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#117 Embryon - The Classic Pinball Podcast

PodcastAnalysis updated 3d ago1 hr 5 min listenBy George
From the creator

In this episode the boys discuss and play Embryon. Commentary on John Wick and Blues Brothers. Bonus feature: Embryon from the archives (2019)

Listen on The Classic Pinball Podcast

Highlights

  • Embryon was designed by Claude Fernandez; he made 2,200 units of this game.
  • Embryon is rarer than Fathom (2,200 vs 3,500 units); fewer than five exist on location in arcades.
  • The game has a misplaced rubber on the left flipper save that should be removed for better playability.
  • Embryon faced motherhood opposition at release due to artwork that looked like an embryo, affecting sales.
  • John Wick pinball (Stern) is expected to be heavily modded by the community ('Modland').
  • Blues Brothers pinball was made by Jean-Paul de Win's company (boutique manufacturer), not Stern or other major manufacturers.
  • Blues Brothers is expected to sell a few hundred units at best, not a blockbuster, despite IP recognition.
  • Fathom (1983, Valley) implemented double/triple playfield multiplier based on ball count; Embryon should have had same feature from factory.
  • Embryon may have been the first ballet/multiball game with flashers.
  • Mark from Rochester Pinball Collective is bringing Embryon to an open arcade location for public play.

Notable quotes

“My favorite part of this game is that flipper and bashing that bank of targets as many times as I can in as many seconds as I can.”
George
“I tried to tell you this earlier and I'm going to say it one more time you do not want to invite your best friend here to... look at that it's right there there it is rubber rubber bear ball left side.”
George
“These are rarer than fathoms. I have one. Yeah. Good to have one.”
George and Dave
“I'm calling it Modland. Meaning people are going to mod the crap out of the game. You watch.”
George
“The crappy company that made Thunder Churds... The Winner. And, oh, from the company that brought you Thunderbirds and Spinal Tap, we have the Blues Brothers.”
George
“You watched the video once. First impressions? It looked pretty good. It's worth a couple games. I'd play it.”
Dave on John Wick
“People will get to play it... That's a good thing. But you've got to go to something like Pin Maps.”
George
“This is a four flip or pinball. Yeah. This guy's hardly ever used, but yeah. He's good.”
Dave on broken flipper save
“They ruined Spinal Tap. They ruined everything. That guy, he's... Franchise Wrecker.”
George
“Embryon me, the best part of this game is the time... the sixth station wheel with... upper flipper is the flipper you just want smash those targets until you get every three down.”
George

Entities

  • Stern Pinball· company
  • Valley· company
  • PinFest· event
  • Blues Brothers· game
  • Embryon· game
  • Fathom· game
  • John Wick· game
  • Spinal Tap· game
  • Allentown· location
  • Martha's Vineyard· location
  • Rochester Pinball Collective· organization
  • The Classic Pinball Podcast· organization
  • Claude Fernandez· person
  • Dave· person
  • Dave Marston· person
  • George· person
  • Jean-Paul de Win· person
  • Mark· person
  • Neil McRae· person
  • Pin Maps· product

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