Unwrapping Rob Berk's Import Shipment from Italy (Part 1)

Past Times Arcade·video·22m 3s·analyzed·Apr 3, 2024

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.024

TL;DR

Rob Berk unwraps large European pinball shipment; mostly Sicaram and Italian machines in good condition.

Summary

Rob Berk receives a major shipment of European pinball machines (19 total) sourced from Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands in February 2024. The first part of the unwrapping covers approximately 8-10 games, primarily Sicaram machines and other foreign/Italian manufacturers alongside what appears to be an early Bally game. Machines are in surprisingly good condition; hosts note the difficulty in obtaining documentation and schematics for these European games.

Key Claims

This shipment took approximately 3-4 months to compile
high confidence · Rob directly stated compilation timeline when asked by host
Bally didn't last very long as a manufacturer
medium confidence · Host commentary on the Bally game discovered; accurate historical statement
Gottlieb released an Italian version of Neptune called Poseidon
medium confidence · Host speculation based on cabinet appearance and Italian origin; not definitively confirmed
Documentation and schematics for foreign/European games are very difficult to obtain
high confidence · Multiple mentions throughout video by hosts with experience in restoration
Many European solid-state and electromechanical pinball playfields have held up extremely well
medium confidence · Host observation during unwrapping; anecdotal but based on condition of machines in shipment
Sicaram used dummy score reels to make games feel like they had higher point values
medium confidence · Host explanation of Moonlight game having 7 visible reels but only 5 functional reels
Rob already owns a Lucky Fruit machine and had to purchase a second one due to backglass issues
high confidence · Host and Rob discussion of duplicate acquisition

Notable Quotes

“Bally didn't last very long as a manufacturer and the score card that's cool that's great”
Host @ Early segment — Historical observation about Bally's market position
“I've never seen this company... this will be a solid state version of um guess hit the de Neptune Poseidon”
Host @ Mid-unwrapping — Speculating on an obscure Italian/European manufacturer's relation to Gottlieb designs
“A lot of these foreign games solid state and electromechanical the playfields have held up extremely well they're beautiful games”
Host @ During Sicaram unwrapping — Assessment of European game preservation and quality
“one of the hardest things people out there in TV Land is when you get these games you just you see a picture someone says hey I had this game for sale”
Host @ Mid-video — Commentary on challenges of buying vintage games sight-unseen
“Getting those reproduced is very very difficult”
Host @ Regarding score cards — Restoration challenge for Bally-era components
“I think we have 19 total games so we're three in now”
Host @ Progress check — Confirms total shipment size of 19 machines
“Future Queen it's going to go right next to the Queen game”
Host @ During game identification — Rob already has Queen game in collection; adding complementary title

Entities

Rob Berkperson Joseperson WaynepersonRonpersonMikepersonPast Times ArcadecompanySicaramcompanyBallycompany Gottlieb

Signals

?
collector_signal: Renewed collector interest in European/Italian pinball machines (Sicaram, Addaball, RM Torino) with machines in good playfield condition despite age and storage
medium · Host repeatedly comments on excellent condition of playfields and cosmetics; consistent excitement about quality across multiple machines
?
collector_signal: Rob now owns multiple copies of same games (Lucky Fruit purchased twice for different backglass condition); optimizing collection for various conditions
high · Host and Rob discussion: 'I bought another one' referring to second Lucky Fruit; one has broken backglass
?
community_signal: Hosts demonstrate limited familiarity with some European manufacturers; RM Torino specifically noted as unknown to them despite being solid-state
medium · Host states: 'I've never heard of that' regarding RM Torino and admits uncertainty about Poseidon connection
$
market_signal: International sourcing of pinball machines requires significant logistics coordination and local expertise (Jose's role as Spanish contact critical to transaction)
medium · Host mentions Jose helped transport and verified condition before purchase; emphasis on importance of seeing machines in person
?
product_strategy: Rob Berk completes 3-4 month sourcing process for 19 European pinball machines, primarily from Italy, Spain, and Netherlands
high · Direct statement from Rob: 'probably about three or four months' and host confirmation of 19 total games

Topics

European pinball machine acquisition and collectingprimaryVintage/classic pinball restoration and condition assessmentprimaryDocumentation and schematics challenges for foreign manufacturersprimarySicaram pinball machines and Italian game designprimaryShipment logistics and handling of delicate pinball machinessecondaryInternational sourcing of pinball gamessecondaryHistorical pinball manufacturers (Bally, Gottlieb, Addaball)secondaryPlayfield condition preservation and cosmetic differences between machinessecondary

Sentiment

positive(0.78)— Hosts and Rob express enthusiasm and satisfaction with condition of machines. Comments about 'three for three looking good' and repeatedly noting beautiful playfields and good condition. Some minor frustration about missing documentation and backglass issues on duplicate Lucky Fruit, but overall tone is celebratory and excited about the acquisition.

