Episode 8: "I suck at Pinball Tournaments, should I QUIT?"
In this episode we discuss my mental block when playing competitive pinball. We will also discuss my confusion around fellow Pinball podcaster Kaneda and his view on games that suck and why... Is it schtick or does he just not play pinball?!
Kineticist’s take
Tournament struggles, mental blocks, and defending modern Stern game design
Synopsis
Retro Ralph discusses his struggling tournament performance despite improved home play skills, attributing the gap to mental pressure, competitive anxiety, and potential differences in machine setup (waxing, pitch, tilt sensitivity). He reflects on his three-year pinball journey, defends game design philosophy against Kaneda's criticism of John Wick's toy count, and commits to continuing tournament play rather than quitting. The episode also hints at upcoming Stern announcements related to X-Men and news surrounding Pinball Expo.
Highlights
- Ralph's tournament performance (usually 4th place out of 5 games per night) doesn't match his home play ability with games like Godzilla and John Wick
- Machine setup differences (waxing, pitch, tilt sensitivity) at the tournament venue affect ball behavior differently than home machines
- Kaneda acts like John Wick is 'the shittiest game that Stern has ever created' due to insufficient mechanical toys/devices
- Modern Stern games (Jaws, Jurassic Park, Godzilla) have sufficient mechanical innovation and don't lack toys
- Ralph recently purchased Godzilla 70th Anniversary edition and lost money on the transaction due to mods and trading costs
- Pinball game prices are higher than historical levels, particularly LE editions at $13,000+
- Game code ships incomplete on modern pinball machines across all manufacturers; games improve through updates
- Ralph's primary barrier to tournament success is mental/psychological (getting in his own head, competitive pressure) rather than skill or game knowledge
Entities
- Stern Pinball· company
- Pinball Expo· event
- Godzilla Pinball· game
- Godzilla Pinball (70th Anniversary)· game
- James Bond Pinball· game
- Jaws Pinball· game
- John Wick Pinball· game
- Jurassic Park Pinball· game
- Stranger Things Pinball· game
- Venom Pinball· game
- Player One Arcade· organization
- Kaneda· person
- Kevin· person
- Retro Ralph· person
- Rudy· person