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Diary Of A First Time Pinball Buyer

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Ah life, it can be quite stressful and difficult at times, so it’s even more imperative to inject as much fun as you can for yourself and your family.

If there is one thing we know about pinball, it’s a lot of fun, no matter your age. The other thing about pinball, once you get bitten by the silverball bug, there is no shaking it off – it becomes part of your life.

This is exactly what happened to our brother-in-law, Nick. Once he (and his family) experienced pinball in the comfort of our Fun Factory, there was a twinkle in the eye that we had seen before – it happened to us years before, when we had been bitten by the same bug. Nick was hooked. He made it his mission to one day get a pinball machine for his family home.

Looking for your first pinball machine can be a daunting task. Which pinball machine do you choose? Will your family and friends enjoy your choice of pin? Do you go new or secondhand? What budget should you allocate? Once you answer these questions, you then have to decide, do you trawl the internet, forum or social media marketplaces to find your machine or do you go to a traditional bricks and mortar establishment to try before you buy?

Our advice to Nick was simple, when looking for your first home pinball machine, the most important aspect is to play and experience as many different machines as possible – this then determines the style of games, layouts and themes you (and your family) enjoy, which helps narrowing the choice of candidate machines. Once Nick got to play a myriad of machines at locations around Melbourne, he quickly had a number of candidates he wanted to check out and also have his family to play them to ensure they enjoyed them as much as he did.

After trying his hand at secondhand pinball machines, Nick found the process difficult and frustrating, as machines were either not as advertised, or worse, not in a working state. To help Nick, we told him about our dealings with Zax Amusements when we were buying our pinball machine, which made the whole process a breeze, with added peace of mind that we weren’t buying a lemon. This reassurance gave Nick the confidence to go to Zax with his family to play test the machines in their showroom and chat about his options to buy a new or secondhand pinball machine.

Before making his final decision, Nick checked out other Stern pinball machines at Zax Amusements

When purchasing a pinball machine, the family should be included in the decision making

With the family decision being made, Nick ordered a new Stern Pinball Star Wars Premium machine. He was kept informed of every step of the process, from when the machine would  land in Australia, to his options in adding optional features and most importantly, delivery and setup. Once the machine arrived at Zax Amusements, Nick was invited to be present during the unboxing and setup of the machine. This level of customer service was the reason we recommended Zax Amusements to Nick.

Speaking to Nick about his overall experience in purchasing his first pinball machine, he informed us that he appreciated the peace of mind by dealing with a reputable distributor with great customer service. As for playing the machine, we are happy to report that it has been played every day since it was delivered, which is music to our ears. The Force is definitely strong in pinball.

All eyes are on Star Wars!

After playing many machines, it was settled –  Stern’s Star Wars Premium was the chosen one!

Nick’s Star Wars Premium pinball machine on the line at the Stern Pinball factory in Chicago!

The machines are ready to travel across the globe from the US to Australia!

After a long ship ride, Nick’s machine lands in Australia!

Unboxing and going over the machine

The proud owner of their first pinball machine – it’s a beauty!

Play testing – it works flawlessly!

Playfield looks all good!

Getting the machine ready for delivery

Delivered safe and sound!

Final checks, adjustments and setup of the pinball machine

Family test – passed with flying colours!

One happy camper! May the Force Be with You.

Many thanks to Nick for allowing us to tell his story, Zax Amusements for allowing us to follow Nick in their showroom and prep area, and Zach Sharpe from Stern Pinball Inc. for providing photos of the Star Wars Premium machines rolling off the assembly line.

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tiny Electronic Pinball

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“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Heroes in a Half-shell Turtle Power”

Boom, just in time for Christmas, a tiny replica of the original Data East TMNT pinball machine! Well, it’s not identical to the Data East machine from 1991, but this Boardwalk Arcade TMNT Electronic Pinball machine is pretty darn cool, and considerably cheaper than the real thing 😉

You can grab the tiny Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Electronic Pinball Machine via Amazon US or Amazon Australia. It makes a great Kris Kringle / Secret Santa Xmas gift!

