Pinball Minority Report

*Note that Erika's Internet had some issues and corrupted some of the video so for those watching the video there are a few sections where her video cuts out.

Steve Ritchie has retired from pinball design, so we look back at the Master of Flow's career, from Atari and Williams to Stern and Jersey Jack. We also recap Chicago Pinball Expo 2026, from Erika's road trip with Aaron from FAST Pinball to our homebrew interviews and the Women in Pinball panel. Then Manu has a complaint: what do people really mean when they say a game "doesn't flow"?

Welcome to Pinball Minority Report, where two pinball fanatics talk stories, games, interviews and everything happening in pinball.

Shoutout to our Sponsor Rewind Pinball!

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

01:38 Road trip to Expo with Aaron from FAST Pinball

07:53 Pinball Expo 2026 highlights & shout-outs

16:59 Steve Ritchie retires

20:10 Steve Ritchie's career: Atari to Sonic

32:10 Erika's Steve Ritchie stories

35:13 What does "flow" mean?

41:46 5 reasons a game "doesn't flow"

49:25 Is "flow" a scapegoat?

57:47 Outro

🔗 LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Dark Chaos stream at the Electric Bat

Expo homebrew interviews (Marco Pinball)

Women in Pinball panel, Expo 2026

FAST Pinball

Backhand Pinball

Coinzy

Pinball Scientist

Electric Playground

Galloping Ghost Arcade

Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball

📬 *ASK US ANYTHING*
Email: [email protected] • Comment below • Find Manu on Discord

• Erika's Pinball Journey
• Mystery Pinball Theatre 3000

💬 Is Steve Ritchie the only designer with an original trilogy? What does "flow" mean to you? Tell us in the comments!

#pinball #steveritchie #pinballexpo #homebrewpinball #pinballminorityreport

In this episode of Pinball Minority Report, Erika and Manu sit down with Elizabeth Gieske, Transformers lead software developer at Stern Pinball. Elizabeth was a tournament player before she was a developer.

We get into how a college Pac-Man assignment led her to pinball, what her Stern interview was really like, and why a confusing game is the game’s fault, not yours (it’s all about doors). She also takes us behind the scenes on Transformers: the Optimus vs. Megatron split-flipper mode, the new Prime Training mode that teaches real flipper skills, how version numbers actually work, and how she turned a conversation into the Scars mode on Jaws. Plus, our dev friends’ rapid-fire questions on debugging, AI, and flipper codes.

We recorded this one just before Pinball Expo 2026 in Schaumburg, IL, where Elizabeth spoke on the Transformers panel and the Women in Pinball panel, moderated by Erika. Thanks to everyone who came out!

🐛 Found a bug in a Stern game? Report it to [email protected]

Find Manu and I on our socials!

Drop your questions for Elizabeth in the comments, and we might send them her way!

Stern Pinball – Transformers

00:00 Introduction

00:48 Pinball Expo Preview & Panels

06:40 From Video Game Classes to Pinball

11:37 Interviewing for Stern

16:17 Game Design Philosophy

19:20 Bad Games are like bad doors

23:06 Elizabeth's life outside of pinball

25:16 Code vs Rules

30:26 Building the Transformers Modes

32:46 Gamifying Jaws

38:04 Future of Pinball Technology and Innovation

47:41 Prime Training Mode

55:52 Rapid Fire Dev Questions

01:01:29 Flipper Codes & Easter Eggs

01:04:57 Team Shoutouts and Outro

#pinball #sternpinball #transformerspinball #pinballexpo #pinballminorityreport

Manu and Erika talk about a once-in-a-lifetime visit to a private pinball collection: 100+ games, pristine wood rails, 1950s and 60s electromechanical arcade pieces, and a one-of-a-kind wood rail homebrew. We also cover our plans for Pinball Expo in Schaumburg, IL, then answer listener questions on shots vs. toys, home maintenance costs, and running a Multimorphic P3 on location.

