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Kaneda's Pinball Podcast Saturday Morning Spectacular April 11

Kaneda Pinball Podcasts YouTube Lives·video·analyzed·Apr 12, 2026
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Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.035

TL;DR

Kaneda champions Pokémon's accessibility and simplicity while critiquing complex JJP games and celebrating upcoming Sonic.

Summary

Kaneda discusses his extended gameplay experience with Pokémon, comparing it favorably to other modern pinball games like Beetlejuice and Harry Potter. He praises Pokémon's accessible shooting and simple, elegant design while criticizing overly complex Jersey Jack code and tournament-player-focused game design. He also covers upcoming releases (Sonic, Transformers), secondary market pricing dynamics, manufacturing challenges at boutique makers, and industry business models.

Key Claims

  • Pokémon shoots better than Beetlejuice and Winchester

    high confidence · Kaneda directly states this opinion multiple times during gameplay analysis segment

  • Pokémon is not ready in its early code state; vision is incomplete and could take 1.5 years to fully develop

    high confidence · Kaneda states: 'it's just not ready' and 'The vision they have for the game is so incomplete' and 'it could be a year and a half until that happens'

  • Harry Potter will 'go over a cliff' in resale value like Guns and Roses due to unlimited CE production

    medium confidence · Kaneda: 'I do think it's going to go over a cliff and then they're all going to slide down a lot because just so many of them'

  • Sonic will have more 'wow' gameplay and be more enjoyable than Harry Potter

    high confidence · Kaneda: 'I think it's gonna have way more wow in it from a gameplay standpoint' and 'Sonic with the way they do the assets and the code is going to be more enjoyable than Potter'

  • Sonic CE will be unlimited, unlike Pokémon LE which was limited

    medium confidence · Kaneda: 'Sonic CE will be unlimited. You know what I'm saying? Like this every, you know, grabbing a Pokemon early'

  • A Pokémon LE is available for $3,000 markup (lowest observed)

    high confidence · Kaneda relays: 'A friend of mine...I'm looking for $3,000 over...that is his markup, which is, last I checked, that's the lowest markup I've seen'

  • Transformers reveal is scheduled for May with June rollout

    high confidence · Kaneda: 'we got Transformers reveal in May...we will have Transformers out in June'

  • Stern is overpriced at $13K-$20K+ for new LE models; local dealers selling Elise at $22K

    high confidence · Kaneda: 'I don't think this is a 13, 000, 16, 18, 20. I don't think Sterns are worth the money' and 'The pinball dudes here locally are selling new Elise at 22,000'

Notable Quotes

  • “Pokemon shoots better than Beetlejuice. I said it. Pokemon shoots better than Winchester. I said it.”

    Kaneda@ 8:22 — Direct comparative statement establishing Pokémon's gameplay superiority in his view

  • “The reason why Pokemon shoots great is because there's not as many shots. It's because the shots are wider, the ramps are easier to hit, and there's nothing like way too close to the flippers to make it frustrating.”

    Kaneda@ 8:38 — Articulates specific design reasons for Pokémon's accessibility and appeal

  • “it's just not ready. I don't think there's any other way to say it other than it's just not ready...the vision they have for the game is so incomplete. I know they're going to get it there, but man, it could be a year and a half until that happens.”

    Kaneda@ 14:07 — Candid critique of Pokémon's early code maturity and development timeline

  • “Less is more...when you unlock a new Pokemon and you identify it and then, you know, let's see if they have the ability to evolve each Pokemon. There's going to be hundreds of Pokemons to catch. There's no other game like it.”

    Kaneda@ 31:35 — Highlights unique replay value proposition of Pokémon's collection mechanic

  • “I'm glad that Pokemon is pissing off these babies...Because now we can jump on a machine and get to the end without spending our entire lives like trying to figure out the game.”

    Kaneda@ 30:36 — Defends Pokémon against tournament player criticism; positions accessibility as a feature

  • “Dating someone who's like really easy...doesn't really complain at all, is just cool to like let you do what you want to do...doesn't really make you stressed out. Like this is the best. This is like pinball.”

Entities

KanedapersonBrendapersonPokémongameBeetlejuicegameHarry PottergameSonic the HedgehoggameGuns and Rosesgame

Signals

  • ?

    gameplay_signal: Pokémon praised for accessible shooting with wider ramps, easier shots, and lack of frustrating flipper-proximity obstacles; designed for beginners and casual players

    high · Kaneda: 'The reason why Pokemon shoots great is because there's not as many shots...the ramps are easier to hit, and there's nothing like way too close to the flippers to make it frustrating'

  • ?

    gameplay_signal: Jersey Jack games criticized for having too much happening simultaneously in code, making them overwhelming and difficult to understand; contrast with Pokémon's clarity

    high · Kaneda repeatedly states Potter has 'everything's happening at once' and praises Pokémon for having only clear, understandable simultaneous events

  • ~

    sentiment_shift: Pokémon's accessible design is intentionally creating friction with competitive/tournament players; Kaneda celebrates this as correcting an industry over-focus on complexity

    high · Kaneda: 'I'm glad that Pokemon is pissing off these babies...Because now we can jump on a machine and get to the end without spending our entire lives'

  • ?

    collector_signal: Pokémon LE secondary market showing $3,000+ markup; described as 'lowest markup' observed; multiple LEs listed on eBay and Pinside

    high · Kaneda: 'A friend of mine...I'm looking for $3,000 over...that is his markup, which is, last I checked, that's the lowest markup I've seen...There's so many Pokemon les on eBay'

  • $

    market_signal: Pinball market shifting to buyer's market due to oversupply; prices declining as inventory accumulates

Transcript

youtube_auto_sub · $0.000

0:21
Welcome to the Saturday morning
0:21
Welcome to the Saturday morning spectacular. The masters are on. The weather's finally turning. Spring is finally here. people are up at fantastic. I hope every It looks like everyone's having a good time. >> I know, man. Like I just
0:41
Yeah, it's been a rough week. So I I just like I wanted to go up, but Brenda wasn't feeling well. The my mom's not feeling well. Like so we uh we stayed close to home and we um we just chilled, you know. I just played a bunch of Pokemon. I've got even more thoughts about the game. How's everybody doing? Shout out to everybody up in Pantastic. Jumping on this simple but fun game. And we're going to talk a lot about my feelings on this game and where I think it falls in in the modern world of pinball. But um you know, until then, let's just get everybody in the door. Let's give our shout outs. We finally have some information on how we're going to do the Beetlejuice games. It's going to be fun. It's going to be fun. It's April 11th. Spring is here. Feel like spring is always a moment of um recharging, recalibrating, resetting. Sports is on. Baseball's back. We're going to get football in a few months. Well, you know, many months. But I got to play Harry Potter with Eric telling me how to play. Did he hand you the rule sheet?
2:00
Potter is a great shooter. There's

Jersey Jack overbakes their games with too much happening at once in code

high confidence · Kaneda repeatedly states JJP games have 'everything's happening at once' issue and criticizes their complexity compared to Pokémon's simplicity

  • Pokémon's replay value through Pokémon collection/evolution is unmatched in Stern catalog

    high confidence · Kaneda: 'There's going to be hundreds of Pokemons to catch...There's no other game like it. Name me another Stern Machine where you're collecting something that's like part of the actual like storyline and theme'

    • Kaneda@ 19:44 — Metaphor illustrating why Pokémon's simple design is appealing after Guns and Roses complexity

  • “I think it's going to be a buyer market. It already is. Like, it's so oversaturated. It's going to be a buyer market.”

    Kaneda@ 32:40 — Market analysis indicating supply exceeding demand in current pinball landscape

  • “If I'm a distributor, I would want to have an exclusive deal with the boutiques...I want to be the only distributor for like barrels of foam. I'm going to give you a check for half a million dollars right now for that exclusive license.”

    Kaneda@ 34:51 — Speculation on boutique manufacturer distribution strategies and potential exclusive deals

  • “You should not go into pinball unless you're very wealthy...Chris Turner needs to partner up with somebody...American Pinball could probably build all 500 within like four months.”

    Kaneda@ 36:26 — Manufacturing capacity critique; suggests Chris Turner should outsource production

  • “I've spent so long building a community, building an expertise in this industry. I have tremendous value to this hobby and can generate income in this hobby...This will be my next job.”

