Episode 12: "He Played them both, What's the better game?"
In this episode, we go to Electric Bat to visit Cale Hernandez. Cale just returned from Chicago, where he played Avatar from Jersey Jack and X-Men from Stern Pinball. Let's get his reaction and talk...
Highlights
- Jersey Jack's Avatar took at least twice as long to develop as a typical Stern game (approximately 2 years)
- Avatar features a unique single-flipper mode where using the right flipper forfeits bonus or points
- Avatar includes a novel mechanical element: a flat plate that functions as three different ball paths (standard path, scoop, and jump ramp)
- Jersey Jack machines at Electric Bat arcade do not generate enough revenue to justify their cost compared to Stern machines
- Only one Jersey Jack machine (Wizard of Oz) has paid off at a major California arcade after 8 years
- Jack Jersey (Jersey Jack owner) was not aware of Electric Bat's prominence when meeting Kale at the media mixer
- Electric Bat operates 'one of the most popular arcades in the nation' and houses 'the largest single location pinball league in the entire world'
- X-Men has a standard flipper gap but appears wider due to visual design
- Avatar uses UV lighting effects that simulate an eclipse gradually across the playfield and monitor
- Avatar's artist is a first-time pinball artist who previously worked on Hearthstone cards
Notable quotes
“This is just such a very cool game to shoot and a beautiful game. I've never seen either movie, and I couldn't stop playing it.”
“Jersey Jack, as good as the games are, they don't have any kind of long tail. They don't have the staying power that some of the other games do.”
“I pump their game. You know, I rave about Godfather. I rave about Elton John. It's like, you know, hey, kid, give me a call and I'll teach you how to make money with pinball machines.”
“as soon as I plunged this ball on X-Men and felt these stern flippers I was like, I'm home again there's no lag you have full power it feels so good”
“This thing, just like all of Jersey Jacks games, this thing is beautiful.”
“Goosebumps. Look at it. It was so good, dude.”
“And I think I'm the only one that's sober that doesn't drink. And so Kaneda's trying to give me shots.”
“It's not like a repeat. It's not like something from their childhood that they want to watch a bunch of times.”
Entities
- Electric Bat Arcade· company
- Interium· company
- Jersey Jack Pinball· company
- Marco Specialty· company
- Stern Pinball· company
- Avatar· game
- Elton John· game
- Godzilla· game
- Jaws· game
- Wizard of Oz (WoZ)· game
- X-Men· game
- The Flipside Pinball Podcast· organization
- Aaron (Game Room Goodies)· person
- Gomez· person
- Jack Danger· person
- Jack Jersey· person
- Kale Hernandez· person
- Kaneda· person
- Keith Elwin· person
- Mark Seiden· person
- Rachel· person
- Rachel (Avatar mechanical engineer)· person
- Retro Ralph· person
- Scott Denise· person
- Wason· person
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