⚠️ DISCLAIMER: PLEASE READ ⚠️
We are NOT sponsored by, paid by, or employed by Multimorphic. We both own a P3 because we genuinely enjoy the platform, and that’s it. Every player, home owner, and operator is different. Play one first, do your own research, and think about your own skill and comfort level with repairs before you buy. Erika has a small partnership with For Amusement Only Games (Nick Baldridge) that gets buyers a free engraved tumbler, but she earns no money from it. These are just our opinions and experiences.

🎯 CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction and episode overview

01:06 Upcoming events and community shout outs

03:52 Private Pinball Collection Tour

07:37 Homebrew Woodrail - Screamo

10:33 Pinball Roadtrip to Pinball Expo

15:23 Homebrews at Pinball Expo, Marco Booth

20:49 Women in Pinball Panel moderated by Erika

24:48 Viewer Questions and Shoutouts

25:44 Toys Vs Shots? How Important is Flow?

32:13 How much maintenance costs in a home machine?

39:00 P3 Maintenance Questions

52:03 Closing Remarks

56:28 Pinball maintenance costs and common issues

📍 SEE US ON THE ROAD & AT EXPO

• Saturday, Oct 10: Erika and Aaron Davis at the Electric Bat Arcade with two homebrews to play: Bootleggers and Dark Chaos
• Pinball Expo, Schaumburg, IL: Homebrew creator interviews streamed live on Marco Pinball’s Twitch
• Saturday, Oct 17, 8 PM: Women in Pinball panel moderated by Erika, with Cayman Kai (CayFlips / Austin Pinball Collective), Deborah Tahlman, Elizabeth Gieske (Stern Pinball), and Krystle Gemnich (Jersey Jack Pinball). It follows the JBS Show live chat with Jamie Birchell, Retro Ralph, and Cale Hernandez.

💛 SPONSOR: Rewind Pinball
Northern California’s distributor for Stern and Barrels of Fun. Reach out to Adam for Fallout, Transformers, Pokémon, and more. You can also visit his arcade The Rewind Arcade in Sebastopol, CA.

🔗 LINKS

Pinforge

Pinbalm

Fast Pinball
For Amusement Only Games

Electric Bat Arcade

Titled Orbit Arcade
Podcasts not mentioned but listened to in the car:
Dirtypool Pinball
Wedgehead Pinball Podcast
Silverball Chronicles

📬 ASK US ANYTHING
Email: [email protected] • Comment below • Find Manu on Discord

Find us on Socials: Erika’s Pinball Journey, Mystery Pinball Theater 3000

#pinball #pinballexpo #homebrewpinball #multimorphic #P3 #woodrail #pinballcollection

Erika and Manu are back with pinball news, stories, and a recap of the Rocky Mountain Pinball Showdown in Denver! This week: Stern's new Fallout pinball (Pro & Premium hands-on impressions), a Pokémon code update, Zen Pinball FX, Jason Zahler's historic three-peat as IFPA World Champion, and Erika's on-the-ground report from Denver.

🔗 Links mentioned:

• Pinballdex (by Nick Multiball)
• PAX West
• Substack Nudge
• Substack Mayor of Pinball
• Zen Studios News
• Multimorphic 3rd Party Software
• Zahler 3rd Win
• Zahler Pinball
• Abe Flips
• Rocky Mountain Pinball Showdown
• Erika's Rocky Mountain Pinball Showdown 360° walkthrough
• Fast Pinball
• Marco Pinball
• Pinforge
• John Hancock Youtuber
• Don't Panic Flip

👀 Follow along:

• Erika's Pinball Journey
• Mystery Pinball Theatre 3000

🎁 Erika's closing in on 2,000 YouTube subs — giveaway coming soon (shoutout to 4evertheflip for the swag)!

#Pinball #PinballMachine #Fallout #Stern #IFPA #RockyMountainPinballShowdown
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the episode and pinball scene

01:00 Latest pinball news and game releases

03:56 First impressions of Fallout pinball machine

07:12 Pinball in different markets and demographics

10:17 The relationship between Stern and Bethesda

12:21 Upcoming pinball events and shows in Denver

18:01 Digital pinball updates from Zen Pinball

22:10 Pinball community and tournament highlights

26:39 Recap of the Rocky Mountain Pinball Showdown

35:51 Reflections on the show and community involvement

39:54 Upcoming projects and giveaways in the pinball community

This week on Pinball Minority Report, Manu and Erika are joined by rules designer and industry veteran Steven Bowden (FunWithBonus) for a deep dive into CNC Dan's real-life Space Cadet Pinball build and whether the classic Windows game can actually be translated into a physical machine.