    Kaneda@ 33:13 — Kaneda signals transition from marketing to full-time pinball industry involvement

    • Transformers
    game
    Steve Ritchieperson
    Jack Dangerperson
    George Gomezperson
    Tanya Kleissperson
    Chris Turnerperson
    American Pinballcompany
    Spooky Pinballcompany
    Barrels of Foamcompany
    Jersey Jack Pinballcompany
    Stern Pinballcompany
    Christopher Franchieperson
    Ericperson

    high · Kaneda: 'It's going to be a buyer market. It already is. Like, it's so oversaturated. It's going to be a buyer market'

  • ?

    product_strategy: Jersey Jack's unlimited CE strategy for Harry Potter predicted to cause severe secondary market depreciation similar to Guns and Roses collapse

    medium · Kaneda: 'I do think it's going to go over a cliff...because just so many of them...Sonic is gonna bump Potter like pretty hard'

  • ?

    design_innovation: Pokémon's 180+ collectible Pokémon tracking system with potential evolution mechanics represents novel replay value not found in other Stern machines

    high · Kaneda: 'There's going to be hundreds of Pokemons to catch...There's no other game like it. Name me another Stern Machine where you're collecting something that's like part of the actual like storyline'

  • ?

    code_update: Pokémon's code is incomplete in early release phase; vision for game is years away from realization; could take 1.5 years to fully develop

    high · Kaneda: 'it's just not ready...the vision they have for the game is so incomplete...it could be a year and a half until that happens'

  • ?

    manufacturing_signal: Chris Turner's Yukon Yeti suffering from extremely slow production (2 units/week); Kaneda suggests outsourcing to American Pinball's 6 production lines could deliver 500 units in 4 months

    medium · Kaneda: 'Turner needs to partner up with somebody...American Pinball could probably build all 500 within like four months...very delayed delayed manufacturing schedule'

  • ?

    business_signal: Kaneda signals transition from marketing career to full-time pinball industry work; discusses income generation through content and potential distributor/operator roles

    high · Kaneda: 'This will be my next job. I can't do marketing forever...I've proven that in the hardest territory there is, which is pinball content, which nobody made any money on'

  • ?

    machine_intel: Sonic expected to significantly outperform Harry Potter in market appeal; Steve Ritchie's greatest game ever; better code implementation and gameplay than Potter

    high · Kaneda: 'Sonic...will be Steve Ritchie's greatest game ever...Sonic is gonna bump Potter like pretty hard...going to be more enjoyable than Potter to play'

  • ?

    licensing_signal: Transformers pinball artist selection (Patly) raises concern about game quality and execution

    medium · Kaneda: 'Transformers is another like dream theme for me if they do it right. But all like instantly and instantly getting like Patly as the artist for Transformers to me is is worrisome'

