tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84367488325006454102024-03-05T04:16:08.364-05:00Bright Lights Bumper City: Toronto Pinball BlogAll about pinball in Toronto and wherever else I dang well please.Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-22002698040740488902016-05-25T15:33:00.000-04:002016-05-25T15:33:09.768-04:00Ghostbusters PinballEarlier in the year when there was a leak of the backglass for Stern's next release, many called it bogus. Too many thought the art was just something drawn up by a fan but... I was ready to believe. I held out hope that we would get a Ghostbusters table, one that is based on the original Ghostbusters. Nothing against the upcoming Paul Feig-directed Ghostbusters but I'm a huge fan of the '84 roster. How much of a fan? Well, I have a limited-run Ghostbusters poster framed in my living room...<br />
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A 16-inch Stay Puft toy and a diecast model of a 1959 Cadillac hearse, the very same model as the Ecto-1...</div>
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When Stern made the official announcement of <i>Ghostbusters</i>, I jumped clean out of my seat and I think <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2016/03/new-game-announcement-ghostbusters.html">my announcement post</a> makes that quite clear. Stern has been upping the ante lately with their tables and have been turning out many high quality releases. I remember looking at the preview pictures of <i>Ghostbusters</i> and knowing that this table was going to be good, if not one of the best. I posted in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/637013426382174/?ref=bookmarks">Toronto Pinball Crew</a> to tell the operators in the Crew that we need <i>Ghostbusters </i>in Toronto. Luckily, they heard the call and were right on it! <a href="http://www.pinballexchange.com/">Toronto Coin Exchange</a> was quick in placing a <i>Ghostbusters</i> table at local favorite California Sandwiches and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citypinball/">City Pinball</a> responded by adding one of their own to the stacked roster at Cabin Fever. Not to be outdone, TCE then went and placed ANOTHER table at Roxy Bar! How lucky we are to have not one, not two but THREE <i>Ghostbusters</i> tables! I have had plenty of time to play the table and so I am excited to present to you my review of <i>Ghostbusters</i>! </div>
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I'm just going to get this out of the way right now... <i>I love this table! Ghostbusters</i> is the total package. Great design all around, whether it's the playfield, art, music, sound, or DMD animations. It was clear how much work went into this table.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>This is one of Stern's most attractive tables to date. The artwork is just so colorful and interesting. There is no section of <i>Ghostbusters </i>that is left untouched; whether it is a ghost, a reference or just a bit of ectoplasm, the artwork leaves no area blank. Even the firehouse toy has a little pinball machine in there and if you look close enough, you can see it's a "real" table in the form of Stern's <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2346">Star Gazer</a></i> from 1980!<br />
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The art of <i>Ghostbusters</i> is by <a href="http://www.zombieyeti.com/">Zombie Yeti</a>, who is no stranger to pinball art design, having worked with John Popadiuk's now-defunct pinball company Zidware to create the artwork for his table <i>Magic Girl</i>. His art style translates very well to pinball and provides all sorts of eye candy. Just make sure to keep your eyes on the ball and not on the artwork because this table moves fast and even just a second of distraction can end your game!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6Q5zASvHLseYuEzMMm0QZWpTrDqhLRimO_rmut6Uj4OrdTa8bpFkLY82g4kt65Ht0uoGQMHh9ec1_Zv3zF0CGWSeQi704psWlyv5154H2hkUD0U6GoClsJBuBUHI6TzIMrJI9asE8KA/s1600/Ghostbusters+Right+Playfield+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6Q5zASvHLseYuEzMMm0QZWpTrDqhLRimO_rmut6Uj4OrdTa8bpFkLY82g4kt65Ht0uoGQMHh9ec1_Zv3zF0CGWSeQi704psWlyv5154H2hkUD0U6GoClsJBuBUHI6TzIMrJI9asE8KA/s320/Ghostbusters+Right+Playfield+2.jpg" width="211" /></a><i>Ghostbusters </i>is unlike much of Stern's output and the playfield design feels like they finally let their newest designer, John Trudeau, go full bore on the design. His previous tables felt a bit restrained and somewhat within the standard Stern mold. <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Mustang">Mustang</a> </i>did not stand out from the crowd and <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Wrestlemania">Wrestlemania</a> </i>tried something different with the wrestling ring gimmick but it just did not work quite well. <i>Ghostbusters </i>on the other hand feels much more like a traditional Trudeau table. There are plenty of interesting and unusual shots as well as ramps that are tight as all get out.<br />
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There is not one but two captive ball shots! The right one helps build up the Symmetrical Book Stacking feature and leads to one of several hurry-up modes. The captive ball on the left is a Newton Captive Ball where hitting the trapped ball will cause the balls behind it to launch up and around the U-Turn. Stack 3 together to light the ball lock for Storage Facility Multiball and other assorted awards. This is a great throwback to pinball tables of the past, especially Electro-Mechanicals and early Solid States where Newton captive balls were a big feature.<br />
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It's not a Stern table without a big ol' bash toy! This time around there is a Slimer toy that you get to knock around!<br />
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Hit the Ghost target next to Slimer to spell G-H-O-S-T. Once GHOST is spelled, Slimer will lower down and the bashing commences! Hit Slimer and he will slime different shots which you can then clean up to light Super Jackpot. By hitting Slimer 3 times, you will capture 20 ghosts. Similar to <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/The%20Walking%20Dead">The Walking Dead</a>'s</i> zombie killing as well as diamond collecting in Trudeau's <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Congo">Congo</a></i>, the main goal of <i>Ghostbusters</i> is to capture as many ghosts as you can, either by hitting shots with a lit No-Ghost symbol or completing certain modes. The more ghosts you collect, the more awards you receive!<br />
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After collecting 80 ghosts, PKE Frenzy mode is lit. Much of the general illumination of the table goes dark, leaving only a few of the playfield lights on. It looks really stunning in a dark environment like Cabin Fever. If you collect 100 ghosts, you will activate Mass Hysteria multiball which is completely bonkers! When the multiball mode activates, the flippers are reversed! Hitting the captive balls on the left will cause the flippers to revert to their regular orientation but hitting the captive balls after that will flip them once more! The name says it all... Mass Hysteria. Once when I was playing <i>Ghostbusters</i>, I had gotten Storage Facility Multiball but while that was going, I also managed to activate Mass Hysteria leading to several balls flying around the table at once and me crossing my arms over each other to properly play with reversed flippers! (<span style="font-size: xx-small;">heh, crossing the streams...</span>)<br />
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If you like unpredictability in pinball then <i>Ghostbusters </i>is your game. There is the Mass Hysteria Multiball as well as the video mode, Negative Reinforcement on ESP Ability. This video mode has you guessing which is the correct card ala the opening scene in the movie. Each guess is worth 2 million points but one wrong guess and you could lose it all! Looking at the more physical side of things, the pinball tends to get airborne quite a bit. I have had this happen quite a bit to the point where I heard the ball hit the glass and stir up quite a fright with that cracking sound. How it got that high, I have no idea. It seems to be due to the two playfield multiplier targets on either side of the left ramp.<br />
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I also had an instance where the ball cleanly flew over the slingshots and right into the outlane. I have seen it before but airborne balls seem to be more common on Ghostbusters. Speaking of nasty drains, this table has them in spades. Everyone has been complaining about the classic <i>Trudeau Gap </i>in which the flippers are placed further apart than usual but what I find especially nasty are the outlanes. There is nothing different about them but the layout of the lower playfield tends to lead to more outlane drains. There are double inlanes on each side, separated by small metal railings that I swear are made of rubber. The ball just seems to bounce off these railings and go flying right down the outlanes. A quick nudge will save you some trouble but sometimes it's just not enough. Even the ball save on <i>Ghostbusters </i>is unforgiving! Normally on Stern tables, if the ball drains a second or two after the ball save light goes out, the game will still recognize it and give you a second chance. Not with <i>Ghostbusters. </i>Soon after starting a round, I lost control of the ball and it proceeded to find its way down the middle drain seconds after the Ball Save light went out. I thought I would get the ball returned but NOPE! Saw that end of ball bonus animation on the DMD.<br />
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If you are more into collecting big scores than collecting ghosts on <i>Ghostbusters </i>then your main focus will be getting Super Jackpot. You do not need to be in a Multiball mode in order to light and collect Super Jackpot; instead you can complete certain modes like defeating the Scoleri Brothers.<br />
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You can start the Scoleri Bros. mode by hitting the Symmetrical Book Stacking captive ball several times. Two drop targets will appear on the playfield and you have to knock them both down in order to defeat the Scoleri Brothers. After taking one brother down, you have ten seconds to defeat the other. Get them both to light Super Jackpot at the left ramp. Another method of getting Super Jackpots is by collecting 60 ghosts and activating Loopin' Supers where you have 20 seconds to hit the left ramp for as many Super Jackpots as you can.<br />
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The weekend that <i>Ghostbusters </i>touched down in the city at California Sandwiches, a couple of the folks from Toronto Pinball Crew and I went to take it for a spin. We discovered quite quickly how much the Super Jackpots can affect your score.<br />
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... Or at least, I did! HA HA HA. Much of my winning game was a blur. The gameplay was super fast, multiball was insane with what felt like endless balls entering the fray and constant callouts of SUPER JACKPOT! So, like I said, if you want a BIG SCORE, focus on lighting Super Jackpot.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6fM8NsqJ4M1BKTaw6SxPcK8qcyoxKrS8MAUeONeYO97KiFKDhg5my6N0q6-6CE9y1qfn-uysMIurDIRWRYgO_vGM1RzHh6NJrLVnz3dirFDLqFbGC3FZ9KKA6xUDNPlUQe8bWosTrXM/s1600/Ghostbusters+Super+Jackpot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6fM8NsqJ4M1BKTaw6SxPcK8qcyoxKrS8MAUeONeYO97KiFKDhg5my6N0q6-6CE9y1qfn-uysMIurDIRWRYgO_vGM1RzHh6NJrLVnz3dirFDLqFbGC3FZ9KKA6xUDNPlUQe8bWosTrXM/s320/Ghostbusters+Super+Jackpot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Never did I think that Stern would consider creating a pinball table out of the Ghostbusters license. Normally they stick to current movie and TV releases or popular bands. The Ghostbusters franchise has been resurrected with the new installment coming out this summer but I didn't think that would be cause to base a table on the classic movie. Well, I am happy to say I was pleasantly surprised! Not only did we get a Ghostbusters-themed pinball table but a damn good one at that! John Trudeau went all out in the playfield design, throwing in a few of his signatures and throwbacks to tables of the past to create fast-paced and engaging gameplay albeit very unforgiving. Zombie Yeti knocked it out of the park with amazing art design that hearkens back to the days of The Real Ghostbusters cartoon and packing in all sorts of neat references like the Twinkie!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKb-1GgjYWzLSpHadj8dq4y42vfz2a0uIoDddMxRDBoVWWVoSEpSETQErAeQ7JjBu7HreZLkANsjR0ikbVAuKCL-Ja_IXL7U_uFkDyWHNyovCfS913TIUfauxM7FJ18UpotyiBGAQRh4/s1600/Ghostbusters+Twinkie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKb-1GgjYWzLSpHadj8dq4y42vfz2a0uIoDddMxRDBoVWWVoSEpSETQErAeQ7JjBu7HreZLkANsjR0ikbVAuKCL-Ja_IXL7U_uFkDyWHNyovCfS913TIUfauxM7FJ18UpotyiBGAQRh4/s320/Ghostbusters+Twinkie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I have to give a shoutout to the people that did the coding for <i>Ghostbusters </i>as they created a very in-depth ruleset right out of the box for the game. There seems to be three different Wizard modes, We're Ready to Believe You (Complete all scenes), We Came, We Saw, We Kicked Its... (Capture A LOT of ghosts), and Are You a God? ("Be Good at Everything"... I'm working on it). <i>Ghostbusters </i>just feels like a complete game and if there are some things missing, I didn't notice. If I had the money to buy a pinball table right now, I have decided it would be <i>Ghostbusters</i>. This table is the total package. Great theme, great overall design and great fun! Unfortunately, I don't have the money to afford a brand spankin' new table but at least I have three great places I can go to play it! It just depends whether I want a sandwich or a beer while I play. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBotsQf_YzD9Hshu1C1q-RL5Y6Kr1218tPfdk4eZJ6HKTM3fLWus57eQQbTnxxOjzujJlY2IJ2iyY_hms4EyVVuilIOq7BDTQJTj8A5I_xKdmXRiGgcFMogCtZs_HpP_3R1k1JLU7_CE/s1600/Ghostbusters+Stay+Puft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBotsQf_YzD9Hshu1C1q-RL5Y6Kr1218tPfdk4eZJ6HKTM3fLWus57eQQbTnxxOjzujJlY2IJ2iyY_hms4EyVVuilIOq7BDTQJTj8A5I_xKdmXRiGgcFMogCtZs_HpP_3R1k1JLU7_CE/s320/Ghostbusters+Stay+Puft.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-13649009815721604342016-05-09T14:08:00.001-04:002016-05-09T14:08:03.578-04:00Mousin' Around at Leisure Lanes <a href="http://www.pinballexchange.com/">Toronto Coin Exchange</a> has been getting a bit more bold in their selections at <a href="http://leisurebowling.com/">Leisure Lanes</a> in Oshawa. For the longest time, there was a mix of Sterns but in the last few years, all sorts of classic tables have been appearing at the Lanes, like <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/The%20Getaway">The Getaway</a></i> and <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/White%20Water">White Water</a></i>. Now there is one helluva throwback in the form of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHCjtsslal60TbBa21CsGO7kGikg8VRvfFLxzKPSKxAXDXecb_M2WPeVjtBQ0EpaEZPu3mvTunCEzVLUcAe5kBw86RMqRlOFQW8Q5vn3Jo_Km31rlbTH4GygoOgQxBsfjvfdMaVf91GU/s1600/Mousin%2527+Around+Playin%2527+Around.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHCjtsslal60TbBa21CsGO7kGikg8VRvfFLxzKPSKxAXDXecb_M2WPeVjtBQ0EpaEZPu3mvTunCEzVLUcAe5kBw86RMqRlOFQW8Q5vn3Jo_Km31rlbTH4GygoOgQxBsfjvfdMaVf91GU/s320/Mousin%2527+Around+Playin%2527+Around.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
TCE has overhauled the pinball selection at Leisure Lanes, upgrading the usual pair to a trio of tables with the latest lineup being <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/The%20Sopranos">The Sopranos</a></i>, <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i> and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4446">Revenge From Mars</a></i>! Not a bad selection if you ask me! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYdwRJEOpFj32ur6Pocu9zwL0icunf_SqYJBQET_qxeCluP_uypnBNHGqijQUmddu0_Z-g0OKZPg4S9cvIW32BB2ca1XlZ0qob0TfVUnRZWTJV-bqeexDPCIUKLwy58_3kuiTO4nQ32E/s1600/Mousin%2527+Around+Backglass+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYdwRJEOpFj32ur6Pocu9zwL0icunf_SqYJBQET_qxeCluP_uypnBNHGqijQUmddu0_Z-g0OKZPg4S9cvIW32BB2ca1XlZ0qob0TfVUnRZWTJV-bqeexDPCIUKLwy58_3kuiTO4nQ32E/s320/Mousin%2527+Around+Backglass+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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When I started playing <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i>, I started getting some flashbacks of memories gone by. Back in the day, my family and I would head down to Leamington to visit some of our extended family and we used to stay at Pelee Motor Inn. I have such fond memories of this hotel because it had this totally far out atrium that many of the rooms looked down into and there were all sorts of things to do in there. Arcade machines all around, two indoor pools, and another little arcade tucked away in one of the corners. I remember playing <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2356">Star Trek: 25th Anniversary</a></i> and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i> there and so when I saw the latter at Leisure Lanes, all these memories came flooding back. I really enjoyed <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i> but not just for nostalgia's sake. After a few games of this underrated System-11, I found that it is actually quite a solid title.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPEMdOMCS-5P4oSbUuVIJyuqFs_LmUDMC3MePKBVfS8IB3cUtsagKtKrV9D2y5Uef_i2FsIul0xXhUbjIQWqBHFVe_NVJDAYHyobEJ-zr-6IBzpxE3-vWzJSobeiT2oG7MtQfOo3xdfs/s1600/Mousin%2527+Around+Upper+Playfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPEMdOMCS-5P4oSbUuVIJyuqFs_LmUDMC3MePKBVfS8IB3cUtsagKtKrV9D2y5Uef_i2FsIul0xXhUbjIQWqBHFVe_NVJDAYHyobEJ-zr-6IBzpxE3-vWzJSobeiT2oG7MtQfOo3xdfs/s320/Mousin%2527+Around+Upper+Playfield.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
At first glance, <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i> looks like a simple table. The only thing that really caught my eye at first was the center ramp.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFv_8lgNbddYJvck8IrkUUZ_AU9C_gtPJMpQ8WN8RsWFWfDxdY8Ws5Jar8aRFCOBnhAwm-vi_-uuqKDNJoN7fiXtLmLkNxXBFafJwOeqtJoeFT1JMciDHC5Je4ToBg6QeeRcTEuPtALf4/s1600/Mousin%2527+Around+Center+Ramp+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFv_8lgNbddYJvck8IrkUUZ_AU9C_gtPJMpQ8WN8RsWFWfDxdY8Ws5Jar8aRFCOBnhAwm-vi_-uuqKDNJoN7fiXtLmLkNxXBFafJwOeqtJoeFT1JMciDHC5Je4ToBg6QeeRcTEuPtALf4/s320/Mousin%2527+Around+Center+Ramp+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I spent my first few games just focusing on that, knocking down the standup target bank and then looping ramp shots like nobody's business! Then I found that wasn't quite a solid strategy because one wrong shot off the target bank or the ramp posts can send that ball right down the middle. It is important to hit the center ramp at least three times as it will light the left outlane kickback. This is essential because the outlanes on <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i> are just plain <i>hungry. </i>The outlanes are rounded and do not have adjustable posts like most tables which leads to some wide open outlanes. Having the outlane kickback lit can be a lifesaver but it certainly is a classic Risk Vs. Reward strategy due to the low location of the ramp and the unpredictability of shooting the targets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8EudCxydiwulTyz9TtrjZC3bzFVCfCDiOZeie1NrUzAQxQHxCgbahcAs_jVUiRDIInrFKLHkmQIWbv7H9-5usn873JfoFwRzMKiLJK4UAVIZMRKwgEnjFbaX_xave7Bwrb9JFxotL-HE/s1600/Mousin%2527+Around+Right+Orbit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8EudCxydiwulTyz9TtrjZC3bzFVCfCDiOZeie1NrUzAQxQHxCgbahcAs_jVUiRDIInrFKLHkmQIWbv7H9-5usn873JfoFwRzMKiLJK4UAVIZMRKwgEnjFbaX_xave7Bwrb9JFxotL-HE/s320/Mousin%2527+Around+Right+Orbit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The one issue I have is the right return lane as it can be unpredictable. If you hit the left orbit, the ball will come down through the right exit which is a bit curved to allow space for the kickback lane. It then opens up to the right inlane as well as the outlane. If the ball doesn't come down the exit lane in the right way, it could end up bouncing off one of the posts and going over to the right outlane. I had it happen a few times and damn if that isn't annoying! That is just a part of the unpredictability that I appreciate about pinball ... though I don't appreciate it the moment it happens! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnO_rw55vSVPiOToG7XyCpqSfb63ywB9mZ_0EBZTPYegrsqeoyyBE344v77RVrBU2cc05Rz1rtY3VnNiwRUSZWuCr9DV_XmRu_3LVTEnsoQ1QjaT4g6QgqcWL5mOCC40Oxc9HZ6YsdjEg/s1600/Mousin%2527+Around+Outlane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnO_rw55vSVPiOToG7XyCpqSfb63ywB9mZ_0EBZTPYegrsqeoyyBE344v77RVrBU2cc05Rz1rtY3VnNiwRUSZWuCr9DV_XmRu_3LVTEnsoQ1QjaT4g6QgqcWL5mOCC40Oxc9HZ6YsdjEg/s320/Mousin%2527+Around+Outlane.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
After having my fun shooting the center ramp, I decided to read the rule card for once and try to figure out how to actually play <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i>. It has a really simple ruleset but sometimes there is beauty in simplicity. There are two main goals of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i>: spell CHEESE by hitting the left and right ramps as well as the right kickback target to activate the Mouse Hole and raise the Jackpot. You can get the reward by hitting the right ramp which redirects into the Mouse Hole. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_aP3WjHT6V18_DZdGga9mxIryVR3PePVfRG6i3X5F7MUaP-5r8um4g6TVzL-9UDr1frfholrDyLeJuYny2om4cHOxkA50OTPV4Q5e5RpZCvl-IQoJxjDaVVFCXiBF5jmpjPXqA7t8Es/s1600/Mousin%2527+Around+Mouse+Hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_aP3WjHT6V18_DZdGga9mxIryVR3PePVfRG6i3X5F7MUaP-5r8um4g6TVzL-9UDr1frfholrDyLeJuYny2om4cHOxkA50OTPV4Q5e5RpZCvl-IQoJxjDaVVFCXiBF5jmpjPXqA7t8Es/s320/Mousin%2527+Around+Mouse+Hole.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The other goal is to activate Multiball by hitting the left and right target banks and spelling MOUSE TRAP. Once MOUSE TRAP is lit, the mouse trap locks open up on either side of the playfield, one in the left orbit and the other in the right kickback lane. Lock the two balls in the little cheese locks and then hit the Mouse Hole to activate Multiball! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEzgxcGyymeAhkYlcWcN__1smSr0RbaTQu9RVGCv9gHgsNg_3C15wfH0Bahj_5rWGrsBXhF8U13eUpgp3H486PbHU-qvwerIHWaD-oCxpsYibzF-nD498ETzs5z_2GdClhdPv36eLvjI/s1600/Mousin%2527+Around+Cheese+Lock+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEzgxcGyymeAhkYlcWcN__1smSr0RbaTQu9RVGCv9gHgsNg_3C15wfH0Bahj_5rWGrsBXhF8U13eUpgp3H486PbHU-qvwerIHWaD-oCxpsYibzF-nD498ETzs5z_2GdClhdPv36eLvjI/s320/Mousin%2527+Around+Cheese+Lock+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Despite the simplicity of the ruleset, I found myself coming back to <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i> time and time again... Well, we ended up breaking <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/The%20Sopranos">The Sopranos</a></i> so I didn't have much choice... but if I did, I still would have played plenty of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i>! I kept trying to see how much I could build my jackpot before I went for Multiball or see if I could combo all the Cheese shots. <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i> surprised me with how well-flowing it feels. A lot of the main shots are hit from the left flipper and both the left and right ramps feed back to the left flipper in order to set you up for some serious combos. Hit the left ramp first then hit the right ramp before finishing off with the kickback lane. DAMN THAT FEELS GOOD! Especially so because <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i> has some seriously tight shots but once you get a good grasp on the table, the shots feel so natural and easy to determine where exactly the ball needs to be on the flipper in order to accurately hit the shots. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXuNCwc6YDj2crBs-uziQQJCbeTRwK4-OMGu6M-vlJD595kUE50g9t-K7Y-z0sEMxRakOTkojKSm7QsMJrz8JwLm1G9eMmGAoS6EpLGkWG5Pexv0rmO6YlDUV9ljW3x3Hr7gY_N3c_zk/s1600/Mousin%2527+Around+Upper+Playfield+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXuNCwc6YDj2crBs-uziQQJCbeTRwK4-OMGu6M-vlJD595kUE50g9t-K7Y-z0sEMxRakOTkojKSm7QsMJrz8JwLm1G9eMmGAoS6EpLGkWG5Pexv0rmO6YlDUV9ljW3x3Hr7gY_N3c_zk/s320/Mousin%2527+Around+Upper+Playfield+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The artwork is totally cheesy (pardon the pun) and is definitely a product of its time in 1989 but the artist Pat McMahon always has a knack for making an eye-catching art package for the pinball machines he has worked on. The main colours of the table are a mix of red, blue and yellow which really makes the playfield stand out. The style is a take on old-school comics, using halftone patterns as well as panels to distinguish different parts of the table. The cigar-chompin' bad guy even appears to be peering in through a comic panel at those pesky mice! </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRsrN40EDAEld9POb_j0isX-dQdCxkOtqjrXLeDEHL7Hm-H9Ia1eDwOb51B2Hw6kMCIGu2Teg1EFhoBAcI6xSb5YhJ0KAGja0Q9d5k45H31uZvrjmxnzwsnmxfbxUlTNty8tq794Pzjw/s1600/Mousin%2527+Around+Da+Bad+Guy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRsrN40EDAEld9POb_j0isX-dQdCxkOtqjrXLeDEHL7Hm-H9Ia1eDwOb51B2Hw6kMCIGu2Teg1EFhoBAcI6xSb5YhJ0KAGja0Q9d5k45H31uZvrjmxnzwsnmxfbxUlTNty8tq794Pzjw/s320/Mousin%2527+Around+Da+Bad+Guy+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you look at the top right of the panel, you can see his hand grabbing onto the edge.</td></tr>
