Episode 79 - Epic Munsters
Tony and Dennis start the show with some behind-the-scenes 2018 podcast analytics before hitting the main topics. Pinball: The guys start with a discussion on Munsters, and follow that with their...
Highlights
- The Munsters is a real game that came out in early January (2019), following Iron Maiden in April (2018), giving Stern three cornerstone releases in 12 months
- The Munsters uses a non-mode-driven rule architecture unlike Star Wars or Star Trek, with continuous shot-building toward automatic multiball/hurry-up activation rather than discrete mission selection
- The Munsters (Pro) model features a unique lower playfield with a mini-pinball (smaller ball), separate flipper buttons, and independent gameplay that can run simultaneously with the main playfield
- Premium model is black-and-white art/playfield with minor color incorporation; LE is colorized version with coffin-themed cabinet; Pro has a different lower playfield
- Dwight Sullivan previously stated his next game after Star Wars would be less complicated in rules, which Munsters appears to deliver on
Notable quotes
“It turned out to be real, Tony. You were right, and it came out in early January.”
“Munsters does not use modes in what we think of in the modern sense... it's more like do this enough and a multiball happens. Do this enough and maybe a hurry up happens.”
“I appreciate the black and white art package. I would go so far as to say that it's probably my favorite of the art packages, just because I think it took a lot of daring to go with a pure, not pure, but to go black and white for the art package.”
“I think it would have been safer [to make the LE black and white instead of Premium]... they'd still have sold them out.”
“Almost every game that is out there that is popular are games, or some of the most popular games ever are the old Williams games, and a lot of them didn't have modes.”
“Stern is the one who can do stuff like this. They can take these risks because at the end of the day, if it doesn't work out, if this isn't a huge selling machine... okay. It didn't destroy them.”
“I still think the biggest question mark was actually running with this particular theme... even though the show was only on for two years, it was syndicated a lot, so there are a lot of people who grew up in the 70s who saw it.”
Entities
- Stern Pinball· company
- CES· event
- Iron Maiden· game
- Iron Man· game
- Medieval Madness· game
- Star Wars· game
- The Munsters· game
- Total Nuclear Annihilation· game
- Deadflip· media
- Eclectic Gamers Podcast· organization
- Special When Lit· organization
- Christopher Franchi· person
- Dennis· person
- Dwight Sullivan· person
- Jerry Thompson· person
- John Borg· person
- Tony· person
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