They Remade One of the Greatest Pinball Machines Ever… Is It Any Good?
They Remade One of the Greatest Pinball Machines Ever… Is It Any Good?
One of the most beloved Williams pinball machines of the 1990s is back! In this video I get my first proper look at Pedretti Gaming's Tales of the Arabian Nights Remake — and I absolutely love it. Originally released by Williams in 1996 and designed by John Popadiuk, Tales of the Arabian Nights has become a genuine pinball classic. Thirty years later, Pedretti Gaming, in partnership with Planetary Pinball Supply, has brought it back with modern electronics, enhanced lighting and visual effects while retaining the gameplay that made the original so special. I give you a detailed tour of the machine and playfield, looking at the famous Genie, spinning Magic Lamp, ramps, Bazaar, ball locks and magnetic features, as well as explaining some of the basic rules and what you're actually trying to achieve when you play. Then it's time to put some games on it and find out whether the new machine actually feels like Tales of the Arabian Nights. For me, Pedretti have absolutely nailed it. It's charming, beautiful to look at and, most importantly, it feels and plays like the original machine. If you already love Tales of the Arabian Nights, I think there's an awful lot to like here. The remake is available as a Legacy Edition, retaining the original 1996 artwork, and a limited 30th Anniversary Edition featuring completely new artwork from Brian Allen and Flyland Designs. Both versions include the original game code alongside Pedretti's enhanced code, with new DMD animations, atmospheric RGB lighting, FAST Pinball electronics and integrated Scorbit connectivity. Tales of the Arabian Nights Remake is available in the UK through Pinball Heaven: Let me know what you think in the comments. Does the Pedretti remake do justice to the Williams original — and would you have one in your collection? Donate to help the channel here: 👇👇👇
Kineticist’s take
Gonzo reviews Pedretti's Tales of the Arabian Knights remake; excellent execution with minor trough issue.
Synopsis
Gonzo reviews the Pedretti Gaming remake of Tales of the Arabian Knights, a classic Williams pinball game. He was initially skeptical about Pedretti handling the remake after disappointment with their Funhouse remake, but finds Tales of the Arabian Nights remake to be charming, well-playing, and beautifully executed. The main complaint is a trough release/shooter lane issue where the ball doesn't always feed properly, which he hopes can be fixed in software. Pedretti has expanded the code with additional depth beyond the original.
Entities
- Chicago Gaming Company· company
- Pedretti Gaming· company
- PinFest· event
- Attack from Mars· game
- Cactus Canyon· game
- Champion Pub· game
- Funhouse· game
- Jaws· game
- Monster Bash· game
- Sonic the Hedgehog· game
- Star Trek: The Next Generation· game
- Tales of the Arabian Nights· game
- Theatre of Magic· game
- Straight Down The Middle· media
- Chris B· person
- Gonzo· person
- Jakey· person
- Wayne· person
- Pinball Heaven· venue