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I couldn't quite hear the music of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i>, what with Friday nights being Leisure Lanes' bowling league night and <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/The%20Sopranos">The Sopranos</a></i> being louder but from what I could hear, it had a pretty funky little 8-bit beat! What was weird though is the beat sounded a lot like <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/The%20Sopranos">The Sopranos</a></i>' beat. While we were playing <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i>, I noticed that both songs blended almost seamlessly together. It was quite strange but somehow it worked! </div>
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Many tend to overlook <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i> for many of the other System-11 tables but I don't blame them. <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a> </i>was released in '89 when the landscape of pinball was really changing. People like <a href="https://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Pat%20Lawlor">Pat Lawlor</a> were coming out with some real far out tables like <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Banzai%20Run">Banzai Run</a></i> and the advent of the Dot Matrix Display era was to come in the next few years. <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i> was quite simplistic in design compared to some of the 89's roster like <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Earthshaker%21">Earthshaker</a></i> and <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/BLACK%20KNIGHT%202000">Black Knight 2000</a></i> but what it lacks in crazy gimmicks and wild design, it makes up for it with solid and concise gameplay and that need for <i>just one more game! </i></div>
Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-24377797363888813412016-04-25T12:30:00.001-04:002016-04-26T09:53:55.761-04:00Florida Arcade & Pinball Expo Part IIPar for the course, here I am with Part II of my trip report for Florida Arcade & Pinball Expo several months after the fact. At the very least, here it is! In <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2016/03/florida-arcade-pinball-expo-2016-trip.html">Part I of my Florida APE</a> trip report, I covered a few of the unique tables at the show, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/The%20Champion%20Pub">The Champion Pub</a></i> and <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Banzai%20Run">Banzai Run</a></i>! I have been looking through my photos quite a bit, trying to stir up some ideas for another post and the main thing I noticed is just how good looking many of the tables at the Expo were. Like I mentioned in my <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2016/02/florida-arcade-pinball-expo-2016-preview.html">trip report preview post</a>, the dark arcade-like atmosphere of the Expo was a great way to showcase how much love and care were put into these tables. Private owners and a couple of operators put a lot of hard work into restoring and maintaining these tables and it really showed, what with all the lights turned down.<br />
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One table I was quite excited to see at <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Florida%20Arcade%20%26%20Pinball%20Expo">Florida APE</a> was <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Swords%20of%20Fury"><i>Swords of Fu</i></a>-LION MAN LION MAN-<a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Swords%20of%20Fury"><i>ry</i></a>. Last time I saw this table was at the 2013 <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Ottawa%20Pinball%20Expo">Ottawa Pinball Expo</a> and was quite surprised at the complexity of this System-11 machine! I talked about <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Swords%20of%20Fury">SoF</a></i> in the <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Ottawa%20Pinball%20Expo">Ottawa Pinball Expo</a> trip report but I don't see why I can't talk about it some more! Plus, I have some really nice pictures of <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Swords%20of%20Fury">SoF</a> </i>so why miss out on sharing them with you?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizX7oyugL-VHBVTUh0hI1KckzG9SawvwcY0RiCTJNtgNBcHBkamOnSFWZa8jOkJBaVyjg7-Liays2a8elGkX4Iez_ZfCvfXPgWnxO2E4JLUiD0-ek3b2cwCXrbHRdf5GF5_BkXHwzlfgs/s1600/Swords+of+Fury+Backglass+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizX7oyugL-VHBVTUh0hI1KckzG9SawvwcY0RiCTJNtgNBcHBkamOnSFWZa8jOkJBaVyjg7-Liays2a8elGkX4Iez_ZfCvfXPgWnxO2E4JLUiD0-ek3b2cwCXrbHRdf5GF5_BkXHwzlfgs/s320/Swords+of+Fury+Backglass+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUJhgM_6HgYiIk4iwbLDIUzhkTf1BsKV2_Q1ZNPgDwHcZXgVo_QUoFSSAgco5xlniazNf4OUIj9JFrEwYLqE-ySc94v04aDwlw6JeBRFA-tq4aUsKypT0BQygI8XE9BFaBehjriIpr-A/s1600/Swords+of+Fury+Mini+Playfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUJhgM_6HgYiIk4iwbLDIUzhkTf1BsKV2_Q1ZNPgDwHcZXgVo_QUoFSSAgco5xlniazNf4OUIj9JFrEwYLqE-ySc94v04aDwlw6JeBRFA-tq4aUsKypT0BQygI8XE9BFaBehjriIpr-A/s200/Swords+of+Fury+Mini+Playfield.jpg" width="200" /></a><i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Swords%20of%20Fury"></a></i><br />
<a name='more'></a><i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Swords%20of%20Fury">Swords of Fury</a></i> was quite an ambitious title for the late 80's, with all sorts of features and shots packed into the table like the mini upper playfield, the dual U-turn shots and even the raised mini-playfield! The playfield layout is a bit awkward with a lot of the shots leaning more towards the use of the right flipper. There is a good way of getting to the mini playfield by hitting the right side of Ogre's Alley and looping the ball down to the third flipper. Successfully hitting this shot will give you a better chance of hitting that center ramp. It's really steep and can lead to a nasty drain if you try hitting it from the right flipper.<br />
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<i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Swords%20of%20Fury">Swords of Fury</a></i> feels like the prototype to the later DMD machines. It's packed with all sorts of wild gimmicks and unique playfield designs which became the norm for machines in the 90's. If you were to compare <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Swords%20of%20Fury">Swords of Fury</a></i> to <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Taxi">Taxi</a>,</i> which were both released in <a href="http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?yr=1988&qh=checked&sortby=name&searchtype=advanced">1988</a>, you can see where the state of pinball was going. Whereas <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Taxi">Taxi</a></i> focuses on making precise shots and progress for big points, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Swords%20of%20Fury">Swords of Fury</a></i> is very eye-catching and has all sorts of new features to interest you. Not to say that later tables were strictly gimmick-machines but you could see the importance of eye-candy becoming more prominent in pinball designs in the late 80's. If <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Swords%20of%20Fury">Swords of Fury</a></i> wasn't evidence enough then <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Banzai%20Run">Banzai Run</a></i> should be. It was released the same year as <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Swords%20of%20Fury">Swords of Fury</a></i> and surely would have turned heads back in the day!<br />
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Just by looking at <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Swords%20of%20Fury">Swords of Fury</a></i>, you can get an idea of the quality of the tables at the Florida APE. Many of the tables were in top-notch condition and outfitted with bright LEDs which really popped in the dark environment of the Expo. The usage of LEDs in the pinball community has been quite polarizing. Some people find it to be quite distracting and in the words of an old friend of mine "imagine staring at a strobe light for 30 minutes." There are definitely instances where there is overkill on the LEDs. This <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Johnny%20Mnemonic">Johnny Mnemonic</a></i> went a <i>little </i>crazy with the purple.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8H3_wAGwdLo6ZfBhyq_ddgu4tCDNklXJKEm_tdcf2RfCUMZ_3YDj6aVz7XcLGsK55KpE7Mss9BsdNG6UWOxie-DyisyEYewN_1v5O54-UxAkCNK754p9DD7FSwZlTKMHAGoSxIp8BXk/s1600/Johnny+Mnemonic+Lower+Playfield+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8H3_wAGwdLo6ZfBhyq_ddgu4tCDNklXJKEm_tdcf2RfCUMZ_3YDj6aVz7XcLGsK55KpE7Mss9BsdNG6UWOxie-DyisyEYewN_1v5O54-UxAkCNK754p9DD7FSwZlTKMHAGoSxIp8BXk/s320/Johnny+Mnemonic+Lower+Playfield+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
On the other hand, when tastefully done, LEDs can really improve a table. They may provide more illumination to lacking areas (<i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Addams%20Family">Addams Family</a></i>, I'm looking at you) or make the inserts really pop. Swing by <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Junction%20City%20Music%20Hall">Junction City Music Hall</a> to see a great example of how a few LEDs can really improve a table. <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Comet">Comet</a></i> and <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Fire%21">Fire!</a></i> were recently upgraded with them and they look fantastic. But I digress, the tables at Florida APE were total eye candy, especially the <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4059">Cirqus Voltaire</a></i>. The artwork of <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4059">CV</a></i> was done by <a href="http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?ppl=Linda+Deal+%28aka+Doane%29&qh=checked&sortby=name&searchtype=advanced">Linda Deal</a> who had previously worked with <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4059">Cirqus</a></i>' designer, <a href="http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?ppl=John+Popadiuk&qh=checked&sortby=name&searchtype=advanced">John Popadiuk</a>, on <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Theatre%20of%20Magic">Theatre of Magic</a></i>. The whole table, everything from the artwork to the playfield and sound design is done with such great detail. The only bare space in the playfield artwork is the drain which curiously is just bare wood. Otherwise, Deal packed in so much bits and pieces into the playfield artwork, even simulating the Ringmaster's upper body!<br />
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There are a couple of gimmicks that lend to the strange beauty of the table, such as the lowered Dot Matrix Display tucked into the back panel of the playfield rather than the usual spot in the backglass and my favorite, the neon light that stretches along the right ramp.<br />
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It is legitimate neon too! I'm a huge fan of all things neon so I'm like a moth to light when I see <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4059">Cirqus Voltaire</a></i>. But it takes a bit of skill to light up that neon tube as you have to activate Neon Multiball to light it up. Speaking of Popadiuk tables, I like that Florida APE set up a few of his tables all together.<br />
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From left to right you have <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3824">Tales of Arabian Nights</a></i>, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Theatre%20of%20Magic">Theatre of Magic</a></i>, and <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/World%20Cup%20Soccer">World Cup Soccer '94</a></i>. That is pretty much Popadiuk's Greatest Hits right there. I thought it was really neat how the tables were set up and curated. Rather than having a mish-mosh of EM's, early SS's and new Sterns all mixed together, the folks at Florida APE took careful consideration into how the machines were set up. <a href="http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?ppl=steve+ritchie&qh=checked&sortby=name&searchtype=advanced">Steve Ritchie</a>'s tables were all put together as such...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQiLkl3k5kxfzJ1vDlFEHaON7iVlKIySbuGj-TYPqJ4IHPbcACrE0JrYv5L-XMgfPnyVsmk5qrAfhS8j2hy3YqQFHpnF1Au9Q9XnV_u-1_LE1rIiAyeF3Zj1yWXHRQMic-T08Xejn9ic/s1600/Steve+Ritchie+Lineup+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQiLkl3k5kxfzJ1vDlFEHaON7iVlKIySbuGj-TYPqJ4IHPbcACrE0JrYv5L-XMgfPnyVsmk5qrAfhS8j2hy3YqQFHpnF1Au9Q9XnV_u-1_LE1rIiAyeF3Zj1yWXHRQMic-T08Xejn9ic/s320/Steve+Ritchie+Lineup+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Including <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/The%20Getaway">The Getaway</a></i> and <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/High%20Speed">High Speed</a></i> together!<br />
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The Early Solid-State tables had a section of their own too..<br />
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even the Arcade machines had an area to call their own!<br />
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There were quite a few tables at Florida APE and unfortunately, quite a few I have already reviewed. I guess that is what happens when you have been writing pinball reviews as long as I have! Yes, there has been a bit of overlap in the tables I have posted about in Florida APE so I suppose this will be the last part of this trip report. The good news is that <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citypinball/">City Pinball</a> has been busy outfitting Toronto with a few new tables that I have yet to review on Bumper City! Keep an eye out for some <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1267">Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure</a></i> (The Williams version) and <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2853">Indianapolis 500</a></i>! Toronto Coin Exchange has also been doing some work over in Oshawa. I hear they put a very nice <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1635">Mousin' Around</a></i> there so it may be time to head over to <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Leisure%20Lanes">Leisure Lanes</a>...<br />
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<br />Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-24320043616740128252016-04-05T10:53:00.001-04:002016-04-05T10:53:33.517-04:00Sunday Afternoon Hangouts at Cabin FeverIt was another snowy weekend in April here in Toronto. Just when we thought we had escaped the winter hellscapes of January and February, Old Man Winter hit us with one last blast. The weather didn't stop a couple of folks from the <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Ottawa">Ottawa Pinball Scene</a> and <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/House%20of%20TARG">House of TARG</a> from swinging by <a href="http://www.cabinfeverco.ca/">Cabin Fever</a> for an afternoon of pinball! I came out to visit the boys from Ottawa and represent the Big Smoke. When I stepped into Cabin Fever, I saw that <a href="http://torontopinball.weebly.com/">Toronto Pinball Fever</a> were having their first End-of-Month tournament so we had a great showing of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/637013426382174/">Toronto Pinball Crew</a>.<br />
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I had a great time catching up with my buddy Monty of Ottawa Punk Pinball (follow him on Instagram @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ottawapunkpinball/">OttawaPunkPinball</a>) and hearing about what's shakin up in this nation's great capital. It sounds like things are going real well there and House of TARG is kickin' ass! I can't wait to head back up to Ottawa and do some work at stealin' girlfriends and high scores. MUF has made his mark known before...<br />
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A few of the guys that came down to the city with Monty work at House of TARG and were quite excited to see <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/The%20Shadow">The Shadow</a></i> as a part of Cabin Fever's lineup. House of TARG has had quite a few machines in rotation over the past two years and most of the tables at Cabin Fever had been a part of TARG's roster at one point or another except for <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/The%20Shadow">The Shadow</a></i>. So, we played quite a few games on that table in between Toronto Pinball Fever's tournament rounds.<br />
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Speaking of Toronto Pinball Fever, I want to give a shout-out to the newest league to pop up! The format of Toronto Pinball Fever is a bit different than that of <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/City%20Pinball">City Pinball</a>. It's a "Super Selfie League" and you register at Cabin Fever each month for only 5 bucks. It's super play so you can play whenever you want on any of the tables at Cabin Fever and when you get a decent score, you can post a selfie with the score on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to record your score. Make sure to tag <a href="https://twitter.com/torontopinball">@TorontoPinball</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/cabinfeverco">@CabinFever</a> in your post! You can post as <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxVO52Ua4YAAiic5o2eIMrbYrRX37CKmwel3a8scxFAT62iARP9j4FXWBdFSdwlYDgPOcq8GT37CBff6N3aACUzioRPhkilS289sWQPUldjNd38awHuO8tMNxKafMy73e0OV-9n8KR2w/s1600/Toronto+Pinball+Fever+Sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxVO52Ua4YAAiic5o2eIMrbYrRX37CKmwel3a8scxFAT62iARP9j4FXWBdFSdwlYDgPOcq8GT37CBff6N3aACUzioRPhkilS289sWQPUldjNd38awHuO8tMNxKafMy73e0OV-9n8KR2w/s200/Toronto+Pinball+Fever+Sign.jpg" width="200" /></a>many scores as you wish and the top 50% will go on to the End-of-Month playoffs! It's a good format for those that might be busy on the Wednesday nights that City Pinball runs or just want to play a more casual league format. I've signed up for April so hopefully I can start posting some scores! I had a few good ones last night but I didn't want to get in the way of the play-off games by awkwardly squeezing in between the machines for a selfie. Next time though! You should drop by Cabin Fever 'cause they have great lineups. Great lineups of pinball, records, beers, and sandwiches too! Dig all the pinball-themed names! There is even a sandwich named after one of the City Pinball fellas, Mike Bartolo!<br />
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<br />Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-71934206060668948862016-03-25T16:27:00.001-04:002016-03-25T16:42:34.186-04:00Florida Arcade & Pinball Expo 2016 Trip ReportAlright, let's get to talking about the 2016 <a href="http://www.floridaape.org/">Florida Arcade & Pinball Expo</a>! I went way out of my comfort zone of Toronto to attend this one. For those long-time readers, you know quite well that I'm not bound to the city limits of the Big Smoke. I get around to all sorts of Expos, like <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Michigan%20Pinball%20Expo">Michigan Pinball Expo</a> and <a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Ottawa%20Pinball%20Expo">Ottawa Pinball Expo</a>. Now we can mark the Florida APE off the list! There has been something on my chest for quite some time about Expos that I just haven't been able to articulate until now. I picked up a book called <i>The Atrocity Archives </i>by Charles Stross and in the foreword by Ken MacLeod, he says something in regards to conventions that "the peculiar melancholy of looking back on a con and realising no matter how good of a time you had, there was even more that you missed." That is exactly how I feel about pinball expos!<br />
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No matter how many machines I played, no matter how many pictures I took, I always think about the stuff that I missed. Shamefully, I missed out on playing the new P3 game <i><a href="http://www.multimorphic.com/index.php/p3-pinball-platform/ll-gg">Lexy Lightspeed</a> </i>as well as a few others I was hoping to play. Sometimes, it just doesn't work out; the lineup for a pinball machine is just too long or it's out of service while you're there. I just find it so difficult to wait in line for a pinball machine at Expos. You never know how good the person ahead of you is playing or if they're a goof and started a 4 player game for themselves. Pinball Expos must be a nightmare for those with short attention spans. You're waiting in line for a particular machine but there's so many around you making all this noise and lightshows that you just kind of wander out of line and find yourself playing something else. I have to say I am a pretty focused individual but when it comes to expos, I just lose all focus! There are all sorts of different machines I want to play, some that I rarely see on route or that I haven't seen before, like <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4358">The Champion Pub</a></i>!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I was pretty stoked to see this table. I heard about it through The Pinball Arcade and thought it a pretty interesting table; it exhibits some video game influences in that it has mini-games that you complete in order to start brawlin'!<br />
