Spooky tour, Logan Arcade, Kong Trailer impressions

Don's Pinball Podcast (patreon feed)·podcast_episode·25m 36s·analyzed·Apr 17, 2025

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.023

TL;DR

Spooky facility tour, Kong hype reaction, Evil Dead success, and arcade bar adventures.

Summary

Don and George Gomez recount a tour of Spooky Pinball's manufacturing facility in Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin, highlighting their in-house production capabilities and upcoming game pipeline (5 games in development, targeting November reveal). They visit Logan Arcade in Chicago, discuss impressions of the King Kong livestream trailer (praising its smooth animations and shot design), and cover recent Evil Dead success and Pulp Fiction topper customizations.

Key Claims

Evil Dead has sold out; Joe Newhart bought the last 25 units available and they sold out immediately, with demand deepening since.
high confidence · Don speaking about Evil Dead sales trajectory
Spooky Pinball manufactures all components in-house: backglasses, playfields, translites, circuit boards, plastics, and decals—no outsourcing to China.
high confidence · Don describing Spooky's facility tour observations
The next five games are in development at Spooky's offices; not ready to be shown yet, with estimated reveal targeting November.
high confidence · George Gomez confirming during facility visit
King Kong features smooth, fluid monster animation—not herky-jerky like early detractors predicted—possibly using components from Avatar dragon or Electric Playground dragon.
medium confidence · Don analyzing Kong livestream footage
Kong's left arm thumps the glass during play, as confirmed by Keith Elwin.
medium confidence · Don referencing Keith Elwin's statement about Kong mechanic
The Electric Playground's Pulp Fiction topper has hidden surprises beyond initial reveal, based on early feedback improvements.
high confidence · Don and George discussing topper unboxing surprise
Some community members are speculating Kong could dethrone Godzilla as the top machine.
low confidence · Don noting community hype speculation, distance himself from the claim

Notable Quotes

“The new game exists. It's there. Actually, I think the next five games are probably in those little offices we walked Barnyard. But it's not ready to be shown yet. But I'm thinking November ish.”
George Gomez @ early in episode — Confirms Spooky's production pipeline and upcoming reveal timeline
“Evil Dead is just like it's killing it. Now. We know that it's sold out. Joe Newhart from pinball star bought The Last Arcade 25 that were available and those have sold out.”
Don @ mid-episode — Quantifies Evil Dead's market success and rapid sellout
“They metal CNC machines they wireform welding assembly house shop they soldering station making their circuit boards cutting their plastics those all done printing their decals That's all done in house, printing their playfields, printing translite, printing backglasses is all done in that building.”
Don @ facility tour section — Details Spooky's vertical integration and in-house manufacturing
“I was totally blown away watching this thing... the ball pass the combos this flipper to flipper nonsense that's going on and The smoothness of the monkey.”
Don @ Kong trailer reaction — Enthusiastic reaction to Kong's gameplay flow and animation quality
“There is some surprises that you don't know about yet pertaining to this topper! So if you're a Pulp Fiction consider at least getting on the list until you watch the unboxing.”
Don @ Pulp Fiction topper discussion — Teases unrevealed customization features for Electric Playground's topper

Entities

George Gomezperson DonpersonSpooky PinballcompanyEvil Deadgame King Konggame Keith Elwinperson Pulp FictiongameElectric Playgroundcompany

Signals

?
manufacturing_signal: Spooky Pinball manufactures all components (backglasses, playfields, translites, circuit boards, plastics, decals) in-house rather than outsourcing to China
high · Don's detailed tour observation: 'They metal CNC machines... printing their playfields, printing translite, printing backglasses is all done in that building.'
?
machine_intel: Spooky has 5 games in active development with estimated November reveal window
high · George Gomez: 'The next five games are probably in those little offices we walked Barnyard. But it's not ready to be shown yet. But I'm thinking November ish.'
?
product_launch: Evil Dead has sold out completely; Joe Newhart's purchase of final 25 units immediately sold, with demand deepening post-launch
high · Don: 'Evil Dead is just like it's killing it. Now. We know that it's sold out. Joe Newhart from pinball star bought The Last Arcade 25 that were available and those have sold out.'
?
gameplay_signal: King Kong features smooth, fluid monster animations with branching code complexity and glass-thumping mechanic
high · Don: 'the ball pass the combos this flipper to flipper nonsense... The smoothness of the monkey... Keith Elwin did say so... the coil will fire and like it must be his left arm or something just like bam.'
?
product_strategy: Electric Playground incorporating early feedback into Pulp Fiction topper design; undisclosed improvements to be revealed in unboxing
high · Don: 'There is some surprises that you don't know about yet pertaining to this topper!... The Electric Playground listens to early feedback and wants to improve when they can'

Topics

Spooky Pinball manufacturing and vertical integrationprimaryEvil Dead sales performance and market successprimaryKing Kong gameplay impressions and mechanical designprimaryUpcoming Spooky game pipeline (5 titles in development)primaryElectric Playground Pulp Fiction topper customizationsecondaryChicago pinball arcade venues and communitysecondaryCustom accessories and playfield modificationssecondaryKeith Elwin design philosophy and game mechanicsmentioned

Sentiment

positive(0.82)— Enthusiastic tone throughout; Don expresses strong admiration for Spooky's manufacturing facility, Evil Dead's success, Kong's design, and the arcade community. Some casual complaint about missing Malort in Chicago but framed humorously. No significant negative sentiment detected.

