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BASH Pinball Podcast
BASH Pinball Podcast
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We Try To Start An Arcade + Pinball School!!

PodcastAnalysis updated 5d ago45 min listen
From the creator

We talk about our first attempt to start a pinball arcade. Plus our new segment “Pinball School” where we learn a thing or two from a game or two from 1992. Games Discussed: Data East Hook, Williams...

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Highlights

  • A new pinball game on location should pay itself off in six months (best case) to one year
  • Portland metropolitan area has significantly more pinball machines than the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill triangle despite similar population size
  • Most arcades make 50-70% of revenue from food and drink, not games
  • North Carolina private club liquor licensing is restrictive and prevents advertising or public guests
  • It took the speaker approximately 20 hours of Hook gameplay before feeling comfortable with basic aiming and control
  • Hook's left ramp is significantly more engaging than most modern game skill shots
  • The Chapel Hill/Carrboro area has community demand for accessible pinball but nowhere to play regularly

Notable quotes

“If it doesn't do this [six months payoff], there's a problem.”
Arcade operator panel at Expo (paraphrased)
“There's certainly interest in our local small network of people from here. We have willing participants when the next opportunity arises now.”
Bash host
“He was like, what can you do? To hunt the pinball savior.”
Bash host (storytelling)
“If we build it, they will come.”
Both hosts
“It took me roughly about 20 hours of just playing hook until I was like, okay, I'm starting to feel like I can kind of aim the ball.”
Bash host (newer player)
“That one thing alone was really all I cared about. Just hitting that ramp over and over again because it's really satisfying.”
Bash host (newer player)
“Most games have comparatively kind of lame skill shots.”
Bash host
“Hook skill shot is still more fun than 90% of modern game skill shots.”
Bash host

Entities

  • Pinball Expo· event
  • Arabian Nights· game
  • Comet, Cyclone, Hurricane· game
  • Dungeons & Dragons· game
  • Hook· game
  • Hurricane· game
  • King Kong· game
  • Lord of the Rings· game
  • Pinbot· game
  • Chapel Hill, North Carolina· location
  • Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Triangle· location
  • Bash Pinball· organization
  • Electric Bat Arcade· organization
  • Logan Arcade· organization
  • Richmond Pinball Collective· organization
  • Wedgehead· organization
  • Alan· person
  • Jack Danger· person
  • Keith Owen· person
  • Kyle· person
  • Nudge Magazine· product

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