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Song of the Week

I try not to get too political in this newsletter. Those of you who have been reading for a while now can easily read between the lines to know where I stand on things, but when it comes down to it, I don’t care what team you’re on as long as we can still throw down on a 4-player game of Doggy Soccer and have some fun together. One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about my time in pinball is that it has been one of the few places where personal politics stays (mostly) on the sidelines, even if it does bleed into the online discourse from time to time, as it does in most places. It’s become a small respite from all the other things in the world that are just absolute garbage.

That said, I’ve been saving this 2016 DJ Shadow / Run The Jewels collaboration for this very moment. As most of our American readers know, next week is election week, and the music video for Nobody Speak seems to hit harder every election cycle.

In it, two political factions argue their differences through an epic rap battle, which eventually descends into an all-out brawl (closer to a slap-fight, really). It’s equal parts absurd and prescient, and I occasionally wish for this rap battle version of politics rather than whatever it is we have to deal with today. The sequence at the end with the flag and the cleaning crew seriously gets me every time.

Anyway, my PSA for this edition of the newsletter is that no matter which side you support, make it a point to GO VOTE on Tuesday if you haven’t done so already.

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Pinball News of the Week

Pinball Expo: 40 Years of Flipping Fun

Yeah, we covered some of our Expo experience last week, but Kineticist writer Matt Owen one-upped my coverage with his own comprehensive recap of the show (with more to come). It’s really well done and includes some great quotes from several pinball luminaries, like this one from George Gomez, who shares his thoughts on some of the homebrew games: “The playfield on Portal is exceptional, Borderlands 2 is super unique. It's just so hard to pick any favorites as they're all so cool.”

A quick aside on a fun but maybe overlooked part of Pinball Expo this year… the Adventures of Flippy comic. This is the kind of marketing material that gets me going. And I’m not not going to take some credit for this idea; after all, we did produce an entirely made-up “interview” with Flippy as part of our Pinball Expo coverage last year (it’s called a creative exercise). I love that we’re seeing Flippy’s universe come to life here, including an entire album of original Flippy songs. How about a Flippy animated series next??

New Uncanny X-Men Tutorial

Noah Crable has been churning out some excellent tutorials lately (we have a bunch more in the queue), and his Uncanny X-Men tutorial is another gem. I’m glad he could get some time on the game so that I can actually learn how to play it as its location rollout continues.

An Evening at the Insert Coin Museum Exhibit

Deviating from the pinball content for a moment to bring you a look at the recent premier event for the new museum exhibit from the Insert Coin documentary, which highlights a ton of awesome behind-the-scenes materials from the development of 1990s arcade classics like NBA Jam and Mortal Kombat.

Author Derek Karamanian took many great photos and video, too, so you can live vicariously through his content like I have.

Odds and Ends

None of these are enough to do a whole article about on their own, but each is worth calling out for the pinball news of the week!

Jersey Jack Pinball dropped a new beta code update for their 2018 release, Pirates of the Caribbean, which appears to add the long-awaited final wizard mode.

Chicago Gaming Company shared that Pulp Fiction LEs are on the line, and set to ship within weeks.

Turner Pinball officially sold out of their first game, Ninja Eclipse

Barrels of Fun shared a new Labyrinth rules map, which is perfect timing since we just pulled ours off location and will be playing it a lot more soon.

Pinball Map Location of the Week

Ryan and Scott from Pinball Map run a regular series that highlights one new pinball location each week. This week, Scott writes about HI Score.

I have a significant shortcoming: I've never visited Hawaii. To me, a Hawaiian vacation seemed like a luxurious indulgence reserved for TV stars like the Brady Bunch or the cast of Full House. I grasped the basics – don't steal the rocks, graciously accept leis, and politely attempt to surf in front of a crowded beach. However, my sense of aloha stemmed from childhood trips to Walt Disney World's Polynesian Resort. Once I could plan my own vacations, I veered sharply into "adventure travel," viewing comfortable trips as a regression to my Disney World era. But now, in my twilight years, I've mellowed, seeking experiences focused on umbrella drinks rather than danger. So imagine my thrill upon discovering HI Score, a new pinball destination in Kailua-Kona.

HI Score (I like what we did here) is coming in hot with 12 pinball machines. Many of these machines are from the 90s, which I consider “my era” of pinball. Back then, sweaty teens masked their scent with Speed Stick, and no one proudly admitted to visiting arcades. If the 90s aren't your era, reading about those machines probably makes you yawn and swipe aggressively past this post. I beg you hold, because there is more. HI Score offers free popcorn. When was the last time that you had free popcorn at a pinball spot? Personally, I can’t recall ever having it, and I live in the most pinball-dense city in the world. Allergic to corn? Let me sell you on VALUE: all-day pinball costs only $14, and a month's access is just $28! Wow. Maybe you're a pinball monk, unimpressed by 90s machines or free popcorn. Allow me to fire my final and most potent salvo: karaoke. Live mic; sing as many songs as you want. You could even sing "Pinball Wizard," and the owners would probably act like you're the first. HI Score is out there in the middle of the ocean, doing its best to pull you in and give you the best pinball experience you’ve ever had. Stop fighting this.

We all face an absolute certainty: death, which will come soon for many of us. Given this, I implore you to slow down and ponder how you'll spend your remaining time. You want to play as much pinball as possible, I understand. You likely have a list of machines you'd like to play before your time runs out. And maybe HI Score doesn't offer a rare gem from that list. But perhaps life is truly about vibes, and pinball is just one morsel of those vibes. Maybe the path to GC runs directly through someone's rousing rendition of "9 to 5." Maybe that path is paved with heavily buttered popcorn. Come down to Hawaii and find out.

HI Score
77-6425 Kuakini Hwy, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Website

Links of the Week

• Silverball Chronicles released a new podcast taking a look at the Gottlieb family, specifically David Gottlieb and his company D. Gottlieb & Co.

• In Before the Lock released a series of 8 interviews from Pinball Expo, edited into fun-sized pieces featuring conversations with Sterling Plays Pinball, Chris Franchi, Melvin Williams, Aaron Davis, and others.

• Don’s Pinball Podcast shared a tour of the new Spooky Pinball factory.

• I enjoyed this video from newer creator Nightlite Pinball, which covered a few common pinball playstyles. There’s even a short Buzzfeed-style quiz you can take in their Patreon, which brought back fond memories of the one we did a long time ago, “Which Pinball Manufacturer Are You.” It was my first taste of questionable feedback from the pinball community. 😂

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