Episode 52 - Gateway Games

Wedgehead hosts debate what makes ideal 'gateway' pinball games for introducing newcomers to the hobby.

Synopsis

Alan and Alex from Wedgehead A Pinball Podcast discuss 'gateway games': pinball machines that best introduce newcomers to the hobby. They establish criteria for gateway games (easy ramps, friendly plunge, central bash toys, good light/sound, simple rules, fan layout) and share their top five picks: Alan's list includes Attack from Mars, Theater of Magic, Scared Stiff, Monster Bash, and Lord of the Rings; Alex's includes Medieval Madness, World Cup Soccer, Scared Stiff, Godzilla (Premium), and The Sopranos.

Highlights

• Attack from Mars was the game that first hooked Alan into pinball
• Theater of Magic was the gateway game for Alan's wife Casey
• Lord of the Rings was Alex's wife Megan's gateway game
• Good gateway games need easy-to-hit shots, especially ramps
• Star Wars has a dangerous plunge that turns people away from pinball
• Attack from Mars and Medieval Madness cannot be overrated because they get thousands of people into pinball
• Lord of the Rings is impossible to lose the ball as a skilled player on factory settings
• About 20-25 Sopranos machines ended up in Portland, Oregon

Entities

• Attack from Mars· game
• Godzilla· game
• Iron Man· game
• Lord of the Rings· game
• Medieval Madness· game
• Monster Bash· game
• Scared Stiff· game
• The Sopranos· game
• Theater of Magic· game
• Whitewater· game
• World Cup Soccer· game
• Wedgehead Pinball Podcast· organization
• Alan· person
• Alex· person
• Brian Eddy· person
• Casey· person
• George Gomez· person
• Greg Ferrer· person
• John Rhys-Davis· person
• Megan· person
• Pat Lawlor· person
• Ty Ueda· person
• Zoe· person