Touch Grass Folks

We’re coming down from a busy couple of weeks around the Texas Pinball Festival. But we wouldn’t go so far as to call it a news lull because there’s still quite a bit to talk about.

This week we’ve got:

• A pinball-themed song (and album and cover art) of the week

• Pinball news of the week

  • Ninja Eclipse gameplay stream (plus did they win TPF?)

  • New Ghostbusters tutorial

  • Next Level expansion (plus an interview!)

• Creator highlights of the week (new internet drama!)

• Meme of the week

• Poll of the week

• MGC ticket giveaway winner

Song of the Week

Bit of an obscure hip-hop release for y’all this week. The song is called Pinball, off the album Pinball by MIKE & Tony Seltzer. Most will be familiar with the album’s artwork, a sketch of the 90s classic table, Space Cadet. The song name, album name, and artwork alone meant I had to include it, but it helps that the record is good on its own, receiving an 8.0 from Pitchfork. Plus, you can listen to the whole thing in less than 30 minutes.

The album art is done by fellow artist and frequent collaborator Vinny Fanta.

Pinball News of the Week

Turner Pinball Releases Ninja Eclipse Gameplay Video; Did They Win TPF?

Quickly after their appearance at the Texas Pinball Festival, Turner Pinball released a gameplay stream of Ninja Eclipse. For a first production title, there’s a lot to like about this game. Having played an earlier version at Pinball Expo in 2023, I can confirm that it’s fun to shoot. The code seems reasonably developed, the art/animation is impressive for an original theme, and the reduced price point makes it easier to take a flier on.

As I think about the aftermath of TPF, I can’t help but ask the question—did Turner Pinball win the festival? Based on the internet chatter I’ve seen, no one else has flipped their fortunes quite as much as Turner. People at least went from dismissing the project entirely to open consideration, if not outright support.

From my vantage point, here’s how I’d break it down.

• Massively exceeded goals/expectations: Turner Pinball, all the custom pins

• Slightly exceeded goals/expectations: Spooky Pinball

• Met goals/expectations: Stern, Jersey Jack, Multimorphic, Barrels of Fun, Chicago Gaming, American, Pinball Brothers

New Ghostbusters Tutorial from James McFatter

In honor of the release of the latest chapter in the Ghostbusters film franchise, we’ve got another awesome tutorial from James McFatter, this time going super in-depth into Stern’s 2016 release, Ghostbusters. He explains why the game can be a little polarizing for players, what makes it difficult to handle, key shots to master, and so much more.

Next Level Pinball Museum Expands

Next Level Pinball Museum in Hillsboro, OR, completed a new expansion that makes it the 4th largest public pinball collection in North America. We chatted with co-owner Jordan Carlson about the expansion, what it means for the business, and how exactly Next Level gets so many TWIPY votes year after year!

Creator Highlights of the Week

• I enjoyed the conversation that Final Round Pinball Podcast had with Germain Mariolle about the IFPA and competitive pinball scene. If I recall correctly Germain is one of the most prolific tournament organizers in the country so it’s interesting hearing his perspective.

• In Before the Lock went hog wild at the Texas Pinball Festival and returned with 12 interviews with folks like Brad Albright, Chris Turner, Aaron Davis, Gerry Stellenberg, and others.

• Wormhole Pinball released a neat documentary-style video about restoring a Zidware Magic Girl with Clint Warren and Travis Moseman.

• Tim Sexton explains proper technique for flipping, post passing, and stage flipping as a continuation of his Pinball Tips series, which was last updated six years ago. Watch out for that pesky carpal tunnel!

• Noted Haggis Pinball shill (jkjk) Cary Hardy unboxed a Centaur: Orblivion Edition at TPF and kicked off a whole round of dumb internet drama.

Meme of the Week

Honestly I’m just mad I didn’t think of this first.

MGC Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Garrett M. for winning two Sunday passes to this year’s Midwest Gaming Classic! We’ll contact you soon with instructions for claiming your tickets.

Poll of the Week

Last Week’s Poll Results

Which pinball news item are you most mad about?

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ A BBQ-themed game (1)

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ Expensive Foo Fighters accessories (12)

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ A rumored disco pin (13)

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Nothing, pinball is awesome! (18)

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