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The mini-games consist of Speed Bag where you "flip" the ball with little fists to hit a speed bag or my favorite, Jump Rope, where you hit the flippers to launch the ball over the rope by way of solenoid. It's a pretty neat visual novelty. By completing these and<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUcccoQ4zwikCkS94Nq9vNY6db5Ezpipf50JmJC5Zhzi4GyrOBliNfj5PE0eVpEEPE4i7CKSEGvRl0WhqGw-ktgZKro2ikh4TXMnudHdlCEgFhbrpeBgouyrxyV_8ovClT9C6w144_AW4/s1600/Champion+Pub+Jump+Rope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUcccoQ4zwikCkS94Nq9vNY6db5Ezpipf50JmJC5Zhzi4GyrOBliNfj5PE0eVpEEPE4i7CKSEGvRl0WhqGw-ktgZKro2ikh4TXMnudHdlCEgFhbrpeBgouyrxyV_8ovClT9C6w144_AW4/s200/Champion+Pub+Jump+Rope.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a>hitting the punching bag, you will begin the boxing rounds with a rogue's gallery of various fighters. The fights are interesting in that you hit different shots in order to throw different maneuvers. Hit either of the ramps to hit the boxer's face for uppercuts or hit the body for a body blow. The progression through fighters kind of reminds me of <i>Street Fighter II </i>in that many of the characters are defined by different accents. <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4358">The Champion Pub</a></i>'s sound design is another big factor in the quality of the table. There are over 300 different recorded call outs! Hearing this table is a treat because the callouts are really good.<br />
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Unfortunately, this is quite a rare table as it was one of Bally's last tables before closing down the pinball division. <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4358">The Champion Pub</a></i> was released in 1998 which was the height of home consoles and the downfall of arcades. Bally and Williams were trying their damnedest to compete with video games as evidenced by the video game influence in <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4358">The Champion Pub</a></i> and even more so when Pinball 2000's <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4446">Revenge From Mars</a></i> and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4458">Star Wars: Episode 1</a></i> were released. Unfortunately, <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4358">The Champion Pub</a></i> was not very successful and has fallen to the wayside in the pinball community, often overshadowed by it's earlier brethren.<br />
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Another rare table made an appearance at Florida APE and that was <i><a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Banzai%20Run">Banzai Run</a></i>!<br />
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I have been lucky enough to play a <i><a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Banzai%20Run">Banzai Run</a></i> in the wild back in Windsor; I have never actually seen <i style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Banzai%20Run">Banzai Run</a></i><span style="text-align: center;"> available for play at any of the Expos I have been to. </span><br />
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The <i><a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Banzai%20Run">Banzai Run</a></i> at APE was in great condition, a lot better than the one that I had played in Windsor. I was hoping to have a real good run at it but I really dropped the ball. I mentioned that I have a hard time focusing at Expos and that applies to my playing too. There is just so much going on around me and so little time to play that I just can't settle in and have a good game. Not to say that Expos aren't fun but I just feel like I'm missing out if I spend too much time on a game and then I feel like I'm missing out because I didn't get enough into a game. The ultimate pinball conundrum... But hey, at least I got onto the back playfield!</div>
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My brother Shane, now he can really focus in on a machine and do work... too bad it wasn't a pinball machine.<br />
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He was obsessed with this thing. I think he played it more than the pinball machines! I would leave him playing it, go walk around the floor and come back to see him still playing <i>Monaco GP</i>! He was really damn good at it though. He got the top score and reached the secret level!<br />
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That's enough postin' for now! I have to stretch this trip report out a little bit so stay tuned!Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-8744687148891466752016-03-10T20:56:00.003-05:002016-03-10T20:56:36.317-05:00NEW GAME ANNOUNCEMENT: GHOSTBUSTERSAlright, I'm just gonna get the cliche out of the way now... WHO YA GONNA CALL??<br />
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Well, looks like you will be calling Stern Pinball!<br />
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Now, with that out of the way, I would like to say "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH OH MY GORD!!!!!!!!!!" I am so <i>SO STOKED </i>to see this! <i>Ghostbusters</i> pinball! I can't believe it. Actually, yes I can. I'm ready to believe you. There has been rumors abound and leaks regarding the backglass artwork and whatnot but many claimed it was "too good to be true". Well, it looks TOO GOOD and it is TRUE because Stern made the announcement today!<br />
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Holy moley, this table looks downright amazing. Hand-drawn artwork, all sorts of toys, so many references to the movie and that ECTO-1 SIDEART OH MY!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDr-0d3IFVYEl1FMs3Teu9rrLdEF79m-_9F9gwY27xi17iwW5HXgXoQAS6bDwGI9t8Og2f7aN2s2kuDfFlIC2ncVxB7mIWFyISg2EwSy98kDLqcVU41yXAru5_V2qWs1F0LuJm4jDm9f4/s1600/Ghostbusters+Pro+Sideart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDr-0d3IFVYEl1FMs3Teu9rrLdEF79m-_9F9gwY27xi17iwW5HXgXoQAS6bDwGI9t8Og2f7aN2s2kuDfFlIC2ncVxB7mIWFyISg2EwSy98kDLqcVU41yXAru5_V2qWs1F0LuJm4jDm9f4/s320/Ghostbusters+Pro+Sideart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKoJUXoUIGF9THHNUpLCbu4pI3y-yR5R32x9om18WOekTua-giEEUIyFQpkGiFoYafcEEIAVAkLXTPy3djR41Sg1WJ9_7ONLM-QEbxT2xPDnWawrvMtQTdHi5-dsVLKwR2GLB5NWRNg8/s1600/Ghostbuster+Premium+Slimer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKoJUXoUIGF9THHNUpLCbu4pI3y-yR5R32x9om18WOekTua-giEEUIyFQpkGiFoYafcEEIAVAkLXTPy3djR41Sg1WJ9_7ONLM-QEbxT2xPDnWawrvMtQTdHi5-dsVLKwR2GLB5NWRNg8/s200/Ghostbuster+Premium+Slimer.jpg" width="133" /></a>I'm calling it now... <i>Ghostbusters </i>is going to be one of Stern's BEST tables. At the very least it will be my favorite table! John Trudeau is the designer of <i>Ghostbusters</i> and based on the amount of stuff packed into the playfield, it looks like Stern has finally let him off the leash. There looks to be a ton of shots, a really big and steep ramp, a Slimer bash toy<br />
and a big ol' Stay Puft looming over the table. The Slimer moves too; hitting Slimer causes him to "slime" the playfield and turn a bunch of targets green which you then have to clean up. The Pro table looks to be losing out on a few toys and features but at least it doesn't seem to be as pared down as <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2016/01/game-of-thrones-at-monarch-tavern.html">Game of Thrones Pro</a></i> was. The Pro version still features the same cityscape over the pop bumpers which I think is a really neat addition and helps build a little New York City under glass.<br />
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The Premium and Limited editions come with some sort of a ghost hologram target which sounds pretty neat along with upgraded metal ramps and magnetic slingshots. I'm interested to see how the gameplay varies with that. It sounds like getting caught up in the slingshots could get a helluva lot more unpredictable. There are also a few more new toys like the storage containment unit and public library.<br />
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The artwork, which is done by Jeremy Packer, otherwise known as <a href="http://www.zombieyeti.com/">Zombie Yeti</a>, looks amazing and very colourful. (Neat fact, Zombie Yeti was the fellow that was working on John Popadiuk's <i>Magic Girl</i> pinball before that went belly up) There looks to be all sorts of little details and references packed into the art. There is even a little pinball machine tucked away in the Firehouse toy!<br />
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The premise of the table is similar to the 2009 <i>Ghostbusters</i> video game in that you as the player are a new Ghostbuster recruit and gotta bust hella ghosts (also bust some high scores)! Ernie Hudson was also brought on to do custom callouts along with classic quips from the movie so that should be pretty cool too.<br />
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I think I better start saving up my money because if there is one machine I need to buy, it's this one. I'll be keeping a very close eye on the <i>Ghostbusters</i> release so you better keep a close eye on Bumper City! When this baby pops up in the wild, you best believe I will have a review ready to go!Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-85622666333169722512016-02-29T19:35:00.001-05:002016-02-29T19:35:14.957-05:00Florida Arcade & Pinball Expo 2016 Preview! <div>
Boy, do I have a surprise for you... So, I ended up heading down to Florida this month for a little R&R and I just so happened to find myself at the Florida Arcade and Pinball Expo otherwise known as APE! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What a show! I was really impressed with the lineup at APE. There was a great selection of pinball and arcade machines from all eras which meant that a few of my old favourites were available to play. </div>
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Now, dig that! All the lights are turned down in the venue which evokes the memories of hanging out in dark arcades. It was dark, it was noisy and damn it was fun! </div>
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There were quite a few tables I haven't reviewed before, like <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4059">Cirqus Voltaire</a></i> and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4358">The Champion Pub</a></i> so be on the lookout for a few trip report posts very soon! I had my camera in tow along with some new lenses to play around with I took full advantage of APE and took lots of really cool pictures of the machines. More to come soon but for now, enjoy some pictures from Florida Arcade & Pinball Expo!</div>
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Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-42585814567789764992016-01-27T09:00:00.000-05:002016-01-28T16:05:17.346-05:00MetallicaThere has been one table on my mind for quite a while now that I never really had a chance to review. The times when it was in the city, I could never find the right time to write about it. There was either something else I wanted to post about or by the time I was ready to review it, it was gone. It's a shame because the table I'm speaking of was pretty good and has only gotten better over time. The table I am speaking of is <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">METALLICA</a></i>!<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i> was released in the summer of 2013 and Bumper City was well under way by that point. Looking back, it was quite the busy time for me, having covered my first trip with my brother for our <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/07/st-catherines-pinball-journey-2013.html">St. Catharines Pinball Journey</a> as well as the <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/08/canadian-pinball-championships-2013.html">2013 Canadian Pinball Championships</a> so unfortunately I wasn't able to get around to reviewing <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i> during it's youth. After a couple of years, <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i> has seen quite a bit of action with many code updates really filling out the game's ruleset as well as a re-release of an all-LED Pro edition. The table had a few stints around the city, first at <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Monarch%20Tavern">Monarch Tavern</a> and later popping up at <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Scotiabank%20Theatre">ScotiaBank Theatre</a> and <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Brass%20Taps">Brass Taps</a> but by the time it arrived at the latter, it was in such poor shape that I couldn't justify writing a review. In the last year however, one of the new LED Pro editions of <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i> found a home at <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Ted%27s%20Collision">Ted's Collision</a>. It's one of the nicest tables I have seen at Ted's! Now, thanks to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citypinball/">City Pinball</a>, <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i> has joined <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Junction%20City%20Music%20Hall">Junction City Music Hall</a>'s roster, just in time for season two of City Pinball's pinball league! If you haven't learned already, if a pinball machine has the City Pinball name on it, you know it's a real good table! This <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i> is in tip-top shape, featuring up-to-date code and a real clean playfield.<br />
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I have always enjoyed <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i>, even during it's bare-bones initial release. Designed by <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/John%20Borg">John Borg</a>, it felt a lot different from his previous tables, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/X-MEN">X-MEN</a></i> in 2012 and <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Tron%3A%20Legacy">TRON: Legacy</a></i> in 2011. Whereas the two previous tables were heavy on the features and big shots, <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i> felt a bit more stripped down and focused on flow. I think it mainly comes from those two HEAVY METAL RAMPS!<br />
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How appropriate that a heavy metal band gets this much HEAVY METAL on their table. But I digress... Hitting those ramps then hitting a combo around the orbits feels so good on <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i>. I think Borg really found his sense of flow on this table which is also evident on his later table, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/KISS">KISS</a></i>. There are a few stop-and-go style shots with the Snake and to a lesser extent, the captive ball,<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbvZUxJqFYtDhxw7ZuJFaqmwB52vx83Bj6d1ABigbZSVRVzYr1Q6zmXiDW2l6rMFXBpKczGGqHfF1uBLl8m-drUV3zihM2TYtX1Mj4uMGYNrk0OOPK4LZmk4MdESaVEfExAfhgGmE_Fc/s1600/Metallica+Snake+and+Captive+Ball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbvZUxJqFYtDhxw7ZuJFaqmwB52vx83Bj6d1ABigbZSVRVzYr1Q6zmXiDW2l6rMFXBpKczGGqHfF1uBLl8m-drUV3zihM2TYtX1Mj4uMGYNrk0OOPK4LZmk4MdESaVEfExAfhgGmE_Fc/s200/Metallica+Snake+and+Captive+Ball.jpg" width="200" /></a> but it is quite pared down on <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i>. Instead you're hitting a lot of quick shots and bashing into things. Shots that normally would break up the flow of the table are relegated to the sides with the Fuel dead-end shot placed on the left-hand side and the scoop on the far right. The bumpers are tucked away up in the upper right corner and out of the action which is unusual for Borg! Usually he has them lower on the playfield with a shot going in between; I think the lack of that trademark really improves the flow on <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i>. The ramps are set up in a way that you can get some serious combos hitting them back and forth but be careful because the ball picks up quite a bit of speed and along with the tight openings on both ramps, a mis-timed shot can send the ball wild.<br />
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There is a neat gimmick that is a throwback to tables of the electro-mechanical and early solid-state eras (Bally's <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Dolly%20Parton">Dolly Parton</a></i> being one to feature this) in the form of the Master of Puppets in-line targets.<br />
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Master of Puppets multiball is hidden away behind these "grave markers" which need to be knocked down in succession in order to active the multiball mode. The first marker is an easy shot as it is placed a bit outside of the inlane. Usually a glancing shot when the ball is flying around the table will knock it down but after that, it's a matter of precision to get through that tight inlane and knock down the rest of the targets! If you're aiming for Master of Puppets, you better be committed to it because the markers reset after each round. You can stack this multiball mode with the Electric Chair multiball mode so if you're aiming to get multiball, I would recommend hitting Sparky first to build Electric Chair.<br />
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This may take you a ball or two but at least the progression continues throughout the rounds. Knock down the grave markers while you're at it and make sure you hit the final marker once or twice as Master of Puppets won't start immediately. Start multiball either way then hit the appropriate shot to activate the second one and then go wild!<br />
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Now, the artwork is something that really grabbed me when I first heard word of <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a> </i>some years ago. <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a> </i>was one of the first tables released by Stern to feature hand-drawn artwork in quite some time (<i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/X-MEN">X-MEN</a></i> being the first). Instead of bringing on their usual artists, like <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Kevin%20O%27Connor">Kevin O'Connor</a> or <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Greg%20Freres">Greg Freres</a>, <a href="http://www.jsrdirect.com/webstores/dirtydonny">Dirty Donny</a> was hired to produce the artwork for <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a> </i>as well as provide a hand in designing the big custom Sparky bash toy! Dirty Donny may seem like an odd choice but he has a history of working with Metallica and actually redesigned an <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Earthshaker%21">Earthshaker</a></i> table into a <a href="http://ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=5478&picno=42433">Metallica-themed table</a>! It is evident that his artwork is influenced by Big Daddy Ed Roth and other low-brow hot rod artists so of course it appealed to me!<br />
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I know this sort of style can be an acquired taste but compared to <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/AC%2FDC">AC/DC</a></i>'s art package, having Dirty Donny's nasty monsters is way better than having a bunch of old leathery looking rockers plastered all over the playfield.<br />
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A neat little thing I noticed is that Dirty Donny employs a bit of a classic comic illustration technique called Kirby Krackle! <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirby_krackle">The Kirby Krackle</a> is a technique that was created and popularized by the comic book artist, Jack Kirby. Dirty Donny uses the Kirby Krackle in his playfield artwork to emphasize some of the artwork like the flaming eyeballs and everything else that is on fire.<br />
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Seeing as as the table is based on a heavy metal band, there is of course an emphasis on the music and sound in <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i>. The table features all the classic <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i> songs, like my favorite <i>Seek and Destroy</i> in addition to <i>Master of Puppets</i> and <i>For Whom The Bell Tolls</i>. The individual behind the song selection must be a classic Metallica fan as many of the songs come from the earlier eras of the band and don't feature any songs from their less-than-stellar output like St. Anger. The table also features custom callouts from members of the band, like James Hetfield yelling out "ELECTRIC CHAI-AH!!" Not only do you have the fellas from Metallica making quips but Brendon Small of <a href="http://www.adultswim.com/videos/metalocalypse/">Metalocalypse</a> and <a href="http://www.adultswim.com/videos/home-movies/">Home Movies</a> provides the voices for Sparky and the snake!<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i> has had quite a history in Toronto, coming and going as it pleased from Little Italy all the way to the Danforth but often remained in its spartan out-of-the-box state with outdated code for years. As fun as it was, <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i> was missing quite a bit of depth without the updated code and unfortunately the operators running the table didn't bother updating the table. Nor they did they bother to really fix up the table when it fell into disrepair. By the time this particular table reached Brass Taps, it was in pretty rough shape. In particular, the grave marker inlane became unresponsive and you couldn't knock down the targets. Recently, new versions of Metallica have appeared and have provided players with an opportunity to truly enjoy <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i>. The great playfield layout encourages combos and great flow and now with more robust code, there are plenty of modes and reasons to hit all the different shots on the table. As with many of the music-themed tables, even if you are not a fan of the band, don't let the Metallica branding turn you off. It's a great playing table and you are missing out if you're going to let your distaste for the band get in the way. This was a turn in the right direction for Stern, featuring hand-drawn artwork and custom-made toys which had been a rarity in their tables for several years. You have a few options to take this wild table for a spin; Little Italy is host to Ted's Collision which has this table tucked away in the back and Junction City Music Hall holds down the heavy metal in the West end.Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-86060506753355540772016-01-06T15:20:00.001-05:002016-01-06T15:31:04.984-05:00Game of Thrones at Monarch TavernYou have to appreciate when one of your favorite bars keeps you up-to-date as to which machine they have on location. In the case of <a href="http://www.themonarchtavern.com/">Monarch Tavern</a>, they always give me a shout on Twitter letting me know when a new table hits. In most cases, it is the newest Stern and this time around it was true!<br />
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Stern's newest release based on the hit HBO series, Game of Thrones, has arrived in Toronto! <i>Game of Thrones</i> has been out for a little while now but only in mid-December did the table appear within city limits. I made plans with a couple of friends to go check out the table the weekend it arrived at Monarch.<br />
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When we settled in at the bar, Mike and Joe of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/637013426382174/">Toronto Pinball Crew</a> happened to show up as well and we had one helluva posse! Mike and Joe had a chance to swing by and play the table earlier in the week so they were able to provide some strategy on how to play <i>GoT</i> which I will get to soon enough but first, let's get a good look!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8EnCfPNYdrPCUN9WGrvmZHliV2dZ-rLYgnmxb06jT08sdCRby3LAK0hS8jnKxd1TiQDeGu-PNoNdOUknSAKl4gRdfBHEZunEODzGEpZ0g1XsUO4N7ItiwwhzuTZeL_YMWK_swifGhiY/s1600/GoT+Playfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8EnCfPNYdrPCUN9WGrvmZHliV2dZ-rLYgnmxb06jT08sdCRby3LAK0hS8jnKxd1TiQDeGu-PNoNdOUknSAKl4gRdfBHEZunEODzGEpZ0g1XsUO4N7ItiwwhzuTZeL_YMWK_swifGhiY/s320/GoT+Playfield.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