    • 2:00
    Potter is a great shooter. There's there's no doubt about it. It is the best shooting. I think it's the second best shooting Jersey Jack game. I think it is second to Elton John. Thank you, John. I appreciate that. Um I think Potter's, you know, it's a great game. It's a great game. I my only bone to pick with Potter are two things. I still think the code is a little bit like everything's everything's happening at once. I'm sure that goes away when you understand more what to focus on. And I just wish it had one or two more magical things in it that I, you know, I say this all the time, like where's the magic? Where's the disappearing ball? Where's the flying through the air? You know what I'm saying? It's like I do think Potter could have had more and I just, you know, that's my that's my thing. But boy oh boy is it a tremendous success for Jersey Jack. And then obviously Elton John is the best shooting uh Jersey Jack game. But it, you know, it's you really have to want to own Elton John and hear those songs over and over and over and over again, which you know how I feel about Elton. I think it's just a great location game. I'm I'm just couldn't really pull the trigger on one at um you know $15,000 or 125. Um there's so much packed into the back you can't tell what's going on. Um, I I think all the Potters at the back of the game if you if you actually stand in, you know, on top of a Harry Potter, there's like really nothing on the sides. I know there's one scoop, but there's not a lot. Like everything's pushed back. You know how the magic wands look just like the drumsticks and Guns and Roses? Do you notice that?
    4:02
    Well, Elton is a great game and you um you really can't deny the the the satisfaction of shooting Elton and that is why Sonic the Hedgehog continues to sort of loom over this year. We know it's coming. We know it's going to be Steve Richie's greatest Jersey Jack game of all time. I think it's going to be Steve Richie's greatest game ever. I really do. I think we got a taste of what it's like to put a Steve Richie game into a JJP platform. And when we sync that up with a theme like Sonic and the speed of, you know what I'm saying? Cuz like Sonic is like Pikachu and Pokemon. It's like this adorable amazing Japanese property that's iconic. It's going to do so well. So well. What's up, Jamie? Brenda, is there a reason why when you know the show starts at 10 and I asked you please that there's screaming in my ear? >> Is there a reason?
    4:59
    Is there a reason?
    4:59
    Is there a reason? >> Because I WANT PIKACHU. I WANT POKEMON
    5:01
    Because I WANT PIKACHU. I WANT POKEMON
    5:01
    Because I WANT PIKACHU. I WANT POKEMON IN THE BACKGROUND. I'm I'm really I'm I'm trying folks. I'm trying.
    5:11
    Like Brandy goes to Pilates. She knows this is my my moment. We're never going to get the 50 bucks from Sad Boy. You see what it's like in this open a beautiful open concept house? These kids are never gonna Oh, they're never going to be able to come home and make out with their like high school sweethearts because we're going to hear it. We need to have a moment of silence, people, >> in a little bit. A moment of silence.
    5:38
    in a little bit. A moment of silence.
    5:38
    in a little bit. A moment of silence. A moment of silence for a member of the Canada Club that has unsubscribed because he said I talked too much about Pokemon
    5:53
    because I'm excited about Pokemon. Mr. Christopher Franchie has I feel like he has he has said he has unsubscribed to Canadas Pinball Podcast. Let's have a moment of silence. I don't know what he's talking about, man.
    6:11
    I'm not obsessed with Pokemon. I'm not only talking about Pokemon. I don't think Franchie knows what he's talking about.
    6:31
    Christopher Franchie, here's to you, brother. Here's to you. I think the part that's a little bit disappointing with Mr. Franchie is like, come on, man. It's like, we've done nothing but celebrated Beetlejuice. We've done nothing but praise the game. I've got a Beetlejuice coming. Sad boy. What's up, baby? In the house.
    6:56
    They hate you because you don't own enough machines. They hate you when you talk a lot about a game you own. It's funny, right, Casey? It's like the more I don't play pinball, the more popular I am, right? The more I'm just an outside observer with no bias or no enthusiasm for a single game. It's like almost like that's where people want me. They want me they want me to be this like neutral like unbiased, unfiltered sort of uh no allegiances to anybody. Like just let Kaic say what everybody's thinking. That's usually my point of view, right? We're gonna talk about Pokemon. I just played played a bunch of games on it. We hate you because you just trash talk. Scranton test pattern. Man, I love all these like Facebook people that are, you know what I'm saying? You ever click on these people's photos, it's usually like a few cats and that's it. Like these troll accounts. Who the hell is Scranton?
    8:00
    Tess pattern. Is that your last name? Sounds like a AI bot. Um, surprisingly BJ is a weird, clunky shooter. Looks great, but plays mad. Damn, man. Craig Hughes. Well, look, look, I'm just going to say it. Pokemon shoots better than Beetlejuice.
    8:22
    I said it. Pokemon shoots better than Winchester. I said it, Chriselle. Pokemon. Pokemon is like a It's a It Okay, so here's what's interesting. What's up, Tux brother? Here's what's interesting. The reason why Pokemon shoots great is because there's not as many shots. It's because the shots are wider, the ramps are easier to hit, and there's nothing like way too close to the flippers to make it frustrating. And it's like the orbits are amazing, the ramps are amazing. The feedback from the Rams to the Flippers are great. It's just got a really satisfying kinetic feel to it. It's a But it's a very simple game. And I've been saying this for a while, right? I've been saying this for a while. It's um and if you heard my show yesterday, I kind of feel like I've been completely brutally honest. That is a very fun to shoot machine. It's definitely a machine where um beginners and people that are not amazing at pinball will feel better at pinball. Okay. It like ball control on this game is is fairly easy. What's up, Fizzy? Um you know, making every shot like there's not a shot in Pokemon that's like difficult to make. Now, it is sometimes difficult to hit everything you're aiming for on a on the game. The middle area is a lot of fun. The magnet adds a lot of gameplay, I think, depth to the game and that the chaotic the chaotic nature of it. I think the Squirtle Whirlpool is a must. It like because it's like, you know, you're only in it when you're in Squirtle mode and it's fun. It's fun to like un That's what I think always makes pinball fun is when you can unlock a new play area of the machine. So, think about that for a minute. Like, how many games do you know recently where there's like an a play area of the game that isn't immediately available? I always found that to be a really, really fun thing about pinball is the way you can control where you have access to on the playfield itself. I always felt like with Pirates of the Caribbean, it was a big miss to always make the upper playfield accessible right away, right? Like, think about it. Like, you should have only gone up there when there was uh you were setting sail. Like how cool would it have been if they had a ramp that came down when you're ready to set sail and then you're up there versus just like you could always go up there like it's you're always rocking. Okay. Anyway, yeah. So, Halloween, Evil Dead, Beetlejuice, all of them have uh these gameplay areas that unlock, you know, as you sort of progress through the game. Um, so look, I here's the thing, man, is like, and I'm reading I'm I'm reading your comments as I'm thinking and talking about the gameplay here. Let me ask you guys a question and and I'm just going to throw this out there and you know, you know, we're going to talk about the Canada club member Beetlejuice five games. We're we're going to talk about the details on that in a little bit. For those of you who own Beetlejuice, and some of you have owned it for a few months, and I haven't, so I've only played it a few times. I maybe I was just enamored by it because I am enamored by it. What's the gameplay like after owning it for a while? And and that is something that I can't tell you. I I'm asking some of you out there who have it. How does it compare to some of the other games you have? John said, "I'm pumped to get a Winchester and hope it doesn't sound like R2-D2 from shaker mode or speaker interference." Yeah, we'll talk about that in a little bit. John, thank you for the $10. I really appreciate it. So, 20sided die said the shots aren't the greatest. Okay, it's one more play type of game for sure. It's a blast to shoot the music, said Ryan. Um, I agree, Ryan. Man, there's some like, okay, so I I think it it feels like you're playing Beetlejuice, right? It feels like you're in that Tim Burton world. It it is it is so awesome in that. And I know they just added new code with the the stairwell dance scene and the get in line, you know, whatever that song like. Um, look, there's there's going to be a lot more coming. I'm actually very happy that I am at the end of the Beetlejuice line because by the time I get my game, the game will be much more pretty much code complete and I really don't want to play anymore until it is that way. I I will say this. Um, I don't think I don't think owning Pokemon right now is like I if if I could I would have waited. All right. I mean I mean I'm glad I unboxed the LE. I was going to it was going to end up here anyway. I'm glad I got G&R out. I'm glad I set it up. But I don't I'm not one of these people that likes playing a game that's so early on in the code. I don't like that. Some people like that. They like every new code updates. I I I just feel like I know I'm not like it's not ready. I I don't think there's any other way to say it other than it's just not ready. So, like the the vision they have for the game is so incomplete. I know they're going to get it there, but man, it could be a year and a half until that happens.
    14:26
    So, um should have waited for Sonic. Um well, Jeff, you know, here's here's the good news, man. It's like I'm fully planning to get a Sonic. Here's the thing about why I think you're wrong though, Jeff. Sonic CE will be unlimited. You know what I'm saying? Like this every, you know, grabbing a Pokemon early. Oh, by the way, I have a Pokemon friend. I'm going to offer this up right now. I think we'll sell the game right now because I think this is like one of the best prices on a Pokemon le. A friend of mine of the show, he hit me up privately. He said, "Hey, Chris, look, I don't um I don't want to deal with Pinsside. said, "I don't want to deal with eBay. I have a Pokemon le. It's made. It's inbox. Um, I'm looking for $3,000 over." So, that is his markup, which is, last I checked, that's the lowest markup I've seen, three grand. So, if you are interested in a Pokemon LE with a $3,000 markup, which I actually don't think is that bad, cuz again, I think when this game gets fully coded, the LE is so much nicer than the premium and the Pro, I think it's going to be, you know, you're going to kick yourself down the road. I mean, this Pokemon, guys, is still going to be like the most popular IP of all time. The more Because here's what's going to happen. The more new people get into pinball, the more they're going to want this game. It's just that this is going to sell for years to come. Um, I thought you are all about pinball fun. No more price complaining. Where am I complaining about the price? Also, Jeeoff, I never said that. I never said I wasn't going to complain about prices of pinball. I said in my last show, I don't think this is a 13,000, 16, 18, 20. I don't think Sterns are worth the money. I don't.