Steven talks about Deeproot Pinball's unreleased Space Cadet-inspired project designed by Barry Oursler, shares the story behind designing Barry O's Barbecue Challenge as a tribute to the late Barry Oursler, and breaks down his math-brained, come-from-behind win on Twilight Zone at District 82. We also get into diversity in competitive pinball, women in the scene with Bells and Chimes, and the story behind Steven's t-shirt.

Chapters:
00:00 Cold Open & Show Intro

00:37 Welcome to Pinball Minority Report

01:42 Introducing guest Steve Bowden (Fun with Bonus)

02:56 What is Space Cadet Pinball?

05:50 Can CNC Dan's Physical Build Actually work?

09:23 Steve's History with the Unreleased Space Cadet-inspired Machine

11:34 Pinball Worlds Colliding in the Comments

14:30 Time Shock Pinball

15:44 Shoutout to Indie Gamer Chick

17:00 Marketing Story Behind Space Cadet on Windows

19:34 Steve Bowden Pinball History

22:15 Who is Barry Oursler?

22:39 Barry O's Barbecue Challenge Pinball Machine

23:50 Barry O's Deep Dive

34:05 Diversity in Pinball: Steven's Experience

40:12 Women in Pinball & the Belles & Chimes League

43:44 "We Don't Get Your Kind Around Here" T-Shirt Story

49:44 What is District 82? IFPA Ratings Explained

54:56 Steven's Insane Mathematical Comeback Win on Twilight Zone

01:01:22 Lord of the Rings Rules Secret You Didn't Know

01:03:22 Wrap-up & Where to Find Steven

Links:

CNC Dan: https://youtu.be/BU_02HABZ4s?si=BlIbwTbtITWFmHNQ

Indie Gamer Chick: https://indiegamerchick.com/

Space Cadet Instagram video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C92qettIJwQ/?igsi=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Belles & Chimes: https://bellesandchimespinball.com/

Foxcities: https://www.twitch.tv/foxcitiespinball

👤 Guest: Steven Bowden (FunWithBonus)
🔗 funwithbonus.com | @funwithbonus on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok & Twitch

🎙️ Hosts:
Manu — Mystery Pinball Theater 3000 (Twitch/YouTube/Facebook/Instagram)
Erika — Erika's Pinball Journey (Instagram/Facebook/YouTube)

#pinball #spacecadetpinball #pinballpodcast #arcade

Manu and Erika dig into the economics of the pinball hobby: what it actually costs to keep up with new releases, why the market has shifted from arcades to home collectors, and whether pinball would even survive without licensed IPs like Godzilla, Harry Potter, and Jaws (spoiler: 78 of the current Pinside Top 100 are licensed).

Then, an honest look at Wonderland Amusements' budget home machine, Alice Goes to Wonderland - what it gets right, who it's actually for, and why comparing it to a $10k Stern misses the point entirely.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Pinball Minority Report Intro

01:19 Ai in Pinball and Erika's Extra Fingers

04:14 Pinball in Vegas

05:26 The Current State of the Pinball Market

18:20 The Role of Licenses in Pinball's Survival

28:37 Freelancing and Film Work

33:44 Wonderland Amusement an Honest Review

46:09 Affordable Pinball Machines

53:09 Upcoming Guests and Future Topics

LINKS:

Loserkid Pinball Market Videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr24Oi9HCMkzjEnHPR1mN5Pgy-hNHLv_c&si=9DHMCDZ7Tq_78oBl

Pinball Ranker: https://pinballranker.com/

Detroit Love's Alice Goes to Wonderland review: https://youtu.be/tcACdBx-unk?is=MsKYYGorQSvdS7hZ