It is quite the packed table! Ramps and loops all over the playfield! This is certainly the work of Mr. <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Steve%20Ritchie">Steve Ritchie</a>, the King of Flow. At first glance, it looks like a pretty standard Stern layout, with 6 shots, two ramps, two orbits, bash toy, and kickback shot but as with every Ritchie table, he just has a knack for making it all flow together so well. I think a big part of that is how Ritchie handles speed on his tables. There is very little stop-n-go and the only time you are really waiting on the table is when you lock a ball. The ball lock mechanism even works to keep the game moving fast; if you hit the center ramp when lock isn't lit and there are balls already locked in, the mechanism will drop a ball as soon as the other approaches so the gameplay does not slow down whatsoever.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4fP6e_MskdPRBfJtQIMDeGEks3PpPK-32LRRFBGNJcA5KFKExpoXzjnOAOKFcwgE-Cy060j171zkhc58WRuq81nIC15P5zTYlsxlcg-wHiSQMz7fsH-CAiTYAqMsxRabEb_u0N8_xM8/s1600/GoT+Ball+Lock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4fP6e_MskdPRBfJtQIMDeGEks3PpPK-32LRRFBGNJcA5KFKExpoXzjnOAOKFcwgE-Cy060j171zkhc58WRuq81nIC15P5zTYlsxlcg-wHiSQMz7fsH-CAiTYAqMsxRabEb_u0N8_xM8/s320/GoT+Ball+Lock.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
As always, there is that dreaded kickback shot. Like <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/11/star-trek.html">Star Trek</a></i>'s nasty Vengeance shot, <i>GoT</i>'s comes in the form of the Dragon kickback. Placed a little to the left, this shot launches the ball towards the flippers... but usually just right down the middle. Direct shots at the Dragon kickback will launch it back at you at high speed so it is best to avoid it as much as you can.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-KO2ZLOqnIjBBXSvyH4YLDkOFaU6M1XgkYdi_Y_oB6jADGkAZs1KcjidFeFuSFdeqP_7q9YJ4T33HzVmwo6gyCSJOj1xFfWV8sdYbqe3r7NgYnb6Na7CMO5fmABShxl_itKM1r_rLAg/s1600/GoT+Left+Upper+Playfield+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-KO2ZLOqnIjBBXSvyH4YLDkOFaU6M1XgkYdi_Y_oB6jADGkAZs1KcjidFeFuSFdeqP_7q9YJ4T33HzVmwo6gyCSJOj1xFfWV8sdYbqe3r7NgYnb6Na7CMO5fmABShxl_itKM1r_rLAg/s320/GoT+Left+Upper+Playfield+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
However, this is the required shot in order to get extra ball which is quite a audacious decision... but I <i>like it.</i> I hate it too but I like the idea of it! Rather than just making an easy shot into a scoop, you have to hit one of the riskiest shots in order to <i>earn </i>that extra ball. It reminds me of White Water's infamous extra ball shot.<br />
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But is it worth it? Not really because you are more than likely just going to end up draining the ball from the kickback! I found this out the hard way when I got the extra ball and the kickback shot the ball right down the middle. It doesn't help that I was taunting the machine by firing off multiple crotch chops but salt was added to the wound when I discovered that Monarch's <i>GoT</i> table had extra balls turned off... damn.<br />
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As I mentioned before, this table doesn't look quite daunting at first glance but the more you play this game, the deeper it gets to the point where it can be quite overwhelming! Even upon release, <i>Game of Thrones</i> has pretty robust code and a ton of stuff to do. You will see that there are several different crests on the lower playfield. At the beginning of the game, you will select the house you wish to align with, each with their own advantage. Mike and Joe suggested going with House Martell as you get a one free add-a-ball during multiball.<br />
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Upon starting the game, you have a few options. You can begin lighting the different houses or you can work towards Blackwater Multiball. In order to do the former, you will hit different shots on the table and depending on what colour the shots are, you will activate that particular house for battle which is started by hitting the center ramp. Each battle mode has different objectives. For example, House Lannister requires you to hit the red lit shots while House Baratheon has you hitting the five standup targets located across the table.<br />
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Part of the strategy devised by Mike and Joe is to activate two of the houses but hold off doing battle until you have Blackwater Multiball activated. In order to light the locks, you must hit one of the Wildfire targets on the far right of the table. You just need to hit one and it will light the ball lock at the center ramp. Hit that ramp (and usually you will light a house by doing this as well), lock a ball, rinse and repeat. Make sure to select Pass for Now when prompted for Battle Mode. Upon locking the third ball, you can battle up to two houses all while having Multiball jackpots lit. It's kind of hard to focus on what to do at that point but all you really need to do is just shoot the ramps and orbits! You should be able to clear out one of the houses at least. If you manage to hit all the jackpots, Super Jackpot will light at the battering ram.<br />
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This is where things get tricky. The Battering Ram is akin to a captive ball shot where you have to hit the ram hard enough to send it into the target. A light hit won't do ya jack so you gotta smack that ram! The problem is that you have to hit the battering ram head on; a glancing shot will do you no good. Give the ram a big old hit and you should get that Super Jackpot! The points are really random and unfortunately, I have yet to find out how exactly the Jackpot score works. Sometimes I have seen the Super Jackpot award 60 million and other times give away 180 million! That's huge!<br />
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Now, depending if you selected House Martell, there's one last piece of the strategy. If you are in the midst of multiball and you drain your second-to-last ball, you can make a desperation maneuver by slapping the action button located on the lockbar and activate add-a-ball! You will replenish your multiball back up to 3 balls as well as get a really short ball save. Use the add-a-ball wisely, however, because you only have one opportunity per round. So, if you start another multiball mode and already used the add-a-ball, you will not have it again until your next round.<br />
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The one thing that does bug me about <i>Game of Thrones</i> is the artwork. Apparently <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Greg%20Freres">Greg Freres</a> did the art package but it looks like a pretty basic Photoshop 101 job. If you look closely at the midplayfield, it is pretty clearly a quick radial gradient with the crest borders sporting some embossing and 5-point stroke to fill them out. The thick black stroke looks especially cheesy on the two swords bordering the playfield.<br />
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Besides the art package, <i>GoT</i>'s lightshow is quite visually stunning. I admire the improvements Stern has been making towards their light aspects, especially using RGB LEDs in the inserts to highlight different modes and provide better visual clues as to what you should be shooting for. In addition, the lightshows from their later tables have been getting really wild and <i>GoT</i> is no slouch! When you activate the table's hurryup mode, Winter is Coming, the whole table starts lighting up with a crazy strobe! Wall Multiball features the same strobing effect except you have 3 balls going at once to add to the insanity.<br />
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The long anticipated arrival of <i>Game of Thrones</i> in Toronto has finally come to an end with the table appearing at Monarch Tavern to much fanfare. Almost immediately, people made their way to Monarch to give this new table a shot and already there are big high scores from the locals like DOH and MIC (That's Mike of City Pinball!). I had a chance to try it out and I must say that Stern has hit another one out of the park. Though the table may not look the part, <i>Game of Thrones</i> is quite the challenging table with tight and fast shots and a very indepth rulesheet right out of the gate. I am excited to see how this table will play out with further code updates but even now, <i>GoT</i> has quite a robust rulesheet. Steve Ritchie's design work is evident in the playfield with non-stop lightning fast gameplay and punishing shots; The Dragon kickback will become the bane of your existence. The art package leaves a lot to be desired, especially coming off the heels of the hand-drawn <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/06/kiss.html">KISS </a></i>table but that's only one negative about the visual aspect of Game of Thrones. The light shows throughout the game are quite stunning and really pop in a dark setting such as Monarch Tavern. I can see Game of Thrones garnering a lot of popularity in the days to come at Monarch so you better get over there while the table is still in top-notch condition!Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-53178667294125655182015-12-11T12:36:00.003-05:002015-12-11T12:36:30.915-05:00City Pinball's Downtown ShowdownSaturday December 5th was the day for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citypinball/">City Pinball</a>'s first pinball tournament, Downtown Showdown!<br />
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Held at the headquarters of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citypinball/">City Pinball</a>, that is <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Junction%20City%20Music%20Hall">Junction City Music Hall</a>, the day's event was the culmination of the new league's first season. The tournament consisted of JCMH's usual lineup of <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/08/the-simpson-pinball-party.html">The Simpsons Pinball Party</a></i>, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pinball-crawl-trip-report.html">Comet</a></i>, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/09/bumper-city-pinball-exposition-wrapped.html">Fire!</a></i>, and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2508">Tee'd Off</a></i> as well as the newest additions to the roster, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/09/bumper-city-pinball-exposition-wrapped.html">Twilight Zone</a></i> and <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/09/ottawa-pinball-expo-2013.html">Rollergames</a></i>. There was also a surprise entry for the tournament in the form of <i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1888266604"></span>Metallica<span id="goog_1888266605"></span></a></i>!<br />
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It was a small but well fought battle with many heavy hitters in the Toronto pinball scene participating. After all was said and done, John Flitton was able to win the inaugural City Pinball Tournament! The second season of City Pinball league will resume in the new year starting on Wednesday January 6th so now is as good a time as ever to join up! There will be plenty of great folks from the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/637013426382174/">Toronto Pinball Crew</a> that participated in Season 1 and hopefully some new faces so join the Crew and join the League! The pinball lineup just keeps getting better too so what's stopping you from joining <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citypinball/">City Pinball</a>? NOTHING<br />
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<br />Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-72284215029832528492015-12-03T14:14:00.001-05:002015-12-25T11:00:18.960-05:00Second Look at TRON: Legacy<i>*DERK'S NOTE: After a brief hiatus, Bumper City is back up and running! Took some time to rejuvenate and get things sorted out but we're back it and ready to get posting! this is a bit of an older post, something I have had written up for some time now but just never had the chance to post it. I really like TRON so I want to get this post out to you instead of just collecting digital cobwebs! Also, there is a TRON: Legacy within city limits at <a href="http://www.silversnail.com/main/">Silver Snail</a> on Yonge Street, just north of Dundas Station! I heard it is really nice so go check it out!*</i><br />
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After more than a year, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON: Legacy</a></i> has reappeared in Toronto! Back in 2011, before I moved to the city, I first experienced <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a></i> at Done Right Inn and learned about Done Right Inn's infamous TILT settings. A few years later in 2013, I found <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a></i> at Pegasus Bar and wrote a review about it! A few months and a couple of seasons later, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a></i> once again appeared at May Cafe. During its stint at May, I really got to sink my teeth into <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON: Legacy</a></i>.<br />
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After May ditched <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a></i>, it reappeared at Monarch Tavern.<br />
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<i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a> </i>is long gone from Monarch Tavern, having been replaced by <em><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/11/the-sopranos.html">The Sopranos</a></em> which has now been swapped out for <em><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/10/the-walking-dead-pinball-release-party.html">The Walking Dead</a> </em>which has now been switched out for KISS! Geeze louise! The very same <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html"><i>TRON</i></a> made its way to Lipstick & Dynamite down in Parkdale for a good moment then over to Brass Taps on the Danforth, however, the wear and tear was certainly beginning to show. Right now, this particular <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a></i> is no longer around but another <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a></i> machine has popped up at <a href="http://www.silversnail.com/main/">Silver Snail</a> on Yonge!<br />
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With all the time (and money) spent working on my <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a></i> game at May, I was ready to take on the table once again at one of my favourite bars in the city. I have had quite a few good rounds on <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a></i> at Monarch and put a few high scores up.<br />
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Coming in just 2 MILLION short of the Grand Champion score, I think I have a good handle on the table and so I feel taking a second look at <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON: Legacy</a></i>!<br />
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Released in 2011, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a></i> was when designer <a href="http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?ppl=John+Borg&qh=checked&searchtype=advanced">John Borg</a> hit a good stride in his designs. <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a></i> was followed by<i> <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/05/second-look-at-x-men.html">X-MEN</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i>, the former of which I reviewed at the 2012 Canadian Pinball Championships and recently <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/05/second-look-at-x-men.html">took a second look at</a>, as well. Having played a lot of both <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/05/second-look-at-x-men.html">X-MEN</a></i> and <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a></i>, there are a few similarities between the two. Both tables bear third flippers in the upper playfield area although <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html"><i>TRON</i>'s</a> flipper is on the left while <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/05/second-look-at-x-men.html"><i>X-MEN</i>'s</a> is on the right. The accompanying shots for the third flipper are quite alike; there's a ramp shot as well as an adjacent loop shot. <br />
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The loop shot is not too hard to hit on <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/05/second-look-at-x-men.html">X-MEN</a></i>. It has a pretty clear path compared to <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON's</a> loop shot. <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON's</a> GEM loop shot is a much tighter shot and is made all the more difficult by the fact that the recognizer target bank obscures a bit of the shot.<br />
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The GEM loop is one of the few shots that I tend to avoid due to the difficulty and risk. If the ball gets caught up in there, it can fall down towards the center drain although the setup of the right ramp has a way of dropping the ball back to the left flipper with a small nudge. Usually the GEM shot is not a necessary one and GEM mode can be lit or completed through the Arcade Mystery Award. However, there is one point where it becomes an essential shot and a total roadblock.. more on that in a bit...<br />
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I find that on a lot of tables with upper playfield flippers that it can be difficult to get to the flipper and moreso to make a clean shot from it. Usually the opposite orbit will send the ball to the flipper but often at a speed that requires rapid-fire reflexes and doesn't give you a moment to think. I like how this is addressed on <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a></i>. You can go through the right orbit but first you have to go through a bumper cluster which is a tight shot.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd7qb16qafs_VWiXyxplvJPYIBlHzcEcW1ynSvvz7sBBfIofV4q2mlFaXTHeKTj0g4Ga_tcZr0I7ay1RHGiK2zlWgOPrAZ7X3IQhV25znu69q8Z3kkcQP_dnISwegxMD5twEwEtvyqK5Y/s1600/Tron+Legacy+Right+Orbit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd7qb16qafs_VWiXyxplvJPYIBlHzcEcW1ynSvvz7sBBfIofV4q2mlFaXTHeKTj0g4Ga_tcZr0I7ay1RHGiK2zlWgOPrAZ7X3IQhV25znu69q8Z3kkcQP_dnISwegxMD5twEwEtvyqK5Y/s1600/Tron+Legacy+Right+Orbit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
However, there is another loop that wraps around the left ramp, that being the Quorra Loop. It is a really easy and low-risk shot that can be made from the right flipper. The loop leads right to the upper left flipper and reduces the ball's speed enough that you can make a clean shot for the right ramp or the GEM Loop. Not only that but each shot works towards lighting Quorra Multiball. <br />
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I soon found that <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a></i> has a really good flow to it despite it looking a bit clunky at first glance. There is a strategy that I have when making the shots that provides a beautiful sense of flow when done right. Hit the left ramp which will then feed the ball to the right flipper. From the right flipper, hit the Quorra Loop. The ball will loop around down to the upper flipper. Hit the right ramp which will feed to the left flipper. Then, if you feel lucky, try to hit the shot through the bumper cluster to get a big combo. The other option is to hit the Arcade Scoop for either Mystery or Multiball. Usually by hitting this combo strategy, you will light Light Cycle Multiball as many of the shots work towards activating that multiball mode. What I like to do is build up the Quorra Multiball then use this shot combo to light both Quorra AND Light Cycle Multiball. This leads to a 4 ball Multiball with lots of Jackpot shots. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXdp4PbhsBsKjyD_WkBc9InAwOpbkZnFrGuX0DqiQTeWSVES8x-n7-FTadM3P5c5foHN5nLp0jaI6rvy-bbI_OH6OdhDFudAOegfP9NUT0-5N44Mw_GSDvox6Xyrhgoqzl7qhnEwCpeA/s1600/TRON+LEgacy+Important+Shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXdp4PbhsBsKjyD_WkBc9InAwOpbkZnFrGuX0DqiQTeWSVES8x-n7-FTadM3P5c5foHN5nLp0jaI6rvy-bbI_OH6OdhDFudAOegfP9NUT0-5N44Mw_GSDvox6Xyrhgoqzl7qhnEwCpeA/s1600/TRON+LEgacy+Important+Shot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is a LOT riding on this one shot...</td></tr>
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Here's a neat tip... During Quorra Multiball, hit the Recognizer target bank several times to Add-A-Ball. Try doing this while the ball save is on to turn a 2-ball Multiball into 3-ball! <br />
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Once you have completed all the main modes, you will light Sea of Simulation at Flynn's Arcade.<i> </i>This mode is like the mini-boss to the game's wizard mode, Portal Multiball. In order to complete Sea of Simulation, you need to hit the lit shots. The shots may vary game-to-game but in order to proceed, you must hit the shot that is lit. Nothing else is lit and will not award points so you are forced to make some of the difficult shots, like the Gem loop I had mentioned. I was playing at May Cafe and once reached Sea of Simulation. The first shot that was lit was the Gem Loop. Lemme tell you, I tried my damnedest but I just could not hit that loop!<br />
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<i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON: Legacy</a></i> can be a bit of a tricky table at first with much of the right side of the playfield occupied by the bumper cluster and the right ramp. Despite the cluttered feeling the table may evoke, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON</a></i> has a few shots that flow well together and can be combo'd quite easily with some careful flipping. The shot combo strategy I spoke of also helps work towards building two of <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html"><i>TRON</i>'s </a>multiball modes, Light Cycle and Quorra Multiball, both of which can be stacked for 4-Ball Multiball and even more lit Jackpot shots. John Borg's design on <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON: Legacy</a></i> helped inspire some of the design on his next table, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/05/second-look-at-x-men.html">X-MEN</a></i>, with similarities such as the the upper playfield flipper and it's accompanying shots. Take a shot at <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tron-legacy.html">TRON: Legacy</a></i> at Silver Snail! what's holding you back?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OK that might hold ya back...</td></tr>
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Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-70923915977601831272015-11-02T10:53:00.000-05:002015-11-02T16:05:50.614-05:00HiatusHello everyone, Derk here with some unfortunate news. I'm going to be taking a hiatus from writing and updating Bumper City for a little while. After 3 great years of this blog, I'm beginning to feel a bit of burnout and so I want to step away for a little while and recharge. I haven't been posting as much as I would like to and trying to create new content has become a bit of a chore which stinks because it should be fun! Life has also been quite busy as well and it's been hard to find time to balance everything so I want to take some time off from Bumper City in order to regain some focus. Life is good right now but there's just so much going on that I need to scale down a bit.<br />
