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Part 9: 1997 Sega Jurassic Park The Lost World Gameplay. Testing & Learning the rules.

Pinball Shenanigans·video·25m 6s·analyzed·Dec 31, 2025
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Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.021

TL;DR

Mike Dus playtests 1997 Sega Jurassic Park Lost World, discovers Easter eggs, and documents code/hardware issues.

Summary

Mike Dus from Pinball Shenanigans conducts live gameplay testing and learning session on a 1997 Sega Jurassic Park: The Lost World machine. He discovers and demonstrates Easter eggs (super skill shots with E.T., old men, and shark fins), explores various game modes (GPS, mobile lab, raptor side targets, scoop modes), and documents technical observations including snagger issues linked to new code versions and a sticky flipper problem. The video captures authentic learning gameplay with rule progression, multiball attempts, and mode completion efforts.

Key Claims

  • New code in Jurassic Park is causing snagger issues; reverting to old software resolved the problem

    high confidence · Mike states 'Ever since I put in the old software back in, my snagger issues have gone away' and later posts about this on Pinside forums to help other owners

  • The smart missile in Sega Jurassic Park only spots one shot, unlike Data East Jurassic Park which spots every shot

    high confidence · Mike directly compares the two versions: 'the smart missile only spots like one shot. Not like the data east Jurassic Park, which would... the data east Jurassic Park will spot you every shot'

  • Modes in this game cannot be stacked on top of each other

    medium confidence · Mike questions 'But can I play sight B along with multiball? Probably not. I don't think you can stack anything on this game.'

  • Color DMD files exist for Jurassic Park, though Mike is unsure if they're Pin2DMD or other format compatible

    medium confidence · Mike states 'This would be pretty cool to have color DMD on this game. Files do exist. I don't know if on color DMD or just pin 2 DMD'

  • Achieving San Diego (final objective) in this game is very difficult; Mike has not yet accomplished it in playtesting

    high confidence · Mike says 'This is going to be a very, very, very, very tough game to get the San Diego' and acknowledges not beating modes in initial attempts

Notable Quotes

  • “Ever since I put in the old software back in, my snagger issues have gone away. So, go figure. New code is problematic.”

    Mike Dus @ ~13:00 — Critical technical discovery linking software version to hardware malfunction; has community troubleshooting implications

  • “How many poor people have the new code in and are having Snagger issues and have no idea that it's freaking software?”

    Mike Dus @ ~31:00 — Identifies potential widespread user pain point; motivates public service post to Pinside

  • “I've yet to beat this mode... This is going to be a very, very, very, very tough game to get the San Diego.”

    Mike Dus @ ~37:00 — Reflects on game difficulty and progression challenge after multiple gameplay attempts

  • “The data east Jurassic Park will spot you every shot. This one spots one shot, apparently.”

    Mike Dus @ ~19:00 — Direct mechanical comparison between two different manufacturers' versions of same IP

  • “I don't think you can stack anything on this game.”

    Mike Dus @ ~24:00 — Rules design philosophy observation about mode interaction mechanics

Entities

Mike DuspersonPinball ShenanigansorganizationJurassic Park: The Lost WorldgameSegacompanyData East Jurassic ParkgamePinsideorganizationPin2DMDproductGold Ballsperson

Signals

  • ?

    community_signal: Mike publicly documenting and sharing technical troubleshooting on Pinside to help other owners with software-related hardware issues

    high · Mike: 'I made a post on the uh Pinside Jurassic Park Club, so hopefully that'll be helpful to people'

  • ?

    design_philosophy: Sega Jurassic Park designed with non-stackable modes, creating distinct gameplay progression style compared to modern pinball with mode stacking mechanics

    medium · Mike: 'I don't think you can stack anything on this game' after attempting to play Sight B alongside multiball

  • ?

    product_concern: New code version for Jurassic Park causing widespread snagger malfunction; old code resolves issue, indicating regression or incompatibility in recent software update

    high · Mike: 'Ever since I put in the old software back in, my snagger issues have gone away... New code is problematic' and 'How many poor people have the new code in and are having Snagger issues and have no idea that it's freaking software?'

