Episode 101 – CSI: Special Pinball Unit

Head2Head Pinball·podcast_episode·1h 42m·analyzed·Jul 22, 2019

Analysis

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TL;DR

Head2Head Pinball demos CSI by Pat Lawlor, rates it solid between Indiana Jones and Batman tier.

Summary

Head2Head Pinball presents gameplay footage and commentary on Stern Pinball's CSI machine, designed by Pat Lawlor. The host provides a walkthrough of key features including three multiball modes (centrifuge, skull lock, microscope), evidence collection mechanics, and licensed character callouts. The game is positioned as solid but not exceptional—better than Indiana Jones but not as good as Batman.

Key Claims

CSI was designed by Pat Lawlor, who also designed The Addams Family and Twilight Zone
high confidence · Host states this directly during gameplay commentary
The CSI show's creator requested a skull lock feature because he is a big fan of pinball
medium confidence · Host mentions this twice but does not cite specific source; plausible as licensing detail
CSI has three multiballs (centrifuge, skull lock, microscope) and three drop targets
high confidence · Host observes and plays through these mechanics on video
CSI is better than Indiana Jones but not as good as Batman
high confidence · Host's direct comparative assessment based on gameplay experience
Stern's next game is 24
medium confidence · Host states 'Should be interesting to see their next game is 24' but phrasing is unclear; could be speculation or confirmation

Notable Quotes

“This game was designed by Pat Lawlor who also did um The Addams Family and of course Twilight Zone. This is his newest one.”
Head2Head Pinball host @ Early gameplay segment — Establishes designer credentials and positions CSI as capstone of Lawlor's legendary portfolio
“Overall, it's a pretty good game. I wouldn't say as good as Batman, but definitely better than Indiana Jones.”
Head2Head Pinball host @ Mid-gameplay assessment — Provides clear tier ranking within Stern's recent catalog
“The creator actually asked if they could put something like a skull in the game because um he is a big fan of pinball.”
Head2Head Pinball host @ Gameplay commentary — Highlights IP holder engagement and pinball fandom at show creator level
“The game really shakes when that centrifuge is on.”
Head2Head Pinball host @ Centrifuge multiball section — Notes tactile/physical feedback quality of signature multiball mode

Entities

CSI (Stern Pinball)gamePat LawlorpersonStern PinballcompanyGary Sternperson Head2Head PinballorganizationIndiana Jones (Stern Pinball)gameBatman (Stern Pinball)gamePirates of the Caribbean (Stern Pinball)game24 (Stern Pinball)gameTwilight Zone (Pinball)

Signals

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community_signal: Head2Head Pinball producing detailed gameplay walkthrough and reviews as part of wider content strategy including Arcade Hunters partnership
high · Host mentions upcoming full review of 'Castle Video' for Arcade Hunters; indicates ongoing content pipeline and cross-platform distribution
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design_philosophy: CSI design incorporates show creator's specific request for skull lock mechanic, indicating licensed IP holder engagement in game design process
medium · Host states CSI show creator 'is a big fan of pinball' and requested skull feature in game
?
announcement: Potential confirmation or speculation that Stern's next game following CSI is '24'
low · Host says 'Should be interesting to see their next game is 24' but phrasing ambiguous—could be speculation or leak

Topics

Game Design & MechanicsprimaryPat Lawlor's Design PortfolioprimaryStern Pinball Game PipelinesecondaryMultiball ModesprimaryLicensed IP in PinballsecondaryGame Quality Tiers & Rankingssecondary

Sentiment

positive(0.72)— Host expresses clear approval of CSI as a solid, playable machine with good mechanics. Comparative framing (better than Indiana Jones, not quite Batman) is balanced and constructive. No criticism or controversy detected. Tone is enthusiastic about Stern's contribution to keeping pinball alive.

