PinBot Daily Pinball Digest for 5/7/2025

Author

Colin Alsheimer
May 07, 2025 • Time to Read: 9 minutes

With new games on location, tech upgrades behind the scenes, and a global mix of podcasts and gameplay streams, today captures the pulse of both arcade and pinball worlds. Big stories orbit around arcade launches—Cyberpunk 2077 hits Dave & Buster’s while Maryland’s Six Flags calls it curtains—and Stern continues their march of menu updates across older titles. Meanwhile, podcasters and streamers dig deep into classic machines, operator woes, and a packed slate of festivals and repairs.

Industry News

Knapp Arcade: Update on Dutch Pinball Exclusive and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
2025-05-06
A new interview with Dutch Pinball Exclusive reveals the latest on their collaboration with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, covering licensing, progress, and future plans.
Link: https://www.knapparcade.org/post/update-on-dutch-pinball-exclusive-and-alice-s-adventures-in-wonderland

Knapp Arcade: Stern Pinball is Implementing new Menu System in Older Games; Kong Production Update; Pinball Brothers' Predator Delayed
2025-05-06
Stern’s improved service menu system is being rolled retroactively into select older machines. There's also a brief on King Kong’s production run status and an update on delays affecting Pinball Brothers' Predator.
Link: https://www.knapparcade.org/post/stern-pinball-is-implementing-new-menu-system-in-older-games-kong-production-update-pinball-brothe

Replay Magazine: LAI Games Launches Cyberpunk 2077 at D&B
2025-05-06
Arcade shooter Cyberpunk 2077: Turf Wars, from LAI Games, debuts exclusively at U.S. and Canadian Dave & Buster’s locations this summer, with broader international release rolling out now.
Link: https://www.replaymag.com/lai-games-launches-cyberpunk-2077-at-db/

Replay Magazine: Zap Zone XL Named IAAPA’s FEC of the Year
2025-05-06
Michigan’s Zap Zone XL fun center earned the 2024 Top FEC of the Year award at IAAPA Honors, highlighting operational excellence in the amusement industry.
Link: https://www.replaymag.com/zap-zone-xl-named-iaapas-fec-of-the-year/

Replay Magazine: Maryland’s Six Flags Done After This Season
2025-05-06
Six Flags America in Maryland is set for closure and will be listed for sale at the end of the 2025 season, marking a major location loss for the East Coast arcade and amusement community.
Link: https://www.replaymag.com/marylands-six-flags-done-after-this-season/

Replay Magazine: AMOA Jackpotting Webinar Now May 13
2025-05-06
An upcoming AMOA webinar on ATM jackpotting has been rescheduled for May 13, offering insight from leading ATM operators and security experts.
Link: https://www.replaymag.com/amoa-jackpotting-webinar-now-may-13/

Replay Magazine: Operator Conrad Storz Speaks Out About ATMs
2025-05-06
Conrad Storz, a regional ATM operator, calls attention to security and communication challenges facing the ATM side of the coin-op business.
Link: https://www.replaymag.com/operator-conrad-storz-speaks-out-about-atms/

Gameplay & Reveals

dirtypoolpinball: Lord Of The Rings Pinball - Ep08 - We're Taking The Hobbits To The Great Pyramid
2025-05-06
Playthrough showcasing quirky journeys across the Lord of the Rings table, with a spotlight on mode strategies and amusing commentary.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lKyXWiei_U

dirtypoolpinball: Lord of the Rings Pinball - Rollercoastersss Trolls Me (Again) | #dirtypoolpinball on #Twitch
2025-05-06
The streamer tangles with the infamous Rollercoastersss, dissecting ball paths and recovering from brutal “trolled” moments.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghr6e8e9ZjE

dirtypoolpinball: Lord of the Rings Pinball - Talking Elvira, Saving Myself | #dirtypoolpinball on #Twitch
2025-05-06
A bounce between Lord of the Rings gameplay and a detour into Elvira chat, including technique discussion and self-rescue shots.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmPFmvHFt8o

