Episode 383: Cliff Albert
The reigning Pinball Degenerates award winner (for Trolling), Cliff explains his joking nature, his hot takes, and his conversation starters. Also, find out what’s cooking for Cliff in the Poconos....
Highlights
- Cliff started his 'troll' persona as a joke to spark pinball conversations, not out of genuine anger
- No pinball machine should cost over $7,000
- The secondary market crash is affecting operator ability to recoup machine costs
- Spooky's reuse of playfields across different themes (Looney Tunes/Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween/Ultraman) is a smart business strategy
- Iron Maiden Pro and Future Spa are the greatest pinball games ever made
- System 11-era games were the worst Williams ever made; designers didn't get good until later
- Pinball will never achieve mainstream appeal like e-sports due to high equipment costs
- Delaware Pinball Collective is the best organized pinball community on the East Coast
Notable quotes
“I just thought of like, man, I used to do stand up for like a year before it like almost ruined my life. But I just thought pinball stand up would be so funny”
“I'm not really soured on the price more than I am soured on, like, the value of what we're getting, right?”
“See, that's the fun thing about pinball. And, like, listen, we're friends to be able to just banter back and forth like this, but it's kind of art. Art is subjective.”
“every pinball machine should never be over $7,000”
“if they've got their hands on three of these [Bond 60th], they weren't selling”
“Harlem Globetrotters is the best game ever... it teaches you everything about pinball”
“We turned off multiball on Centaur, which is like, what, what, what?”
“I also talk in a very – like we had to go over – I think you said it three times, no swearing. I also talk in the old school, ragey, East Coast way, right?”
“not everybody's going to be able to play the big Lebowski. Not everybody's going to be able to play Bond 60th”
“We're trying to get that connection, but it's just too expensive to own these games to have that kind of global appeal”
Entities
- Mayhem Amusements Arcade· company
- Rock Fantasy· company
- Spooky Pinball· company
- The Beast· event
- Bond 60th / James Bond 60th Anniversary· game
- Future Spa· game
- Gorgar· game
- Halloween· game
- Iron Maiden· game
- Looney Tunes· game
- Metallica· game
- Texas Chainsaw Massacre· game
- Ultraman· game
- Bartari· organization
- Delaware Pinball Collective· organization
- Project Pinball· organization
- Slam Tilt· organization
- Bowen Kerins· person
- Cliff Albert· person
- Jeff Teolis· person
- Keith Elwin· person
- Pat Lawlor· person
- Ron Hallett· person
- Steve Ritchie· person
- Tim Sexton· person
- System 11· product_line
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