Pawlowski Pinball: https://www.youtube.com/@pawlowskipinball

Wonderland Amusements: https://wonderlandamusements.com/
Austin Pinball Collective: https://austinpinballcollective.org/
Cayflip: https://www.twitch.tv/cayflip

FOLLOW US:

Erika's Pinball Journey: YouTube / Instagram / Facebook

MPT3K (Manu): YouTube / Twitch / Instagram

Manu's Patreon: patreon.com/MPT3k

Podcast links: https://beacons.ai/erikaspinballjourney/podcast

Shoutout to Rewind Arcade, Rewind Pinball, and Free Gold Watch in San Francisco.

#Pinball #PinballMachine #Wonderland Amusements #PinballCommunity

The conversation covers various aspects of the pinball industry, including pinball news, community engagement, and the impact of pinball shows on game launches. It delves into the excitement and anticipation surrounding new pinball releases and the influence of community events on the industry. It explores the emotional connection to music pins and the impact of music on pinball gameplay. Additionally, it highlights the engaging and fun experiences Erika had at Comic-Con, including interactions with fellow pinball enthusiasts and the excitement of playing new pinball games.

Takeaways

• Pinball News
• Pinball Community
• Pinball Shows Passion for Music Pins
• Comic-Con Experience

Mentions Links:
Manu's Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/mpt3k
Dirtypool Bon Jovi Video - https://youtu.be/W6YBzGMkR_I?si=C6KVT6nY4r_UuBJ6

Kongs R Us - https://www.youtube.com/@KongsRUs
Erin Winick Anthony - https://www.youtube.com/@erinwinickanthony
Cooltoy - https://youtu.be/pQLkd5DwpQg?si=WK0Y46vtb37-ws6f
Insatiable Blonde - https://www.instagram.com/insatiableblonde/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Episode and Main Topics

00:43 Discussion of Recent Pinball Game Announcements

02:19 Experience at Multimorphic and the Dungeon Crawler Carl Reveal

05:29 Details on Ender's Game and Its Development

08:22 Comparison of Dungeon Crawler Carl and Ender's Game Mechanics

11:24 Industry Trends: Home vs. Arcade Pinball

16:12 Community Reactions to New Pinball Titles

21:12 Marketing Strategies and Industry Events like Gen Con and Southern Fried Gaming Expo

27:10 Music Licensing and Thematic Choices in Pinball Machines

39:13 Personal Experiences at San Diego Comic-Con and Community Engagement

The Pinball Minority Report podcast features a conversation with Imoto Arcade, co-owner of Captain Crazy's Paradise in Foley, Alabama, and the creator of the Imoto Pinball Challenge. The discussion covers Imoto's pinball origin story, her journey into the pinball industry, and the significance of pinball in her life. The conversation also delves into the challenges and excitement of pinball, as well as the importance of supporting local arcades and the pinball community. The conversation covers a range of topics including pinball machines, Oscar-nominated movies, pinball trivia, and the challenges of maintaining pinball machines. It also delves into the importance of inclusive spaces in pinball and the experiences of women in the pinball community. The conversation covers a wide range of topics related to pinball, including pinball games, the pinball community, pinball shows, and the homebrew pinball experience. Imoto shares insights on the pinball community and the process of creating and showcasing homebrew pinball games at pinball shows. The conversation also delves into the challenges and excitement of being part of the pinball community.

Takeaways

• Pinball is a significant part of Imoto's life and has played a crucial role in her personal and professional journey.
• The conversation highlights the importance of supporting local arcades and the pinball community, as well as the challenges and excitement of being part of the pinball industry. Pinball enthusiasts are passionate about collecting and maintaining specific pinball machines and parts.
• Creating inclusive spaces in pinball is essential for welcoming diverse communities and ensuring a positive experience for all players.
• Homebrew pinball games are a significant part of the pinball community, and showcasing them at pinball shows provides valuable feedback and support for creators.
• The pinball community is a passionate and supportive group that values creativity, collaboration, and the sharing of experiences and knowledge.