    16:18
    Uh, the pinball dudes here locally are selling new Elise at 22,000. Okay, so there you go. Get one for 16. I don't think
    16:31
    I don't think Look, I mean, look, gang. It's like I'm just trying to be candid with you. There there's so many Pokemon less on eBay. Uh, there's so many on Pinsside now for sale. I It It is what it is. It is what it is. I just don't see any of these sternes at 13 like as a good buy and then the toppers another thousand the 2,000 I don't look when I wrote a check for 144 to get this game I it's not lost on me what happened to this hobby bro it's like there Stern Elles used to have more in them in B7
    17:15
    Here's the issue, though. I I just don't know if Jersey Jack's unlimited CE policy is going to really work out for them in the end. I I've talked to Brett about this. I think on Potter, it's different, but I do think Potter is going to go over a cliff, much like GNR. I I do I think it's going to go over a cliff and then they're all going to slide down a lot because just so many of them. And like I actually do think too that like Sonic is gonna bump Potter like pretty hard. I think it's gonna have way more wow in it from a gameplay standpoint. I do. I do. And I also think Sonic with the way they do the assets and the code is going to be more enjoyable than Potter to play. Nothing against Potter. I I still think Potter to me still has that like way too much happening at once Jersey Jack feel. Do you guys know what I'm talking about? Do you guys agree? Like I just feel like when I'm playing Potter, it's like everything's like everything's going at once. Like everything's qualifying at once. Everything's happening at once. Like it, you know? So you want to And I get it. like it gets way more fun when you get into those like mini wizard modes and and like you're focused on something. But my issue with like JJP games is like sometimes they're just like I don't like there's eight things on the screen when you play Pokemon. What I love about it is there's like not a lot happening at once and you understand everything happening and you've got the genomes, you got the four characters, you've got, you know, the Pokedex, you've got the Pokeball, you've got Meowith, you've got the battle arena, you've got the scoop, one scoop, not three scoops, one scoop. You've got beautiful like flow in the game. Well, you know, I I I the thing about Jersey Jack Code is like I I just still don't know why they overbake their game so much. I I simplicity. And this is why, you know, coming from Guns and Roses, as I've been saying, is a little bit like an abusive relationship. And now this is like dating someone who's like really easy. You know what I'm saying? It's like dating a chick who's like not highmaintenance, doesn't really complain at all, is just cool to like let you do what you want to do, and doesn't really like, you know, doesn't really make you stressed out. Like this is the best. This is like pinball. This is like Brenda in pinball form, right? Like even I I've dated enough women to know that like when you really have a beautiful game that allows you to live easy, beautiful woman that allows you to like be yourself, you're in heaven. Someone who complains all the time and is, you know, never happy. And that's like a clunky game, right? You know, a a woman who's always complaining is kind of like a a clunky shooter. Um, honest question. Obviously, you had Killian as a factor, but how many of those Pokemon sales are being driven by what is effectively peer pressure?
    20:32
    I don't, Dave, I don't I don't think anyone has peer pressure to buy a 14 $13,000 game. I I don't think anybody has peer pressure. You know what I'm saying? Like I I I do think a I think what happened is like a lot of people just buy every LE, you know? I agree, Stephen, that Potter is fun despite all the clutterness in the code because it is fun to shoot. Um, totally disagree. Who has Sonic as top theme to spend?
    21:06
    Uh, 15K will be more limited TE's sold. Well, you know what's interesting about the whole Jersey Jack? They never really even said what the limit is on Potter CES. And this is going to be I mean obviously when you see start going for like 13 or 12 you got to be out of your mind and buy a new box at 15 but I um yeah I I think the um I think it's going to be a very very interesting let's see we got Transformers reveal in May. Isn't that crazy? Because like Pokemon was February, March, April, May, June, June, we will have Transformers out in June.
    21:56
    Um, and I really do think that, you know, Transformers is another like dream theme for me if they do it right. But all like instantly and instantly getting like Patly as the artist for Transformers to me is is worrisome. Hey Kate, I just got my Pokemon Ellie as well. Put my first mod in and changed out the pinwoer system. Check out the expression lights. Check out their expression lights. It's a huge upgrade. So Eric, who's expression lighting is a huge upgrade? Pinwoofer has expression lightings for the speakers or for the game? Also, like I think the LE sounds good. So I don't want to do a lot of work to this game. But what um what speakers did you put in? Pin woofer for stern LE.
    22:49
    The ideal game should feel like there's only one thing you need to glance up at one on the screen. Okay.
    23:02
    Well, I I've always been somewhat perplexed when there is just a lot happening on a screen and you can't see most of it. Makes no sense.
    23:14
    Look, the thing is this gang is, you know, I as someone who is really thinking a lot about time, money, feeling productive every day. staying close to friends and family, spending more quality time with quality people, less time, you know, getting inebriated or trying to kill boredom in dumb ways. If you buy a pinball machine and you're having fun, don't worry about the resale. Don't worry about any of it. Don't I mean, I I lose so much money in other areas doing stupid stuff I'll never see again. And in the end, you know, losing a couple grand on a pinball machine like that gave you hours of fun is is actually a good thing. It's all It's what it is. Yes. Put in pinwoers, speakers, sub and amp. They have a speaker LED kit which adds almost double the LEDs. Um I Yeah, send me pick, Eric. I appreciate that. I don't like too much lighting going on in the speaker area. See that right there? To me, that's the perfect amount. I don't need more. I don't cuz again, people, you know, I I I I mean this when I say this, less is more. So, like right now, it's nice the way the Pokéballs are highlighted. Now, you could go around the rim of the speaker grill with lights and do all but then you're just it's overkill. It's really overkill. I think you avoid scalp prices under that concept of having fun, too.
    25:02
    I think the pinwoer le doesn't does not replace the tweeters. The tweeters are built into the mid-range that you change out.
    25:12
    Yeah. And and and not to mention the reflection that comes from all of the more lights you add. I I um you know, look, I will say this has a this really does have like an inviting quality to it. You want to jump on the music's great, the sound effects, the adorable nature of the theme. It's a lot of fun. It's a lot of fun. I think some interesting things I noticed is the inserts in the middle are all only ever white. Did you guys notice that? Is there a reason why Stern does that? Because when this when the machine tries to fully bleed a certain color, like when it goes around like all green or all red, the center inserts never change. They stay white. And I was like, "Huh, it would have been way cooler if they could have made it so the the whole game could pulse the same color."
    26:06
    This what's this? Uh, all pinball machines are toys. None of them are good long-term investments, and they never will be.
    26:15
    this turning into Don's pinball podcast lame. What is
    26:24
    um Hilus, what I'm I'm curious why you
    26:24
    um Hilus, what I'm I'm curious why you think this is now First of all, shout out to Don, but is it Don's Pinball Podcast because I'm not angry or something? I'm not sure what I don't follow. Is Is the show now lame, guys? Have I lost my edge because I'm just enjoying Pokemon, a game I've had for literally seven days. U I'm sorry if I'm not angry. Wow. Well, look, man. It's like I don't Hi, let's do this. Let's let you pick the next topic and I'll give you my I'll give you whatever. What What would you like to talk about, bro? You want me to make fun of Turner Pinball's manufacturing schedule? I can do that. I can make fun of Winchester shot layout being a little bit of a brickfest. When do you turn 50? I mean, naturally, there's a lot to think about around that. Here's the thing about 50. The average lifespan is 77. So, 50 is not middle age. 38 is. So, so here's the thing is like, well, we'll talk about my last show about Look, Brenda, seriously, I thought like it we're I'm a half hour in. You said you were going out gardening with the kids. There's Cass is still screaming,
    27:45
    Brenda. Like, it's it's simple. It's simple. It's daddy's time. Mommy. >> It's mommy time.
    27:52
    It's mommy time.
    27:52
    It's mommy time. >> Come up here and say that to my face,
    27:54
    Come up here and say that to my face,
    27:54
    Come up here and say that to my face, Killian. Put some whiskey in my coffee. Let's have a real show. You want me to talk about this stuff? Okay. So So I know I went off on the on the on the tournament players and I I guess I use like, you know, Crazy Levy as just a springboard for the whole rant of yesterday's show. But here, I do mean this when I say this, like of course the tournament players like will not like this game, okay? It's too easy for them. They could stand like if you're a good player who can nudge and keep the ball in play, this game isn't for you. Good. Good. Because too many pinball machines have been made for too many years that are way too hard, way too frustrating, and way too complicated. It's and that's the problem I think at a lot of these companies is they have these tournament people that are the ones guiding the code, guiding the layout and it's an issue and so then the game gets made and only like Ray can figure out Avengers or like you know overly complex code. It's like doing calculus when you just want to get on a pinball machine be like if I hit two shots it unlocks or starts the mode. This is why this game is a thorn in the side of all the tournament dudes who have spent their whole lives trying to win those 40 bucks or those transl lights on the you ever go to these like league nights and waste like all night long. I just saw another guy holding up a translate. If you find yourself holding up a translate, I want to like bomb kick you through the translate. You know what I'm saying? I want to just like Bruce like wa you know just like just boom like just just kick someone as hard as I can right through the translate through the pinball machine because nobody Why do you want to win a translite and and I'm sorry if you hang them up on the wall. I'm sorry if you do. They don't look good. They don't look good. I mean maybe if you frame them, maybe if there's a light behind them, but in general the worst thing is playfields hung up. I've got a magic girl playfield. They just look bad hung because the way they're cut at the bottom, they never look good. They never look good.