PS: All we need now is for Stern to release the new modern TMNT pinball machine! Yep, you read that right, a new modern real TMNT pinball machine is coming. We are quite excited, so keep an eye out for the news on our social channels!


title image and video source: Pixel Dan

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Pinball Press
Pinball Press is here to spread the word on everything pinball across the known universe. For business / PR email: [email protected]

Follow Pinball Press on Twitter and Facebook

 

 

 

Metal Slug: The Ultimate History – Book Review

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The very first game we bought when we got our Neo Geo MVS arcade machine was Metal Slug. That was quite a while ago, and we must admit, we have the series on pretty much every format – the games are that darn good!

Once we had heard that Bitmap Books was going to publish a book on this brilliant gaming franchise, our interests were obviously piqued. Upon receiving Metal Slug: The Ultimate History from Pixel Crib, we noticed this thing was heavy, which is a good thing when it comes to these kinds of publications.

If you have read any of our previous Bitmap Books book reviews, you’ll know what to expect from this published work of art – it oozes quality and quantity. When you hold a Bitmap Books tome in your hands, we guarantee you’ll be smiling from start to finish. Sam Dyer and his amazing team have done a wonderful job in bringing us a fully licensed art book on the Metal Slug series.

With unprecedented access to SNK‘s vast archives, this book contains some of the best high-resolution artwork (including concept artwork) and illustrations, with some being made publicly available for the very first time. Even though it is primarily an art book celebrating Metal Slug, this tome also contains eleven exclusive and detailed interviews with key members of the development team, including Kazuma Kujo, Takushi Hiyamuta, Andoh Kenji and Takeshi Okui, the latter two of which have never spoken about the series previously. These insightful discussions bust myths and reveal the real truth behind the creation and evolution of this esteemed franchise, extensively covering the formation of Nazca and the truth behind Metal Slug Zero – the version of Metal Slug when you only controlled the SV-001 tank. The book also dives into and explores the roots of Metal Slug, looking at Irem titles In the Hunt and GunForce II and how these arcade cult classics influenced what was to come later. This page turner is definitely a must for any fan of the Metal Slug series, and if you are into art, then this book is for you too.

Since Christmas is around the corner, we reckon the Metal Slug: The Ultimate History book would look pretty good under that Christmas tree.

The important bits:

  • Title: Metal Slug: The Ultimate History
  • Publisher: Bitmap Books
  • Front Cover: Black foil-blocked cover and spine
  • Back cover: Hardback
  • Pages: 452
  • Retail Price: AUD$69.95 from Pixel Crib

Disclosure: Metal Slug: The Ultimate History book was provided by Pixel Crib for this review.

 

Dragon’s Lair Pinball

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When it comes to pinball themes, there is a ton of video game franchises that would translate (and sell) quite well in their silverball incarnation. Getting the permission and license to translate the said video game franchise to make a pinball machine is another story altogether – unless you go homebrew!

Step in Enea Toluzzo, the Italian homebrew pinball extraordinaire, who is in the middle of creating a pinball machine based on Don Bluth and Rick Dyer’s classic arcade video game, Dragon’s Lair. Interestingly, Dragon’s Lair was originally going to be produced by Gottlieb after Black Hole, and an early whitewood prototype was built by the Black Hole designers. However, the idea ended up being scrapped and they built Haunted House instead.

Just checking out the eye popping photos of Enea’s creation will induce a heap of nostalgia and plenty of excitement! Enea aims to complete the homebrew machine and showcase it at Pinball Expo 2020! We may be visiting Chicago in October next year 😉

You can follow Enea’s progress via the Dragon’s Lair Pinball Facebook group.

image source: Dragon’s Lair Pinball – Facebook

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Pinball Press
Pinball Press is here to spread the word on everything pinball across the known universe. For business / PR email: [email protected]

Follow Pinball Press on Twitter and Facebook

 

 

 

A Purge Game: Good or Bad for the Brand?

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

When I hear someone suggest that there should be a Purge video game, I think, Why, we already have the Grand Theft Auto series.