Imotos Arcade:
https://captaincrazysparadise.com/

https://www.marcospecialties.com/control/main

Pinball Profile <3 Thank you Jeff!
https://www.pinballprofile.com/

Links to Homebrew mentioned
https://beacons.ai/erikaspinballjourney/homebrewpinball

More about the Podcast:
https://beacons.ai/erikaspinballjourney/podcast

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the episode and guest

00:49 Guest introduction and episode overview

02:59 Pinball catalog and parts support at Marco Pinball

06:39 Guest's origin story and how they got into pinball

11:32 When Manu met Imoto

13:15 When Imoto got into pinball

16:44 Manu and Imoto Origin Story

19:56 When Imoto met Erika

21:37 Meeting industry peers and community connections

23:26 Pinball Movie Trivia

28:40 What is Marco Pinball up to

35:23 Making Pinball an Inclusive Space

47:58 Pinball Confessions

50:02 Imoto's quest for collecting all the 6803 Pinball Machines

57:21 Pinball Confession Continued

59:21 What's something about the pinball community you privately find exhausting?

01:03:12 Shoutouts and closing thoughts

01:09:09 Outro

The conversation covers the latest pinball news, including the release of Sonic by Jersey Jack Pinball and the impact of different pinball companies' strategies on the market. It also delves into the influence of licensing, limited runs, and the outreach of pinball companies to YouTubers for promotion. The conversation covers pinball marketing strategies, the considerations for owning a pinball machine, and new pinball machine releases and modules. Pinball companies are leveraging content creators for promotion, and owning a pinball machine requires careful consideration of space, budget, and technical support. Additionally, new pinball machine releases and modules are discussed, highlighting the excitement around potential new games and experiences.

Takeaways

• Pinball news and releases
• Different pinball companies and their strategies Pinball companies are reaching out to content creators to review and promote their pinball machines.
• Owning a pinball machine requires consideration of space, budget, and access to technical support.

Show Notes Links:
https://www.pinballpirate.com/ - Norcal Pinball Dealer
https://youtu.be/j_bl2g6PKEg?si=BnY2hrsjD4OMaeRo - TOTAN Footage
https://youtu.be/6f-XDgJw8b8?si=P8Ov9pBKlVYRToCN - Short Circuit
https://youtu.be/fZtBT7dL3n0?si=ZLy2-yI_0KukWfLb - LGR

https://www.pinballremakes.com/ - Pedretti

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YBcPj5I5yfq-Ge1FxZSfKM2C-06CoXhu/view?usp=sharing - Carni-ball

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Pinball Minority Report

01:44 Jersey Jack Sonic Pinball

09:26 Jersey Jack vs Stern & other pinball companies

16:39 Pedretti Tales of the Arabian Nights

20:17 Game Units & Licenses

23:36 Stern's Marketing & Insight

29:56 Owning Your First Pinball Machine: Key Considerations

34:31 Building a Community Around Pinball

40:20 The Future of Pinball: Upcoming Games and Trends

50:48 New Multimorphic 3rd Party Game

53:40 Outro

Erika and Manu discuss their experiences at the Golden State Pinball Festival and Fanime, highlighting the community involvement, pinball tournaments, and cosplay culture. They also share insights from the impact of pinball on the anime community. The conversation also covers the distinction between operators and home buyers, the challenges of pinball design and serviceability, and the discussion of Stern's newest Transformers pinball game.

Takeaways

• Community involvement in pinball events is essential for creating a fun and engaging experience.
• Pinball has the potential to bridge gaps and introduce new audiences to the game through events
• Distinction between operators and home buyers
• Challenges of pinball design and serviceability
• Discussion of Stern's Transformers pinball game

Chapters

• 00:00 Intro
• 03:24 Community Engagement at Golden State Pinball Festival
• 08:39 Challenges and Triumphs of Bringing a Pinball Machine to an Event
• 19:43 Experiencing Fanime: A New Perspective
• 26:56 Fanime Experience and Community Engagement
• 32:09 Operator vs. Home Buyer Perspectives
• 48:49 Transformers Pinball: Anticipation and Insights
• 54:37 Outro