    30:06
    No. Fizzy man, you ever see like league night? It's always like one dude with a translate, one dude with 40 bucks, like and they spend like three hours to get it. Meanwhile, they pump probably like way more money into the bar.
    30:25
    Look, I um I'm glad that Pokemon is pissing off these babies. I'm glad. I'm glad. You know why they hate it, too? Because now we can jump on a machine and get to the end without spending our entire lives like trying to figure out the game. I think a a a good pinball machine, you should be able to get to the end of it like a few times a month, but getting to those moments needs to be awesome so that you want to keep going back. What's going to make this game awesome in the long run, which no other game has? Let me ask you a question. How do you catch Bulbasaur in John Wick Code? Exactly. You can't. There's going to be hundreds of Pokemons to catch. And if Stern does this right and certain Pokemons, you know, just to identify them and unlock them is going to be hard. This is where this game, the replay value is through the roof. There's no other game like it. Name me another Stern Machine where you're collecting something that's like part of the actual like storyline and theme. Like not some stupid badges, but actual Pokemon. I mean, you could say they are like badges, but yeah, like it's really cool when you unlock a new Pokemon and you identify it and then, you know, let's see if they have uh the ability to evolve each Pokemon. We'll see.
    31:47
    You should set up your TV art to cycle
    31:47
    You should set up your TV art to cycle through translates. I look I um Poor Brenda. Poor Brenda is right. Jamie, let me tell you, Brenda loses her job on Monday. whole company is like melted down. So, we're going from a dual income household to a oneinccome household.
    32:08
    Anyone want to hire Brenda, we got to get her going in the pinball dro. We got to get all that going. It's coming. It's coming. Um, but it is what it is. like, you know, you know, we talk a lot about these things and and we're very blessed to have these things and I it's it's a really I don't know if you guys feel this way, but I I feel very I feel excited about what's coming in pinball, but I also feel like, man, it's it's expensive. I think this whole thing is going to is going to be a buyer market. It already is. Like, it's so oversaturated. It's going to be a buyer market. quit your job and you and Brenda become a distributor. Well, I don't think I have to quit my job, but Stuff's coming, guys. Stuff's coming. Don't worry. Don't worry. I look, I haven't been doing this for 14 years. You know, doing this for 14 years. This will be my next job. I I can't do marketing forever. This will be the second chapter or the last chapter of what I do next. I've spent so long building a community, building an expertise in this industry. I have tremendous value to this hobby and can generate income in this hobby. I've proven that in in the hardest territory there is, which is pinball content, which nobody made any money on. All of a sudden, I was the only one making money. People forget everyone talks smack when I went behind the payw wall. They're not laughing now. If I showed them in totality since I did that, they wouldn't be laughing at me and making fun of me. I mean, they all did at the beginning and then they all went and did it. But I know where the money is. I'm not stupid. I'm not stupid. Like when when when a distributor lines up 20 Pokemon less, right, and he gets $2,700 a pop or $2,500 a pop. I'm not stupid. That's a lot of money. You know, it's a lot of money.
    34:12
    Now, we're going to see though, man. I
    34:12
    Now, we're going to see though, man. I think, look, the other thing is is like I think Spooky might go sell direct one day. Like, why? I would if I were them. Stern needs the distributors, but the boutiques selling through distributors, I mean, I don't know. I wouldn't if I were them. Why are they giving Why are they Why they don't need It is what it is. You know how I feel.
    34:42
    The thing is like if I'm a distributor, I would want to have an exclusive deal with the boutiques. I'm surprised there's not more of that. Like I want to be the only distributor for like barrels of foam. I'm going to give you a check for half a million dollars right now for that exclusive license on on top of having the exclusive deal for the next five years of your game. You know what I'm saying? Like that to me is weird that people aren't I would sell exclusivity like that.
    35:22
    Am I Are we talking pin sound speaker lights or are we talking pinwo speaker lights?
    35:30
    I don't know. So, let me ask you guys a question. Well, with no risk comes no return. You know what I'm saying? I mean, we know that there was an exclusive deal for Haggus. Yeah, we know how that turned out. Oh, man. Do you guys think like Turner can survive with this this manufacturing schedule? I I've been thinking about Chris Turner and how long it's going to take to get a Yukon Yeti. I I don't I don't know, man. I don't know. I think Chris needs to partner up with somebody. I think he needs to ink a deal. He's got money. Come on. I' I've heard I've heard I've heard Mr. Chris Turner is not living in a meager little home. I mean, there's some big big money in the Turner Turner world, which is great. You need it. You know what I'm saying? You you should not go into pinball unless you're very wealthy. He needs to call up like American pinball. They've got six lines, bro. Six lines. Mormon money, baby. Like I don't understand. Why is he like building two a week, you know? I I don't get it. The game is designed. American Pinball could probably build all 50 of his or sorry, all 500 within like four months.
    37:01
    Yeah, I get he's not making promises he won't keep, but like it's it's a very very delayed delayed manufacturing schedule that just doesn't work though.
    37:16
    I think Turner shouldn't reveal game till he has a hundred in a box. I mean, yeah. I mean, it's I But here's the problem, man, is like it'll take him six months to make a hundred.
    37:32
    How many kilos could you fit in a pinball machine? That's funny. Um, so the Let's talk real quick about the Beetlejuice. So, if you're a Canada Club member and you would like a chance to get a fully loaded Beetlejuice, Buttercinet, these are these games have all the the bells and whistles. Uh, as I said, you can email me at Canadap Pinballgmail.com,
    37:57
    you know. It's like we, you know, and but I'm cross-checking every every email with a subscription. So, if you have not been a subscriber, you are ineligible. So, if you're seeing this for the first time, I'm sorry to say, but this was always going to be a Canadub exclusive. So, Canad Pinballgmail.com. Email me with the subject head Beetlejuice drawing. We are going to do the drawing on May 2nd, which is a during the Saturday morning spectacular. We are going to draw the names at around 11:00 a.m. and five winners will have the chance to buy one of these games at MSRP. I It's It's going to be fair. Everyone's going to have equal shot at this. We'll figure out maybe a few fun ways. Maybe get the kids involved. If you can join now, can you get in? Oh, man. And it's like, see, I said no because I I I unfortunately I want to keep this as I didn't want to do this as a way to drive new subscriptions. I'm doing this as a way to reward existing loyalty and club members. So, I hope you understand that. Um, on the next one we do, whether it's Goonies or something else, we um we may do it like that.
    39:26
    And also the other really important thing to mention is there will be no transfer of spots. So these games are going first of all if you're not signed up for the Canada Club at $5 a month. I don't know. Like I just come on guys, come on. For those of you who are club members, trust me, is it not the greatest return on a $5 purchase you get monthly? Think, just think about going out in this modern world, literally $60 a year. The amount of content you're getting, it's like two drinks at a restaurant these days.
    40:18
    So, the games are non-transferable. It's game number 501 through 505.
    40:25
    And and we're going to do it that way. Separate raffle for scalpers. Like, look, the thing is this, what what's Beetlejuice going for these days? You know, I the Beetlejuice market continues to fluctuate. Um, it's definitely still holding strong. I mean, people always forget Beetlejuice is only 10 grand. You know what I'm saying? It's like a Beetlejuice is 10 grand. 4K over is where it's at now. Does anyone want the Pokemon le for 3,000 over? Anybody? Any takers?
    41:12
    nine out of 10 Beetlejuice buyers were scalpers. I don't think so. I don't think so. I will say like listening to people's feedback on Beetle, it does have me a tad a wee a wee a wee bit concerned
    41:33
    if the game play isn't great. That could be the Achilles heel of Beetlejuice. Again, I haven't played it enough to make a decision on this. Aesthetically, it's insanely good. Theme integration, it's over the moon. The you know what I'm saying? Everything about the presentation of the game is insane. But will the game play will the game play be as rewarding as everything else the game does? Well, and that's always the hardest. You can't change that. Um, and from what I'm hearing, it's a little bit mixed. I will say no. Like there is there is a mixture of some people like it, some people find it to be too stop and go, too many scoops, some people don't think it has the flow that they want in the game, you know. And the hard thing about pinball games I've always is is is there will be a there's a lot of um there's a lot to compare games to. And that is always the the the beauty of this hobby, right? Is I can jump on a Beetlejuice, but then if I go jump on a Godzilla, how do I feel kinetically? If I go from Evil Dead to Beetlejuice, am I more satisfied shooting Evil Dead? If I go from Guns and Roses to Pokemon, all of a sudden, I'm having a lot more fun playing this game. It doesn't have the the the the light shows or the the drama of of G&R Code, but it's got more kinetic satisfaction. This is why Pinball's amazing. It's like you've got this finite amount of space to create a sensation. I I you know in in today's digital world where we're just bombarded by content coming from everywhere and phones and distractions. This is the most beautiful thing ever because there's no outside interference. Everything this thing will make you feel comes from everything that's analog and on the screen here. everything, the music, the sounds, the call outs, but but mostly 98% of what will really make you excited about a pinball machine is below the glass. Everybody knows that. Everybody knows that. You know, here's the thing. I saw somebody say like there's a rumor that Stern is going to remastered Lord of the Rings and there was some like idiots who were like if they don't add movie clips I'm out. If they don't change the code with more like assets it's not going to sell. I'm here to tell those jackasses if Stern simply remakes Lord of the Rings and makes reanimates the same exact code. You don't need movie clips. Lord of the Rings is one of the greatest theme integrated pinball machines of all time because of how it makes you feel while you're staring down playing the game. It has just the right amount of like graphics to connect you to the scenes in those movies. I actually think the movie clips would be a distraction. I got to be honest because what Lord of the Rings does so well, it's got like some of the greatest call outs ever. It's got all the voices of the actors from the scenes you remember, but it keeps you focused on the game. I think adding movie clips to Lord of the Rings actually would be a negative. You heard it here first. I don't think it needs it. Fix the artwork. Change a little bit of the clunkiness of some of the shots. Maybe add a little bit more to the walking, you know, the the Path of the Dead area. And, you know, you've got one of the greatest pinball machines ever just made a little bit better. You know, make the imagine that cabinet with like embossed Batman SLE style like decals. Lord of the Rings returns.
