Labyrinth Pinball Machine Review | Barrels of Fun’s Brutal Beauty Based on Jim Henson’s Classic

TL;DR

Labyrinth is flawed but charming; technical issues don't diminish immersive design and addictive gameplay.

Summary

Key Claims

• Labyrinth had approximately 900-1,000 units produced but may not have reached full production target

  medium confidence · Gonzo states: 'I think they meant to build a thousand. I think they for one reason or another they couldn't quite build a thousand.'

• Barrels of Fun fixed the outlane drain issue in Dune by implementing an adjust-on-post feature absent in Labyrinth

  high confidence · Gonzo: 'I know they fixed for Dune, is on the outlanes. There's no adjust on the post. So, you can't close up the gap at all.' Later: 'Clearly Barrels of Fun noticed after this game was produced that it was a problem, and they coded in a solution.'

• Labyrinth experiences frequent mechanical issues including ball sticking, flipper fade, and inconsistent VUK/scoop ejection

  high confidence · Detailed technical critique throughout review covering stuck balls, flipper fade effects, eject power tuning difficulties, and volume level problems

• The topper mechanism (moving heads) is non-functional despite eye lights working intermittently

  high confidence · Multiple references to topper malfunction: 'The two heads either side of this main character here, they're meant to turn when they speak. They don't turn.'

• Labyrinth is significantly harder and more technically troubled than Dune, representing Barrels of Fun's learning curve

  high confidence · Gonzo: 'having also played Dune, I can tell you now that the improvement from this game up to Dune is significant' and 'I think you'll find Barrels of Fun will have learned from this.'

• Aftermarket lane extenders purchased from Etsy for £50 transformed the game experience by eliminating outlane trap issues

  high confidence · Gonzo purchased modifications costing £50 including import tax that 'made a lot of difference' and 'transformed the game for me'

• Labyrinth build quality is comparable to JJP standard but not quite at Dutch Pinball or Big Lebowski levels

  high confidence · 'It's at JJP standard in terms of materials used and build quality... Not quite at the level of Dutch Pinball. Not quite at the level of The Big Lebowski'

Notable Quotes

• “Despite all of that, I have become addicted to this game. In fact, I would go as far as to say I love this game.”

  Gonzo @ ~13:50 — Critical turning point in review establishing that despite technical flaws, the game's design and charm overcome its issues

• “It's at JJP standard in terms of materials used and build quality. They've done a good job.”

  Gonzo @ ~21:10 — Direct competitive positioning of Barrels of Fun against established boutique manufacturers

• “I think as this goes on, perhaps like myself, people are going to gradually discover this game and start to appreciate it for what it can do rather than what it can't do.”

  Gonzo @ ~19:50 — Prediction about Labyrinth's long-term collector value and reputation evolution

• “This game has atmosphere. The theme lends itself to a pinball machine more than it lends itself to a film.”

  Gonzo @ ~15:30 — Unique insight about theme-to-medium translation quality

• “It looks like a world under glass. And I think less than a thousand made. I do wonder if this game is going to stand the test of time quite well.”

  Gonzo @ ~19:40 — Investment/collectibility perspective on limited production run

• “If you don't like taking the glass out of a pinball machine, I wouldn't bother with this game because you're going to have to.”

  Gonzo @ ~25:30 — Explicit ownership warning about maintenance requirements

• “The plunger is a bit stiff. It's not the easiest one to do the skill shot on because there is a soft plunge.”

  Gonzo @ ~27:00 — Specific mechanical criticism of skill shot design

• “Is it fun? Yes, this game is a lot of fun.”

  Gonzo @ ~42:30 — Final verdict distilled to core question the channel consistently asks

Entities

Signals

• ?

  community_signal: Player community actively troubleshooting Labyrinth issues on Pinside forums; high engagement indicates dedicated enthusiast ownership base despite technical problems

  medium · Reviewer references Pinside thread participation and forum posts addressing same issues he encountered

• ?

  design_philosophy: Gameplay difficulty balance questionable—game too hard for intermediate players and younger players; middle jump shot frequently rejects; guides interfere with sling; overall 'bricky' flow

  high · Extensive critique of shot difficulty, rejection rates, and flow issues; daughter unable to play despite pinball capability

• ?

  design_philosophy: Barrels of Fun signature design approach: back-of-playfield screen feature (similar to Circus Voltaire) creating atmospheric depth; labyrinth-pattern laser-etched speaker panels; miniaturized world aesthetic

  high · 'it's got what I think is going to be Barrels of Fun's signature feature, which is the screen lower down—like Circus Voltaire'

• $

  market_signal: Boutique manufacturers (Dutch Pinball, JJP, Spooky, Barrels of Fun) now offering genuinely competitive alternatives to Stern, shifting buyer preferences away from major manufacturer dependency

  high · 'you're just not necessarily going to go and get a Stern anymore. There's real viable options'

• ?

  personnel_signal: Labyrinth as Barrels of Fun's first title shows expected learning curve in manufacturing; substantial improvements visible in second title Dune demonstrate iterative refinement