Transcript

youtube_auto_sub · $0.000

all right so we have a new environment here today Ron go ahead and pan we're actually up on the loading dock it is February 27th 2024 we have Ron behind the camera Rob's here today to check out these new toys Jose right here Jose is the one he's from Spain he's visiting us for a week where you from in Spain fantastic yeah I'm in alante okay Valen um so uh Jose here helped Rob get over get these games over so I don't know if he's helpful or he's an enabler for you rob y well he checked him out so if if nothing works here we know who to blame yeah but I think we should mention that Wayne works on the farm he was in between milk and cows and I called him up I said I need your help so he he washed off his hands and so I'll be right down so we have these games came out from Spain but they came from the Netherlands Spain Italy all over Europe we have I know what we're going to find out so get ready tune in get your uh drinks take off your shoes and watch what's going on so we're going to open these up I honestly asked Rob I said what's in here he said at one time I knew how long have you been compiling this shipment Rob probably about three or four months three or four months all right so as we unwrap these we'll see what they are professionally abanded we're going to make a mess too probably be a good idea maybe to one side on the trrap to the pallet we don't know how T they are these are solid see the the the the Milkman don't know how solid these you want to unra that one all right there we go door number one Rob roll looks like an em based on the CET this is Mike's favorite em have some for this look at this Ron this is my first game by rally oh wow look at the interesting uh apron on there this unknown but what's interesting is R this is our first rally game Mike it is our first rally game I'm not sure where you going to put it but you better make room rally didn't last very long as a manufacturer and the score card that's cool that's great yeah getting those reproduced is very very difficult so I'm going to walk this off the pallet looks pretty clean guys all right look at that coin D I bet I know what that one is it's either a knockoff or that's a cabinet's not exactly the same that's what about people don't know this cow people City Slickers don't know better right that Neptune knockoff it does looks like and so if it's from Italy it's probably an adab ball game gotlet released uh I guess the Italian version of Neptune called posid look at that very unusual plug but I'm curious if that is a Poseidon let's see here do not break these backlashes well you can't see that Landing landing on Venus is the name of this one here never saw this game in my life I don't know I know a little bit about this company but I mean the obvious thing that looks it looks very very similar to a cabinet of a gotlet game so I'd be very very curious if the mechanics and everything inside are similar too what's really tough about these are actually schematics finding paperwork for these foreign games very very tough head on there Mike it's just lay I just folded it [Music] down I do not see any paperwork not necessary the mighty Michael fix it we'll get it this is called is that Poseidon no gu you don't say that no Jose oh W is Gan I think is well is must be Italian from Torino is this sakaria or no it's not sakaria it's a different one so let's is the gly show some people on TV license like license yeah it could be we have a few games like that that they watch cords are hooked up sort of counterfeited check on Hey Ron look at this guess whose problem this one is oh it's a solid oh my God look at the the even this is so different RM Torino I've never heard of that heard and that one has the the cord still in got a got Le uh yeah let's be careful that cords are still in do you want to uh you want to put it back up on the neck it tie that down good job mik all right so I've never I've never this company this will be a solid state version of um guess hit the de Neptune Poseidon Mike or Ron can you fix that Mike's Mike's going to fix it that's all you Mike's going to get a learning curve about solid state Electronics this be fun this will be fun all right store number three here before we do that let's pick this this this head back up too yeah or at least that I put it behind it because this glass is one of a kind one of kind One of a Kind much much uh you want to put it behind strapped in so we're going to I don't like to rock on on the head just light in the back here it we're still connected connected that's connected too yeah wonder why they would do that mhm J you're the one that pack this all right you have a head there we'll bring it back up yeah here we go all right what a weird game all right first time ever seen my human eyes door number three hit it baby roll let's see if we have a shipping so where' this one come from we know where this one actually came from before it got to you Jose it's come from this one is from Italy where do they find these days where do you find these days even I can't believe it guys all right this is a Zacharia says on the coin door here nice rack dog we have some uh legs this must be part of the package oh what's in this this one's bundled and banded pretty well beautiful Playfield looks good A lot of these foreign games solid state and electromechanical the playfields have held up extremely well they're beautiful games let's just kind of tip this one back just a little bit so we can peek at it and then we can wrap it back up gen one house of diamonds House of diamonds get the Playfield that's a beautiful Playfield yes it is old sakaria have like beauti yes they do good good you got another strap there all right we're going to keep these together before we move along one of the hardest things people out there in TV Land is when you get these games you just John Youssi a picture someone says hey I had this game for sale or they'll send you a link to the database but I said no I got to see a picture of the game before I want to buy it so so far I mean I think we're three for three three for three looking good capitals look halfway decent the games look halfway decent Jack be seen however how it is inside the game yep that's going to get scary Ron how obtainable are the is the documentation paperwork for Zach games you got to do a lot of digging yeah uh but they're out there they're out there and uh that rally and whatever this company is that one might be tough we'll figure it out that's what we normally do the question is where are you going to put it I think if we tear Mike's office down we can a few more games all right I always said put one in the bathroom good enough got to put one in the bathroom I think we have 19 total games so we're three in now let's go to number lady L look at this put