Fox Cities Pinball: Metallica Remastered Gameplay Tutorial
2025-05-06
Step-by-step gameplay tutorial for Metallica Remastered, highlighting ideal shot selection, rule nuances, and high-score tactics.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxYi6ZuM29M

Fox Cities Pinball: Big Money! | #foxcitiespinball on #Twitch
2025-05-06
Dynamic pinball gameplay stream, focused on risk-reward shots and chasing big jackpots.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZUehtBGwdg

Stern Pinball: Like a moth to a flame.
2025-05-06
A new promotional teaser, with lush visuals and a cryptic tagline, possibly hinting at future themes or features.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzHHIbTJjzA

Vic_VP: I,Robot REBOOT from Atari! Works with joystick but wtf am I doing? #Atari #gaming #arcade #irobot
2025-05-06
Dive into this live run of Atari’s cult classic I,Robot, as the streamer tests joystick controls and puzzles through on-the-fly gameplay mechanics.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhpzjrUq0hI

Hurry Up Pinball: JJP's Toy Story (EP329) - 5.6.2025
2025-05-06
Hands-on with Jersey Jack’s Toy Story, detailing modes, toy integrations, and key playfield moments.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgbg1BWwrT4

EnterYourInitials: Episode 415 - Stern Pinball's Jurassic Park - Deducting Jackpots From Staff Salaries
2025-05-06
Laid-back session tackling Jurassic Park’s rules and bonus mechanics, with plenty of humor and a behind-the-scenes operator story or two.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE40z9LGDlc

Don't Panic Flip: Episode 894: Stern Pinball's Jaws Pro
2025-05-07
Fresh gameplay session pinballing through Stern's Jaws Pro, featuring commentary on modes, scoring, and dynamic strategy.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZjkRjTmQ_E

Podcasts & Streams

The Spinner is Lit Podcast: Episode 75-Part 1_GSPF Preview with Practical Steve
2025-05-06
Practical Steve from the Northern California Pinball Association previews the 2025 Golden State Pinball Festival, teasing rare machines, community highlights, and this year’s new features.
Link: https://soundcloud.com/thespinnerislit/episode-75-part-1_gspf-preview

LoserKid Pinball: Ep 167: Hangover Pinball with Reby Hardy and Brian Soares
2025-05-06
The hosts are joined by Reby Hardy and Brian Soares to talk hangover pinball—how to play (and survive) tournaments after late nights, plus stories from the frontlines.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhLqZ93Ij8E

dirtypoolpinball: Dirty Pool Podcast Ep01 – Kineticist on the State of Pinball News
2025-05-06
A candid, high-level discussion about the evolving pinball news landscape, featuring insights into media cycles, misinformation, and fan content from Kineticist.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KS2AfTIPgUU

Vic_VP: GTA TALK! Arcade Community Live Stream! Anyone Can Join!
2025-05-07
Open live chat for the arcade and gaming community, centered on Grand Theft Auto but extending into arcade updates and collector culture.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE2u5-YvDRk

Mods, Repairs & Tech

Frisco Pinball: Venom Topper and Shooter Rod installed! Thank you @FlipNOutPinball!
2025-05-06
Quick walkthrough of customizations for Venom Pinball: installation of a new topper and shooter rod, with close-ups and installer tips.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9zynmWGPD8

Pinball Shenanigans: Part 8: 1981 Stern Viper Project! LED's and Ball Walker Mech!
2025-05-06
Ongoing restoration of a Stern Viper, focused this episode on LED upgrades and repairing the unique ball walker mechanism.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR_H0390rGs

Chris Hibler Pinball: Williams WPC General Illumination Problem Debug - Failed 74LS374 at U1
2025-05-07
Step-by-step debug of a failed 74LS374 chip responsible for losing GI lighting, including diagnosis, replacement, and testing.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DF8wRBKvo0

*Note: Our daily updates are a semi-automated project leveraging AI and human curation. It will evolve!

Thank you for reading!

More ways to connect:

Reply

or to participate.