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I'm really happy to see what the pinball community has become over the past 3 years and I am excited to see the future but as of right now, I just don't have the energy. Thank you for your readership; I really appreciate every single person that has taken the time to read my posts.<br />
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I will still be updating <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z6Wk_OO13J1g.kHQa1ZTO-7zs">Pinballin' in the Big City</a>, the best Toronto pinball map around! If you need to know where to go to play pinball, look no further than my map!<br />
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All the best,<br />
DerkDerk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-80906047003596422852015-10-02T11:27:00.000-04:002015-10-05T10:44:28.901-04:00NO FEAR! at CoalitionThere has been a lot of action in Toronto's pinball scene! The city's pinball numbers have been on the rise lately with many new venues getting outfitted with tables. One of the most recent places I have heard about is <a href="http://www.coalitionlounge.com/">Coalition</a> in Kensington Market, just a few steps south of College St. on Kensington Ave. I recently got the chance to stop by Coalition on a rainy Saturday night and not only found a few cool pinball machines but also a really cool bar! Similar to <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Junction%20City%20Music%20Hall">Junction City Music Hall</a>, the moment you step into Coalition, you will descend a few flights of stairs down to the bar itself. There's a room with a pool table but make your way over to the main part of the bar and you will find the pinball tables and a arcade cabinet tucked away in a corner. This place is big so there will be plenty of room to play and you won't bump anyone that is on their way to the washroom. Coalition is serviced by <a href="http://www.pinballexchange.com/">Toronto Coin Exchange</a>, one of the best operators in the city, and they have placed some great machines!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRD2cszovN-wFJa6qP3lJiCRTABpjw-qix5k60uXfeyUPaM2X_DnjLY-ow2iogW0PUsSIN3x9bOWDq_X0MoWQHlz4kgf6koqUUf1QsALIDpJkGvQ6zzfU0VPhMnH5KHhXiNwcf3jz4_MA/s1600/Coalition+Table+Lineup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRD2cszovN-wFJa6qP3lJiCRTABpjw-qix5k60uXfeyUPaM2X_DnjLY-ow2iogW0PUsSIN3x9bOWDq_X0MoWQHlz4kgf6koqUUf1QsALIDpJkGvQ6zzfU0VPhMnH5KHhXiNwcf3jz4_MA/s320/Coalition+Table+Lineup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
WHOA! <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2852">NO FEAR</a>!</i> When I heard that <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2852">No Fear</a></i> had entered the city, I was super excited to check it out. <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2403">Street Fighter II</a></i>... not so much but I did play it a round or two. Anyways, I think it's time we talk about a real cool and TOTALLY X-TREEEEEEEEEEME table in the form of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2852">NO FEAR!</a></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTci3gKWWezxwKXU4llpba14111NOKJyhmOw2JZoWbnMEq-tKeNmr0JAHgGdLoHhV-1e9d6ug_LVFzzF1w7b2ozQ30QnABhf7DJ8FivyRliPY1fXuea5tdJ6I6QXg7zDF2NNcIymdP4Oc/s1600/No+Fear+Backglass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTci3gKWWezxwKXU4llpba14111NOKJyhmOw2JZoWbnMEq-tKeNmr0JAHgGdLoHhV-1e9d6ug_LVFzzF1w7b2ozQ30QnABhf7DJ8FivyRliPY1fXuea5tdJ6I6QXg7zDF2NNcIymdP4Oc/s320/No+Fear+Backglass.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This table is just plain <i>crazy! </i>You want fast gameplay? you got it! You want a ton of shots? You got that too. Plenty of modes? Oh yeah, more than enough to go around! You want fear? SORRY BUT WE'RE ALL OUT!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYbrO-AAAkQ2EsjkPVkFUSW7sDLzT2mSeJQka5-ZGvJYf4pXFsx0xgwUqI4o3TgWjpjRSud4hcqwsySmxkKK38y2fpTm2Ja4lLclv332va2YCAGBj1prT2AnEoeCkMHkQBs1fr6wvroo/s1600/No+Fear+THE+SKULL+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYbrO-AAAkQ2EsjkPVkFUSW7sDLzT2mSeJQka5-ZGvJYf4pXFsx0xgwUqI4o3TgWjpjRSud4hcqwsySmxkKK38y2fpTm2Ja4lLclv332va2YCAGBj1prT2AnEoeCkMHkQBs1fr6wvroo/s320/No+Fear+THE+SKULL+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a><i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2852">No Fear</a> </i>is in fifth gear at all times. The ball moves so dang fast that you'll be flipping moreso on reaction. It is tough to get control of the ball to make the right shots and when you do get the chance, better make it count! Make a wrong shot and you either won't get any points or you will drain.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk_Ia8bSGE4WxN3EYSaP60fb1RZ4mLho-HC4sTz-r91JDac5w1v_mqYoElbQywIo-b-PDdfuic7Xp0fW-LRY8z_ZXb2eI8W3m9aibFOMr4HhPaSFHutChsGd69fOHs-1IgXBssbuqmwM/s1600/No+Fear+Playfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk_Ia8bSGE4WxN3EYSaP60fb1RZ4mLho-HC4sTz-r91JDac5w1v_mqYoElbQywIo-b-PDdfuic7Xp0fW-LRY8z_ZXb2eI8W3m9aibFOMr4HhPaSFHutChsGd69fOHs-1IgXBssbuqmwM/s320/No+Fear+Playfield.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Fast table and great flow? Must be the work of <a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Steve%20Ritchie">Steve Ritchie</a>! This table is pure flow; it is pretty much all ramps and loops. <a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2852" style="font-style: italic;">No Fear</a> is also one of the few tables without pop bumpers too which means there is very little ways to slow down gameplay. Even when you shoot the ball into the Skull Shot in order to lock the ball, there's a ball pre-loaded in the right popper so your game is stopped for all of a few seconds.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72C8iPTelFSaIb8IfARUyhUB-qK3jYfsRSVHM5XHXFVimAbTdqFkJTbUfDA6iyFtYxd_8IiI1pF4uS4PVCcn42O8uLAPryVS6Vy-w6n1tDDDynIbdc7Lk2DoU0QKVguZjngucqyfsiXo/s1600/No+Fear+THE+JUMP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72C8iPTelFSaIb8IfARUyhUB-qK3jYfsRSVHM5XHXFVimAbTdqFkJTbUfDA6iyFtYxd_8IiI1pF4uS4PVCcn42O8uLAPryVS6Vy-w6n1tDDDynIbdc7Lk2DoU0QKVguZjngucqyfsiXo/s320/No+Fear+THE+JUMP.jpg" width="320" /></a>I mentioned the lack of pop bumpers but at closer inspection, it turns out there is quite a lack of gimmicks and toys! <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2852">No Fear</a></i> is pretty much Steve Ritchie distilled, using playfield layout as the main attraction. The only things I would consider a gimmick are the big skull and the "Jump Shot", a shot that is a bit reminiscent of <i><a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2012/10/trip-report-pinball-gallery-in.html">The Getaway</a></i>'s Supercharger and <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2012/11/trip-report-part-ii-pinball-gallery-in.html">Black Knight 2000</a></i>'s upper playfield loop shot. Similar to <i><a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2012/10/trip-report-pinball-gallery-in.html">The Getaway</a></i>, hit the left ramp to get up to the Jump then using the upper flipper, aim your shot <i>just right </i>so you clear the gap and hit the loop, ala <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2012/11/trip-report-part-ii-pinball-gallery-in.html">BK2K</a></i> (save for the gap). The shot loops around and you can make multiple jumps, just like <i><a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2012/10/trip-report-pinball-gallery-in.html">The Getaway</a>'s </i>upper flipper loop shot! One of the reviews on <a href="http://ipdb.org/">IPDB.org</a> mentioned that <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2852">No Fear</a></i> is like Steve Ritchie's Greatest Hits and I have to agree. You can find all the Steve Ritchie trademarks, like the upper flipper loop shot, the symmetrical ramps, and the game modes reflecting those found in <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2357">Star Trek: The Next Generation</a></i>. Seeing <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2852">No Fear</a></i> in this light is quite fitting as it was Ritchie's last pinball machine with Williams.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXj5KbxXfOa-zUV2Vt7gT-ztiRXBvbw6TNlB8T06GykmYZQ7NDrjag1jWOt4w7acSMkGuX3JVBZBl9j6XmOCUcNA9cpxPwhYlwQjCBq_UEsO0EgO0thO3zCjhJ1fRo1gEXB0_kqE6iNg/s1600/No+Fear+Upper+Playfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXj5KbxXfOa-zUV2Vt7gT-ztiRXBvbw6TNlB8T06GykmYZQ7NDrjag1jWOt4w7acSMkGuX3JVBZBl9j6XmOCUcNA9cpxPwhYlwQjCBq_UEsO0EgO0thO3zCjhJ1fRo1gEXB0_kqE6iNg/s320/No+Fear+Upper+Playfield.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxj376It6GxUAlhJn3DK9smjKQTcRWnZnvaBhmM_B4qz-N_U63AC1cZ76UHO2lzA6hBTf9xu2LE_jey7e-7s9vcwqYOTrAV0sSAABYc6PqPv-g-IYYpyxDSDS-yxKhzV4r3uy1oklAdo/s1600/No+Fear+Playfield+Detail+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxj376It6GxUAlhJn3DK9smjKQTcRWnZnvaBhmM_B4qz-N_U63AC1cZ76UHO2lzA6hBTf9xu2LE_jey7e-7s9vcwqYOTrAV0sSAABYc6PqPv-g-IYYpyxDSDS-yxKhzV4r3uy1oklAdo/s320/No+Fear+Playfield+Detail+6.jpg" width="320" /></a>The artwork of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2852">No Fear</a></i> is a bit of a sore spot with some, probably due to the fact that it is totally 90's X-TREEEEEEME but HEY I dig that style! I grew up in the 90's so the table is a great flashback of those wild-and-wacky days of XTREME sports and IN-YOUR-FACE art styles. I can't complain that the backglass has a stock car driving out of a giant explosion, probably from a rival's destroyed vehicle as evidenced by the flaming tires flying out of the carnage. Speaking of which, much of the table's artwork is focused on fire with the cabinet awash in wicked looking flames. The playfield's artwork is pretty damn busy but artist <a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Greg%20Freres">Greg Freres</a> manages to make it work and adds all sorts of little references to give the table some variety. For example, the ramps are highlighted with dirt to signify the associated mode. There is also a bunch of little NO FEAR statements like this one...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgM4HXMVPdIStDLcS9YJ-qamw2SDchhPn_bzDcdx0K5mkyCxKhxFStmOJiyv6zhuo1oKvKt2xl-8rDSihZUVYfCmNj4BSoufmr_6GtN4hRTXxmK6YewGxeWMTnx2nJUHEUJ6Mg_wIlZs/s1600/No+Fear+Playfield+Detail+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgM4HXMVPdIStDLcS9YJ-qamw2SDchhPn_bzDcdx0K5mkyCxKhxFStmOJiyv6zhuo1oKvKt2xl-8rDSihZUVYfCmNj4BSoufmr_6GtN4hRTXxmK6YewGxeWMTnx2nJUHEUJ6Mg_wIlZs/s320/No+Fear+Playfield+Detail+3.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
It is great to see more golden-era pinball machines appearing in Toronto. The usual mainstays like <a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/3030">3030</a> and <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Junction%20City%20Music%20Hall">Junction City Music Hall</a> have recently become hosts to great Bally/Williams era tables, like <i><a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/10/ottawa-pinball-expo-2013-part-ii.html">Dr. Who</a></i> at 3030 and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2684">Twilight Zone</a></i> at JCMH but now more and more tables from this era are popping up thanks to Toronto Coin Exchange and <a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Guelph%20Pinball%20Club">Guelph Pinball Club</a>! First we saw <i><a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2012/10/trip-report-pinball-gallery-in.html">The Getaway</a> </i>appear at one of my favorite haunts, <a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/California%20Sandwiches">California Sandwiches</a>, and soon after the Beer & Ball Festival, <i><a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/White%20Water">White Water</a></i> stayed behind at Handlebar to eat money and take names. Now Coalition is getting in on the action by hosting an underrated Steve Ritchie-designed table, <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2852">NO FEAR!</a></i> This table is all flow and very little in the way of gimmicks. The ball is pretty much kept in perpetual motion due to the amount of ramps and loops as well as the lack of targets and pop bumpers. There are no toys which is strange as 1995 was rife with them. I find that a bit hard to believe seeing as <i><a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/07/st-catherines-pinball-journey-2013-part.html">Theatre of Magic</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/08/johnny-mnemonic.html">Johnny Mnemonic</a></i> both came out the same year as 1995 but perhaps <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2852">No Fear</a></i>'s budget was reduced in order to support those two. Some claim that it was due to Williams budget cutting as the popularity of pinball slowly declined after the peak in 1992 and 1993, with a reduction of switch columns and solenoids underneath the hood of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2852">No Fear</a></i>.Anyways, Ritchie's body of work never focused much on toys and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2852">No Fear</a></i> is essentially the best of Steve Ritchie. The artwork by Greg Freres may be an artifact of the 90's but for those that grew up during that time and have fond memories of it will surely enjoy the XTREEEEME cheesiness of it all. The table at Coalition is in great shape too; the playfield is in fine form and everything is working though there isn't all that much to break... Also, Coalition is expanding their pinball line-up and just added <i><a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/06/kiss.html">KISS</a></i>! If you're in the Kensington Market area, drop by Coalition for some cheap tallboys and some real good pinball!Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-25065072604132426702015-09-18T10:48:00.002-04:002015-09-18T10:48:22.532-04:00BUMP & SURF 4: Jammin' in The Junction<br />
You know that I've been posting about this lil thing called <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Bump%20%26%20Surf">Bump & Surf</a> the last couple of months. I joined forces with local Surf band, <a href="http://www.luauordie.com/">Luau or Die</a> for a monthly residency at <a href="http://www.junctioncitymusichall.com/">Junction City Music Hall</a>. We combined two of my favorite things, pinball and Surf music! If you have been following this blog for any time at all, you know how much I love JCMH's pinball line-up. It's even better when you can play along to some great live Surf! We are reaching the end of summer and along with that, the end of our lil residency at JCMH! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1626423170964488/"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmMI1e3CpEhf8QjNt8HU7CQveeiZtVW-tNiuShWNmcJshLBkKJFMpjSMIT5-_VcxjhAGsgmUle-ifvhHUBg_ZDmOJ4ctFU72IlhETF3hVxYDI1OTvRvRoucCI0XZa66VRbXDhf4FaSPU/s400/Bump+and+Surf+Sept+26.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Unfortunately, Luau Or Die are unable to make this show but in their stead we have two fantastic bands from the Toronto Surf Scene, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/The-Cliff-Divers-216218588415326/timeline/">The Cliff Divers</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thecalrizians?fref=ts">The Calrizians</a>. In addition, I will be spinning all sorts of great surf tunes on physical and digital media. </div>
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Since you may be unfamiliar with the bands, I'll give you a quick review! </div>
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The Cliff Divers consists of Johnny G on the guitar, Nautiloid Rick on the bass, and Big Bad Danny Brody on the drums. They got a real heavy Surf sound, keeping things a bit like the traditional Surf that you are used to while also throwing in some real neat tricks to get you movin' and shakin'! </div>
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Just wait till good ol' Johnny G busts out the steel lap guitar, Surfy! They got a few other surfadelic licks up their sleeve so you better come out to Bump & Surf and experience it for yourself! </div>
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Next up we have The Calrizians and they are real cool. The Calrizians rock a unique sound by incorporating an electric organ to their mix of classic surf tunes and covers you never thought you would hear! I'll give ya a hint... Blondie and Black Sabbath. Want to know how that sounds? Well, you better make it out to the show on September 26th!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOUaSQLOa4T0nCAScecrb5ThgEmm25WCrmJo4fImxLXdqeYjcPQeZZZD7Jwc_QxUeo-NrQ5J4RRBoxrqiZIMKcuHpmupiHj50-wIYzfoKP1LukhvXF0wfZ6R-FeSiybhSqQDypTRjojY/s1600/The+Calrizians+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOUaSQLOa4T0nCAScecrb5ThgEmm25WCrmJo4fImxLXdqeYjcPQeZZZD7Jwc_QxUeo-NrQ5J4RRBoxrqiZIMKcuHpmupiHj50-wIYzfoKP1LukhvXF0wfZ6R-FeSiybhSqQDypTRjojY/s320/The+Calrizians+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As for the pinball at JCMH, if you caught my previous post about City Pinball, <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2684">Twilight Zone</a></i> has joined the lineup and man it is GOOOOOOOOOD! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BnwoIsifvzDOWjLlGWyBNYGwNmpUMwYOwRdKSqoP9Ob_WjvTD54NfRB_agn-IhG24PPJX3iNAUiI5Hjdp2JZ0T3soboJWmbjYfvI4yKaueaBFq8eHLMzY2AJFynBK75sijAO7RjTVVI/s1600/Twilight+Zone+August+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BnwoIsifvzDOWjLlGWyBNYGwNmpUMwYOwRdKSqoP9Ob_WjvTD54NfRB_agn-IhG24PPJX3iNAUiI5Hjdp2JZ0T3soboJWmbjYfvI4yKaueaBFq8eHLMzY2AJFynBK75sijAO7RjTVVI/s320/Twilight+Zone+August+2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks to Mike B. for this pic!</td></tr>
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Hopefully this is enough to entice you to come out to Bump & Surf 4 at Junction City Music Hall on Saturday, September 26th! That's next week! It is a matinee gig so come on out around 1PM, stick around for some awesome Surf music, maybe grab a drink and play some pinball, then go home and have a nap so yer ready for Saturday night! NICE! Don't forget to click this link and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1626423170964488/">RSVP on the Facebook page</a>!</div>
Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-29684661148962071942015-08-31T21:10:00.001-04:002015-08-31T21:10:29.018-04:00NEW LEAGUE INCOMING!I keep my eyes and ears open to all the latest happenings of pinball in Toronto and most recently, I have heard word of a new pinball league starting up in the city!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRIlOnxRP6W_vq9G19s3Ci1uVGk7DBU5zS4rHxNlgGp7h3nYS5ZoazW60ebyqn4A1RTKP1z-AGhBYL_XWbBhJ7L_8pzt_kxv59ujiS7RX5_LBo1ZgXbfpjkhbQE40wjlL2AkswPVe9-E/s1600/City+Pinball+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRIlOnxRP6W_vq9G19s3Ci1uVGk7DBU5zS4rHxNlgGp7h3nYS5ZoazW60ebyqn4A1RTKP1z-AGhBYL_XWbBhJ7L_8pzt_kxv59ujiS7RX5_LBo1ZgXbfpjkhbQE40wjlL2AkswPVe9-E/s320/City+Pinball+logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/citypinball">City Pinball</a> is the new pinball league based in Toronto and will be operating out of <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Junction%20City%20Music%20Hall">Junction City Music Hall</a>, right in the heart of the Junction! That's right, we will have a league right here in Toronto so for those that are confined to the limits of public transit, this is a much more accessible pinball league. Big ups to the fellas running <a href="http://www.facebook.com/citypinball">City Pinball</a>, this is something that the city really needs.<br />
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The first night will be on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/765840583527930/765862900192365/">W<span id="goog_1950878026"></span>ednesday September 9th</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1950878027"></span></a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(click the link for the Facebook event page)</span> and will be running bi-weekly in a three-month season, operating exclusively out of Junction City Music Hall. Registration will be a one-time $20 fee for a single season and the games will be set to coin-op, ranging from 25 cents to $1. Make sure to grab a drink or two at the bar and help out Junction City Music Hall too. JCMH is a great venue and has one of the best line-ups in the city thanks to Dan of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pinballclub">Guelph Pinball Club</a>. BIG THANKS to Dan for keeping the machines at JCMH in working order and updating the line-up every once in a while with new machines. Word is that <i><a href="http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2684">Twilight Zone</a></i> is now among JCMH's roster and will be available for play on the inaugural league night on September 9th!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIhQQlY01nylGxCMNJ6gVnBzwdTYqLbk3zbhts0rEzhqILyvsjCpuSvTIF6mV7z3ni_MDQYW501EKFYyA1q4bD5WMHnk0Y0vmOOzWaENAkLJXZB-m7b6ZKp9jeJpPVNsHRyiSKKz4l10/s1600/Twilight+Zone+August+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIhQQlY01nylGxCMNJ6gVnBzwdTYqLbk3zbhts0rEzhqILyvsjCpuSvTIF6mV7z3ni_MDQYW501EKFYyA1q4bD5WMHnk0Y0vmOOzWaENAkLJXZB-m7b6ZKp9jeJpPVNsHRyiSKKz4l10/s320/Twilight+Zone+August+2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks to Pinball Mike for the pic!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5ugMA1XQcCavRQuQXQ6tjUptSQMPLoiZiRbsrarmzod3xMoVjaQ9YFdIrkHKHRB88nVL9TOr8kChR95bYpO9bWiuMY8freIfm3Ns5ONrcq9vpezh6V9qyjcCmK5N5uVkDHeZ8KHNvgQ/s1600/Twilight+Zone+2+August+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5ugMA1XQcCavRQuQXQ6tjUptSQMPLoiZiRbsrarmzod3xMoVjaQ9YFdIrkHKHRB88nVL9TOr8kChR95bYpO9bWiuMY8freIfm3Ns5ONrcq9vpezh6V9qyjcCmK5N5uVkDHeZ8KHNvgQ/s320/Twilight+Zone+2+August+2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bar has been set, gang!</td></tr>
