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The Classic Pinball Podcast
The Classic Pinball Podcast
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#42 Cirqus Voltaire - The Classic Pinball Podcast

PodcastAnalysis updated 2d ago49 min listenBy George
From the creator

In this episode the guys review a game that Dave recently acquired and that George has never played. They are exploring and playing a game that is outside the late 70’s / early 80’s SS Bally, Stern...

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Highlights

  • Cirqus Voltaire was produced in approximately 2,700 units
  • Secondary market listings for Cirqus Voltaire range from $6,750 to $12,500
  • The ringmaster feature exists in two different versions: fat and skinny: with the fat version reducing ball hang-ups
  • The backbox animation was originally designed to include a metal bell that would ring when struck, but was changed to plastic for cost reasons
  • Linda Deal was the backglass artist for Cirqus Voltaire and depicted herself as the ringmaster in the artwork
  • Linda Deal also created artwork for Doctor Who, Junkyard, and Theater of Magic pinball games
  • Cirqus Voltaire has three magnets on the playfield: one on the ringmaster, one on the high wire multiball, and one on the juggler
  • Cirqus Voltaire can stack multiple multiballs (Juggler, High Wire, Spinner, Acrobat, Menagerie Ball, Bolts, Sideshow, and Boom Balloon)
  • The neon feature in Cirqus Voltaire came in multiple colors (red, blue, purple, green) depending on serial number and typically matched the menagerie ball color
  • Adam Lefkoff from Colorado Pinball Collective scored approximately $125 million on a single ball in a YouTube video of Cirqus Voltaire

Notable quotes

“Welcome to the greatest pinball on earth.”
Game voiceover (quoted by hosts)
“I'm a ramper from way back.”
Dave
“This game is snappy. It's very snappy. I know the tech who worked on it so it's not bad.”
George
“For somebody who doesn't know anything, just keep hitting Ringmaster Jerry and you'll score a lot of points.”
George
“It's a sinister circus. Even the music, when it comes on, it's a little bit off. It's a little bit minor key, kind of instead of a happy circus, more like a little more of something sinister going.”
George
“She identifies as a ringmaster.”
Dave
“This game seems extremely centric to the ringmaster, which if you're... I'm thinking that. I am the ringmaster. You are the ringmaster.”
George
“I wouldn't buy this game sight unseen.”
George
“It's like in a nightclub.”
George
“I don't want to call it a one-trick pony because I don't know enough about the game. You haven't really gone anywhere else, so you just keep hitting the main feature.”
Dave

Entities

  • Williams· company
  • Carnival Evil· game
  • Cirqus Voltaire· game
  • Doctor Who· game
  • Gusher· game
  • Junkyard· game
  • Playboy· game
  • Theater of Magic· game
  • Colorado Pinball Collective· organization
  • Pinside· organization
  • The Classic Pinball Podcast· organization
  • Adam Lefkoff· person
  • Dave· person
  • George· person
  • Jay· person
  • John Reuter· person
  • Linda Deal· person
  • Snow· person
  • Will Beetle· person
  • Freeplay Arcade· venue

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