The Golden Age of Pinball: Is It Happening RIGHT NOW?
The Golden Age of Pinball: Is It Happening RIGHT NOW?
Are we living in the golden age of pinball right now? In this episode, we dive into one of the biggest questions in the pinball hobby: is modern pinball better than ever, or are we just caught up in the moment? I also talk about how my own perspective might be shaped by when I entered the hobby. I got into pinball around 5–6 years ago, so the era of modern Stern, Jersey Jack Pinball, Chicago Gaming, Spooky Pinball, American Pinball, and all of these new releases has been my “normal.” But for veteran players who grew up on EMs, solid-state games, or the classic Bally/Williams era, the golden age of pinball might mean something completely different. We discuss the moving scale of nostalgia, why every generation of players may see “their era” as the best, and whether some longtime pinball fans have evolved with modern pinball — or if modern rules, deeper code, LCD screens, licensed themes, and complex modes have changed the hobby too much for some players. From classic pinball machines to today’s feature-packed games, we ask the big question: are we actually in the golden age of pinball… or will we only realize it years from now? Drop a comment and let me know: what do YOU think is the true golden age of pinball? Looking to Buy a New or Used Pinball Machine? LEAVE ME A VOICEMAIL, and I might play it on the show! Looking for more Pinball Content? Check out my pinball podcast, “The Flipside Podcast.” Video Version of the Podcast can be found here: Want to listen to the podcast instead? Here are links to Spotify and 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 argues modern pinball's software depth matters more than mechanical load, dividing the community generationally.
Synopsis
Retro Ralph explores whether modern pinball is experiencing a golden age, arguing that generational differences in entry point shape what players value. He contends modern pinball is software-heavy and thematically integrated rather than mechanically loaded, defends games like John Wick and Transformers despite sparse mechanics, and questions why some in the community resist this evolution. Ralph reflects on his own entry into the hobby ~5 years ago during the LCD era and contrasts his preferences with older players who may feel mechs were removed.
Highlights
- Ralph entered the pinball hobby approximately 5 years ago during the Godzilla Expo (first post-COVID), immersed in the LCD/code-heavy era
- Modern pinball shifted to software-heavy design around 2005 onward, not as a conscious removal of mechs but as modernization with more CPU/memory from LCD screens
- Transformers Optimus Prime transformer mechanism didn't make it to production due to reliability issues, confirmed by George Gomez and Stern at Northwest gaming show
- John Wick received complete code overhaul, making it a vastly different experience than original release despite same physical playfield
- Dune's popularity stems from deep code, layout uniqueness, and thematic integration (soundtrack, video assets, callouts) rather than mechanical complexity
- Transformers game sales appear to be struggling, with Ralph expressing concern about launch momentum and downstream sales impact
- Spooky games Evil Dead and TNA represent different design philosophies: Evil Dead code-heavy with selective mechs, TNA simplistic layout with strong shot flow
- Stern releases 4-5 games per year, creating market saturation where launch momentum is critical to success
Entities
- Flippin Out Pinball· company
- Jersey Jack Pinball· company
- Spooky Pinball· company
- Stern Pinball· company
- Northwest Gaming and Pinball Show· event
- Beetlejuice (game)· game
- D&D (game)· game
- Dune (game)· game
- Evil Dead (game)· game
- Godzilla (game)· game
- Jaws (game)· game
- John Wick (game)· game
- Metallica (game)· game
- Pokemon (game)· game
- TNA (game)· game
- Transformers (game)· game
- Pinside· organization
- Triple Drain· organization
- Elliot Eismin· person
- George Gomez· person
- Jeff (Dirty Pool)· person
- Kim· person
- Retro Ralph· person
- Electric Bat· venue