    45:41
    I mean, you could make an Eldie for each film. You could make an LE for like Fellowship, Two Towers, and Return of the King. Make 250 of each. Boom. Sold out. You do not need to touch a thing. It is the best rule set before Keith did go bananas at Jersey Jack.
    46:06
    Well, like when when you hear this is why like for those who have played Pokemon, you realize like call outs are great. Like the call outs, the the sound effects, they're phenomenal. All right, so I should upgrade the sound system in my Pokemon LE. That's what some people are saying. What do you think? I mean, I think it sounds really good.
    46:31
    I only have one pin. Like I don't need to like blast it over another more base. I mean, I don't know.
    46:43
    How How hard is it to install the pinwoer system in a stern? I It was a little bit annoying installing it in a Jersey Jack. I won't lie. It probably is easier installing it into a stern. I I would imagine the access to the speakers is a lot easier and everything.
    47:06
    There's like I'm hearing pin blaster. I'm hearing pinwoer. I'm hearing pin sound. Which one is it?
    47:18
    I think Ghostbusters is coming back. I think that's why you're seeing a lot of Ghostbusters Ellies pop up.
    47:37
    pinwoer. Yeah, pinwoofer is what I have in my um my Guns and Roses. Does anyone want to buy my G&RC CE? It's at automated. They're going to fix the switch. Just one wire got unsoldered. Um does anyone want to buy my Guns and Roses CE number 500 to 500? It's in perfect condition. Um, I need to bring them the keys. I have the keys here. No thanks. What do you think, in all honesty, a good price is on a GNRCE? I mean, there's only 500.
    48:13
    It's a good pin in a bigger lineup. It really is. I mean to like have a bunch of whisies and crank on like November Rain, Welcome to the Jungle, it's so easy.
    48:45
    It It It It doesn't shoot well. It doesn't. I I didn't play G&R for months. I just was so bored of playing it. I was so bored of locking balls on the guitar neck. I was so bored of the multiballs. I was so bored of the long songs not having like any real magical coding happening at the end. I was so bored of the four album modes. I was so I was so you know what I'm saying after seeing the Chinese democracy shall we play a game like the first few times experiencing that was really cool. The game is just like everything's lit up at the same time. The badges could have been fun but there's too many of them. the there's no flow. There's no It's clunky in the upper right flipper. I would take I'm going to be I'm going to be honest here. I would I would just I would take I would take nine on the table for my G&R. It's a $3,500 loss. Um, I think it's worth more, but I I would just want a quick sell. Like I I'd probably get 10 five, but I seven. Come on. It's worth way more than seven. Seven's a stern pro gang. I also do think that years from now, and I mean this, like GNRCE will have us will have like always have a place in pinball because the mistake I think they made with G&R and I've been saying this, the mistake they made is they didn't make they didn't they should have made more of the songs like not not every song available right away. This was the big mistake in Guns and Roses from a code standpoint. by making every song available right away except for one was like I think a terrible coding decision because like they they have all these Guns and Roses songs slashgiving them access to everything that they they could have made it like getting to November Rain was a moment like getting to live and let Die was a moment when you can just select it every time you play
    51:17
    You know what I'm saying? Like they missed a golden opportunity to to make it more like that. Like Paradise City should have been the final the final wizard mode.
    51:34
    Yeah, it's all multiballs all the time and they're annoying and you almost just want to let balls drain. It's just not satisfying to do like the power cord, you know? I It's just not, you know, you know what Guns and Roses feels like? It just feels like a like a It doesn't feel like a pinball machine. It feels like um what what is it when all the cars are crashing into each other? A destruction derby. Is it destruction derby? That's what G&R feels like. Just like a destruction derby game. You're you're just crashing into stuff all the time. What's up, Troy? How you doing, brother? Demolition derby. Why did I say thank you? Destruction derby. Demolition derby. I It's not a term I use frequently.
    52:27
    Batman 66 would have been a better choice than what? Than G&R. Yeah. Well, look, I'll tell you this. I sold Batman 66 for 20 $27,000 and I bought furniture for the house. That's why I sold it. Um, Batman 66 solely is beautiful game. It's now around like a $30,000 game. I don't know. It's not like again like it's fun to look at, but it's not worth $30,000. And if Stern makes an anniversary edition of Batman, which I think they probably will again one day,
    53:10
    you know. Yeah. And Catwoman shoots better. Chris has been um really good at informing us all that, you know, Stern made a lot of changes to Batman and the Catwoman editions are the ones you want. They play way better than the SLE and the LE's. People forget the bad cabinets, the bad playfields, all that was in the LE and SLE.
    53:36
    Do you hear these gas powered freaking leaf blowers going right now? It's like geez. Geez Louise. Now, here's one thing Pokemon needs. They need Okay, I'm going to give you they It needs like It needs a lot of code. it. There needs to be a Jigglypuff mode where Jigglypuff sings the song, but you they need to get the theme song into the game. You guys know what I'm saying, Stern? What are you doing? You've got this iconic theme song. There needs to be a mode in which that plays. Like, you know what I'm saying? I don't want it to just be like during the credits. I want to get to a mode where that comes in. There needs to be like a theme song mini wizard mode where you go through the whole music video. Like they need that.
    54:28
    I I don't understand why there's no like Star Wars. They play the damn theme song over and over and over and over and over again every time you start a new ball. This one doesn't play it once. There's there somewhere in the middle. Stern.
    54:44
    Well, the Stern LA they they were like waiting on parts. It must have been like the trans light or something, but they they ran I think all the Ellies are now made. I know there was like a delay.
    55:00
    All I hear all I hear in my background, who's going to win the Masters? Anyone know? Rory's doing pretty damn good, huh? I just want to lay out in the sun today and not worry about anything. Work's been busy. It's been a tough week as you know like my I think I told most of you but for some of you who don't follow my mother is in another battle with cancer. She had a colonoscopy and they found some they feel like it's manageable but the next six months are going to be tough on her and she's you know she's in her 80s so it's sucks like so as I as I as I find the mental space to to be over there it's hard to just compartmentamentalize all these things and you know as I you know I this is why I'm I'm double as appreciative of of this community and the people I've met here because I almost feel more of a connection to you guys than I do even to like people I work with every day. And because you get it like you get like I can be me here. I I this is this sounds weird but I I can't really be myself at work. can't let me get let me tell you a story like and and it is I do believe it's just it's a cultural thing and and it's a generational thing. I was at a restaurant yesterday and I'm really like probably not going to go back after this incident and I want to ask you guys your opinion. I I'm at I'm at this bar, Mecca Noodle Bar in Norwok, and I go there for happy hours because the prices are great. And I sit at the bar and they've got nice hip-hop music playing and 50% off drinks. And this kid calls up his girlfriend on his phone on speaker phone and is just like talking to her while she's talking on the loudest volume setting of his phone on speaker. So the whole damn like anyone in the restaurant can hear it, which is first and foremost like a just a no. Like you don't do that. Like that's But I'm there like you know what? I'm not going to say anything like I'm just like but dude does it for like a half hour. Half hour. No one on the staff says anything. Nobody asked him to turn it down. And then you know finally after I have like a saki in me and I'm getting a little buzz I'm like and he pays the bill and he just still sits there talking to her like he's in his effing living room and I'm like man can I'm like man can you invest in some headphones? Like we don't all have to hear your conversation. I was like, "Can you please like turn it down?" And you know, he get he looks at me little [ __ ] He's like, "What are you going to do about it?" I'm like, "What am I going to do about it?" Really? Like, learn some manners, man. Like, this isn't your living room. Like, but this and then, you know, the staff comes over to me, these like these I'm I'm just going to say this. These like women come over to me, these like frumpy women. They're like, "Sir, don't talk to him like that. You need to respect his feelings. You need to respect him being comfortable. I'm like, what are you talking about? Like, what about my comfort level in your restaurant? He's the one in the wrong. That is so unacceptable. And they were coming at me because he walked out. You made him feel uncomfortable. So, oh, so his comfort level is of your concern. And it was just these woke little women like coming to his defense and like defending him. And then I had the manager come over and she's like, and she was cooler about it, but I'm like, look, like you're the manager, right? Yes. Why didn't you walk over and tell him please? Like, you know, can you put on some headphones or go outside if you you know what I'm saying? It's like she's like, "Well, if if it wasn't bothering anybody." I'm like, "It's bothering me." Okay, it it's not appropriate. You know what I'm saying? There's just like you shouldn't have to let a manager of a restaurant know what is or is not appropriate at a restaurant. It's like someone walking in with no shirt on. Are you not going to say anything because unless someone says it's bothering them? And the like the whole concept of like these stupid kids like are are defending the dude that's do making the whole place annoying.
    59:42
    But you know it like it's just and it
    59:42
