through the pops and all the way up to the backstage shot. Very satisfying, very difficult. As we're up on the backstage, you see rollovers up top that spell out axle and a magnet. A bunch of little paths up there that are hard to see. You also have pyro back here. Remember pyro is that warm up again hit that enough You also have a stand-up target to the left and right of this ramp for use your illusion one and two But the right ramp itself can go up You have a target in the very back to hit I am to qualify and it comes back down now you guys I think you can see the signature on the Frank signature on those on those sticks, which is awesome So it's going to come back down to your right flipper safely or there is a built-in diverter here It can divert it right back to feed the upper right flipper. Bam. So right ramp feed boom boom orbit orbit. Oh
    18:04
    There's jam target right down there But again, you're trying to trying to get the jam going and then the inner orbit is responsible for travel Getting you through those different cities all across this map. Do I need to count you in?
    18:18
    Possibly I want to play this game There's also a shot behind the flipper if you hold that flipper up you can make some noise It's a multi-ball. Bam, bam, bam. And as we're rounding out our tour left to right, we certainly can't miss the first thing that you do when you start this game, and that is to plunge the ball. Very reminiscent to a game that designer Eric Menier just loves, Twilight Zone, there is a plunge shot that is very soft. Soft and subtle. You see these inserts right here? It says, Riot, lame, weak, good, rad, rock. And then there's a stand-up target. Now, here's what you do. During the plunge, one of them will be lit. You try to soft plunge up to the lit insert, but not going over or not going under. If you go just right at that insert, there's an opto, not on the side, but an opto under the insert itself. A light opto, which is very new to what Jersey Jack was using in this game. Really cool technology, but there's an opto that can sense when the ball is rolling over it. Similar to like an eddy board, but it's light-based rather than, what, magnet-based. But yeah, you go too much, they're going to boo you. But this is your crowd meter. You can get that going and rocking and rolling from the very plunge. And then it's going to feed out through this to your right flipper, or depending on how you have it set up, possibly to that left flipper. And what is easily the most dynamic, visually captivating, and technological marvel when it comes to not only band pinball machines, but just pinball machines in general, Guns and Roses by Jersey Jack Pinball. If you've not played it, get out there, play it, go purchase one for yourself. Values are holding really well, especially on these collector's edition. It's truly a new pinball experience, one of which we've never had before in this industry. Because of pinball machines like this, you will see technology from this manufacturer, as well as other manufacturers, really up the game to match what this is. This is guns and fucking roses.
    20:28
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    21:40
    Alright, you were talking about your main man, Dane. Yeah. What about his artwork? Game A+. Wow. I like it. I know that's strong. Coming in hot, everybody. And listen, listen. I'm listening. I know on that play field that that world map really eats up. Oh, look, you're already going into it. I'm like, I see what you're doing here. I know where to skirt. You've got to get ahead of the problem. I know that eats up a lot, but it still fits. It's a very good composition. But, man. Little lights are cool. That skeleton axle in the bottom of there is so amazing. and all of his other renditions. It's so freaking phenomenal, dude. It blew me away because it was one of those things that I was like, what direction are they going to go with this pin art-wise? Because I think you always get terrified about that with a band.