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The main goal of <a href="http://www.facebook.com/citypinball">City Pinball</a> is to organize Toronto's pinball fiends together in a great venue accessible by TTC and especially to have fun! That's what pinball is all about and that is what <a href="http://www.facebook.com/citypinball">City Pinball</a> is all about too! So mark yer calendar for Wednesday, September 9th, save up $20 for the registration fee (just a one-time fee!) and go couch fishin' for a couple of quarters and loonies! You can also RSVP at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/765840583527930/765862900192365/">Facebook event here</a>. Let's establish <a href="http://www.facebook.com/citypinball">City Pinball</a> as the number 1 pinball league in Toronto!Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-88685146021646907442015-08-21T10:20:00.000-04:002015-08-21T10:20:48.869-04:00Johnny MnemonicIn my previous review of <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/07/georgian-grill-in-balm-beach-trip.html">Georgian Grill</a>'s pinball arcade, we took a look at "the woman of the 90's", <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/07/the-machine-bride-of-pinbot.html">The Machine: Bride of Pin·bot</a></i> so how about we travel into <i style="font-weight: bold;">THE FUTURE </i>and review Williams' <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3683">Johnny Mnemonic</a></i>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKmKB9shyphenhyphenhAw6-0oLIZQLgfunsFMKBgIsHlJ67UP7GOS-k1d8ssF5aUg6V-bT3IJU-0OmiyU3E9GSxea28v4rYLNFFa2Q-eK3NhdOXq2Q0DHa6lSGI73AMOcrzwurN1MxzmBeaLP2120/s1600/Johnny+Mnemonic+Backglass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKmKB9shyphenhyphenhAw6-0oLIZQLgfunsFMKBgIsHlJ67UP7GOS-k1d8ssF5aUg6V-bT3IJU-0OmiyU3E9GSxea28v4rYLNFFa2Q-eK3NhdOXq2Q0DHa6lSGI73AMOcrzwurN1MxzmBeaLP2120/s320/Johnny+Mnemonic+Backglass.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Like <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/08/demolition-man.html">Demolition Man</a></i>, this was a table based on a Sci-Fi film that flopped in theatres. It seems as though Williams was trying to recreate the success of <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Terminator%202">Terminator 2: Judgment Day</a></i> but had a string of bad luck, basing their pinball machines on movies that became box office bombs. Despite the quality of the movies, both <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/08/demolition-man.html">Demolition Man</a></i> and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3683">Johnny Mnemonic</a></i> are solid but underrated tables released in the golden years of the mid 90's. <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3683">Johnny Mnemonic</a></i> takes full advantage of the trappings of the film the table is based on which makes for some interesting designs. The feature that catches one's eye upon stepping up to the table looks like Nintendo's powerglove.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGI2reU7vOHwCQ4D6aXMR1FUlty3p4lB55RVfIEOfhBl_jYnbd__tYNrk1K_ELJ_hoO7rNK_08ALIN_0aLqOxt95EtnAoX2CnpJnZoGY6qWS_Hxd904rxpMueL-MvIQxy5rhk6Fj6rT7A/s1600/Johnny+Mnemonic+Datagloves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGI2reU7vOHwCQ4D6aXMR1FUlty3p4lB55RVfIEOfhBl_jYnbd__tYNrk1K_ELJ_hoO7rNK_08ALIN_0aLqOxt95EtnAoX2CnpJnZoGY6qWS_Hxd904rxpMueL-MvIQxy5rhk6Fj6rT7A/s320/Johnny+Mnemonic+Datagloves.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Not quite though! It's the DATAGLOVE, a piece of the VR equipment that Johnny uses to cyberhack the 'net. In the movie, Johnny has to "physically" navigate a virtual reality landscape of the internet in order to obtain some information. The dataglove acts as a part of the ball lock, capturing the ball and dropping it into the Datamatrix (WHOA)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGw_Cqfq1bPfndp30qhOXntNxfoYKKyL0BNUDaqqqL6PV5Jp0QTl0Nv94grQzvoo60ib41RvZvCNiTX0QItUjTnNEm0OyOPFp6l9ELd3KKJwkNXq-G75jW1fV3rE8SZVQmBKKkVtK4dNU/s1600/Johnny+Mnemonic+DataMatrix+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGw_Cqfq1bPfndp30qhOXntNxfoYKKyL0BNUDaqqqL6PV5Jp0QTl0Nv94grQzvoo60ib41RvZvCNiTX0QItUjTnNEm0OyOPFp6l9ELd3KKJwkNXq-G75jW1fV3rE8SZVQmBKKkVtK4dNU/s320/Johnny+Mnemonic+DataMatrix+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>That glove is pretty high up though! How does it grab the ball? There is actually a pretty strong magnet that pulls the ball from the playfield all the way up to the glove! At that point, you have to navigate the glove around the matrix and select where you drop it. Depending on where it lands, you may unlock additional scoring or an extra ball among other things. Drop three balls into the matrix in order to activate multiball. Here's a neat trick to score BIG POINTS! If you line 3 balls up, you can activate 3X scoring.</div>
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The Data Glove plays such a big part in <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3683">Johnny Mnemonic</a></i>'s game that I can't imagine how this table would play if the Dataglove was out of service. I imagine a lot of the appeal of the table being lost if the Dataglove was offline. My one gripe with it is that it takes a dang long time to get through. You shoot the lit shot to activate the Dataglove then go through the little Dot Matrix Display animation before navigating the ball over to the Matrix lock. You can just hit the flippers to drop it in the first available matrix but if you're aiming for points then you have to go through locating the right matrix for each ball lock. On the other hand, the length of the ball lock sequence gives you a moment to catch your breath, which is nice as the shots on <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3683">Johnny Mnemonic</a></i> keep the gameplay moving fast. The ramps are short and send the ball back to the flippers right away. You can get some serious combos going but one loose shot can mess you up; there are no targets on the sides of the ramp, only the round posts that tend to send the ball in unpredictable directions.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedd7jXTbGomsEePTDuWjfLXJYNgbIZBr41df3m0uoR-XcUlsxFxZ6zp515JOaBq5bahCUkZjTi5muxxZcf3IiYwN25K1LyhChyjY8JeY8HCmiq5fSO4H7icaMPXsYyOiPodlWRYk_qf8/s1600/Johnny+Mnemonic+Playfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedd7jXTbGomsEePTDuWjfLXJYNgbIZBr41df3m0uoR-XcUlsxFxZ6zp515JOaBq5bahCUkZjTi5muxxZcf3IiYwN25K1LyhChyjY8JeY8HCmiq5fSO4H7icaMPXsYyOiPodlWRYk_qf8/s320/Johnny+Mnemonic+Playfield.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWR4r8OCxmZlHer9hYmuqHpM2EZPDdmLrDnckHTondcVrHDjQGO2eZUfDWhRHGm2trM9O2HE_ok5EGnh57Tv8SDG968RwfbWwRipOR1batXH3NWEhXJQ5v0eQp0ZPLgxfZbJssp3qFKSw/s1600/Johnny+Mnemonic+Target.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWR4r8OCxmZlHer9hYmuqHpM2EZPDdmLrDnckHTondcVrHDjQGO2eZUfDWhRHGm2trM9O2HE_ok5EGnh57Tv8SDG968RwfbWwRipOR1batXH3NWEhXJQ5v0eQp0ZPLgxfZbJssp3qFKSw/s200/Johnny+Mnemonic+Target.jpg" width="200" /></a>The targets located on either side of the playfield are too risky and aren't really worth going for. Because of their location, the ball has a habit of hitting them and falling down towards the outlanes. There is that heart-stopping moment where the ball bounces off the top of the slingshot and veers towards the outlane. give it a quick nudge and hope it doesn't go down the outlane!</div>
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The Crazy Bob shot is deceptively tough to hit. The scoop looks really easy to hit, just wide open in the center of the playfield but you have to hit the scoop dead on to ensure the ball stays in there. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJSja7sJD02xT668vOwhxyj0d-mLs9daTlSQHqh1f57DLRdMbFnHGSOgR55uvmxB22c7e2vbZcvjt5nwhXelJEb8O8Lcin1TdnsccE2DeOfmv5MA5DUFVM5-CAT41gg7pU0f2t4rlj1nQ/s1600/Johnny+Mnemonic+Crazy+Bob%2527s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJSja7sJD02xT668vOwhxyj0d-mLs9daTlSQHqh1f57DLRdMbFnHGSOgR55uvmxB22c7e2vbZcvjt5nwhXelJEb8O8Lcin1TdnsccE2DeOfmv5MA5DUFVM5-CAT41gg7pU0f2t4rlj1nQ/s320/Johnny+Mnemonic+Crazy+Bob%2527s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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These types of scoops are a lot more difficult to hit as it's a shallow little shot and there is nothing that stops the ball from jumping out. This type of scoop seems to be a layover of older machines where the gameplay wasn't as fast and the ball would reasonably fall into the scoop. With later machines, the ball is moving so fast that sometimes it's momentum just launches right back out! </div>
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Believe it or not, this was <a href="http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?ppl=George+Gomez&qh=checked&sortby=name&searchtype=advanced">George Gomez</a>' second table in his pinball design career. The ramp layout is similar to his <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/04/bright-lights-motor-city-michigan.html">Corvette</a></i> design with one ramp lower on the playfield and his appreciation for bridges becoming evident. I'm serious! George Gomez <i>loves </i>putting bridges in his pinball tables. Just look at <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/11/the-sopranos.html">The Sopranos</a></i> or <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2012/11/batman.html">Batman</a></i> and you'll see!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iraR19-OoJEVVB3guM8x_CDPxfskFcMjLkkcreMUxomNeGqrRrS-VVQs28I0D7OhTHvFR9L62RJPcPD5JC9g2KDQ3mdca-wzmKjH_hKZX7ajchADwnfe3rkqs4nK21-iUkTuYI6ffTc/s1600/Johnny+Mnemonic+Bridge+Detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iraR19-OoJEVVB3guM8x_CDPxfskFcMjLkkcreMUxomNeGqrRrS-VVQs28I0D7OhTHvFR9L62RJPcPD5JC9g2KDQ3mdca-wzmKjH_hKZX7ajchADwnfe3rkqs4nK21-iUkTuYI6ffTc/s320/Johnny+Mnemonic+Bridge+Detail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-o_gzsFeQDvpAcfsdn0i3ztBoJwwkPlk61nRt8ZDI4dP4WOY9iYo6x5XO2r0wZ5XWejeZm5lOQsXf-fk8tJ8RgANb8y9zcEGut9xNad2ZvxD5hvV3IR8vFEmR1R2GXeoenacDKdVctLg/s1600/bridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-o_gzsFeQDvpAcfsdn0i3ztBoJwwkPlk61nRt8ZDI4dP4WOY9iYo6x5XO2r0wZ5XWejeZm5lOQsXf-fk8tJ8RgANb8y9zcEGut9xNad2ZvxD5hvV3IR8vFEmR1R2GXeoenacDKdVctLg/s320/bridge.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>evidence!</i></td></tr>
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The cyberpunk design of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3683">Johnny Mnemonic</a></i> really appeals to me. It's such a suitable theme for a pinball machine and works well for the table. The "futuristic" references are quite funny now that we are living in the year that <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3683">Johnny Mnemonic</a></i> was based in, the second decade of the 21st century, such as how the Internet is some virtual landscape or people's brains being similar to jump drives. One thing that is lost on me is that the modes act like "episodes", like one where Johnny is a superhero, or another where he finds himself in the middle of a protest. I'm not entirely sure what these relate to and I feel that this is the sort of table that would be more enjoyable if you have seen the movie.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrL9oFKa9PchW4M48ShV2vahwUbs3cqP7l_pBMgrVqnpCMnH7nJBb0QOsmJ6hVIDipW89_OL2EQcgIpGmdJJdpQLg1HYONuTx30LHdUPB7ocCAs7rPxeG0zahPVPatInmDMw1rP7wkQ80/s1600/Johnny+Mnemonic+Lower+Playfield+Detail+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrL9oFKa9PchW4M48ShV2vahwUbs3cqP7l_pBMgrVqnpCMnH7nJBb0QOsmJ6hVIDipW89_OL2EQcgIpGmdJJdpQLg1HYONuTx30LHdUPB7ocCAs7rPxeG0zahPVPatInmDMw1rP7wkQ80/s320/Johnny+Mnemonic+Lower+Playfield+Detail+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's a shame that the movie bombed so hard; if not, maybe <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3683">Johnny Mnemonic</a></i> would be considered a more popular table among the heavy hitters of Williams. The table does rely heavily on the Dataglove gimmick but there is a deep enough ruleset and plenty of modes that if the Dataglove was out of commission, you could find plenty more to do. On the other hand, it would limit the appeal of the game quite a bit. The cyberpunk theme is really cool and works well in the realm of pinball. It makes me think about what a Perfect Dark pinball machine would be like. Though some of the references go over my head (Why does Johnny have a giant head with fish swimming around him?), <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3683">Johnny Mnemonic</a></i> is a fun and fast table with plenty to do. I found myself playing game after game on this despite the variety of tables at Georgian Grill. Just because the movie stinks doesn't mean the pinball machine has to so don't pass by <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3683">Johnny Mnemonic</a></i>. Give it a shot and experience a real underrated and deep machine!</div>
Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-81740359299083765132015-08-13T10:18:00.001-04:002015-08-13T10:18:45.420-04:00The Simpson Pinball PartyThe legendary Stern classic, <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4674">The Simpsons Pinball Party</a></i> has once again entered the city limits! There was a very brief period where <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4674">The Simpsons Pinball Party</a></i> was at the old <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Pinball%20Cafe">Pinball Cafe</a> but it has now found a place among the lineup at <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Junction%20City%20Music%20Hall">Junction City Music Hall</a>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbtBTsne0sfN6E7GRPbCYYXlDc2ImVHdNyaUbry7zjGBjdRCo8v2GKeOioTf3O9shh4ie6fpv82Ez2IocK-yMhi2xvS2jFQXLDMBU6mHutmWvE_VXpckNHcKe6MBy1u1Y3zV8y2hymlY/s1600/TSPP+Backglass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbtBTsne0sfN6E7GRPbCYYXlDc2ImVHdNyaUbry7zjGBjdRCo8v2GKeOioTf3O9shh4ie6fpv82Ez2IocK-yMhi2xvS2jFQXLDMBU6mHutmWvE_VXpckNHcKe6MBy1u1Y3zV8y2hymlY/s320/TSPP+Backglass.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This particular table first set foot at Handlebar for the <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/05/beer-ball-festival-wrapped-up.html">Beer & Ball Festival</a> before making its way over to the Junction.<br />
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<i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4674">The Simpsons Pinball Party</a></i> is one of Stern's most ambitious tables; the table was produced by Keith Johnson and Joe Balcer, the latter going on to design Jersey Jack Pinball's <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=5800">Wizard of Oz</a></i>. <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4674">TSPP</a></i> was released in early 2003 and certainly was a sign of things to come with the release of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4858">The Lord of The Rings</a></i> near the end of the year.<br />
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<i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4674">The Simpsons Pinball Party</a></i> is jam-packed with all sorts of shots and features. When you first step up to the game, it's nearly impossible to figure out just exactly what you are supposed to do! The complexity of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4674">TSPP</a></i> isn't just in the playfield; the ruleset is considered one of Stern's most in-depth. There's a variety of modes to activate, like the episodes or the Itchy & Scratchy Multiball episodes, Otto's 2X scoring, or obtaining all of Cletus' kids, just to name a few.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9_E7S2xO20wgTuhyvwebcmMfvyThPSR9FTjT_M-qc08AeL5WIJ9PbfFyssz84uwMN_61rQYSY8Cc_xa9FalA7FFtEZlSgtjqWMHYyYCbQ7KG_rTODWRZq6zyItBMf1O_t9D581f8Rck/s1600/TSPP+Playfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9_E7S2xO20wgTuhyvwebcmMfvyThPSR9FTjT_M-qc08AeL5WIJ9PbfFyssz84uwMN_61rQYSY8Cc_xa9FalA7FFtEZlSgtjqWMHYyYCbQ7KG_rTODWRZq6zyItBMf1O_t9D581f8Rck/s320/TSPP+Playfield.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuqIuqjf4dx7ifsYTTSZvyj3pHzussKEwxa3-usTFmpOj9K1QjqqXb8K9NwwWg8WQtC0aIf2E7dKqeryBTaGZbI2pmd-d-XzO26zP-Zq4TvJu9ZiJfPYK7QrlNPxBwheMJJwdnCvmpUQ/s1600/TSPP+TV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuqIuqjf4dx7ifsYTTSZvyj3pHzussKEwxa3-usTFmpOj9K1QjqqXb8K9NwwWg8WQtC0aIf2E7dKqeryBTaGZbI2pmd-d-XzO26zP-Zq4TvJu9ZiJfPYK7QrlNPxBwheMJJwdnCvmpUQ/s200/TSPP+TV.jpg" width="200" /></a>The big points can be found on the upper playfield where you can activate episodes and work your way towards Multiball. In order to get up to the upper playfield, hit the garage to open the door and then make a strong shot into the garage to reach the upper playfield. Be careful because weak shots into the garage will end up dropping down the left orbit into the bumpers. Once you are in the upper playfield, shoot the ball into the little loop to activate the lock and start an episode. The ball will then drop down to the flipper adjacent to the lock ramp. Make a quick flip to knock it up there and lock the ball on the couch.<br />
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My issue with <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4674">The Simpsons Pinball Party</a></i> is that the gameplay can devolve into a one-shot strategy. The garage provides a lot of incentives which encourage you to go for that rather than other riskier shots on the table. Stacking episodes is the key to a big score as it lights more shots for points, it resets the timer on the active episodes, and completing all the episodes leads to the "boss battle" mode, Alien Invasion. It's a bit of a shame because <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4674">TSPP</a> </i>is packed with all sorts of wild stuff yet if you want a big score, you'll just end up going after the garage.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lHMDt3wVZ187zorh7rOUZjZqC0aAnillAML1ffS9KLZHV-tDpOzxt4guVM6wg-IbHVMTVmloxo7zXR1TZnVxlQzgLtowEtH-teY0wOojVWe_4ZRLw0RiSSOko0xBk7JHhqKqNf7BgEQ/s1600/TSPP+Garage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lHMDt3wVZ187zorh7rOUZjZqC0aAnillAML1ffS9KLZHV-tDpOzxt4guVM6wg-IbHVMTVmloxo7zXR1TZnVxlQzgLtowEtH-teY0wOojVWe_4ZRLw0RiSSOko0xBk7JHhqKqNf7BgEQ/s320/TSPP+Garage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I had a bit of an existential crisis one night at Junction City Music Hall after going for the garage time and time again. Am I playing pinball to have fun and enjoy the game or am I just chasing after the high scores? If you look at a lot of tournament play, a lot of games just boil down to hitting a single shot over and over again to rack up a score and where is the fun in that? I realized that there is so much to do in The Simpsons so why just go for that when I can fly around the table and unlock some new stuff. As cliche as it is, variety is the spice of life, and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4674">The Simpsons Pinball Party</a></i> offers plenty of different options to have fun!<br />
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That, and the machine is really low-scoring so if you <i>really </i>want that high score, you'll be in for an endurance game.<br />
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For those readers out there that are Simpsons fans, this table is a total love letter to the series. There are references littered throughout the table in the playfield artwork and the modes. The living room couch is featured as the main ball lock!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72RysSEIjyHOcrc3UQdIox_iuZNDwI4fbl2w_RtQMaVJ08Hc9oRdFtazjCtunMh590t2PYHKzkSU6TnYKGsLvVoQ9q3WW0pemB6elmHndQNZWSrhXJnYMYysTPGlblliMSYztPmF7wXo/s1600/TSPP+Couch+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72RysSEIjyHOcrc3UQdIox_iuZNDwI4fbl2w_RtQMaVJ08Hc9oRdFtazjCtunMh590t2PYHKzkSU6TnYKGsLvVoQ9q3WW0pemB6elmHndQNZWSrhXJnYMYysTPGlblliMSYztPmF7wXo/s320/TSPP+Couch+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4674">The Simpsons Pinball Party</a></i> also features all original audio recorded by Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, and Hank Azaria. The backglass and cabinet art was designed by Matt Groening's team. If you look closely at the cabinet art, you will notice a multitude of obscure Simpsons characters. The playfield artwork is very faithful to the series as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEPoUnnfUr07-XEfDi4RionKiPapYPEKMR6u9lwoVm65xjjHn3ZDoEJlcdhTGZVyqiQTrTslTBB6l9AKplv6AQrGD9nbSDgJZS3lZa_oWLDdEMUdtMDMab-4gSTEI_c20f9wPANBJ6LY/s1600/TSPP+Playfield+Detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEPoUnnfUr07-XEfDi4RionKiPapYPEKMR6u9lwoVm65xjjHn3ZDoEJlcdhTGZVyqiQTrTslTBB6l9AKplv6AQrGD9nbSDgJZS3lZa_oWLDdEMUdtMDMab-4gSTEI_c20f9wPANBJ6LY/s320/TSPP+Playfield+Detail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The Simpsons is a rare example of depth and complexity in Stern's line-up and is considered one of their biggest hits for a good reason! Not only is the table a blast to play but it is loaded with all sorts of Simpsons references and details. The table is a faithful tribute to the everlasting series and will leave a positive impression for anyone that grew up watching The Simpsons. The first few times you play this table, you may not get the best impression; it can knock you silly if you're not careful. I remember my first few rounds on it back in the Pinball Cafe days and I walked away within five minutes. But now that I have gotten another chance to really take <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4674">The Simpsons Pinball Party</a></i> for a spin, I have trouble peeling myself away! Give the table a shot and you may very well get stuck on <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4674">The Simpsons Pinball Party</a></i>!Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-81238172184709071912015-07-28T11:57:00.002-04:002015-07-28T11:57:27.370-04:00The Machine: The Bride of Pin·botFor a little place up in cottage country, <a href="http://georgiangrill.com/">Georgian Grill</a> has a really good offering of pinball. When my brother Shane mentioned swinging by the arcade, I was hopeful for a good line-up but remained a bit skeptical, thinking most machines would be in barely-working order due to being in a bit of a remote area. I must say, I was quite surprised! Every pinball machine was in fine working order and seemed to be well taken care of. One of the employees at Georgian Grill even gave the glass tops of the pinball machines a wipe-down! <br />
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One of the tables that I was most surprised about was <a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502"><i>The Machine: Bride of Pin·bot</i></a>! It was the oldest table in the line-up yet it was looking pretty dang good!<br />
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The good looks aren't just because of the condition the table was in but the artwork. <a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502"><i>Bride of Pin·bot</i></a> has to be one of <a href="http://ipdb.org/search.pl?ppl=Python+Anghelo&qh=checked&sortby=name&searchtype=advanced">Python Anghelo</a>'s finest works from head-to-toe. There are so many little details packed into <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">BoP</a></i> with all sorts of astronauts running around the playfield, a signature in Anghelo's work.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9R4QtQZH12mPJkGmg2WSm6MLCqKYhf4UHR19vc70QakHO7hBuB7V48_cb3ydX-3ARYiUuHeWkuqb6zEjDJ7UWOxZHOw43cwDUhxrwKPUQ_1AIdIhAHN5FPw6TzCqNmOaerMw0l4Ps3c/s1600/BoP+Slingshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9R4QtQZH12mPJkGmg2WSm6MLCqKYhf4UHR19vc70QakHO7hBuB7V48_cb3ydX-3ARYiUuHeWkuqb6zEjDJ7UWOxZHOw43cwDUhxrwKPUQ_1AIdIhAHN5FPw6TzCqNmOaerMw0l4Ps3c/s320/BoP+Slingshot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take a look at tables like <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/03/guelph-pinball-club-part-iii-taxi.html">Taxi</a> </i>or <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/06/house-of-targ-round-2-hurricane.html">Hurricane</a> </i>for other examples of Anghelo's "world building"</td></tr>
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There is also a ton of innuendo which is par for the course with Anghelo. I'm not going to point it out because this is a family-friendly blog <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/02/playboy.html">well... relatively speaking</a>)</span> but take a look for yourself and see if you can spot it!<br />
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The backglass is a masterpiece of pinball artwork. It looks like a cover of <a href="http://10.85.34.35:15871/cgi-bin/blockpage.cgi?ws-session=1342202746"><i>Heavy Metal</i></a>! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvemgBhVzkAjlPLPhKhvDfZWjzQm0OKtWpy58Bo9AezGxGoYMOW7mY6I4gwBRuuMRi-toWzedECuLCCOEMHxycGv39pR898Lu4G05MMQuvlRipvDBLe7ekPCbBRffdduDFeLWmhfl068/s1600/BoP+Backglass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvemgBhVzkAjlPLPhKhvDfZWjzQm0OKtWpy58Bo9AezGxGoYMOW7mY6I4gwBRuuMRi-toWzedECuLCCOEMHxycGv39pR898Lu4G05MMQuvlRipvDBLe7ekPCbBRffdduDFeLWmhfl068/s320/BoP+Backglass.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Part of the scoring is implemented into the artwork as well with the Jackpot level climbing up the Bride's legs. The cabinet, which is often overlooked, is decked out in a beautiful shade of purple and features the Bride lounging all along the side. Unfortunately, because this particular table was packed into a line-up, I wasn't able to snag a picture of the sideart but the front of the cabinet should serve as a fine example!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPOOn0EuwJfDAoZIjCNAOD7gjVs35jRvLKRqiPGD0nTeoRj-3eKZbj3Fi58LLy4kwhlu9Xgo111vqmwzMRbpwTNwwgrC6MUxWCWJV5jj4S3JXZF5io6t7OQ9sRnFAHJoJsdegHxzIjn7A/s1600/BoP+Front+of+Cabinet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPOOn0EuwJfDAoZIjCNAOD7gjVs35jRvLKRqiPGD0nTeoRj-3eKZbj3Fi58LLy4kwhlu9Xgo111vqmwzMRbpwTNwwgrC6MUxWCWJV5jj4S3JXZF5io6t7OQ9sRnFAHJoJsdegHxzIjn7A/s320/BoP+Front+of+Cabinet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
