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The Classic Pinball Podcast
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#92 Stern Ali - The Classic Pinball Podcast

PodcastAnalysis updated 2d ago44 min listenBy George
From the creator

Add another Classic Stern to the list: Ali. Dave and George review the game. Dave’s upcoming Warehouse Sale! Time to go to the basement and play a few games. [email protected]

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Highlights

  • Ali was made in March 1980 and produced approximately 3,000 units
  • The game's poor sales performance was directly attributed by programmer Alan McNeil to lack of market appeal
  • Muhammad Ali's controversial draft stance and government issues during the late 1960s-early 1970s negatively impacted his public perception and likely harmed the game's marketability
  • 21 units were produced as knockdown games and distributed to Australia through Allied Leisure Industries Inc. and Allied Leisure Industries Inc.
  • The sound effects in Ali are identical to the Galaxy pinball machine and consist of generic space sounds rather than fight-themed audio
  • Ali features a giant backglass head artwork of Muhammad Ali that is never illuminated, unlike the surrounding caricature faces
  • Classic EM pinball machines like Medusa and Mata Hari have appreciated significantly in value, with Medusa now selling for $3,500+ despite the host buying one for $1,300
  • Ali machine's core gameplay mechanic involves spelling 'GREATEST' via drop targets, with multipliers that carry over after being earned
  • Dave acquired a second OXO machine from a Malden, Massachusetts estate sale for $100-200 to combine with his existing machine for restoration
  • Ali competed in the market with numerous other games released in 1980 including Big Game, Seawitch, Cheetah, Quicksilver, Flight 2000, Stargazer, and Nineball

Notable quotes

“Alan McNeil basically said this game did terribly in sales. Terrible. Did not sell.”
George Gomez
“Now if there was ever a game that should have sounds, it would be this one. I'm the greatest. Yeah. Right? And punching sounds.”
George Gomez
“I guarantee it. You will not lose money on this game... What's a Medusa worth these days? I've seen them for $3,500.”
George Gomez
“It's like a ramp game. That's how heavy this freaking thing is, the whole body of the game.”
Dave Rzepka
“You know what? I find it endearing. I actually like listening to podcasts out there where actually they're learning live real time. It's like, you get to walk the path with us.”
George Gomez
“So I threw them both a couple of times. Say, here, buy yourself a little bit of lunch and a coffee on both of them.”
Dave Rzepka
“I think it's so funny. It's just so... It makes for a good podcast. Does it? It's so bad, it's good.”
George Gomez
“You know, you've heard me. I bribe my landscapers. It goes a long way.”
Dave Rzepka

Entities

  • Ali· game
  • Big Game· game
  • Cheetah· game
  • Galaxy· game
  • Mata Hari· game
  • Medusa· game
  • OXO· game
  • Quicksilver· game
  • Seawitch· game
  • Malden, Massachusetts· location
  • Allied Leisure Industries Inc.· organization
  • The Classic Pinball Podcast· organization
  • Alan McNeil· person
  • Dave Rzepka· person
  • George Gomez· person
  • Muhammad Ali· person
  • Paul Reno· person
  • Paul Reno· person
  • Sam Stern· person
  • Steve Young· person

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