The Purge franchise is made up of films and a television series, which were created by James DeMonaco. They take place in a near-future dystopian America where there is an annual national holiday known as the Purge, in which all crimes, including murder, are legal for a 12-hour period.

The Purge films are well made horror films; The Purge: Election Year is the best in my opinion. I’ve only watched one episode of The Purge television series and I found it a bit tedious. A movie is usually two hours, but to invest in a series is a big ask with a series that doesn’t drift far from the film’s concept.

If a company produced a Purge video game, the gameplay wouldn’t be that much different than a Grand Theft Auto game. Other than having a different kind of mission, both games would be the same in the amount of mayhem and carnage you could cause in a city.

image source: The Purge – Election Year via Vox

Don’t get me wrong, The Purge name would draw in fans of the films. Your franchise doesn’t make $446 million worldwide at the box office if you don’t have a loyal fanbase.

The fifth Purge film, which will be released in 2020, is supposed to be the last in the franchise. The film will possibly centre around a heist that takes place on the night of the Purge. After the final film, the franchise will have to stay pertinent somehow. The television series will continue, but a video game could also be how Purge fans are content.

The game could be interesting if you’re a player who is protecting a family or a single person. The best characters in the films are usually the ones who are the hunted. Maybe you could choose what city in America the game takes place in?

The source material is ripe with a universe that could support an exceptional video game. But could too much of a good thing dilute the Purge brand?

 

Narcos: Rise of the Cartel – Nintendo Switch Review

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Brief your team and prepare to take down the drug lords in Narcos: Rise of the Cartel from the team over at Kuju.

Narcos is a challenging turn-based action strategy game that is based on the hit Netflix series. Set in Columbia in the 1980s, you can play as the DEA in an attempt to take down the drug cartels or as the cartels themselves as they defend their business. The cartel side of the story is unlocked after a few short missions that help to get you familiar with the basics. Players can choose up to 5 agents that make up a squad, each of which has their own play style and abilities. From DEA agents with shotguns, Nimble but weak police and Spec Op officers with machine guns, different squad member classes allow players to find a play style that suits them. After setting up your team, players can take on a variety of missions that vary in difficulty and rewards to try and bring down these drug cartels or fight back against the Americans.

Playing of the game itself will feel very familiar to those with experience playing other turn-based strategy games such as XCOM. Players get one movement and one action, including firing at an enemy, reloading or carrying out a special action or skill, per turn and then it is off to the opposition for the same. Some missions require cash to deploy a team too but often yield greater rewards while others are free but are usually easier with little to gain. At the end of each encounter surviving team members are rewarded with a point that goes towards leveling up that character, eventually allowing the player to unlock better skills for each class. Any characters that die in the course of a successful mission are lost for good.

Levels are well set out giving players plenty of tactical options to try and there is some nice diversity in the themes including jungle drug labs and seedy neon city districts.

Narcos has some nice nods to the series it is taking influence from and includes live action story scenes that really add to the overall feel of the game but also doesn’t overstay its welcome. Just like the drug war in the 1980s, Narcos is very brutal and a level’s outcome can turn at a moment’s notice. With no easy way to restart a mission from the beginning, players will either have to live with their choices or do things the hard way. We also found on occasion that the character pathfinding will not always take the fastest or shortest route when moving, putting your team into danger needlessly.

Overall Narcos is a fun tactical game with plenty of intrigue, even for those not familiar with the series. While the unforgiving nature of the game may put off the casual player, those looking for a challenge will find it quite enjoyable.

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Mat Panek, Chief Reporter
Retromancer – Collector, repairer & fan of retro games & tech. Atari to Amiga, Nintendo to Sega! LD, Zip, Beta and a proud dad! One half of the TiredParents on Twitch.

Follow Mat on Twitter and Twitch

 

 

Disclosure: Narcos: Rise of the Cartel [Nintendo Switch eShop code] was kindly provided by HomeRun PR for this review.

 

 

8 Bit Baby Shark Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo

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That earworm of a song has invaded the 8-bit space! Yep, you’ll be singing “Baby shark doo doo doo doo doo doo” all day long, so we apologise in advance – at least the 8-bit visuals will be to your liking.