  • ?

    technology_signal: Color DMD files exist for Jurassic Park but compatibility uncertainty; community interest in upgrading from orange dot DMD

    medium · Mike: 'This would be pretty cool to have color DMD on this game. Files do exist. I don't know if on color DMD or just pin 2 DMD, but any color is better than no color. Better than orange dots.'

Transcript

youtube_auto_sub · $0.000

0:01
Oh, video mode. I've only played this once. Do it. Do it. Use ball launch to swing.
0:15
Hey, look at that. Beautiful. Beautiful. I beat it. I'm Mike Dus and [music] this I beat it. I'm Mike Dus and [music] this is Pinball Shenanigans.
0:30
Okay, I'm going to do something a little different for this episode. Just going to do some play testing and learning. I have already started and I thought, you know what? Why don't I just hit the record button and y'all can join along for better or for worse. So, I've got my glare guard here to help with the reflection on the DMD. So that's uh looking pretty good. So like I said, oh also obviously the uh camera is vertical for this episode. So kind of throwing y'all for a loop here. Oh, did you see ET in the background there?
1:19
I just discovered a neat little Easter egg in my couple games ago, my play testing game, and I'll see if I can uh show that off uh live here. So, I've learned a thing or two about the rules. Not much, but let's uh give her a go and see what happens.
1:42
Do you know what world you've come to? The T-Rex comes out here, stomps, shaker motor goes off, back foot, stomp, shaker motor. You can't really get the whole shaker effect so much. You can cut. There's this strap kind of hanging down here. Maybe if I put it somewhere where you can see it, then uh I don't know if that's visible or not. Yeah, it is. You might be able to see that thing jiggle a little bit. Okay, so the Easter egg that I discovered, I have to get two successful skill shots here. So, I need to squash two humans right on the money here. So, I got to time this right. Oh my god, I missed [music] completely. But sometimes the uh launch button just doesn't fire when you want it to fire. I tested it in switch test
2:50
and it works perfectly every single time, but uh I don't know, just software is weird [music] sometimes.
3:01
All right, I'm going to try and find a uh comfortable spot here. I'm sitting on my butt because the machine's not on legs yet. So hopefully this is uh maybe I'll bring you just a little bit closer just to be safe.
3:22
Okay, here we go. Human number two. Oh, that's good. So, I should be able to show you the little Easter egg on Paul 3.
3:31
Snagger should work. All right. Ever since I put in the old software back in, my snagger issues have gone away. So, go my snagger issues have gone away. So, go figure. New code is problematic.
3:51
Oh, come on, man. I'm going to try and refrain [music] from cheating cuz that's no fun. How's this view? Pretty good. Here it is. Look at the Easter egg. Super skill shot. I now got to choose between shark fins, old ladies, ETSs, and Elliot riding the bike. Who do you want to crush? Let's go ET. Hey, I'm trying. Get out of my way. Let's go. Uh, old man.
4:23
50 uh 50,000 points for that. Thought the old man would be worth a lot Thought the old man would be worth a lot more.
4:34
I've read about people rebuilding that neck a lot and it sounds like a royal pain. I'm glad I didn't have to do that, but knock on wood doesn't mean I won't.
4:49
I also discovered that these inserts are right in like the dinosaur brains. So, I need two more dinosaur brains or skulls [music] or whatever to uh light my last lock and that is by hitting the drop target. So when I hit the drop target, that should go solid. See dino brains. Whoa.
5:21
No, that was really cruel. Three balls there that I couldn't really do anything about. Run for your lives. Run for your lives. Okay, I'm going to move this back just a bit because I feel like I want to make sure Whoa, you can hear me. Okay, tighten things up here. The only problem with this is that uh
5:49
I can't see the playfield. Okay, when I try and hit the start button with no credits, I love this. [music] [music] It's kind of hard to hear over the It's kind of hard to hear over the music, but
6:11
Everything's working so far so good. Let's uh try and actually have a decent game.
6:18
Okay, watch. Let's see if the ratchet strap jiggles. You see that? Eh, not really. Okay, I want to try and get this super skill shot again cuz that's fun.