Transcript

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DNA will tell us if this is your kid, but it does look like your killer came but it does look like your killer came to Vegas. to Vegas. [Music] D [Music] [Music] do Heat. Heat. N. [Music] doo doo doo doo doo doo. [Music] All right. Now that 2600 has shown you All right. Now that 2600 has shown you the ins and outs of the machine, I'm the ins and outs of the machine, I'm going to go give it a play. I've going to go give it a play. I've actually played this before. It's pretty actually played this before. It's pretty good. And um you're going to see all the good. And um you're going to see all the different toys. different toys. Still waters run deep. Still waters run deep. It's got some of the uh actors from the It's got some of the uh actors from the shows with some uh custom sound clips. shows with some uh custom sound clips. I'm sorry. Don't know the paparazz names I'm sorry. Don't know the paparazz names of all the characters and all this stuff of all the characters and all this stuff cuz I haven't watched CSI in a couple cuz I haven't watched CSI in a couple years. But it's pretty good. It's got the cold climb. climb. Centro played um Stern's other game to Centro played um Stern's other game to the Caribbean. Imagine the Tortuga lock the Caribbean. Imagine the Tortuga lock on steroids. Blue evidence is lit. Now on steroids. Blue evidence is lit. Now that's the uh evidence thing. I can that's the uh evidence thing. I can start collecting evidence that's in the start collecting evidence that's in the middle to complete the middle to complete the crime. There's also the uh skull lock crime. There's also the uh skull lock and u this game was designed by Pat and u this game was designed by Pat Lawler who also did um the Adams family Lawler who also did um the Adams family and of course Twilight Zone. This is his and of course Twilight Zone. This is his newest one. newest one. I got the see. Going to try to get the skull on, which is which is um hate to say it, don't know the um hate to say it, don't know the creator of the show, but um the creator creator of the show, but um the creator of the show, but um the creator actually asked if they could put actually asked if they could put something like a skull in the game something like a skull in the game because um he is a big fan of pinball. because um he is a big fan of pinball. So, let's see if I can get that skull So, let's see if I can get that skull lock and show some more of the game. lock and show some more of the game. Otherwise, it's going to be a very Otherwise, it's going to be a very boring video. No music, but you know, we got we got the who's Six entry wounds, five shellcas. My math says that doesn't add up. Yeah, one of the other quotes is those a lot of lot of threes, three balls and three multiballs threes, three balls and three multiballs and three of the drop targets. So, uh and three of the drop targets. So, uh that's what you get. You have the uh that's what you get. You have the uh centrifuge multiball, skull lock centrifuge multiball, skull lock multiball, and the microscope multiball multiball, and the microscope multiball after you collect all of the um all the evuge completed. Good. I can shoot that again and then another time and I can uh again and then another time and I can uh start a centrafuse multiball which is a start a centrafuse multiball which is a two ball multiball. All right, here comes the skull. Take that noise to the AB geeks. skull. Take that noise to the AB geeks. Centrauge multiball is lit. All right, Centrauge multiball is lit. All right, so now I got the multiball and I got a so now I got the multiball and I got a lock on that skull so I can uh get it lock on that skull so I can uh get it lit for you and show you how it works. lit for you and show you how it works. But first they want me to do the But first they want me to do the centrifuge. So, I'm not going to be uh centrifuge. So, I'm not going to be uh showing off the uh ball anytime soon. The game really shakes when that centrifuge is on. centrifuge is on. Centrifuge multiball. Here we go. See if Centrifuge multiball. Here we go. See if I can get it in there. Overall, it's a pretty good game. I wouldn't say as good as Batman, but I wouldn't say as good as Batman, but definitely better than Indiana Hilton Jones. definitely better than Indiana Hilton Jones. So, still a really good game and I just So, still a really good game and I just drowned on it. So, obviously you're not drowned on it. So, obviously you're not seeing a lot of what uh you can do in seeing a lot of what uh you can do in this this game. Jackpot. Damn it. Get this body game. Jackpot. Damn it. Get this body out of here now. We got cross out of here now. We got cross contamination. contamination. [Music] real skulls coming back up so I can try to lock the skull. Once you get all two to lock the skull. Once you get all two balls in the skull, that's the skull balls in the skull, that's the skull multi wall. multi wall. That was requested by the show's creator That was requested by the show's creator as I said before, but that's a luck for as I said before, but that's a luck for ball one. Actually got the skill shot, but it didn't. Last stop more. So, pretty good game for Should be interesting to see their next game is interesting to see their next game is 24. But we're going to see how good that Get the mic. I get the two of the three uh multi mic. I get the two of the three uh multi balls on video. Here we go. I guess it's we have this many live pictures taken [Applause] [Applause] jackpot pretty good. I'm actually uh jackpot pretty good. I'm actually uh doing good this time compared the last doing good this time compared the last times I've been playing. Now that you times I've been playing. Now that you have the others, take it to the lab. I got shoe prints. Keep going for the last ball. I want to Keep going for the last ball. I want to see if I can get the uh case of wrong see if I can get the uh case of wrong place, wrong place, wrong time. See if I can get microscope multiball. According to the video logs, the victim According to the video logs, the victim was brought into seclusion at 5:03 p.m. was brought into seclusion at 5:03 p.m. Extra ball is lit. Microscope [Music] multiball. See the extra. It's funny because the whole game says It's funny because the whole game says there's a law of crazy yet. Every there's a law of crazy yet. Every multiball known is too long. So I don't multiball known is too long. So I don't get ball can really feel the whole tongue shake when you get that shake when you get that center. Go. I get the microscope multiball and I get the microscope multiball and I don't shoot the microscope at all and I don't shoot the microscope at all and I dream. Joe Gerson. Shoot again. All right. So, uh that's Shoot again. All right. So, uh that's pretty much CSI. pretty good game from pretty much CSI. pretty good game from uh Gary Gary Stern and all the other uh Gary Gary Stern and all the other guys at um Stern Pinball that you know guys at um Stern Pinball that you know are keeping pinball alive. So hopefully are keeping pinball alive. So hopefully uh you guys enjoyed this video. Um check uh you guys enjoyed this video. Um check out more from us at pressstarcomic.com out more from us at pressstarcomic.com and we will have a whole review of and we will have a whole review of Castle Video very soon for Arcade Castle Video very soon for Arcade Hunters. So stay tuned for that and I'm Hunters. So stay tuned for that and I'm going to play more CSI. Thanks for going to play more CSI. Thanks for watching.