Once you are done singing this mega viral YouTube song, listen to the fascinating history of Baby Shark via the Twenty Thousand Hertz podcast.


source: Baby Shark Official

 

Pinball 2000: Party Like It’s 1999

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There is no doubt that pinball is currently going through a great resurgence and is the ‘in’ thing right now, but the silverball game was struggling to stay relevant in the 21stcentury and was subsequently killed off in October 1999 before it could showcase the future of pinball with the Pinball 2000 platform. Wow, that was 20 years ago!

To observe the anniversary of pinball’s downfall, let’s turn the clock back two decades. It was the last year of the nineties and the last for the 20th century, so just like Prince sang many moons ago, “I’m gonna party like it’s nineteen ninety-nine”! Ah 1999, we were all panicking about the inevitable doom that the Y2K bug was going to befall on all of us, but at least the year started well for pinball.

The story goes back a few years to 1997, the then President and CEO of Williams (WMS), Neil Nicastro, challenged the pinball division to come up with something new or risk being closed down. Williams’ designers worked hard throughout 1998 to come up with something innovative, a brand new kind of pinball machine, which became Pinball 2000. Pinball 2000 (P2K) fused video with classic pinball gameplay, almost like an early augmented reality (AR), it aimed to preserve what was great about pinball yet opening up new possibilities for a product that was on its last legs.

One of the most successful pinball designers of the decade, George Gomez and Pat Lawlor had shown their new modular creation and future of pinball, with the official unveiling of the Pinball 2000 architecture and the first game on the platform, Revenge From Mars, in January 1999. Even though Pinball 2000 was a success with Revenge From Mars selling 6800+ units, Williams’ President did not see that his pinball division had innovated enough to reinvigorate pinball. Once the last Pinball 2000 machine, John Popadiuk’s Star Wars: Episode 1, was released, Neil Dicastro and his executive team dropped a bombshell by jettisoning pinball in favour of gaming (gambling) slot machines, which was very lucrative for Williams. This meant that the next two Pinball 2000 machines, Wizard Blocks and Playboy, would never see the light of day – which is a darn shame. Closing down the Williams pinball division seemed like, at the time, the death of pinball.

As history would have it, the story of Pinball 2000 came to be, and its inevitable death, at the hands of Williams’ executives, but there was one company that survived and kept the pinball light flickering, Stern Pinball. A lot has transpired in pinball since 1999, with a new golden age that is currently in full swing, so the rest, as they say, is history. Long live PINBALL!

PS: There is a great in-depth documentary on Pinball 2000, TILT: The Battle To Save Pinball, which you can watch on Amazon Prime right now!

 

image sources: pinball2000.de & The Arcade Flyer Archive

 

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LEGO Ideas: Bomberman

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Hands up who doesn’t like Bomberman – if you put your hand up, shame on you! Haha, just kidding, if you aren’t into Bomberman, but like Lego, this still may be of interest!

We’ll come out clean, Bomberman is one of a handful of video games we play a lot, especially with friends, so when we saw Indy988’s Lego Ideas Bomberman entry, we were quite chuffed and immediately pledged our support! We want these things to become a reality! Go and support this – right now!

image source: Lego Ideas


If you appreciate what we do, please feel free to show your appreciation via the ausretrogamer virtual tip jar. Thank you 🙂

 

Sum Of All Parts Podcast: 13.0 Chiptune

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There are literally thousands of podcasts out there, which makes it difficult to find some gems.

ABC Radio National’s the Sum Of All Parts podcast usually has interesting topics. Speaking of interesting topics, back in August they had podcast about chiptunes, which piqued our interest.

Lots of great discussion with well-known chiptune artists, like Chris Mylrea (aka: cTrix) and author of the ‘Bits and Pieces: A History of Chiptunes’ book, Professor Kenny B. McAlpine, amongst a few other chiptune maestros.

Kick back, press play and listen to Bel Smith’s report on the evolution of the 8-bit music scene.

image source: cTrix and Game Boy LSDj via ABC: Belinda Smith