    22:30
    You're waiting for the Photoshop. Yes, yes. Do I really want to see them in the current place? Slash is sexy still. But, yeah, I don't really think you really want to see the band. The Beatles worked. like francie did a fantastic job animating them but it's the beatles but but i like i don't i don't know if you really want to see band members per se in their form i think that's why metallica worked like like look at the way that was um so like dude that's just they made them into their own characters and it's iconic to the band with the the skeletons and the skull so it's there the idea is there but but i thought dane did a fantastic job now we got a lot of different art packages on this game, Greg. We've got the standard edition, the LE edition, and the collector's edition. For the purposes of this review, we are reviewing the LE-CE combo, but we'll still talk about some standard features as well. On the standard feature, you've got the caricatures. Do you like that on the cabinet? I do not. You don't like that much. Honestly, one of the things, I know that's what, I guess that's derived, and I could be completely wrong. I kind of like that. I think it comes from some of the album, some of their more current work. I felt like what Metallica did, or Stern did with Metallica in the past, It's kind of that caricature. Yeah, and I just didn't really care for it. It's just not like, almost like a, I won't say a rat rod, but like the rat fink or a rat rod. And I'm okay with that. I think if they would have went full skeleton on the cabinet, that would have been cool. Oh, I think it would have been way better. I just think they missed the mark, and I don't know who made that decision on that. Because I love the movie posters. You're fired. I mean, I love the, I said movie. I love the concert posters. Like, the LE is my favorite. That is your favorite. It's my favorite. It's so iconic, and it's so rich. And the others I just don like that more modern take with their more modern album I think it was a more modern album I remember Eric Mea showed us one of those records Aptide for Destruction I believe is showcased in the CE The lost album art of that. And then they used those characters throughout the game and throughout the CE package. The monster machine guy. And I'm okay with all that. That's my favorite. That's my favorite, actually. I love that. I mean, it's a beautiful game. The CE is phenomenal looking. But it's not my favorite art. I feel the same way about the le only oh, it's beautiful. I do like it I like that is it's iconic to those gig posters. Yes, those are the gig well and that's I like the more 80s True to feel to it. You know what I'm saying 90s like I want some more like I want I want that throwback I want to feel that in this collector's feels more contemporary more. Yeah artistic and I like that I know the play field I'm with you 100% down bottom third. Oh I mean, come on. One of the best, and it's basically one image that just stands out. Mid-play field? What you try to protect. That map is not appealing. No. Visually, it's not appealing. It takes up too much space. It's boring. I like the little lights around the cities. Here's my thing. I think I've argued this before. I think that you ultimately, I think it's a nice breakup. I think otherwise you may get too much. There's so much going on in that pen anyways. If you cluttered up with a bunch of art, you've already got one nice big focal piece down here between the flippers. Like if you start throwing in more characters and more stuff and you've got the symbols and you've got everything going on. Now, I think you get too, you can't visually take it all in. It becomes too cluttered and too messy. Even if you did another, you can't do another large centerpiece image up there or anything because you've got it down here at the flippers. So I think that taking that map and having that map up there is a nice little rest on the eyes. You know what I'm saying? Rest on the eyes. This is kind of, viewer, what I do when I'm trying to convince my wife to buy another toy. Like I'm wanting a new pinball machine, and I do a lot of rationalization, a lot of excuses. You know, you don't want too much, and we're here. No, bullshit. You're an A+, I'm an A+. Yeah. I'm not there yet, dang. I value your opinion. I think it's beautiful. it's in my collection it's a looker one of the most beautiful games ever made yes it is with the lighting but it's a B for me because and the back glasses they're still little back glasses it's hard to really I agree with that shots and layout our friend Eric Menier I will be honest with you notice how much I do not like that is the art on the standard, I wouldn't buy that game. I don't mind the missing stuff on that standard, but I hate that art so much on there and stuff on that side. It is a wizard mode, too. You get that whole character. It's all fine, but I literally think that's why I would not buy that game. It's in my price point. LE was outside my price point a little bit. I wouldn't buy the standard because it's missing half of the game. I'm fine with that. That art, I don't like it. I don't know. What about the shots and layout? Because you're average. We're both average. I mean, you're a B. We're Bs. I'm in a B. We're Bs. Not B plus. No, we're Bs. Not A minus. Bs. Not F. Bs. Not D. Not Cs. We're in a B. Bs. It means the shoot's good. The shoot's good. Just not great.
    27:42
    There's nothing. I guess I was looking for maybe a little more smoothness. Sorry, my phone's. Oh, it's Eric. I'm in here.
    27:53
    Hello? Yeah. Well, I mean, yeah. But your new game, Eric. I've been, I know, right? But the new one, right? You told me. Uh-huh.
    28:10
    So, it's a B. Like, in math class, you get a B. That's a good grade. I hung up. That's good. A B. It's a B.