    But you know it like it's just and it but the fact that the staff was like giving me a hard time about it like I and and it's so funny because this is so true. These kids are so non-confrontational and so selfish that all they care about is themselves. And the moment you challenge them that their little feelings or their little thing they want to do with with total disregard to everybody else, what they want to fight you? What are you going to do about like, bro, you're like a little 18-year-old punk ass [ __ ] Like, I'm not going to fight you. He He And I'm like, like, do you know this kid? Is he a regular? Yeah, he works at like the restaurant across the street. Okay. So, cool. So, he's coming into another establishment and disrupting your paying customers. Like, I'm I go there every week now. I'm not going back. I And you know what? You know what it is? There's a reason why I learned a lesson. There's a reason why you get what you pay for. There's a reason why. Because I thought that I could go to this restaurant and get the 50% off and it's so much cheaper than Rorowan Seafood. It's so much cheaper than the restaurants in Darian and and Rowan and New Kanan and Westport. And I exactly learned you get what you pay for when you go to these cheap ass happy hours with a bunch of woke ass BS kids who want to argue with you about like America every time you have a conversation with them. I'm done. I'm going to go back to where it costs more and everyone sitting there is a successful common sense level-headed adult who does Nobody would ever go into any of the restaurants I go into in the nicer towns and have their speaker phone blasting at the bar as they have a conversation with some girl who's talking. You ever hear the way kids talk? Oh, it's fire, man. It's fire. That thing is fire. That thing is fire. What the who is going to hire these kids?
    61:49
    I mean, it's just like it's just common sense. It's also like his response should have been like, "I'm sorry, man." Like, you know, I'll put on headphones. No, he was just there like, "What are you going to do about it?" You know what's funny is my friend my friend comes in Pete who was a MMA fighter like badass and he's like well maybe we should go next door and tell them what we're going to do about it. I'm like no I don't care man. The other thing that's this is like I I learned that the reason why none of these losers are worth it because I you know what I'm saying is like I've got so much to lose in life. These losers have nothing to lose and you don't know who's got what. What idiot kid's got a knife or a gun. And this this is the problem is like there's no fair fist fights anymore in the world. Like I don't want to be looking over my shoulder because some punk ass kid who bares at a restaurant is mad that I told him to shut the f up like at a bar. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. It's like it's not worth it. Like you you never know. You know, these people are so they're so like crazy and selfish. And I could I have asked a little bit nicer? Sure. But I was like literally over 30 minutes and I I I got to say this too. The staff that was telling me to like you need to be considered like I wish you could have seen them all of them out of shape, frumpy as could be. Like you could tell like the I like these these these I I don't even like I'm not even going to go there. I'm not even going to go there.
    63:34
    Going back to seafood, baby. What's up, Mike? Mike, you get it right. It's like I just I can't the There's a reason why half of the There's a reason why half of the storefronts in Sono are vacant because like the customer is always right. And you gotta look, if you're a manager of a restaurant, you gota you got a dude who's in there every week wearing Gucci looking nice, bringing nice friends in like, and you got some punk kid talking to like his girl on speakerphone, and you take his side. Okay, cool. You lost my business. I'm going to be here for the next 30 years, and I'll never go back to your establishment. So, enjoy serving your little bus boy friend his like liquid deaths, you know, during happy hour because these kids don't drink anything.
    64:26
    And that's the thing is like I'm only going to go where like I only go back to places where they know me, everyone in the place is cool, and no one's no one's getting in fights and and acting like [ __ ]
    64:46
    Well, you know, but this is it, man. It's like this is, you notice like this is like the narrative of like Gen Z. You can't you can't invade their space. Meanwhile, the asshole's got his phone on speaker. Like, so only his space matters. What are you going to do about it? Well, I'm just not going to come back here anymore. That's cool. That's what that's what I'm going to do about it. No, when I walk into Row and Seafood, they're like, "Hey, Chris. What's up?" Hey, Brenda. What's up? Hey, you know, it's more expensive, but like, you know what? I've never I've never felt like I felt yesterday. Lazy sister, Carlos, the bartender next door. Great. I'll go there from now on. I don't need to go over here.
    65:31
    And, you know, I'm going to and I'm going to do what my dad would do. I'm going to find the owner of Mecca Noodle Bar and I'm going to call them up and explain to them everything that went down because I don't think that staff deserves to be like like they're they should be reprimanded by whoever owns Mechanoodle Bar because it's a little bit of a chain and they're going to hear from me. They're going to hear from me because I I'm so tired of these kids like acting like they can talk to their patrons like that. And not only are they going to hear from me, they're going to like, I'm never going back there. I'm going to tell everybody I know. Never go.
    66:12
    Yeah. Because they don't know. The owner doesn't know. They don't They don't know that that the owner would wouldn't tolerate that in a heartbeat.
    66:23
    We're just going to shoot somebody if I had to. Oh man. No, man. I'm not I don't want to I'm not I I don't go into a noodle bar at 5:00 on a Friday to get in a fist fight with a bus boy. You know what I'm saying? I go there to listen to the music, have a good time, and chill and unwind from the week. I I'm not fighting anybody.
    66:56
    the thing, people, and it's not about like money. It's not about There's just people that were raised right and people that were not raised right. And you know, some of the most disrespectful people are rich [ __ ] as well. But common courtesy, common courtesy. And when you have none of it, you're an [ __ ] And we have too little of it in society these days. And that is why I love Japanese culture. It is unacceptable in Japanese culture to put yourself in front of the community. You know, America's mixed. We have like we have people that get it and we have people that don't. You know, the other bartender that was at this place a couple weeks ago, uh, psych psycho psycho screaming about how we need to go back to being before colonization. This is a kid who's like 29 complaining that America sucks because of colonization. Who who taught these idiots? You want to go back and live prior to colonization? So that means you want to go back and live when Native Americans ruled America. Okay. So go study your history, jackass. Do you realize that the Native Americans in their before colonization happened was one of the most brutal brutal like warfare moments of any cultures against other cultures. Like they they they would they killed each other for land. There wasn't like they weren't all just like hunky dory. the tribes were were warfaring with each other forever. I'm not saying colonization is the answer, but you're you're you don't know anything. The these kids would be dropped into a precolonization world and be dead in a heartbeat. It's just funny to me. They don't even know their history.
    69:04
    Well, you know, look, I didn't even bring up the Jared thing, but he took down the post.
    69:15
    They took down the post, Jared, about
    69:15
    They took down the post, Jared, about the Kanye concert. We got We I haven't heard from him since. I I don't know. Do you guys think I was wrong? But like I don't know, man. It's like I don't think Kanye is a is a is a peaceful man. I you know, but also like you don't come to a pinball page to to get into that stickiness, but I just, you know, I' I've tried to give Jared is Stern's like social media guy and I've tried to give him advice many many many times and it's just he he doesn't get it. Like, but this is Jared's thing. Like, he he's always showcasing his new life for clicks and likes. I get it. It's his thing. No, you can have freedom of speech. I don't care. There's just, you know, you just got to be cognizant of like what the, you know, people can have uh people can have opinions about it.
    70:18
    Um, Transformers should be dropping end
    70:18
    Um, Transformers should be dropping end of May, I think, with a June build date. I think that's when Transformers is gonna going to drop. Then we're going to get Sonic end of July at Sonic's first the first show will be the what is it? The Southern Fried Gaming Expo. Is that is that right? Is that like August? Whatever one's early August or the Midwest Gaming Classic. I forget which one it is. One of those two.
    71:02
    So, Optimus is supposed to transform on the playfield. Uh, when you say fully transforming Optimus, I would curb your enthusiasm. I could see them popping up. I don't think they're going to do the maybe all these, but I you would need like a lot of servos to do that. And those big Transformer toys, they're filled with servos and they're expensive.
    71:32
    Well, I mean, all I said was I mean, isn't Gary Stern Jewish? Yes. Jod's Jewish. I think Seth is Jewish as well. That's all I said. Half of my friends are Jewish. Most of my leadership in my company is Jewish. And it's funny because like it's just common sense. Like if your boss is Jewish, maybe don't maybe don't celebrate Kanye West, let me like I don't need to like, you know what I'm saying? Like that's even dumber than talking to your girlfriend on speaker phone at a noodle bar. It really is common sense. You know, I I I'm at work like Mark Zuckerberg is he's Jewish, right? Like when people at Facebook are like >> like literally want to have like
    72:14
    like literally want to have like
    72:14
    like literally want to have like anti-Israel protests and you work at Facebook, you know what I'm saying? It's like, you know, I don't know, man. I don't know. I'm pretty cool not like leading a crusade against the very person who employs me.
    72:38
    Isn't Stern isn't Gary Jewish? Am I right or wrong? I don't know. I I thought Gary was Jewish. The Sharps are Jewish, right? I I again like I'm not I'm just I'm I I
    73:07
    Wait, you got rid of GNR for Pokemon? And that's like giving up a demon for a Mini Cooper. No way, man. You are wrong, man. Um I This is a better This is a better game than G&R. It's a better game. It'll hold value more than G&R. And it's like it'll bring my family more enjoyment.
    73:39
    Look, I think everybody would agree a pinball machine first and for foremost needs to be enjoyable to shoot there. Like there's a reason why Guns and Roses values have plummeted. It's not because they made so many money. It's because the shots.
    73:55
    Yeah. You know, Robert, I agree, man. Like people need to like be a little bit they need to be a little bit cautious how much they think is going to be in Transformers. You know what I'm saying? Because here's the thing with Stern. Name me the last incredible Stern mechanism. Watch. Watch. Watch how long this is going to take. Name me the last truly incredible Stern mech and watch how everybody has nothing to say. I'll wait.
    74:28
    The minivan. Godzilla. The Godzilla building. >> How many years ago was that?
    74:46
    I think the um I think the DNG dragon's cool. The Godzilla building is is neat. You know what's funny about the Godzilla building though? It's like literally I feel like it's a little overrated, man. It just it's just a it's just a diverter. It's just a diverter.
    75:15
    I haven't seen anything better than the
    75:15
