Episode 31: Harry Potter - The Final Countdown, will it live up to the hype?!
🎙️ In this episode of TheFlipside, we dive into the highly anticipated release from Jersey Jack Pinball: the Harry Potter pinball machine! With one of the most beloved franchises in cinematic history—spanning eight blockbuster films and a massive global fanbase—Jersey Jack is taking on one of the biggest licenses in pinball history. Will this new Harry Potter-themed pinball machine live up to the magic? Can Jersey Jack not only deliver a game that’s a financial hit but also craft an immersive experience that truly honors the Wizarding World? And most importantly—will this be a must-own game for collectors and die-hard pinball fans? Join us on TheFlipside as we break down what we know so far, speculate on features, and discuss whether this release could be a game-changer in the pinball industry. Looking to Buy a New or Used Pinball Machine?Check out Flip N’ Out Pinball for all your pinball needs! 👉 Visit Flip N' Out Pinball: Buy Your Copy of "Crowd-Funded Superheroes" – I’m a Character in the Book! 📚 Paperback: 🎧 Audiobook: Leave Me a Voicemail – I Might Play It on the Show! 📞 Leave a voicemail here: Looking for More Pinball Content?Check out my pinball podcast, The Flipside Podcast!🎥 Watch the video version of the podcast: Click here🎧 Listen to the audio version: * Spotify: * Apple Podcasts: [RETRO RALPH MERCHANDISE AND CONTACT INFO] If you would like me to do a video review of your product or for other business inquiries, send me an email: retroralph1980@gmail.com
Kineticist’s take
Retro Ralph analyzes Harry Potter hype, JJP pricing strategy, and quality comparisons in pinball market.
Synopsis
Retro Ralph discusses the highly anticipated Harry Potter pinball machine from Jersey Jack, analyzing its pricing tiers (Arcade $10k, Wizard ~$11.9k, CE $14.9k), comparing Jersey Jack's design philosophy and quality to Stern, and expressing optimism about the game's potential despite concerns about unlimited CE production killing collectibility. He also praises Spooky's quality leap with Evil Dead and speculates on upcoming games.
Highlights
- Jersey Jack sells approximately 90% of their machines to home buyers, compared to Stern's 70%
- Harry Potter will share the same playfield across Arcade, Wizard, and CE editions
- Jersey Jack had a flipper feel issue that they addressed, making it more responsive similar to Stern's standard
- The Arcade Edition of Harry Potter is priced at $10,000 and will lack features like Invisiglass, art blades, powder-coated armor, and shaker motor
- Jersey Jack is making unlimited CEs for Harry Potter rather than capping production
- Eric Menear is the lead designer for Harry Potter
- JJP's Arcade Edition strategy previously had 'marginal success' with Guns N' Roses
- Jersey Jack is roughly the second-largest pinball manufacturer in the world by volume and sales
Entities
- Jersey Jack Pinball· company
- Spooky Pinball· company
- Stern Pinball· company
- Dialed In!· game
- Dune· game
- Elton John· game
- Evil Dead· game
- Harry Potter· game
- King Kong· game
- Medieval Madness· game
- Pirates of the Caribbean· game
- Christopher Franchi· person
- Eric Menear· person
- Jack Danger· person
- Jamie Birchall· person
- Kale Hernandez· person
- Ken Cromwell· person
- Nicole Minney· person
- Retro Ralph· person
- Rob· person
- Zach Sharpe· person