    28:22
    It's just that there could be a little more. It's a good shooter. It does. There's not one specific shot that I love. No. There it is. I think that's, yeah. There it is. There's nothing that says this is, like, there's so much wow in there. Maybe that could be some of it. Maybe you have so much wow and you have so much going on. But still, you can feel it. Eric stuffs his pins. You can feel a shot. You're going to see it in the rest of this report card. That's Eric Menier as well. It's not just this. He did the same thing with the Pirate's Ramps. Positioning of the Pirate Ramps, same. Style of them. We got the whirly gig on the Pirate Ramp. same kind of left but you're going to an upper play field same feel to it right ramp a little bit further back yes but still kind of up front you go up and back kind of the same thing minus the upper play field yeah feels very same none of his rams he puts so much at the apex of these rams greg and viewer that it's hard to make them feel great yes because they're always doing something else they're going to a pirate ship to shoot across the damn play field which is also that's the weird thing that becomes bad is because when he does that, then you jam-pack them with more toys and more cool stuff and more features and more fun stuff. Which is great. There's nothing wrong with that, but that doesn't always resonate into a good shot. Scoop in the Middle does nothing for me, Greg. No. Scoop in the Middle does nothing and I know in the prototypes, I think that was a subway. Mmm.
    29:41
    Or it may not have been a subway, but it had a drop target in front of it. I don't like that. I love drop targets. I wouldn't own it if I liked it there. I love drop targets. No, not in the middle, but I like a drop target in front. Everything on this game is great. Layout-wise, it is all fully B, if not A. He has some A shots in there. I'll give him credit. Orbits are buttery smooth. And that inner flipper or that inner spinner shot, that's your best shot of the game. Yeah. Right there. But, bro. Oh. Can we talk about that play? What were you doing? That's what I'm saying. There's a Twilight Zone tribute there that just didn't work itself out. It's not bad. Nothing is bad, obviously. But it's like if you have to get down to it and critique it, some of the shot, like you said, it's nothing wrong with the shot. It's just that nothing really stands out and nothing goes, wow, that felt amazing to shoot. And I did like shooting pirates better. I really did, too. Than Guns N' Roses. Rules and code. Keith Johnson, let's butcher him up a little bit. Take this. Nope. We're A-minuses. Yeah. Nicely done. So going into it, when I heard that it was so multiball heavy and everything, I was actually kind of terrified because I'm not. I was like, Pirates was okay, but I'm not a big multiball guy. The more I play in pinball, the more I'm a big multiball guy. But this game kind of needed it. It kind of felt right to progress through these songs and to go so far. Like, you almost needed it. Perfection. And then it became a game to itself because you didn't feel like these multiballs were a waste. Like, I think some games, when you get them, it's just like, what? I've got to get through these. Fucking multiball. No, you're trying to fill up the album. Yes. You're trying to risk and reward before you start the song. How many balls can I lock so that during this song I can sustain five balls rather than two? Yes. Perfect. Yep. Perfect execution of multi-ball during songs. Yes. However, when I'm not in a song, I call them filler multi-balls. I know they're there for a purpose. You've got fog multi-ball, lights multi-ball. But I can do without those. I can do without those too. Yep. That's where you make it a little too much, too heavy there. But for a multi-ball heavy game, he executed it very well, which took me by surprise because I went into it with the notion that I was not going to enjoy the code. And I walked away enjoying the code. I like the code more on this than I do Pirates. Oh, I can agree with that. Pirates felt real multi-ball heavy. I mean, you're just Bram Stoker, Dracula trying to stack the code. But they just felt kind of pointless. Because we can't talk about code without talking about the most innovative thing that I've seen in pinball since Wizard of Oz. And that is the choreographed lighting and the use of songs in this game, Greg. Oh, my God. Literally. It's a game changer. Just toys alone. You cannot go back after this pinball machine. No. This pinball machine will go down in history as one of the most iconic pieces in machine history. Period. It just will. Because it was something like there's never been a pin to me to immerse you into a world so much. Everybody, world under glass shit. We were big proprietors of that when we started. Still are. But there is not a pin that makes you feel like you're more a part of that game in this world, or nor has it been created other than this pin. And that's where Eric Menier and the team excel. They're top notch. and pirates did the same thing man for it to be pirates in a movie that was kind of I won't say it uh it was the lacked assets yeah and there was just wasn't a lot to work you know it's a franchise