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The Spinner Is Lit - Episode 62 Shark Eats Ball (It's Inconceivable)
PodcastAnalysis updated 3d ago1 hr 54 min listen
Spencer, Dan, and Mark with special guest Eric Seifert talk about ball eating sharks, princess brides, and other pinball goodness. it's inconceivable!
Highlights
- Keith Elwin chose not to implement a shark-eating-ball mechanic in Jaws because it would compromise shooting quality and ball return flow.
- Interactive Pinball released a mod that allows the shark to eat the ball on Jaws Pro, costing approximately $500 and fundamentally changing the ball path.
- Jaws is expected to sell approximately 10,000 units, making it one of Stern's highest-volume releases.
- Modern pinball buyers: especially home collectors: increasingly prioritize immersive experience moments over gameplay depth.
- Stranger Things Premium's on-playfield screen (rather than backglass) was the decisive factor in player engagement, regardless of underlying game quality.
- Venom has been poorly received due to lack of memorable 'magic moments' beyond the captive ball mechanic.
- Interactive Pinball has created mods for multiple games (Rick and Morty Jerry Ramp, Avengers, Rush) that fundamentally alter ball paths and gameplay.
- Iron Maiden, despite strong shooting mechanics, fails to retain home player interest due to insufficient experience moments.
Notable quotes
“We couldn't figure out a way to do it and still have the game shoot well. And so we decided not to do it.”
“It's kind of the pinball experience in general. Like, what are you looking for to happen in your pinball machine and how do you feel about when people are making changes to it?”
“For me, what's most important is definitely gameplay. I really like when I see how a game shoots.”
“The experience can be achieved from the gameplay if there are important media aspects, including video, sound, and lights, that combine to make an experience where you're feeling like you're a shark hunter.”
“When you're changing the core experience, are you going too far? Or is it, in the pursuit of personal satisfaction, is nothing off limits?”
“I think you're starting to see a change from the more hardcore games... more experience-based games, more kind of pinball adventures. Like, if anything, it's going to sound kind of elitist, I'm not trying to be elitist, but kind of more casual games.”
“Ninety percent of the time I was playing Stranger Things Premium. Just the experience of the screen. Whole other level.”
“Every time I play the Pro, I'm like, eh. It just sits there. But then when it goes, and does that roaring sound and then it moves, it's like, you're pissing it off.”
Entities
- Spooky Pinball· company
- Stern Pinball· company
- Doctor Who· game
- Funhouse· game
- Godzilla· game
- Iron Maiden· game
- Jaws· game
- Jurassic Park· game
- Labyrinth· game
- Pirates of the Caribbean· game
- Rick and Morty· game
- Stern Indiana Jones· game
- Stranger Things Premium· game
- Transformers· game
- Venom· game
- The Spinner Is Lit Pinball Podcast· organization
- Dan· person
- Eric Siefert· person
- Interactive Pinball· person
- Keith Elwin· person
- Mark· person
- Spencer· person
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