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Episode 24: I Spent 4 Years Collecting Pinball Machines and Here's What I Learned!
PodcastAnalysis updated 3d ago59 min listen
It all started with one trip to Pinball Expo—just one. I came back home, bought my first machine, and from that moment on, it’s been all pinball, all the time. Machines have come and gone, and...
Highlights
- Retro Ralph has owned 14 pinball machines total over approximately 3+ years (6 current, 8 sold)
- Retro Ralph was recruited by Stern Pinball through a third-party marketing company called '47' after they saw his Jurassic Park video
- The Stern program involved loaning games with no formal contract, no purchase discount, and loose expectations for content creation
- Stern appears to be increasing Pro model features (e.g., X-Men, D&D) to reduce perceived gap between Pro and Premium tiers
- Retro Ralph has played pinball competitively for approximately the last year and credits this with significant skill improvement
- James Bond Premium/Pro received significant code updates late in its lifecycle that improved community reception
- Venom Premium was subject to fire-sale pricing by distributors during the LE production run
- Retro Ralph initially had a bias against Pro-level machines but has since reconsidered after playing modern Pros like Jaws and Black Knight Rage Pro
- Retro Ralph has maintained 160+ consecutive days of pinball gameplay
- Brian Eddy designed both Stranger Things and Venom; Dwight worked on Venom code
Notable quotes
“You don't know what you don't know. So I made a lot of mistakes along the way. Maybe you'll learn from these.”
“Eddie, I believe in you, man. You're still out there. I know you are. Please, please be in the current season.”
“The code tells the game what to do. So the game is even though the physical layout of a pinball machine can be really exciting a big piece of how fun it is is based on how the game is programmed.”
“You can be critical of something and provide feedback on something without being a jerk. And those guys are just class acts, right?”
“Don't feel this pressure to always go premium. Some of these pros, especially in modern times, are really good.”
“I fell in love with Venom... but the thing is, I'm an idiot. I bought Venom Premium after I demoed it. Then I sold Venom Premium and I missed it.”
“I've become a player in my opinion. Like it's not it's not a casual thing for me anymore.”
“My grandfather when he was alive we used to watch James Bond all the time together... there's a little bit of nostalgia memories for me”
“It's a rocket. It's not what your dirty mind is thinking. It's a rocket.”
“When you're in a hot, hot and heavy game, I'd say you're not looking at the LCD very often if, if at all.”
Entities
- Flippin' Out Pinball· company
- Game Room Goodies· company
- Stern Pinball· company
- Pinball Expo· event
- Black Knight Rage Pro· game
- D&D· game
- Godzilla· game
- James Bond Pro· game
- Jaws Pro· game
- Jurassic Park Pro· game
- Stranger Things Pro· game
- Venom Premium· game
- X-Men· game
- Flipping Out channel· organization
- Loser Kid podcast· organization
- Pinside· organization
- Aaron· person
- Brian Eddy· person
- Dwight· person
- Joe Marchfield· person
- Josh· person
- Retro Ralph· person
- Scott· person
- Seth Davis· person
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