EP 1 - Predator Pinball First Impressions

Ken & Greg debut Flippin' Out Podcast with first impressions of Pinball Brothers' Predator, praising atmosphere but noting Arnold absence.

Ken Cromwell and Greg Bone launch the Flippin' Out Pinball Podcast with a first-impressions discussion of Pinball Brothers' Predator game. They praise the cabinet art for capturing jungle ambience without oversaturation, discuss licensing constraints limiting Arnold Schwarzenegger's prominence, analyze playfield toys and mechanics, and express cautious optimism about the game's potential despite minor aesthetic concerns like an out-of-place rebel camp truck sculpture.

Highlights

• Predator is a theme that hits the pinball demographic (late 30s to mid-60s) due to nostalgia appeal and childhood familiarity with the film and its stars.
• Pinball Brothers had to negotiate multiple separate licenses for Arnold Schwarzenegger: artwork, video appearance, voice clips, audio sync, and marketing materials.
• The cabinet art palette is refreshingly natural and muted rather than oversaturated, evoking the jungle film aesthetic effectively.
• Predator is a wide-body, three-flipper game with four ramps.
• The rebel camp truck sculpture looks cartoonish and out of place compared to other playfield details, resembling a school clay diorama or Roger Rabbit vehicle.
• Arnold Schwarzenegger's absence from the playfield and side art is a concern, though licensing negotiations limited available options.
• The minigun toy with spinning action and strobe light effects resembles the satisfying light-show moments in Attack from Mars.