a little bonus here a mouse hole what was that before all s all right we'll get this out of here what is this OD ball a head yet delans it looks like future Queen future Queen it's going to go right next to the queen game you want to open these up Rob I don't know what do you I think Mike let's take a peek we don't have a head for this one so let's leave this one for now cuz it's probably another shipment [Music] hope this one though let's see if this is hinged I'm trying to see yeah this is a hinged one so we should be able to just fold this one open okay take a peek at it fold it back up real quick all right ready go for it wait we got this through Go my what's that called future Queen boys this clean look at this thing is it a bell games is that what it says look at this here what's this look like it's like the old Bri of pin butut also Lord of the Ring is always on the other side where B kind of feeds through there so you wonder where some of the designers in America get the ideas from who knows may be here got the cute Mickey Mouse here on yeah look at that light on that thing there's a couple Bell games that we have on the for Cobra yeah skill flight that's C idea with that light I was going to say the topper looks very much like a skill flight and Cobra we have those ones on the floor here are pretty clean so far guys all right hopefully don't loose not smash NE hold on we get it some more n it's not even working let me put ret over more there you go enough every shipment some free legs that's another problem guys out there in is this YouTube land or what look is this it's going to be YouTube land YouTube land is when you get these legs sometimes a roll of the dice especially if they mixed up which lays go with which game two more look guess is this one Space Race it looks yep it is says on the bottom again this one looks like it's called Joker never seen anything G we don't have the heads on these ones so we'll keep digging keep digging keep crossing your fingers I'm guessing these are Electro Mechanicals to now this this one looks like it goes right here Rob okay oh yeah all right I'm going to take this up strap you guys did a good job titles Jose did you get the games this way this way you got them yeah so the guys that a pretty good job of P all right pull this head out here got this one w't drop it what do we got Ron Moonlight moonight Moon flight let me set this down take your time buddy you got it look at that very cool seven score rails and looks like these two are dummies it's actually five yeah no it's sakaria [Music] mhm again yeah you're right yeah I can see the screw right through it so something that a lot of these companies would do so it actually just has five score reels okay so it's essentially just a a 10,000 player game which a lot of companies would do but to make you feel like you're getting more points they added fake numbers I think we have a Sonic on the floor that might have four dummies dummy reels in it so all right let's put this somewhere let's have this facing this way PR good so the glass is good I'm proud of you how you put that in there all right I got a strap here that I'm undoing here rob you want to pull this one out to M little there can let me see if it's uh I would like to see if there's there cords attached to it or wires going into the back that's uh like the second or third space themed game I've seen here yet all right so this one hang on this one is hinged uh but the head is not strapped so let's P this down towards me yep you hold that head there okay y you fold it down careful you're on the edge there there we go you want just Jose you want to fold the head back just to see what it is MHM future world oo okay here's the good news we have missing inserts which is common they're down here still so we can glue those back in good job buddy Playfield on this looks great again Rob can't believe it wow if this I'm not sure if these gam are sitting in storage or what that they're so nice beautiful beautiful these is very typical sakaria is it and look I don't know why they would add beer there on top this is a family game design amazing well you got think about hitchhiker guide of the Galaxy you need your peanuts and your beer and your towel come on all right let's walk this back towards the I I did this one can John Youssi this same colors yellow and pink yeah light yeah you want to give me that strap actually I have one right here you holding the head there okay I'm going to put it I'm just going to throw a strap around it just to keep that head folded up guys I don't mind you spend all day just to put these things nothing so much together but put them away and separating them and keeping them nice and safe nice until we find a place until the next Edition you're downsizing right not yet not yet these are cool Rob they are fun very neat all right next next coming on those two games up front we still hav P the head no we have no all right Rob this this green and blue one is one that you have however the other one you have back glass it has a broken back glass you're exactly right I didn't know that I bought another one the know has a problem with these days that the memory just start to fade you know I I think I'll have to do my the next couple days and take that back side got it all right I'm going to unstrap that this one one right yep okay let's see here how these ones look so the top one as I mentioned I know we already have it has a broken back glass let's pull this one out I will be gentle take called lucky fruit ready drum roll glass looks great on that too a little bit of flaking here maybe a little at the bottom but yeah it's a good ladies and gentlemen if you look carefully this is Adam and Eve reaching for that forbidden fruit where did they get the clothes from well this is this they Thrift very Thrift Store look how they how they threw the head on there man she's all right but the head here is kind is this physically possible yes it is don't ask questions don't ask all right so this is the the body lucky fruit is that one attached Wayne or can we take that head out too touch it's attached touch yeah and it's hinged also okay which one M that one's attached hinged so we can if we take this one off we can open that up to see what that is fozle game it's called Mexico 80 [Music] six so far all these have been really beautiful really good condition you got that head I'm I'm going to walk this one off disconnected am I connected somewhere sitting on top wow all right you want to get this play field there Ron the colors on that oh this is the this is the lucky fruit yeah again we have toar patterns from Mike you recognize this Playfield you know from the other lucky fruit I don't that's what I'm saying no yours doesn't yours is missing this plastic here too on the other one too okay cool all