6:37
Only got 50,000 points, so might not have [music] been a very clean hit. All right, so uh modes. Hit a bunch of ramps, you start the ramp mode. Hit a bunch of targets, you start the target mode. Hit a bunch of spinners, you start spinner mode. Hit a bunch of raptor side targets, you start the side target mode. Hit a bunch of scoops, you start the scoop mode, baby T-Rex.
7:05
Ramps are GPS mode. Need three of each ramp. The left flipper controls the left lanes and the right flipper controls the right lanes. And then I will start mobile lab. Let's hit the right ramp for a GPS and a lane. There we go. So now once I hit the flashing light, then that will start that mobile app. Try and backhand this ramp.
7:57
Why did my left spinner light there? Think I can try and shhats this. Let's try. That's fun to try. Back hand the ramp.
8:10
Get up there. Okay, let's just speed the left flipper. Oh, that was an accident. It's an easy enough feed just going up the center ramp. Okay, now roll over the E. Mobile lab. Mobile lab. Mobile lab. Two ball multiball. Mobile lab. Two ball multiball. What I just learned is that if I hit appropriate number of spinners, 15 [music] more spinners, then that will uh add a ball. I like this dinosaur trying to eat the mobile lab truck.
9:06
I think uh my buddy Gold Balls just texted me. I might have to uh put you on pause for a second. Hold on. Okay, I'm back. He just said, "Okay, complete. waste of my interrupting my video, man. All right.
9:25
We'll see if I get the super skill shot opportunity on bubble three.
9:33
Oh, did I start? Okay, I started GPS. So, I need four more to finish in 16 seconds.
9:45
In my play testings, which haven't been many, I have not beat a single mode of any mode yet whatsoever. So, hallelujah. Look at that. That's my first mode right there. I beat. And I also read that if you uh don't beat it the first time around, you got to start all over again. But it's an extra [music] ramp, so it's even harder. So, you really want to nail that your first attempt. All right. So, let's go. Uh,
10:20
baby T-Rex or lockable since I'm here. This would be pretty cool to have color DMD on this game. Files do exist. I don't know if on color DMD or just pin 2 DMD, but any color is better than no color. Better than orange dots. Okay, so now what do I want? Uh oh. Yeah, baby T-Rex.
10:57
Let's bank it in off the slingshot. The smart missile. From what I understand, the smart missile only spots like
11:15
one shot. Not like the data east Jurassic Park, which would Oh, that's going to be bad. The data east Jurassic Park will spot you every shot. This one spots one shot, apparently. Wow, that was horrible. Recovery to a fail.
11:41
Oh, I don't get the super skill shot opportunity. What happens if I squish a dinosaur?
11:55
50,000 points. So, that's uh just as that's just a fail. So, I think that's the least you can get.
12:10
I don't know that I played raptor mode. Raptor. This red one here.
12:21
Or wait, no. Yeah, I have. That's the uh it's the side targets. I was thinking there's a raptor insert up there as well.
12:32
That could be super jackpot for the main multiball, which I have not got. So, let's try and get that. Oh, I started sight B. But can I play sight B along with multiball? Probably not. I don't think you can stack anything on this game. Okay, site B. I can change the letter that's lit with my flippers. So, if you're on the right flipper, you want to hit the target to the right of the lit eye there. Nailed it. Try and hit the B here. Boom.
13:29
Maybe the lane change switch might need to be cleaned up a little bit on the left side possibly.
13:40
Okay, you know what? I need a dinosaur egg cuz that would have gave me an extra ball possibly. And it was lit. This is lit for mystery. Run for your life. And I just learned Run for your life. And I just learned that if you hit both spinners, that lights your mystery.
14:04
We'll try one more and then probably call it cuz I will do a proper tutorial at some point most likely. This is just play testing and learning
14:23
So, I got to wait for the animation cuz I really want to get my super skill shot. So, I can't cancel this out. Here we go. Oh, perfect.
14:39
Good start. All right, let's go. Uh, try and get the super jackpot. Wow.
14:48
But the main multiball doesn't really progress you towards San Diego at all. So, not that I'm aware of anyway. Okay. Uh 50. Maybe I got to hit the guy. Maybe that's the secret there.