that was I won't say dying but as a franchise that was kind of played out so to be able to take that and to do what they did and to bring life into that and make it feel like you were part of that film is phenomenal at full and what they do full assets of the concert full assets of the master audio dude they had can lights viewer in the back still my favorite choreographed with the music yep they took they went to these concerts great and they tried to mimic identically during each of these set pieces in the concert yes to do that on the play field not to put pressure on eric but i feel like pressure i feel like eric you know when you look at elwynn and you're like uh whatever elwynn comes out with it's just gonna blow me away shot wise, you take somebody like Zombie Yeti or somebody and they go, okay, this art's going to be good. I think that when you think of Eric Menier and you think about the next pin coming out, you're going to automatically go, it's just going to blow me the fuck away. It's going to be like, yeah, I want to see what this guy's created because Eric does something that other designers don't do. Eric might be lacking a little bit with our B and shots, but what Eric does that I think is even harder is to create that experience and that is what the guy does beyond anyone else in this entire industry yeah he's not just a layout cad designer no he's an artist he is an artist yeah he's he's not just a pinball designer like like some of these other people he is a fucking artist that's why he's a he's a leader yes like that guy's gonna be running if he's not running and Jersey Jack in the next five years. That guy's running stuff. He sees a lot of things, and when you talk to him, he knows a lot of things that other people are not talking about that are a little behind. And let's not forget, Greg, that Wizard of Oz comes along. He was one of the main engineers. And look at how packed. Hobbit, main engineers, dialed in, main engineers. That's Eric Menier before we even knew Eric Menier. Yep. And then you give him the freedom of a designer to do his own games, and look what you get. And then you get to the depth of this if we're talking about code and Keith Johnson and the team there. There is so much strategy. These guys are a walking computer. So much strategy in the patches and the boost-ups. It goes way beyond. I want to hear Keith Johnson and Dwight Sullivan just have a conversation. Oh, my gosh. It'll be a long one. I said, do you? I don't. Spare me, guys.
    35:47
    I'll talk to you guys about moments. and how you go way deep and you lost me. I have a doctorate and you guys have lost me. What does that say to the average pinball player? I love it. I love the enthusiasm that I don't give a fuck when you talk to Keith because Keith is just rambling. He's kind of got a smile on his face, but the whole time it's just this kind of like, I don't give a fuck what you think or anybody else thinks. This is my game and it's fucking awesome. That's what I respect and love about Keith. He calls them, oh, not noobs. He has a term for casuals He pictures me as a casual I like shit Keith if I a casual at this point i don know the involved twenty machine like uh... a lot of a minus because it's the active jobs and just and and joke has even been there for another moment so do you see and that'll keep you busy for the rest your life you know toys innovation shit lots of going on and not only is this may plus for you may plus plus for me Again, as we have reiterated, this is one of the most innovative pins ever made of all time. The toy, the cymbals on the pops. The drumsticks that are a ramp. The real drumsticks. Are freaking amazing. Like I said, the stage. The stage lights. Translucent spinners. Pick spinners. Yes, the pick spinner. The hot rails. Now patented. Patented hot rail system created by Eric Menier. Literally to go and play with the music and strobe. Addressable LEDs frosted up your guides. You can't go back. And I thought the Hot Rails... I was nervous that the Hot Rails were going to be blinding or really interfere, but they're not. They're so very subtle, and you cannot have that game. That game would not be what it is. That is a character of that game. It very much is. I can't picture any Jersey Jack going forward without Hot Rails. No, I would want them on everything. Because to me, that becomes a signature. It's the most immersive thing that we've seen since... Since what? Sliced bread. I don't even know. so immersive. I love it. I wonder if they could go back and put Hot Rails in Wizard of Oz, Hobbit, Dialed In. Oh, well, you probably could if you recode it. If they did a re-release. Willy Wonka. Oh, my God. If you did that with Willy Wonka with the color, listen to me. You all need to pay us because you're going to do it because it's too good of an idea. If you did that, because it's already a game. You put those Hot Rails, because you could modify that and rewrite lighting code. I don't know how. It's just the Wood Rail. Yeah, but what I'm saying, though, is I'm sure it's not really easy. But you need to code those lights. Yeah, Joe Katz right now is like, no, no, no, let's not. Do it, Joe. Do it. Do it, Joe. Do it. Do it, Joe. Do it. I'm going to A++.