As the name implies, <a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502"><i>Bride of Pin·bot</i></a> is the sequel to <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">Pin·bot</a></i>. Oddly enough, Barry Oursler and Python Anghelo, the team that brought you <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">Pin·bot</a></i>, were not together on <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">BoP</a></i>; In Oursler's stead was Williams newcomer, John Trudeau who teamed with Anghelo to design <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">BoP</a></i>. With the combined efforts of Anghelo and Trudeau, they created a table that really stands out from the rest of the 80's pack... although it was released in 1991. <a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502"><i>Bride of Pin·bot</i></a>'s big feature is the spinning Bride head that doubles as the ball lock. Similar to <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/06/house-of-targ-round-2-hurricane.html">Hurricane</a> </i>and the Amusement Park series, the Pin·bot series builds upon the features of its predecessor. On <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">Pin·bot</a></i>, multiball was activated by locking each ball in Pin·bot's visor, thus giving him "eyes".<br />
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In the case of <a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502"><i>Bride of Pin·bot</i></a> , your goal is to build the Bride into a real woman. First, you must lock a ball in her mouth, giving her the ability to speak. <br />
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This is where things get wild. After locking the ball, the Bride's head spins around to reveal another side! This time you must give her the ability to see, ala <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">Pin·bot</a></i>. This will activate multiball after which you must send the balls back up to the Bride and turn her into a real woman... I am not making this up.<br />
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Prior to <a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502"><i>Bride of Pin·bot</i></a>, there were few tables with such an outrageous feature but <a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502"><i>BoP</i></a> was a bit late to the game and within the year of it's release, the dawn of the DMD arrived with <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1004">Gilligan's Island</a></i> and <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/04/house-of-targ-round-2-terminator-2.html">Terminator 2</a></i> hitting the arcades months after <a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502"><i>BoP</i></a>'s arrival. In a short period of time, <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">Bride of Pin·bot</a> </i>had become outdated.<br />
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There is another neat little callback to <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">Pin·bot</a></i> in the form of the pachinko-like mini-playfield.<br />
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Although Pin·bot has been relegated to the miniplayfield. He also throws out a few quips along with the Bride.<br />
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Unfortunately, as good as <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">The Bride of Pin·bot</a></i> looks, the gameplay is a little shallow. The gameplay essentially boils down to either hitting the left ramp to work your way up to multiball or hitting the center ramp to earn millions of points. The ultimate goal is to earn the Billion point shot which is activated either through multiball or lighting it on the big wheel.<br />
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If you earn the Billion point shot, you are placed in the Billionaire's Club. After that, there isn't much else to do on <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">BoP</a></i> besides earning another billion points.<br />
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The main strategy devolves into primarily hitting the left ramp as the center ramp is pretty small and has a quick U-Turn that tends to disrupt the ball's momentum. Due to the center ramp's location, any ball that doesn't get up the ramp will go flying right down the middle drain.<br />
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In today's pinball environment, where private collections are the norm, <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">Bride of Pin·bot</a></i> tends to fall short of its colleagues. The gameplay is not quite as diverse as previous tables and the spinning head ball lock feature was quickly overshadowed by the release of Dot Matrix Display tables. The table was moreso designed for the arcades where people would be spending all their change in hopes of reaching that elusive Billionaire's Club. The table loses its luster in free-play as you can keep trying until you get the billion points; there is no sense of urgency nor the feeling of making the most of your last quarter. In the case of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">Bride of Pin·bot</a> </i>at Georgian Grill, it feels right at home. The only problem is that a single game is a dollar which is a high price for a bit of antiquated game. Despite the less-than-stellar gameplay, <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">Bride of Pin·bot</a></i> is quite a looker. Everything from the cabinet to the backglass is dressed to the nines and can be considered one of Python Anghelo's finest works in pinball. If you find yourself at Georgian Grill, drop a dollar or two on <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1502">Bride of Pin·bot</a></i> but don't go spending all your dough in search of the Billion point dream; there's plenty of other tables to spend your money on!<br />
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Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-42702936149740186992015-07-15T11:43:00.001-04:002015-08-19T09:57:51.809-04:00Georgian Grill in Balm Beach TRIP REPORT PREVIEWShane and I hit the road one weekend in June in search of the American Dream but I think we took a wrong turn at Albuquerque as we ended up in Wasaga Beach. I can't complain though because we had some beautiful weather on Saturday and saw some even more beautiful cars!<br />
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Nothing better than cruising along the beach, checking out all the sights and catching some sunshine!<br />
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but HEY this is a blog about pinball! Our trip did not go without some pinball and on Sunday, we headed over to Balm Beach to check out the legendary <a href="http://georgiangrill.com/">Georgian Grill</a>.<br />
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Despite what the site says about "Summer 2014", I can confirm that it is open for Summer 2015! I have heard that <a href="http://georgiangrill.com/">Georgian Grill</a> has a decent arcade and I was not let down! There was a full arcade available at this little beach grill complete with shooting games, racing games, ticket dispensing games, and of course, pinball!<br />
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It was like stepping into a time machine; there were arcade games from all eras. Ticket games I haven't seen since the 90's and my time spent at <a href="http://nebsfunworld.com/">North End Bowl</a> (that's for you folks from Oshawa!), a brand new Big Buck Hunter featuring the Duck Dynasty, even a Cruis'n' World cabinet upgraded with LCD monitors! The pinball lineup was also quite varied, from System-11's to new Stern tables. All the tables were in decent to great condition with a few small exceptions here and there, like the upper flipper on Family Guy being unresponsive or Fish Tales having mismatched flippers...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's what we call Hard Mode</td></tr>
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There were plenty of machines in the line-up that I have yet to review so it looks like I will be stepping outside of Toronto boundaries again to bring you a few more trip report reviews! As always, have a few pictures to whet your appetite...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/07/the-machine-bride-of-pinbot.html"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5uWkYA46VizxGDMG12WQhg29UHMkhvO2oI31XGybLy4tTA5ISOV8mDcVqoiFpP_KNehDxezJBRnNee-qtBmDhduA7UaJLL8d2Lei3_MUj_Ja494Kvoc2vxctX8k5Yi_nI2nHZ7363vg/s320/BoP+Bride+Head.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/07/the-machine-bride-of-pinbot.html">The Bride of Pin·bot review is now available! Click the pic to read the review.</a></td></tr>
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Speaking of appetite, if you happen to find yourself at <a href="http://georgiangrill.com/">Georgian Grill</a>, do yourself a favor and order some food. The cheeseburgers were incredible and the fries are super crispy and flavourful. If you're going to have dessert, grab a funnel cake, you will not be disappointed.<br />
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Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-83279833474193172662015-07-12T20:25:00.001-04:002015-07-12T20:25:05.233-04:00Bump & Surf 2: The ReckoningThe surfin' and ballin' events in Toronto just don't quit! Hot off the heels of <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/06/shut-up-and-hang-ten-luau-or-die-at.html">Shut Up and Hang Ten</a> at <a href="http://www.3030dundaswest.com/">3030</a>, <a href="http://www.luauordie.com/">Luau or Die</a> are at it again!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1454397341532736/">Click the pic to RSVP on Facebook!</a></td></tr>
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Luau or Die is teaming up with the bad cats sent to the past to save the present from the Future, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/missionxl5?fref=ts">Rocket XL5</a>! Good times are to be had at <a href="http://www.junctioncitymusichall.com/">Junction City Music Hall</a> this coming Saturday on July 18! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1454397341532736/">Bump & Surf</a> is mixing things up and kickin off the surfin' and swingin' at 1 PM! There's no cover so just mosey on it, grab a drink and grab a game of pinball! Maybe grab a t-shirt or something from the bands too. Show a little love for two wicked Surf bands! If you need any convincing, allow me to persuade you to join us in the Junction on July 18th!<br />
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Dag yo, if that doesn't get yer hips shakin' then I don't know what will! Just don't shake too much or you might tilt the pinball machine! Luau or Die are no strangers to the silver ball; they know that pinball and surf go quite well together! </div>
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Pretty cool set-up at Shut Up and Hang Ten! BUT HEY Junction City Music Hall also has a pretty cool lineup so mosey on down to the Junction this Saturday on July 18th for a whole lotta Bumpin' and Surfin'! Luau or Die and Rocket XL5 are bringing the afternoon tunes at 1 through 5 so squeeze it into your day! The chores can wait.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1454397341532736/">CLICK HERE TO RSVP TO BUMP & SURF 2: THE RECKONING! </a></b></span></div>
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Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-76298514905379838202015-06-27T17:32:00.001-04:002015-06-27T17:32:22.336-04:00KISSYou have to hand it to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/637013426382174/">Toronto Pinball Crew</a> for keeping up on the pinball updates! One of the crew members dropped by <a href="http://eatcalifornia.ca/">California Sandwiches</a> this past week and confirmed that <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265">KISS</a> </i>has found its way to the city! <b>WHAT!</b> Stern just started releasing this table and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265">KISS</a> </i>has already touched down in Toronto. I couldn't help myself and made my way to California Sandwiches soon after finding out. <a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265"><i>KISS</i></a> was indeed there and man oh man, am I excited to talk about it!<br />
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I am going to ahead and say it but this has to be one of Stern's best tables and will be considered an absolute classic. Stern really knocked it out of the park on this one. Custom hand-drawn artwork, great music, and a solid playfield come together to make one great table. The code is pretty bare-bones as per usual but even then, there's still plenty to do. I imagine that further updates will make this table even better.<br />
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The game begins in the same manner as Stern's other music-themed tables, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/02/acdc.html">AC/DC</a></i> and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i>, in that you select a <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265">KISS</a> </i>song and certain shots are activated according to that particular song. The game takes place at a <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265">KISS</a></i> concert so along with selecting a song, you also select the city you're playing in. There's about 10 songs like DETROIT ROCK CITY and BLACK DIAMOND (two of my favorites) and they are live versions which add to the immersion of being at a KISS concert! Whether it's due to licensing issues with record labels or what, it works. Also, this table needs to be loud because it's rock 'n' roll! Good thing California Sandwiches table is turned up loud! So many times I caught myself rockin' out, air guitarin', and singin' along FIRST I DRINK ... <i>THEN I SMOKE!</i><br />
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I have to warn you though that the autoplunger on this table is very impatient and will launch your ball within the span of 30 seconds, even if you're in the middle of selecting your song. Now that the game has started, let's take a look at the playfield.<br />
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This is cool, <i>real cool</i>.</div>
<a name='more'></a>Things have been on the up-and-up for Stern and they have been getting a bit bolder with their playfields. The running joke used to be that they bought many of their playfield toys from Toys 'R' Us but lately, they've been creating their own custom toys in-house and <a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265"><i>KISS</i></a> really takes advantage of this! There is the custom-made GENE SIMMONS HEAD</div>
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and yes, he does spit balls out of his mouth, similar to Freddy on <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/10/nightmare-on-elm-street.html">Nightmare on Elm Street</a></i>!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUuTm5gCNd0p7SkdttIUW9pKWDUMJCfkrm_QLLesh_Ef-M4RgJ4zb2TIskzDtc5XfHEDv7M0fp7IbbFZwFTrlKRlXmgEzglYlk98MJt30tF7I8FyQRc2FYS7VpV5JqFsB9bO_NLWXXfsQ/s1600/DARK+FREDDY.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUuTm5gCNd0p7SkdttIUW9pKWDUMJCfkrm_QLLesh_Ef-M4RgJ4zb2TIskzDtc5XfHEDv7M0fp7IbbFZwFTrlKRlXmgEzglYlk98MJt30tF7I8FyQRc2FYS7VpV5JqFsB9bO_NLWXXfsQ/s320/DARK+FREDDY.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
There is also the Paul Stanley toy standing tall over the STARCHILD target section though it's more for show than anything. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8VcMaPXs7WjaoJmcXd2ySlSfnKZoBFaOd-JDjzXKHkpPHgXZryTfpdFQ24-L8hG1SGSKRgqdasJzWzzuoV9lNndqZuVbTYKLgSSnHS-C5nXS6Mm-jSW68NOPPzzOo53e2G5teGmMPH4/s1600/KISS+Paul+Stanley+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8VcMaPXs7WjaoJmcXd2ySlSfnKZoBFaOd-JDjzXKHkpPHgXZryTfpdFQ24-L8hG1SGSKRgqdasJzWzzuoV9lNndqZuVbTYKLgSSnHS-C5nXS6Mm-jSW68NOPPzzOo53e2G5teGmMPH4/s320/KISS+Paul+Stanley+.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
What made me really fall for <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265">KISS</a></i> is that the table is just straight-up pinball. No goofy gimmicks, no bash toys; it's just ramps, targets, bumpers and loops. There's no mini-playfield nor is there anything that you have to hit over-and-over again to start multiball. This table is tough as heck and rewards clean play rather than slapping the ball all over the place. </div>
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The ramps are tight as hell and will punish you if you do not make them. The center ramp is placed high in the upper center of the playfield and if the ball doesn't make up all the way... Yep, you guessed it! It's going straight down the middle. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Vrvn4AimadWzUFmKdnnHEYLReARSOiBMO7k_pHJS_b6a5YjkiienT5YIedAwma5-cA9weaJ6Lvv4E1bviicn8AgHvmu0KKL3vtB1yWXR1k4p6LGKAzrxVRBis_afapVJRwgUN12Qz70/s1600/KISS+Upper+Playfield+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Vrvn4AimadWzUFmKdnnHEYLReARSOiBMO7k_pHJS_b6a5YjkiienT5YIedAwma5-cA9weaJ6Lvv4E1bviicn8AgHvmu0KKL3vtB1yWXR1k4p6LGKAzrxVRBis_afapVJRwgUN12Qz70/s320/KISS+Upper+Playfield+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVsMt_P2wxqKOOg_rklbxgB4OUwMKy1DD8Yq15FrExJK0ruFvFKvFxCmXO-kVau1oEovejvENdLLe1yOGURa9_wwr2MLt-pzLibLWloE0RlfqbqriB_XbJnJw0kqImsTZwXOLb3hN7Uw/s1600/KISS+Right+Ramp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVsMt_P2wxqKOOg_rklbxgB4OUwMKy1DD8Yq15FrExJK0ruFvFKvFxCmXO-kVau1oEovejvENdLLe1yOGURa9_wwr2MLt-pzLibLWloE0RlfqbqriB_XbJnJw0kqImsTZwXOLb3hN7Uw/s320/KISS+Right+Ramp.jpg" width="212" /></a>The right ramp is a little more forgiving in that unsuccessful shots have a chance of returning to the right flipper. On the other hand, it is a really steep ramp, steeper than anything on <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/10/the-walking-dead-pinball-release-party.html">The Walking Dead</a></i> or <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6028">Metallica</a></i>! Not only that, the ramp shot is <i>really </i>tight. It's the shot for Super Jackpot during Demon Multiball and trying to hit that while you have several balls flying around is one hellacious feat!<br />
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Speaking of which, Demon Multiball includes some semblance of difficulty. There are two targets on either side of the shot that you must hit in order to light the locks. What I like is that it's easy to get one but the other target is tougher. You have to earn those ball locks. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGBPlDpAHU886CW7jOI7edXA5dcP7janz_Qd8M-ISo539X7aUW7h3fxQhkgFhkWNxR082VnmjX_c_Bbj3HXVjyuToszQg1QBIIRmu-SIoPL62J7OhmHjcKHVSBRBT4Om4lvwA-2-8dyg/s1600/KISS+Demon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGBPlDpAHU886CW7jOI7edXA5dcP7janz_Qd8M-ISo539X7aUW7h3fxQhkgFhkWNxR082VnmjX_c_Bbj3HXVjyuToszQg1QBIIRmu-SIoPL62J7OhmHjcKHVSBRBT4Om4lvwA-2-8dyg/s200/KISS+Demon.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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The left target is out in the open and very low-risk; sometimes it can even be hit off a ricochet. On the other hand, the right target is squeezed right in beside the ramp's post and is not an easy shot to make. It's still reasonably easy but there is an element of risk. Now, the STARCHILD target bank, <i>that </i>is tough to hit! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLchTMhyphenhyphenrk0ZFc7LupN5DQAuXi_HLqNse4NqJCEfC0eGRNelNLxnk2yH59vgKrr6kln98qSWEdHWBaoCkSaQbnxrRa8XdkYhfudy6OnGFr7elNkKdrH50Q-_VJAKUoFb67F8SfkvehEHs/s1600/KISS+Starchild+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLchTMhyphenhyphenrk0ZFc7LupN5DQAuXi_HLqNse4NqJCEfC0eGRNelNLxnk2yH59vgKrr6kln98qSWEdHWBaoCkSaQbnxrRa8XdkYhfudy6OnGFr7elNkKdrH50Q-_VJAKUoFb67F8SfkvehEHs/s320/KISS+Starchild+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Looking at the playfield map, it looks like an easy shot from the right flipper but, like the center ramp, it is high up on the playfield and partially obscured by the bumpers. A loose shot may be caught by the bumpers and launched elsewhere. Moving along the playfield, there is a familiar shot through the bumpers...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_B_P8c8BjPNquMk8TIXabaTDjjZGamPiR5l-W3MFnyM4k5ZHf2A7Rlgp-AGd1wB_k_yETbDcPanqXUcO_78ffo_WBUZmOPL6fL7q66CYe3iY-U-LTHT04bDlOLX8zIOy-5gEgF9GcIoc/s1600/KISS+Bumpers+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_B_P8c8BjPNquMk8TIXabaTDjjZGamPiR5l-W3MFnyM4k5ZHf2A7Rlgp-AGd1wB_k_yETbDcPanqXUcO_78ffo_WBUZmOPL6fL7q66CYe3iY-U-LTHT04bDlOLX8zIOy-5gEgF9GcIoc/s320/KISS+Bumpers+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Must be <a href="http://ipdb.org/search.pl?ppl=John+Borg&qh=checked&sortby=name&searchtype=advanced">John Borg</a>! Yes, Borg is the designer of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265">KISS</a></i> and included his trademark bumper shot along with the scoop at the entrance. I don't know if it is the angle of the scoop or what but it is hard to sink a ball into! That bumper shot is tight too and feels a lot more restricted than previous iterations but along with a lot of shots on this table, successfully hitting it feels so satisfying! </div>
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If those bumpers look familiar to you, it is because they were first featured on Bally's 1978 rendition of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1386">KISS</a>!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTlvUonpBKwyB9R0NO9zlKq8Jef_IlaVIXE-QSLN8zfY-uhwiHh4_FuO4bOF4z75-A4PSzdiNJaaL3rXtw4e7ELKRtjmvSr2eGCIoOtUuMG1peFthA-ozsUAeUl177DjhuESPAlRDG-Q/s1600/KISS+Bumpers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTlvUonpBKwyB9R0NO9zlKq8Jef_IlaVIXE-QSLN8zfY-uhwiHh4_FuO4bOF4z75-A4PSzdiNJaaL3rXtw4e7ELKRtjmvSr2eGCIoOtUuMG1peFthA-ozsUAeUl177DjhuESPAlRDG-Q/s320/KISS+Bumpers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265" style="font-style: italic;">KISS</a> is a love letter to the pinball tables of before. The bumpers for one are an homage to the old-school style of bumpers...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhjReq5DQ889gVlur4nSj7Nf1MhbPjkc5Slk0tfIW45M8EJOl-thk4o5Gu8G7Wf8gHPMaZw6wnp3k1LME-pQVWX0gXYEcgrxyyLtys5z3lJq8gV6uwbm3-cuzUcX-cN_SndytOA0hqD0/s1600/KISS+Bumpers+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhjReq5DQ889gVlur4nSj7Nf1MhbPjkc5Slk0tfIW45M8EJOl-thk4o5Gu8G7Wf8gHPMaZw6wnp3k1LME-pQVWX0gXYEcgrxyyLtys5z3lJq8gV6uwbm3-cuzUcX-cN_SndytOA0hqD0/s320/KISS+Bumpers+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Though it's not the first time Stern has paid their respects to the bumper style</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEswkRpTQqf-sfnqgdQOuKAsS_IML43Oy2HjS-vbWO3kV7-1Ps5_WUwSCPluKHmmBxU2JU2WheiNcbhxYPjW1UI6poCPi2ZWfbJb4-cQlhGKLX0EBZquI2-BGs1uydUHtTzR42YuAmpk/s1600/Walking+Dead+bumper+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEswkRpTQqf-sfnqgdQOuKAsS_IML43Oy2HjS-vbWO3kV7-1Ps5_WUwSCPluKHmmBxU2JU2WheiNcbhxYPjW1UI6poCPi2ZWfbJb4-cQlhGKLX0EBZquI2-BGs1uydUHtTzR42YuAmpk/s320/Walking+Dead+bumper+.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There is even the big nuclear explosion taking up the lower playfield!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVS3ZbYtiSjsB7xtVOq1iHMYKWJU0OsOJbFYi3TIDnIWh4LDi71vxQ_ZWKsEvtX9bPy7ktx_13AIGsL9ah6q8ihTXoWc14edrGmvkQ6rq3zD2ytYyzckQk8qgKFR8-VqRScSgaO-wRjQs/s1600/KISS+Lower+Playfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVS3ZbYtiSjsB7xtVOq1iHMYKWJU0OsOJbFYi3TIDnIWh4LDi71vxQ_ZWKsEvtX9bPy7ktx_13AIGsL9ah6q8ihTXoWc14edrGmvkQ6rq3zD2ytYyzckQk8qgKFR8-VqRScSgaO-wRjQs/s320/KISS+Lower+Playfield.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Dig that hand-drawn artwork! It's a nice tribute to the original artist of 78's <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1386">KISS</a></i> table, Kevin O'Connor, done by none other than... <a href="http://ipdb.org/search.pl?searchtype=advanced&ppl=Kevin%20O%27Connor">Kevin O'Connor</a>! That's right, Stern assigned Kevin O'Connor to draw the art package of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265">KISS</a></i> and he did an amazing job. I would go so far as to say the art on Stern's <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265">KISS</a></i> is way better than the '78 edition. It's a lot more colourful and has all sorts of neat little things hidden away.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAuPe7HpRkvN0m412qNWMjrQ_5VVFeumd-e4-pGYuE7c887rXnT0EagpYYGcto-oCnb_fMOi79beLTKDZZVCQqEI6c4vws0een5d3piaABR7Resu1YatLJht1r09VED032YmjOhy1j0M/s1600/KISS+Ramp+Detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAuPe7HpRkvN0m412qNWMjrQ_5VVFeumd-e4-pGYuE7c887rXnT0EagpYYGcto-oCnb_fMOi79beLTKDZZVCQqEI6c4vws0een5d3piaABR7Resu1YatLJht1r09VED032YmjOhy1j0M/s320/KISS+Ramp+Detail.jpg" width="174" /></a></div>