    I haven't seen anything better than the crane in Batman 66 on a Stern game in a while. That was 12. I mean, that that that crane from Batman is like like like 18 years old because it's from the original Dark Knight game.
    75:43
    Yeah. Well, I still own Guns and Roses and you know, I don't need the money and even though Brenda will be without jobs starting Monday, it is um God, she's so good. I can't wait to see who gets Brenda next. It's always It always makes me laugh because Brenda's like the greatest. like she's so much more hardworking than anybody I know. It's going to be nice to give her like, you know, a few months to recharge, recalibrate, and and get her bearings during a beautiful time of year. I think spring is all about rebirth. And I and you know, I think the mistake people make in life is they they overextend, they absorb too much expenses, and they they end up like in a financial place where they're just enslaved and entrapped by like the need for constant income every single month or they're screwed. And the world's really expensive. And then that's why I'm just really happy we did not listen to the banks. The banks approved me to spend an additional like an additional 800,000 more than we spent on this house. Just think about that for a minute. The banks approved us to spend 800,000 more than we spent.
    77:10
    That would have made my mortgage payment go from like around five a month to like 12 to 13,000 a month for 30 years. And this is what the banks approved. What world are they looking at? Who's got who's got 40-year careers anymore in in corporate America? >> Is Franchie in the house yet?
    77:40
    Franchie, we don't understand, man.
    77:40
    Franchie, we don't understand, man. Franchie like we we we don't get it. The new game gets talked about.
    77:54
    Um, how long is the mortgage? A 30year loan, but I'm paying it off way before that. I could pay it all off now, but I just I don't know. My financial advisor says we can make more money in the market with our money than we can. There's no point in paying it off right away.
    78:21
    So if if look if we both lost our jobs, I could just like that just pay off the mortgage and then then it's then then my podcast I could survive on. Um
    78:39
    so Brenda's entire company shut down. So it was BI Sports streaming. They partnered with like FanDuel and the whole company is just like winding down. So they basically ran out of money again. Like they survived like an $8 billion bankruptcy and they just they they've just everybody's out of work that was working there. There goes Brenda.
    79:06
    Um but she's she's in good spirits. It's nice having a Brenda in the house. Every house should have a Brenda.
    79:21
    No, I don't have any penalties for paying What's up, Brenda? >> Hey, boo.
    79:24
    Hey, boo.
    79:24
    Hey, boo. >> I don't have any penalties for paying
    79:26
    I don't have any penalties for paying
    79:26
    I don't have any penalties for paying off my mortgage early. There's no I have no early penalties. It's all depends on how you set up your mortgage. So, where is the Pokemon topper? Where where is it? I I It's gonna look so cool. The fish, the Pokemon fish up there. It's gonna like It's gonna be so much fun.
    79:53
    The problem with all of all of like the modern world is just the fact that governments just print more money and we are so in debt and we just keep printing more money where like countries like Sweden have like no debt. Their dollars worth more. It's strong. Like we I don't know. It's just weird. These politicians all suck. Like the politicians just all suck. And you know, I'm not not even to get political, but how stupid was it? Like was it um like Trump's wife does a press conference to say she had no ties with Jeffrey Epste and then like literally there's all these photos of her with Jeffrey Epstein. Like it's just like what what's wrong with the world? Like like just own it. Like if you're gonna like you know what I'm saying? It's like don't like the the spin.
    80:44
    Are they fake photos? Is that has that been proven? I mean, we are in a world now where like the um the AI ability to make to fake everything is going to be crazy. So, let me give you guys a little bit of an ex I don't think this is an exclusive, but this is just more what I know. Um, the first game of next year for Stern Pinball will be Brian Eddie's Dracula. 100% happening. And it's going to be like a comedic take on Dracula. So, think like campy medieval madness kind of vibes of like you are Dracula. I don't know why I said that.
    81:37
    So, we're gonna get an all original Dracula from Brian Eddie. Now, what's interesting about this is Stern has tried this before, like an unlicensed game, but like, you know, you can put more in it. You can you can you can like really dial up the campiness of it. I think stuff like Winchester, Dracula's Castle kind of vibe. I think the issue with Stern and these kinds of games though is like I think these things work for boutique companies to be able to pull off something like that. I don't think Stern's three tiered model
    82:22
    is um can absorb something like this. So do you think Kale said it as a joke? I don't know. He he seems pretty confident about it. Maybe it is a joke.
    82:37
    I don't know. It's open IP, so you know, it's it's definitely something that um has potential. It's way too quiet. Where is everybody >> now? It's too quiet.
    82:46
    now? It's too quiet.
    82:46
    now? It's too quiet. >> Are they outside? doesn't it feel like three cornerstones a year plus all these boutiques plus JJP? Isn't there too much pin?
    83:14
    Do you guys want to hear something about Back to the Future? Huh?
    83:25
    Do you want to hear about Back to the Future? So, Back to the Future, one of the main mechs in the game, and I'm not sure if it will interact with the ball. I think it will, but not sure. There will obviously there will be a Delorean, a big DeLorean in the middle of the game. that the doors will open up. And originally, this was going to be like a lock mechanism. I'm not sure if it's still going to lock the ball. Originally, the the doors were going to go up, the balls were going to lock inside the Delorean, and it would raise up, and the wheels would turn in like it was going to fly into the air, and it would rotate and then release the balls for multiball. Now, not sure if it's still going to do the lock mechanism, but I the the it definitely will have the doors open up and the wheels turn in and have all the lights and everything. So, we shall see. I mean, look, I mean, I'm not like blowing your mind that one of the major mechs in, you know, Back to the Future, a Delorean with the doors going up.
    85:04
    Um, I'm also hearing this. I'm hearing that they may reveal Back to the Future sooner than later because there's no there's nothing on the line after Alice and they need to get money in the door.
    85:26
    So, we'll see. I don't know, man. Like, it's going to be an interesting race. No, Robert, you're wrong. Back to the Future's time has passed. like that. That is not true. It's not true, man. It's it's it's it's not it's evergreen, man. It's iconic, but it's going to be an interesting race. Here's the amazing race that's going to happen in pinball. Stern's going to keep doing what it does, and so is Jersey Jack. I think Jersey Jack is actually going to become the leader in terms of like making the best pinball. I do. I think JJP, when I talk to them, I think they finally get it. And not only do they finally get it, I think they're going to they're the only game that actually looks like it's worth what these games are asking. This is the this, you know, them and Spooky. I would say Barrels, too. But anything 10 to 15K, Jersey Jack really just like, all right, I see I see what I'm paying for and it's worth it. And I think Jersey Jack's going to have like maybe Ghostbusters. Like they're going to have themes that you want. Like Jersey Jack is I think the old Jersey Jack games are going to just keep plummeting in value. So like get rid of them. It's my advice. You can start seeing G&RL's for like 3500. I 100% believe so. Um Stern's going to keep doing what Stern does. They will, you know what? I think all of us have the same opinion about Stern. If they can just at least make one great Godzilla like game a year, we'll be satisfied. They will have four to five games that they actually manufacture a year, whether it's anniversaries, remakes, and new cornerstones. As long as they make something new and interesting that's fun, fine. The days are over where like you're just going to keep buying every Stern and and not losing money. No, like only I think all Stern games now because they're going to lose a significant amount amount of money. I think they need to I think, you know, again, I just think they're they're they're going to be uh struggling, I think, to always find the the volume of sales considering how big their factory is. I think Stern is always going to be an anxious place moving forward. Jersey Jack, not so much. And then I think the real fun race is the Barrels versus Spooky versus American Pinball Battle. To me, that's like really where the the the the interesting games are going to come from. for the most part are these boutiques who are hyperfocused on solely one game at a time. It's going to absolutely be uh incredible to see what these companies cook up and because they're boutiques, the secondhand value will be intact. And that is the biggest advantage they all have. So if you know if David Vaness wants to make the last star fighter and only make 500 like he can do it. Stern can't make last star fighter. Never- ending story continues to be a rumor. I don't know. We'll see. But if he makes big trouble in Little China, you know, he'll sell a thousand in one day and then, you know, move on to the next campy theme that people would love. There's so many of them out there. You know, you can make the Last Dragon Bruce Lee pinball machine. I mean, if you only need to make 500 of them, Last Dragon, you'll sell you'll sell 500. You know, I if if you create something of value in this hobby, 500's nothing. Like, you should easily be able I mean, Stern sells 500 games between Monday and Wednesday. The amount of Pokemons they Stern has already sent out more Pokemons than probably Harry Potter. You know, it's like it it's it's it's just like that. It's that simple. Um, but gang, look, every day above ground is a good day. Thank you so much for being a member of the Canadia Club. Thank you so much for some of the donations here today. I think we had Sad Boy at the leader at the top. We didn't get Azie in pop in with his hundred bucks, but we'll get him next time. Um, any money sent here goes to Brenda's sake fun on Saturday nights getting her nice and liquored up. It's the only way for her to find me attractive. I'm joking. Fizzy, thank you, brother. But, um, you know, look, I'm just really glad we get to hang out every week. I see I don't see this thing ever slowing down. Um, I really look forward to to, you know, covering all these games this year. It's going to be a crazy year. And as you can tell by the show this week, I haven't lost my edge, my rantiness. It's still here. Like, I'm I got your back. But right now, we're in a little bit of a holding period. You know, Pokemon's out. We're waiting on code. There's not much else happening right now. All right, Mike. We have to hang soon. I want to go watch the Masters. You know what the ideal day today is? Outdoors watching the Masters, drinking some champagne, having a lobster roll. That sounds like a good day. Sounds like a real good day. All right, peace out everybody. Goonies is coming. It's coming later.