    38:25
    There's so much in this game. There's so many diverters. There's magnets. There's magnets within the place. They're everywhere. Yes. Yeah, this game is phenomenal. And on the CE, if we are talking about the CE. Yeah. I'm going to give a lot of credit to a Koma lock. Yes. And the apron. I'm going to get a lot of credit to Addressable, RGB choreographed lighting under and behind the cabinet on the CEs. And their topper integrates, when's the last time this happened, a speaker bar.
    38:53
    An additional sound speaker bar. For me. Music call-outs. It's GNR. You're an A plus, I'm an A. Phenomenal. I mean, come on. They get call-outs from the band members. Yep. I don't even know if we have to touch on it. And the music kicks ass. Yep. Sounds great. Yep. Sounds good. Master recordings. I love GNR. I like their music. I really like their music. I always love J-Night. Yeah, it's a band. Yeah, it's an A. Display and animation. JP to win. You're an A+. Yeah. I'm an A. Phenomenal. The best out there. He's my Jerry Thompson of design. Or of animations. Not even close. Easily. But, is this my favorite JP to win? I like pirates a lot. I like this better than Wonka animation. Oh, agreed. Wonka's his least. Pirates, he really did. I like pirates. To not have assets and to be able to pull off what he did was phenomenal. He made that game more attractive, and he filled the gap that needed to be filled. I have to talk about code real quick again. Uh-oh. We've said this before, and I just got to remind you guys that when we talk about pinball moments, moments, true moments, right? Your lightsaber battle. There's so many moments in pinball. This game has over 30 moments in it. every song I shit you not feels like a wizard mode and it's every game that that happens this has the most moments probably than any game out there and that's what you were saying with Eric and him being an artist and a genius there is a driving force behind that entire team that knows how to execute this and knows how to pull it off I think it's I don't think they can fail no pressure here but theme what about theme itself I'm a plus cuz I love this thing you would for you to be so much about the N are with a foot set I'm gonna be plus that's weak it's no Queen Jean ours no I like that take G and R over Queen any day of a bitch back no never Freddie Mercury never in his grave I won't let it. No. ACDC?
    41:03
    Better than GNR. Yeah. Led Zeppelin? ACDC. Better than GNR. Okay. But it's just so different. It's just way different. But, yeah, they're not as good. Not as good. They're fantastic. I mean, I could keep going on and on and on. GNR is great music. Love them. But, do I want? GNR's been done. So? Do I have to have it again? Yeah. I'll take it. is my favorite band great band the first band was good yeah first band was good I'm trying to think of the rock bands but you get into Van Halen you get into that stuff that's just different I like Tom Petty more I love Tom Petty you probably like the fucking Eagles weirdo yeah I don't nobody does but I do if they ever make an Eagles pinball machine No, I don't want an Eagles. That'd be the only new pinball machine I won't buy. No.
    42:02
    Back on track, damn it. Themes B+. Yeah, it's fine. It's good. It's a good thing. Joyability. I'm an A. You're an A. You're an A+. Absolutely.
    42:12
    When I'm playing these, when I'm playing Live or Let Die, it sends goosebumps. I was playing at the Pinsonetta show a couple weeks ago, and it felt like the first time I played it. Really? I crank up, because it's got that external volume control. I crank that up to about 24, 25 every time I start a song. The lights show, all the lights off in my house. And I'm just, I'm in another world that no other pinball machine takes me. I'm being like a drama queen. I went from an A plus to an A for one reason. And it's probably not the right reason because it's a hypothetical thing. If something feels like that if I own the game, I would not.
    42:54
    Grow stale? It grows stale. fairly quickly. Even it being great music. Not with that many songs. Viewer, I don't know if you guys know this, but each of those songs was choreographed by a different team member. They took hold of their own song and was able to make their own thing. But still came out very cohesive and still unique. Very awesome. And to try to get to that main big wizard mode after the four mini wizard, it's going to keep you busy. Now, it never gets old. It just doesn't get old. I mean, I've owned it for over a year, a year and a half now.
    43:29
    Nope, doesn't get old. That's bullshit. A plus. So when we come to the compositions of all of this, the cumulative grade. Bullshit. We did a little flippy flu. We did. You got an A minus. Man, look at you. This is a certified A Greg Bone game. 3.74. Not very many of those. Look at that.