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The cabinet art is really cool. It's similar to the original <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1386">KISS</a></i> table and is plastered with the painted faces of the band members but is done up in this stunning blue-red-and-purple combo.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZl6ttmrBA8bGy7aeAjW2zDqLEF24SEH1eElk8OXGBM3cuJYW-CjipOaHsETdANSAWCOOfeKl5NXn3Tg-SIyeM55s3uDyNqwOEba487kG6Atx06A6WaYLtWxqEly65LOlwH76i6ieMG8o/s1600/KISS+with+Getaway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZl6ttmrBA8bGy7aeAjW2zDqLEF24SEH1eElk8OXGBM3cuJYW-CjipOaHsETdANSAWCOOfeKl5NXn3Tg-SIyeM55s3uDyNqwOEba487kG6Atx06A6WaYLtWxqEly65LOlwH76i6ieMG8o/s320/KISS+with+Getaway.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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SO COOL!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVvgyOiL3ICZkcAY5LXN4iSRSd0BObwzst-jRRsOcYBiAEMrbSKXaXe03kAwZAqwftzyjDE7nT4VIW_NDUkYa5bb3bb4mdAmgoBGOBj-SbwuWW2pZATdytmh1XxQkfsgvYc2_BIEIZ6M/s1600/KISS+Backbox+Art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVvgyOiL3ICZkcAY5LXN4iSRSd0BObwzst-jRRsOcYBiAEMrbSKXaXe03kAwZAqwftzyjDE7nT4VIW_NDUkYa5bb3bb4mdAmgoBGOBj-SbwuWW2pZATdytmh1XxQkfsgvYc2_BIEIZ6M/s320/KISS+Backbox+Art.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>
OUTTA SIGHT! This is a downright beautiful table. The playfield inserts have colour-changing LEDs and with Stern's new SPIKE system installed, the LED lights can now fade in and out!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixVeRu6wkyUEPbVqzEyHwYw1PUVzG9b-32vmgFPhn3XZsb1z3wIF4fHcIO1HATBc7c68tj011MYP_lcng2lgLzkkeCxLLF-3NaKWlPQoMmirbcojjL8Wp-lSXcsIC2e-AXj4udWNwv-RU/s1600/KISS+LEDs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixVeRu6wkyUEPbVqzEyHwYw1PUVzG9b-32vmgFPhn3XZsb1z3wIF4fHcIO1HATBc7c68tj011MYP_lcng2lgLzkkeCxLLF-3NaKWlPQoMmirbcojjL8Wp-lSXcsIC2e-AXj4udWNwv-RU/s320/KISS+LEDs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Even though this is a brand-spanking new table, I already started noticing some problems. The playfield was looking a bit grimy despite <i>just</i> being placed in California Sandwiches; it was starting to look like a table that has not had a good cleaning in a little while. I noticed on the ball that there was a big chunk of dirt or grease or <i>something </i>that was marking up the table something awful.<br />
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After a few games, something strange started happening. The lower portion of the table would cut out for a second or two and I would lose power to the flippers! It's a pain in the butt for that to happen, especially when you have Multiball and three balls are coming down towards the flippers! Helluva time for the flippers to cut out...</div>
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Apparently it may have something to do with the code and has been resolved with the most recent update but we will have to wait to see if this table gets updated. Despite the technical difficulties, MUF made his mark on <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265">KISS</a></i>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3b_O4D71nv0uorT97ZYvii0envIcXBw5D8ufYCTaCBj8JEGuM4_KsCu8ukQG2eOH698Qno6bvYNMmvnKm5lYdfgnmWqpSCOOTlVgw6wpRL374OHdojYzcyug3S1J-J75NnzXOHwwMDY/s1600/MUF+%25233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3b_O4D71nv0uorT97ZYvii0envIcXBw5D8ufYCTaCBj8JEGuM4_KsCu8ukQG2eOH698Qno6bvYNMmvnKm5lYdfgnmWqpSCOOTlVgw6wpRL374OHdojYzcyug3S1J-J75NnzXOHwwMDY/s320/MUF+%25233.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I also want to give a special shoutout to the left outlane. I don't know what it is but I lost so many damn balls to that outlane, it's unbelievable. The outlane post is set to make the opening wider but <i>so many damn times </i>the ball would sail over to the left playfield and find its way to that outlane. Seems to be a common thread with Borg-designed tables because I have had this very same issue with <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/10/the-walking-dead-pinball-release-party.html">The Walking Dead</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2014/05/second-look-at-x-men.html">X-Men</a></i> although this could be due to the level of the tables I have played in the past.</div>
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Big thanks to <a href="http://www.pinballexchange.com/">Toronto Coin Exchange</a> for keeping the city updated with the latest pinball machines! Their latest gift is <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265">KISS</a></i> at California Sandwiches, dropping it off a week prior to the launch parties! When I found out through the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/637013426382174/">Toronto Pinball Crew</a> that Stern's latest offering has arrived within city limits, I made my way to my local haunt to take it in. What I found was a phenomenal table all around. Everything from the music to the playfield to the art is just top notch. <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265">KISS</a></i> is tough but when you dial in any of the shots, it is a very satisfying feeling. The custom artwork is too sweet and is even done by the artist of the original '78 <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1386">KISS</a></i> table, Kevin O'Connor! Despite a few technical troubles, I had an absolute blast playing <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265">KISS</a></i> and already consider this to be an instant classic in the Stern roster. Get out to California Sandwiches, grab a veal sandwich and a couple of games on <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6265">KISS</a></i>! It's awesome! </div>
Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-91393418113785739392015-06-22T21:54:00.002-04:002015-06-22T21:54:10.774-04:00FREE PINBALL PARTY WITH DENT AT JUNCTION CITY MUSIC HALL! I apologize that I keep promoting all these events but HEY at least they are pinball-related events! I just got word that <a href="http://www.junctioncitymusichall.com/">Junction City Music Hall</a> will be holding a night of FREE PINBALL this Saturday! That is June 27! The fun and games start at 9 PM. There's also some music to be listened to by Guelph legends, DENT!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/825200207529098/"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMKjhxNBS79tghXFo8Ypvl0j4f9UG8Gva2reywQA7gLh4L_rIH6BLLupo4pGnx6CvXLCsM8Gz2yddg60-MF72mT81Ok5WB9H12q_2QKm6n74T9Kj_K9zuOjNKoKZkMUiJnIZNueAn6f4/s400/DENT.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/825200207529098/">Click the pic for the Facebook event page! Don't forget to RSVP!</a></td></tr>
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if you need any incentive to come out to this, Junction City Music Hall has one of the best pinball line-ups in Toronto right now! Everything from <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4674">The Simpsons Pinball Party</a></i>, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/04/f-14-tom-cat-at-junction-city-music-hall.html">F-14 Tomcat</a></i>, and the latest arrival, Premier's <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2508">Tee'd Off</a></i>!<br />
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This machine gets a lot of grief in the pinball scene and I wasn't really sure of it myself when I heard it joined the JCMH lineup. However, after taking <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2508">Tee'd Off</a></i> for a spin, I found it to be quite an enjoyable little table! So, how about you come out this Saturday, June 27, to Junction City Music Hall at 2907 Dundas St. West and play <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2508">Tee'd Off</a></i> among many other great games for FREE? There will also be NO COVER! All you have to pay for is your drinks! That's not too bad!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/825200207529098/">Click here for the Facebook event page!</a> </span></b></div>
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RSVP and come out for FREE pinball this weekend!</div>
Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-5444207829062883422015-06-17T20:27:00.000-04:002015-06-17T20:27:45.030-04:00HOUSE OF TARG ROUND 2 - HURRICANESeeing as we covered a couple of Steve Ritchie tables in my previous <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/03/house-of-targ-round-2-trip-report.html">House of TARG reviews</a>, I think it's time to look at something a little different in the form of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1257">Hurricane</a></i>!<br />
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The team of <a href="http://ipdb.org/search.pl?ppl=Barry+Oursler&qh=checked&sortby=name&searchtype=advanced">Barry Oursler</a> and the late <a href="http://ipdb.org/search.pl?ppl=Python+Anghelo&qh=checked&sortby=name&searchtype=advanced">Python Anghelo</a> are together again on their third installment of the amusement park series. The series started with 1985's <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pinball-crawl-trip-report.html#more">Comet</a></i>, followed by <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=617">Cyclone</a> </i>in 1988<i>, </i>and finally ending with <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1257">Hurricane</a>.</i> An interesting fact is that all the tables in this trilogy were released during different technology eras; <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pinball-crawl-trip-report.html#more">Comet</a> </i>was a part of the short-lived System 9 alongside <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2260">Space Shuttle</a></i> and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2242">Sorcerer</a></i>, <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=617">Cyclone</a> </i>was System-11, and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1257">Hurricane </a></i>being in the first wave of Dot-Matrix-Display tables in 1991, hot off the heels of <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/04/house-of-targ-round-2-terminator-2.html">Terminator 2: Judgment Day</a></i>.<br />
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If you take a look at each of the tables in the Amusement Park trilogy, you will notice quite a few similarities throughout! It seems that Oursler used <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pinball-crawl-trip-report.html#more">Comet</a></i>'s playfield as a basis for <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=617">Cyclone</a> </i>and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1257">Hurricane</a> </i>and built more and more onto each installment. The most obvious influence is the center ramp.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>There is even the target right next to the ramp!<br />
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One review on <a href="http://ipdb.org/">IPDB.org</a> mentioned the zen appeal of hitting the ramp over and over and I have to agree with them on that. The Comet ramp feeds back to the right flipper so if you can dial it in, you can constantly hit that ramp and I find that so satisfying. It reminds me a lot of the ramp on <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/03/data-easts-star-wars.html">Star Wars</a></i>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJc7HTauO63Yvn25cACI1BceUxBlAIXxYfc8TZ5N_0_Z3JWCN9yeteJp2-GyNxzoIQczRPXAa86fA9XtYPH6s4MYK5bvuffUWwe9jmhpIigUPcQ0hg2d5cB7e_aFBYYfAcbivfSXzYe4/s1600/Star+Wars+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJc7HTauO63Yvn25cACI1BceUxBlAIXxYfc8TZ5N_0_Z3JWCN9yeteJp2-GyNxzoIQczRPXAa86fA9XtYPH6s4MYK5bvuffUWwe9jmhpIigUPcQ0hg2d5cB7e_aFBYYfAcbivfSXzYe4/s320/Star+Wars+8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Another influence of <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pinball-crawl-trip-report.html#more">Comet</a> </i>are the Shooting Gallery Targets found on either side of the playfield. <i> </i><br />
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Things got a little more wild on <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=617">Cyclone</a> </i>with Oursler throwing in a Ferris Wheel as one of the big gimmicks. <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1257">Hurricane </a></i>follows suit, including not one but two Ferris Wheels for the ball lock!<br />
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The Amusement Park series has always had a bit of a strange layout while still having a somewhat cohesive flow. <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1257">Hurricane </a></i>continues the tradition though it's packed with a few more gimmicks than the previous two. as I mentioned, the Comet Ramp flows beautifully while the Hurricane ramp all the way around the playfield, going all the way down to the flippers!<br />
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It's a pretty neat sight but soon enough, the novelty begins to wear out. It can take a while for the ball to get back into play, seeing as it's going along a ramp that goes from one part of the playfield to the other. One issue I do have with <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1257">Hurricane </a></i>is that there are a few too many shots that tend to stop the momentum of the game. The Ferris Wheel is fun to watch once in a while but it takes a while to get through which can really slow down the game. Besides the ramps, there aren't many shots that flow into each other, instead favoring more of a stop-and-go style of gameplay.<br />
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Python Anghelo's artwork is in the same vein as <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pinball-crawl-trip-report.html#more">Comet</a> </i>and <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/03/guelph-pinball-club-part-iii-taxi.html">Taxi</a>; </i>it isn't the most attractive but the amount of detail packed into the artwork is staggering! Also, <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1257">Hurricane </a></i>is covered with clowns so if you don't like clowns then <i>stay as far away from this table as possible.</i><br />
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As the third and final installment of the Amusement park series by Barry Oursler, <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1257">Hurricane</a> </i>builds upon its predecessors, <i><a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pinball-crawl-trip-report.html#more">Comet</a></i> and <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=617">Cyclone</a></i>, while also being one of the front-runners of the Dot-Matrix Display era. Oursler's playfield design includes features from the previous tables while throwing in some new gimmicks like the ramp that loops all around the playfield. <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1257">Hurricane</a> </i>has a nice flow to it but a few of the novelty shots tend to slow the game down. Python Anghelo's attention to detail is at full force, making the playfield look like something out of Where's Waldo? There's an obscene amount of clowns on <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1257">Hurricane</a> </i>so if you have Coulrophobia then it might be good to pass on this table. Not to worry though, House of TARG, the home of <i><a href="http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1257">Hurricane</a>, </i>has plenty of tables to choose from! Take your pick!<br />
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Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-24953034785116424772015-06-11T22:04:00.002-04:002015-06-11T22:04:18.672-04:00SHUT UP AND HANG TEN! Luau or Die at the Canadian Pinball Championships 2015Here's what I am most excited about for the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/444217662427113/">2015 Canadian Pinball Championships</a>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3wAnsqUIc3vhXyVegfkyKXHbtvuQKO3kM6Dw6T1ZodYjYFU1tvWhzAqrtECBaxJ82IfSVOJsgb75EzkdPpz_ZoZ3cgbbFxPJi-rAzt4z5rH5CfwAeqsg15omx3W6ySta9Lm1p_8Jmnc/s1600/poster+final+FINAL+draft+pretty+SMALL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3wAnsqUIc3vhXyVegfkyKXHbtvuQKO3kM6Dw6T1ZodYjYFU1tvWhzAqrtECBaxJ82IfSVOJsgb75EzkdPpz_ZoZ3cgbbFxPJi-rAzt4z5rH5CfwAeqsg15omx3W6ySta9Lm1p_8Jmnc/s320/poster+final+FINAL+draft+pretty+SMALL.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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On the opening night of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/444217662427113/">Championships</a>, Friday, July 3rd, local surf band <a href="http://www.luauordie.com/">Luau or Die</a> are gonna be playing two wet 'n' wild sets of surf music on the stage of <a href="http://www.3030dundaswest.com/">3030</a> to kick off the weekend!<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1641389176103656/"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">CLICK HERE TO RSVP FOR THIS!!!</span></b></a></div>
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For those that know me, Surf music is one of my biggest passions. I produce a monthly Surf music podcast, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/surfphony2000">The Surfphony of Derstruction 2000</a>, and attend a ton of local shows. When I'm not writing about pinball, I'm writing about Surf shows on this wicked blog, <a href="http://punksdontthink.com/">Punks Don't Think</a>.<br />
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Of course, pinball is my other passion so to bring these two together is a dream of mine! Come on out on Friday, July 3rd at 10 PM to 3030 Dundas West to witness this amazing night! Play some pinball, listen to some awesome Surf music and have a few tasty beers. You will not be disappointed; every person I have brought out to see <a href="http://www.luauordie.com/">Luau or Die</a> has been completely floored by the band. See for yourself what the surfer spies will have in store for you!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/playlists/55765110&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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These are exclusive tracks that I obtained when I infiltrated the secret headquarters of <a href="http://www.luauordie.com/">Luau or Die</a>. I also sat down and chatted with the band which you can here right here!<br />
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If you can't get enough <a href="http://www.luauordie.com/">Luau or Die</a>, dig on their album, <a href="http://luauordie.bandcamp.com/">Dead on The Floor</a>. Buy it, listen to it, and demand more Surf! Hopefully we can whet your appetite on July 3rd! I mean, there will be two sets so I'm sure we will. You just have to do one thing... SHUT UP AND HANG TEN!<br />
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We also have an appetizer for you! On Saturday June 20th, <a href="http://www.luauordie.com/">Luau or Die</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kingbeezcanada">King Beez</a> will be playing a matinee show at Bumper City favorite <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/04/f-14-tom-cat-at-junction-city-music-hall.html">Junction City Music Hall</a>! Catch a wave from 1 to 5 PM in the Junction!<br />
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<br />Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436748832500645410.post-54217426397742634592015-06-08T21:05:00.001-04:002015-06-08T21:22:00.778-04:00Canadian Pinball Championships 2015It seems all I have been doing lately is promotion! I apologize about that and the lack of reviews but things are really popping in the Toronto pinball scene and I just want to make sure you keep up-to-date on all the latest happenings! Just last month, we had the first ever <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/2015/05/beer-ball-festival-wrapped-up.html">Beer and Ball Festival</a> at Handlebar. Now, after a years' hiatus, the <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/Canadian%20Pinball%20Championships">Canadian Pinball Championships</a> are returning!<br />
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The championships are being held at <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/3030">3030</a> in the Junction so for those who could not make it out to the last couple of years' venues, not to worry! <a href="http://bumpercity.blogspot.ca/search/label/3030">3030</a> is within Toronto and is easily accessible by TTC so you have no reason not to show up!<br />
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The games begin on Friday, July 3rd and will continue through the weekend on Saturday, July 4th, and Sunday July 5th. I highly suggest <a href="http://2015.pinball.to/registration/">pre-registering</a> for this awesome event to guarantee your entry in the tournament ... and also get a REALLY SWEET SHIRT!<br />
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By <a href="http://2015.pinball.to/registration/">pre-registering</a> for only $25, you get a sweet red-and-white shirt with customized high score initials! That is <i>really </i>cool. Just make sure that you <a href="http://2015.pinball.to/registration/">pre-register</a> before June 10th at 11:59 PM Eastern to get your hands on this exclusive offer! If that wasn't enough incentive to pre-register, you will also get extra qualifying time, a free gift bag, and door prizes! It would be much appreciated by the organizers and myself so we can cover the costs ahead of time and ensure that the Canadian Pinball Championships go off without a hitch and provide you a most enjoyable event. If you want to pre-register, please <b><a href="http://2015.pinball.to/registration/">click this link</a></b>, if you haven't already clicked on the highlighted "<a href="http://2015.pinball.to/registration/">pre-registers</a>"!<br />
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You know that I am going to register and get MUF put on the back of my shirt haha! I probably won't be allowed into the venue wearing that... which will be a problem seeing as I am organizing Friday night's festivities! More to come on that <i>very</i> soon. I'm excited to bring you a real wild night with the 2015 Canadian Pinball Championships and 3030! It's going to the best of both of my worlds if you catch my drift...Derk Biondihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724021313501816635noreply@blogger.com0