Episode 46: Can Spooky Pinball catch lightning in a bottle twice w/ Beetlejuice?
In this special LIVE episode of The FlipSide Podcast, we’re diving into everything happening in pinball right now, the big reveals, the rumors, and your live questions! 🍻 There will be drinks, so who knows where this one’s going to end up… We’ll be talking Beetlejuice, The Walking Dead Remastered, and what’s coming next in pinball! 🕹️ LOOKING TO BUY A PINBALL MACHINE? Visit Flip N’ Out Pinball for new and used machines: 👉 🎯 WANT TO COMPETE? Find a tournament near you on the official IFPA calendar: 👉 📣 LEAVE ME A VOICEMAIL I might play it on the show! 🎙️ 🎙️ CHECK OUT MY PINBALL PODCAST – “The Flipside” 👉 • Spotify: • Apple Podcasts: 👉
Kineticist’s take
Retro Ralph analyzes Beetlejuice hype and Evil Dead success as a design inflection point for the industry.
Synopsis
Retro Ralph hosts a live episode of The The Flipside Pinball Podcast discussing the massive hype around Spooky Pinball upcoming Beetlejuice release, analyzing why Evil Dead was so successful and what expectations Spooky now faces. He reflects on Spooky's theme integration, code design, and callouts as key differentiators, comments on Stern's strategic position and pricing concerns, discusses his own collecting philosophy, and speculates on Jersey Jersey Jack Pinball trajectory with Harry Potter as their breakout title.
Highlights
- Evil Dead succeeded not primarily because of its theme but because of exceptional theme integration, understandable code design, and high-quality callouts that work for both new and experienced players
- Beetlejuice is already sold out before an official trailer/announcement, creating day-one sellout status and potential value retention issues that have been absent from pinball for a while
- Stern released Walking Dead remaster gameplay on the same day Spooky launched Beetlejuice, which Retro Ralph views as potentially a strategic mistake if Stern is trying not to appear threatened
- Christopher Franchi artwork on Beetlejuice has been praised by early viewers as capturing the theme exceptionally well, similar to his work on Evil Dead
- Spooky Pinball games have been considered 'brick fests' (reliability issues) historically, which is a concern for Beetlejuice despite the hype
- Harry Potter is their breakout game that has given them their own 'Spooky moment,' with the next JJP title potentially being Sonic the Hedgehog designed by Steve Ritchie
- Beetlejuice is the only game in history to sell out before the title was officially announced
- Retro Ralph would buy a Back to the Future pinball machine sight unseen based on theme alone
Entities
- Electric Bat Arcade· company
- Jersey Jack Pinball· company
- Spooky Pinball· company
- Stern Pinball· company
- Amusement Expo International· event
- Pinball Expo· event
- Avatar· game
- Beetlejuice· game
- Elton John· game
- Evil Dead· game
- Harry Potter· game
- Jim Henson's Labyrinth· game
- Jurassic Park· game
- Sonic the Hedgehog· game
- Walking Dead· game
- Bug· person
- Cary Hardy· person
- Christopher Franchi· person
- Jack Danger· person
- Mason· person
- Retro Ralph· person
- Steve Ritchie· person