    43:50
    Nicely job, JJP team. Great. Cumulatively speaking, I'm going to be plus. pretty high B+. 3.57. Talk it up. Just like that map in the center of the play field. Just keep talking about that B+. It's kind of shitty. Don't really like it too much. What is it, beige? Come on. 3.57. I can't... If you've never played this game, do yourself a favor. Oh, it's a fucking experience that you have to have. You've got to play it right, though. To me, it's like going to Disneyland or going somewhere like... You have to go seek out a GNR to play it because it's an experience. But you've got to make sure it's right. You've got to make sure it's right. You've got to make sure. It's like whenever I wanted to go see Ghostbusters Afterlife and you kept telling me, Zach, don't just go in there with your four kids and don't be in a rush. Like, make sure. You are in the right setting, the right moment. You have to experience the film for what it is. You need it dark. You need the music up. I do agree with that, too. You've got to have all of that. I do agree with you. You don't have to have it, but it deserves that. It's more impactful. And I want to correct ourselves. Uh-oh. We talked about layout and design. We actually missed a designer. CIS is legit a co-designer. I swear to God, I thought the same thing. Yeah, we messed that up. I thought the same thing earlier. This wasn't just for PR. No. This guy, unbelievable. Eric's good friends with him now. Yeah. They text back and forth, but he was every day messaging Eric. He was visiting that. What about this idea? We've heard it from Eric a long time. What about this idea, Eric? What if we tried this? What if we did that? It sounded like a PR stunt at the beginning. No, but it's not. No. No, if you know the behind-the-scenes stuff, it was truly like the man cared about it, and he's a pinball fanatic, and he really wanted to be hands-on and help make this game. And it's just amazing that the team accepted him. I mean, it's Slash, I do not, but I think also you'd have a complex and be like, hmm. Or be a yes man. Yes, exactly. And it seems like they had a very good balance, and I think you're completely right. slashes as much as a credit. Eric has told us behind the scenes stories about how passionate this guy was about this project and how much interest he has designing other projects that aren't even GNR pinball based. He just really loves the industry and loves this craft. And it showed. It really showed. Go out and play at GNR and buy yourself one too. They could buy one, couldn't they? They're still LEs. Man, they were backlogged for a long time. We're finally catching up. How much are they? $11,000. Same as everything else in pinball anymore. You can get them. G and R LE. Now may be the time. Yeah, they discontinued the standards, and the CE sold out immediately. They were right. And depending on when you're buying it, I think this might be one of the only Jersey Jacks. They limited it to 5,000 LEs. I think they sell all 5,000. Oh, I can see it. That's insane. Think about that, Greg. That would mean it's over 6,000 pinball machines of one title. Yeah. That doesn't happen anymore. No. It's going to happen. That's solid. If you don't call Flippin' Out Pinball. Oh, jeez. 812-457-9711. If you want a quicker response, text me. Pinball Shield shirt laying around. Yeah, it's around there somewhere. I'm getting weird. What else do they need to do? Follow us on Facebook. Oh, yeah. Follow us. Follow him in public. He loves that. Yeah. I haven't had some stalkers. Don't touch him. No. Don't touch him. Send him pictures. His number is 8-1-2-9.
    47:12
    I've gotten some weird calls. You can email us at sgtmpinball. I've got the same one. At gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook Watch Chuck Wirt Twitch streaming it Yep And watch Kerry Hardy When he gives us The tame episodes Yeah We want some Hardy things He's burning manufacturers On his channel But over here He's teaching people stuff He's a professor over here Professor Hardy That's right He's doing late night He's snorting lines On the internet Of a hooker's pit But over here Yeah He's got a suit and tie Yes Might be hungover We respect that But he's here Thank you to all of our sponsors as well. I don't know what's coming up next. Maybe another review. Maybe a review. And don't forget to share. Oh, yes. Share. To get it, share it. Ma'am, absolutely. Greg Bone, tell these people goodbye. Bye, people. I love Dolly so much. I do, too. It's not just her boobs. She's just awesome. Oh, your hair.
    48:06
    Poofy. Yeah, whoa