Transcript

groq_whisper · $0.077

The trick is to let the music kinda come in and then you be like what's up patreon mother grabbers still here with George Gomez. What up? On the eve of our trip to Stern Pinball which is happening tomorrow morning. Just wanted to recapsulate a little bit. I think it's a word. Yeah. Everything that went on today, what we did here in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin for y'all. What a town. What you think dude? Love lovely town coolest place coolest people Mitch Johns. What up? Shout out to you Shout out to debate coincide seine Jakeander Амини Store Insorậpци Pantaiote, Commentators, Penny mmm pierwsze, All this means we should have a new fricking game at some point. We didn't get to see the new game yet. We did not. The new game exists. It's there. Actually, I think the next five games are probably in those little offices we walked by. But it's not ready to be shown yet. But I'm thinking November ish. Yeah, that's right. And Evil Dead is just like it's killing it. Now. We know that it's sold out. Joe Newhart from pinball star bought the last 25 that were available and those have sold out. And then since then, demand has like DEEPPU surrendered, Pinter Weidman, Nathan Ost lại Terнуть, riv egyòç peženěº Luke Spade, root prof. eins l英 realizedênaýs and n stepsightðérææ, johnvar Pipertovit's new video,en abbreviated Announcer'namás malediceaţziniš'ẻ kìširæºnåţ euchewihë",n sådénaţiquaisetsî, niexertas�� èˆ,Ŧs Ö それ keeperž Callenãţšاţtちょ estoy ″äˆŁsţ Lieutenant Karno says the first time seeing it, Luke Peters came out with his laptop of doom and loaded this code in here and said you guys want to see some serious crap, and then like boom like the topper and the playfield were both integrated in this awesome jumpscare. It was like it was amazing. Scattered A, that's all. And the cool thing about this mode. It utilizes the center scooped into the lower playfield and the stand up targets that pop up and depending on how you do in the mode, it's got a branching fork. With Hee Subtit记 Supreme Synchetitre in math, retBrian Please Millieli, H rally популяр, Pleasemillestens, Pleasemillceksin, Pleasemillpoqueyear, Pleasemill� البخ생 냄새 relocationgeste, Pleasemillexhales christophuvreatcornern인�atgek, We lost xx we considered elером deFRANX 골�enberger for future You wanted to see a movie? You wanted to go? 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All PROczneKaptor feedこれは Tanyo Klyce blazing, tuxedo torło 여러분들 안�alis 요? The Under sellers WITH FILSIika analogy Tipbo opinion Quintalres, MrTentu U to anything or all for mailtelevision记 turning to u Tanyo Klyce, WPPR philosilant Um, yeah, so so awesome times we come back into town crashed out here for a little bit then we got the Kong livestream which completely blew my sockscks off like look I know it's an L one right. I know it's the shots are gonna feel good I know looking at the art looks like every zombie getty color everywhere all of everywhere all at once And it was gonna be a fine game right better than John wick better than x-men at least as good as D&D Hopefully as good as jaws, but at least as good as Avengers infinity quest Just still a fine game. Iron Maiden's fine game. I was totally blown away watching this thing. Yeah. Yeah, and I couldn't and I was expecting yeah, it's gonna be good But like watching it's just the ball pass the combos this flipper to flipper nonsense that's going on and The smoothness of the monkey. Yeah, just like early detractors were saying like this is this is the Hulk mech just reskinned It's gonna be herky jerky and stuff, but he's got some good fluid motion on them I wonder if they used some of the components from the dragon from what's his name wrath you know Robin Rath I think is what he's called yeah or electric playground dragon so he's really smooth and articulated in the premium le and it looks like the the movement of Kong was pretty smooth as well I'm gesticulating right now which tracks the ball it seems like yeah and and I did hear like he does thump the glass at least in a track Elwin did say so and yeah so like the coil will fire and like it must be his left arm or something just like bam WPPR behavphone 얘뀥** S We went to Logan Arcade, we walked in, and Bells and Chimes is doing a tournament. I walked right into RobinRath, from Electric Playground, makers of the Pulp Fiction Topper, which will be unboxed by me soon, like in the next two or three days, like next week it is going to happen. Watch that live unboxing. That's going to be fantastic. I got the first one. I got number 25! I am the luckiest little boy in the world. There is some surprises that you don't know about yet pertaining to this topper! So if you've got a Pulp Fiction consider at least getting on the list until you watch the unboxing George knows and he thinks it's awesome. Yeah, not many left. So make sure you write. All right Cuz so there's a little special surprise more so than what you've seen so far and it's because The electric playground listens to early feedback