15:12
I hit those right targets. Why did they not light up? Okay, mystery is lit. Let's go in there. Let's go in there. Get a smart missile. What did I get? Lost world. Lost world. Extra ball. Okay, fine. Extra ball. Okay, fine. ball. Two more scoops to hatch egg. Uh, I want Two more scoops to hatch egg. Uh, I want a smart missile. Oh, so that's why it says lost world. Hit those to get lost world. I get it now.
16:18
Oh, the snagger's got my phone. How many poor people have the new code How many poor people have the new code in and are having Snagger issues and have no idea that it's freaking software? Well, I made a post on the uh Pinside Jurassic Park Club, so hopefully that'll be helpful to people. Okay. I need each ramp. Wow.
16:58
Wow. Okay. It's really chaos. Chaos. Get it? That's like data east Jurassic Park multiball. Uh-oh. That's going to be a problem. I hit a jackpot, too. So I don't get a restart. That sucks.
17:24
I'm too scared to do them in like competition, but it's a good game to practice them on. Magnus like a baby T-Rex. Do I get something good?
17:42
a mystery award. Oh, wait. I got an extra ball. Did I Did I just get that?
17:50
I've yet to beat this mode. Two more needed in 20 seconds. So that seems pretty reasonable except when failing.
18:13
Oh, there's add time targets. The purple one behind the egg. That's kind of clutch. Although I don't know how easily you can hit that on purpose. Oh, come on. Rejected.
18:35
This is going to be a very, very, very, very tough game to get the San Diego. Something has survived. Shoot again. Something has survived. Shoot again. Okay, maybe I can uh get my super skill Okay, maybe I can uh get my super skill shot after all. But I need the dude. Indiana Jones looking dude. Got him. So maybe that will enable my ET skill shot.
19:09
I need a ramp so I can start my T-Rex tubo. Multibo. See if I can uh add a ball. show you that
19:28
cuz there's no timer on this mode. What did you do? Wow. Okay.
19:36
Need two more dinosaur brains to light a lock. I've got a smart missile. Let's use it. That'll give me one lock. the M ball.
19:55
Give me one or two. One more lock for multiball. Maybe it gave me two locks. Then let's go left orbit. Whoa. Wow. A little later. All right. Now try that super jackpot.
20:23
Oh, where'd that ball come from? Where'd that ball go? Jeez. I don't mind having two balls, but here we go. All right.
20:49
It's got some good tunes though. Late Ah, so much fail. So much fail. Okay, how about the super skill shot? Is it going to give me opportunity?
21:16
I want to smush ET. Oh no, maybe I need another extra ball. I can know how I can get one. I need to get 6x bonus multiplier by the two rollovers up top. And then maybe I can smush ET. Hey,
21:33
got the dude. Now I need rollovers. Whoa. Oh, I started sight B.
21:45
Oh, now he's trying to loop pass. I'm not going out like that. You really got to concentrate on this mode. You can't just freaking play.
22:10
Oh, see I went the wrong way. Supposed to be going for S. Oh, no. I only have it on one danger.
22:29
I cannot believe I survived that. Uh, all right, let's go egg for the mystery. all right, let's go egg for the mystery. Lost world. Lost world. Oh, video mode. I've only played this once. Do it. Do it. Use ball launch to swing.
22:52
Hey, look at that. Beautiful. Beautiful. I beat it. I heard you can actually jump I beat it. I heard you can actually jump in the T-Rex's mouth occasionally, so I was trying to do that, but it's my second time ever playing that mode. And the first time I died immediately. So I guess I beat sight B. I didn't even realize that. H
23:26
Or wait. Oh, now I need more completions of the T-Rex letters. Okay, it also gets harder. So, let's try and start it anyway. GPS. GPS. Oh, I started GPS in the process. Well, Oh, I started GPS in the process. Well, I got to beat that, too. So,
24:06
Hey, look at that. Two modes beat. Let's go. Uh, mobile lab. Mobile lab. I need a right ramp. Two right ramps.
24:28
Need to get my X. See, flipper was a little sticky there for a millisecond. Oh, wow. That was sticky flipper distraction. It's no fair. So, I think that's literally the only issue I can think of for that play test session. Some more shaker motor action going on there with the animation. Uh, match animation. All right. Well, that was a successful play test. So, I'll keep an eye on this flipper. And uh yeah, that'll be the end of this episode. [music]