59 episodes tracked since 2024 about →
Episode 2: My Unexpected Pinball Path
PodcastAnalysis updated 3d ago21 min listen
In this episode, we explore how I first got into pinball. After spending nearly two decades reliving my childhood through arcade gaming, what events led me to the world of pinball? Tune in to find...
Highlights
- Pinball Expo is a hardcore fan event celebrating all aspects of pinball: artists, designers, sound designers: with no egos and a welcoming atmosphere
- Ralph's initial entry point to pinball was CES 2019 where Stern featured Stranger Things; he interviewed Gary Stern and was initially deterred by $5,500 Pro pricing
- At a dinner during Pinball Expo, acquaintances (Todd Tucky, Jeff, Frank from TNT Amusements, Princess Jillian) predicted Ralph would eventually sell arcade machines to fund pinball purchases
- Ralph participated in a Stern loaner program through Game Room Goodies distributor, during which he fell in love with Venom and James Bond and purchased both
- The current pinball landscape features major IP licenses: Chicago Gaming with Pulp Fiction, Dutch Pinball with Big Lebowski and Back to the Future (confirmed), Jersey Jack with Elton John and Guns N Roses, Stern with Venom and Avengers
- Ralph first played pinball as a teenager (age ~13) on Terminator 2 at his sister's college break room at Syracuse
- Pinball bars/arcade bars with pinball as the central hub are spearheading the modern arcade scene resurgence
- Pinball Map is an app/website allowing players to locate nearby arcade bars and pinball venues in metropolitan areas
Notable quotes
“it was a show dedicated for the love and passion of pinball. Everything was being celebrated. The artists, the designers, the people that did sound work, everything.”
“you're gonna buy pinball machines your pinball your arcade collection is gonna dwindle and dwindle and dwindle and you're gonna sell those things to fund your arcade your your new hobby, which is going to be pinball”
“I can't help but feel like the thing that's really spearheading the arcade scene or the arcade bar scene is really pinball there's tournaments there's the stern army there's there's so much”
“there's something about it. It's the it's this we live in this man, we live in this digital world. And I think any of you guys that are just like looking for something to do, that's fun that you can go out of your house and socialize with other people that are nerdy and geeky like all of us this there isn't a better hobby right now”
“I overpaid for it. I found a company out of Vegas. I can't remember the name of it that had one. And it was like, to me, it was all foreign, right? I didn't do any mods like I've done now I didn't know how to work on a pinball machine like I was green as can be”
“he was like, well, we can't do it. And he goes, but what I want you to do is I want you to hide it and get creative because you guys still deserve the credit. You're creating this awesome artwork. Screw these guys. Hide it in there.”
“I can appreciate the game because it's a good layout. It's a fun game. It shoots well. It has good flow to it. Like you'll start to appreciate those things as you spend more time in the hobby.”
“Oh my gosh, I can shoot the ball in the thing's mouth it was it was absolutely insane”
Entities
- Chicago Gaming Company· company
- Dutch Pinball· company
- Game Room Goodies· company
- Jersey Jack Pinball· company
- Spooky Pinball· company
- Stern Pinball· company
- Pinball Expo· event
- Godzilla (Stern)· game
- James Bond (Stern)· game
- John Wick (Stern)· game
- Jurassic Park· game
- Stranger Things (Stern)· game
- Terminator 2· game
- Venom (Stern)· game
- Galloping Ghost· organization
- Past Times Arcade· organization
- Stern Army· organization
- Gary Stern· person
- Jeff Arcade Hollywood· person
- Paul E. Niemeyer· person
- Retro Ralph· person
- Pinball Map· product
- Token Taverns· product
More from The Flipside Pinball Podcast
→ All content from The Flipside Pinball Podcast
Is There REALLY a Problem With Transformers Pinball?
The new Transformers pinball machine from Stern Pinball is finally here… but so is the controversy surrounding it. In this episode, we dive deep into the rumor that Optimus Prime was originally...
Stern Accidentally Leaked Transformers Pinball… Autobots, Roll Out!
On this episode of The Flipside, we’re talking about the leak that lit up the pinball community — Stern accidentally showing images of the Transformers playfield and cabinet through the Insider...
Pokemon Pinball Livestream! Ralph vs Rudy Round 2 + Birthday Stream + Wizard Mode?!
Get ready for round two on Pokémon Premium Pinball as Ralph vs. Rudy goes live once again! This is only our second time streaming the game, so the big question is… can we make a run at the wizard...
