Rumor: Jersey Jack Pinball Holds the License to Top Gun

Knapp Arcade·article·analyzed·Aug 7, 2022

Analysis

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TL;DR

JJP rumored to hold Top Gun pinball license for Steve Ritchie's first game.

Summary

A rumor segment from The Eclectic Gamers podcast (Episode 173) suggests Jersey Jack Pinball holds a license to produce a Top Gun pinball machine, potentially as Steve Ritchie's first game for JJP. The rumor doesn't clarify whether it's based on the 1980s original or Top Gun: Maverick. The article notes Ritchie's relevant design history with Williams' F-14 Tomcat (1987) and his recent purchase of a restored F-14 machine at Pintastic New England.

Key Claims

Jersey Jack Pinball holds the license to produce a Top Gun pinball machine
low confidence · Rumor from The Eclectic Gamers podcast Episode 173, 'Rumor Corner' segment by Dennis Kriesel
Steve Ritchie designed F-14 Tomcat for Williams in 1987, a game thematically similar to Top Gun
high confidence · Historical fact stated by article author; widely documented in pinball history
Steve Ritchie purchased a restored Williams F-14 Tomcat at Pintastic New England and had it shipped to Chicago
medium confidence · Stated as recent event in article; plausible but unverified by independent source
The Top Gun license rumor doesn't specify whether it covers the 1980s original or Top Gun: Maverick
high confidence · Explicitly stated in article summarizing the podcast rumor
Steve Ritchie's first JJP game announcement is expected around late 2023
medium confidence · Article author's speculation based on typical JJP announcement timing

Notable Quotes

“I personally like the Top Gun theme A LOT more than some of the bland rock theme titles that I've heard rumored to be on tap for Ritchie's next game.”
Article author (Knapp Arcade) — Expresses preference for Top Gun over other rumored themes; suggests other rock-themed JJP titles are in development discussion
“What will his first JJP game be? We'll probably have to wait until late 2023 to see.”
Article author (Knapp Arcade) — Indicates timeline uncertainty for Steve Ritchie's first JJP announcement
“Man that game plays fast!”
Article author (Knapp Arcade) — Describes the gameplay experience of F-14 Tomcat positively

Entities

Jersey Jack Pinballcompany Steve RitchiepersonThe Eclectic GamersorganizationDennis Krieselperson F-14 Tomcatgame Cactus Canyongame Chicago Gaming CompanycompanyPintastic New England

Signals

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design_philosophy: Steve Ritchie potentially researching F-14 Tomcat mechanics as reference for Top Gun game design
medium · Recent purchase and shipment of restored F-14 to Chicago; historical precedent of Ritchie's work on similar-themed F-14 Tomcat in 1987
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market_signal: Steve Ritchie's next game represents significant interest in pinball community; multiple rumored themes in circulation
medium · Article mentions 'bland rock theme titles' rumored as alternatives, suggesting active speculation about Ritchie's first JJP project
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personnel_signal: Steve Ritchie recently joined Jersey Jack Pinball and is preparing for his first game with the company
high · Well-documented move; article discusses his upcoming first JJP title; purchase of F-14 Tomcat suggests active research/development
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rumor_hype: Jersey Jack Pinball holds license to produce Top Gun pinball machine
low · Dennis Kriesel's 'Rumor Corner' segment on The Eclectic Gamers podcast Episode 173; no official confirmation or secondary sources cited
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licensing_signal: Top Gun theme availability for pinball unclear; rumor doesn't specify 1980s original vs. Top Gun: Maverick
low · Kriesel's rumor segment doesn't clarify IP scope; suggests uncertainty in the rumor itself

Topics

Steve Ritchie's first Jersey Jack Pinball gameprimaryTop Gun pinball license rumorsprimaryTheme licensing and IP acquisitionsecondarySteve Ritchie's historical design worksecondaryCactus Canyon production delaysmentioned

Sentiment

positive(0.72)— Author is enthusiastic about the Top Gun rumor and expresses strong preference for it as a theme. Positive tone toward Steve Ritchie's capabilities and track record. Dismissive of 'bland rock themes' suggests critical perspective on alternative rumors but overall positive framing of the Top Gun possibility.

Transcript

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This morning, The Eclectic Gamers podcast released their latest episode, Number 173 titled "SE+ for so Many Months." As you can tell from the title, they discussed the delays that Chicago Gaming Company has been experiencing with the SE+ and LE units of its new Cactus Canyon game. That's not what this post is about, however. I'm going to talk about Dennis Kriesel's critically acclaimed "Rumor Corner" segment of the show. I'm not sure what critics have acclaimed the segment other than myself, not am I sure that I am considered to be a critic...nonetheless the segment contained a very interesting pinball rumor. The rumor that was discussed is that Jersey Jack Pinball holds the license to produce a pinball machine for the classic Top Gun. The rumor didn't specify whether the license was for the old school 80's Top Gun or the new film Top Gun: Maverick. I don't know whether the rumor is true, but in my opinion it would be an absolutely fantastic theme for Steve Ritchie's first game at Jersey Jack. The King of Flow actually produced a game with very similar theme to this back in 1987 when he worked for Williams pinball, F-14 Tomcat. That pin was essentially loosely based on the Top Gun theme and is loved by many to this day. Man that game plays fast! Not only did Steve Ritchie design the Top Gun-like F-14 pin back in the day, he actually purchased a restored Williams F-14 at the recent Pintastic New Robert Englunds pinball show and had it shipped back to Chicago. A little research for his next game, perhaps? I personally like the Top Gun theme A LOT more than some of the bland rock theme titles that I've heard rumored to be on tap for Ritchie's next game. What will his first JJP game be? We'll probably have to wait until late 2023 to see. Here's a link to the show for anyone why wants to check it out: https://eclecticgamerspodcast.wordpress.com/