and wants to improve when they can and then absolutely they did and everybody's gonna be super happy with this Can wait to show it off Go support Can wait to show it off It gonna be this week Once I get back home we set that up WPPRcolm Richmond Day eight out of ten years were Vlichtaenestらい�� the Jim Kerr 2021 A little game called Avatar collector's edition that I have in my home arcade. I don't even want the limited one. I want the collector's one. With Globalls. With Avatar. I've got Globalls in there. Shout out to Brian Savage for hooking me up with those at the Dune Pinball Company. What's it called? Barrels of Fun. Bland. Thank you. Thank you so much Mr. Savage. What a great guy. I gotta go put the Globalls, the rest of the Globalls in there. Plan C unchangedable Pinballью Good Samaritan Aricareading As んup TNix I think it looks cool. So hangingout with these guys. Crazy fun. What'd you think of Logan Arcade, the preeminent arcade bar, pin bar in Chicago? Yeah, never been. It was pretty rad place. Yeah, different mix of pins, Sterns, old Bailey Williams. There was, there was some guy with like, some kind of pink feather Muppet puppet thing that was doing a live stream on a rethemed monopoly home toy version pinball machine. It was a crazy thing that were going on. The Yeah, I first I thought it was like that Alice in Wonderland $1,000 pinball machine those coming out but no it's like some other some other weird toy It's bigger than the American Girl doll toy pinball machine But I played it it was fun as a custom wreath theme this world is ridiculous man sometimes So I failed my friend and he got out of a bar in Chicago without having Malort Which needs to be fostered on everybody at least once tunz yink friendly C expres Broad Log,ó Government underwear, Fin circumst Sibr winner, Fin 잠� purposes of Sp� activities AtÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿPremium tatto, Prospect PE, Perugas, There were more to ask about Pinball incumbent as he not only gave ATP by the waysp ¿How do youув Careto do it? I do the山á that you would put at the end of ?ritosonylooooe at pawnselecto the má positive kill leadership count CD siis, XP App,heetdragonctalning.Manager imaging department of object inbox DemonstrationsIX StacyBank holidaysüstpnis omniSocial Second I'm in Chicago, Land of Malort, 10pm at night. I had a drink that some guy bought me when I was in the lobby of Pequod's. What a nice guy. What a nice guy. And I talked to this nice Indian gentleman. I practiced my Hindi. It was fantastic. So crazy. So and then I'm talking to this guy from Sebastopol, California, which is the town in California that I attended my continuation high school in that town and that I used to like sneak into the movie theater there. Paragraf Finally, That is a winner man. This game's sounds like it's got the makings of like, yeah, the next legendary Elwin. Some people are saying Godzilla killer. Many people are saying this game will be the ones that will dethrone Godzilla and deported over to San Salvador. Is it true? I don't know if we're going to go that far. It looks great though based on the stream. I mean, yeah, so it looks like a great Elwin and like Jaws well, I love it. I love the code. I love the movie clips. I love the shots. Allan Cue sucker, The Knapp Caracket so worships the carnival pääsy nhé For more fashion tha tہ irrational Walt し it's always fun to color but other times always it longer and or mr chow Pinball in the hangover re of what I think was a family guy Yeah, so but it looks like there's stuff to do underneath there. There's that kickback which I saw in motion in the livestream and it actually looked pretty cool because the ball like spirals around, hits that target, that kafooms type target like from Foo Fighters and unwinds itself, comes back out.?, Lake Trev tanto, får What's dough and puffie? Tantrum www.npaintoni.com Pinballjoursulp.com PinballStill rawn Bio-d fungi muse tendency toppled at I know 分 Animal It's fun ofole Ars democracy Late Cal чист Delونsy Correct Ar ".. S recognizes fi shouted not b ne ne me์ Song Washington arcadebar and I'm thinking I'm gonna bring some classic arcade elements into the design for the side armor for this game I don't know if I'm gonna quite do yellow though, even though I do want to go with this banana theme. I got it What would Kong look like with red armor with yellow backing? I look good Yeah Yeah Cuz cuz I'm thinking like kind of to play off a Donkey Kong 2 and Donkey Kong had red font for the marquee Our our our our Portland worry fair it seems in an article deleted in a I'm gonna go to sleep and then get up early and we'll go over to Stern. What do you say? Deal. All right. ZZ Top, bring us back in. Thank you so much for your continued Patreon patronage, including our new people subscribers. I've got like two or three new people that popped in the last day. I love it. I'll give you personalized messages coming soon. And then this next week I'll be home. Ivan R 다�ick tet We have unpleasant neuesanna� paddle krav Vasuk,