THIS WEEK IN PINBALL – 6/19/23: HEXA Space Hunt Review, Mike Kalinowski (Homepin) Interview, 90s Bally/Williams Videos & MORE

Aussie Pinball Podcast Interviews Mike Kalinowski of Homepin

Dr. John of the Aussie Pinball Podcast interviewed Mike Kalinowski of Homepin. Here is what we learned:

• Mike overviews how he started his pinball journey

• Discusses getting into pinball production and licensing

• Mike had a distaste for US customers and purposely picked Thunderbirds to not appeal to the American market

• He talks about the negative reviews of Thunderbirds

• He approaches pinball from a technical perspective and not a player’s

• Rants multiple times against using computer motherboards for pinball machines

• Mike discusses who Thunderbirds was geared toward and how popular it has been

• Talks about issues in production in China that they have gone through and moving the factory to Taiwan

• Has only produced sample This Is Spinal Tap pinball machines at this point with production games close to shipment to Europe in 1 to 2 months

• Spelling out International Rescue was a last-minute addition to the code on Thunderbirds

• No clear coat on their playfields, and claims Haggis copied from them

• Discusses modifying the flipper mechs to improve power

• They have secured another movie theme license that is famous and owned by 6 different players

• The new theme will NOT have many of the movie assets. It will NOT have a DMD or monitor

• They are NOT targeting pinball enthusiasts, just someone who might want a game in their home

• Mike plans to show off a game at the 2024 Pinball Expo in Chicago

• Their goal is $4,999 USD retail

Check out the podcast

Ultimate Roundup of 1990s Bally/Williams Promo Vids

If you’re in the mood for oodles of nostalgic pinball cheese, have we got the article for you! Knapp Arcade created a roundup of every 1990s Bally/Williams promotional video he can find; including gems from games like Johnny Mnemonic (pictured above), Medieval Madness, No Fear, and more.

Check out the full list of 90’s promo vids

Space Hunt Review in Pinball Mag

Pinball Mag and Syl Vain give us the first detailed review of Space Hunt, the new game from fellow countrymen HEXA Pinball:

• Notes the long history of pinball machines produced in France

• Covers some more background about HEXA pinball, like how the HEXA name nods to how many of the founding members are spread throughout France, and France’s nickname “L’Hexagone” due to the country’s hexagonal shape

• Says the machines artwork is more impressive in person than what the photos can show off

• 40% of the game’s code was implemented at the time of review. An additional 30% is complete but getting debugged, and the remaining 30% is in development

• Says the team was inspired heavily by Spooky Pinball and Total Nuclear Annihilation

• Calls attention to some unique features like a pause function, a dedicated app with the ability to adjust the settings of your game and access test functions

• In this review, at least, it comes across a bit more clearly that Space Hunt is a French-built product intended for customers in France, and details like pricing, are meant to be competitive with what a Stern Pro game would cost in that market

• The author seems impressed with the effort, with the disclaimer that they are judging it in an incomplete state

Read the full article

Limited Edition Pinball Stickers from Pinball Degenerates and Kineticist

Now available in the Kineticist Shop, an exclusive, limited run of rad custom-commissioned pinball vinyl stickers from a group of talented indie artists. These stickers are the brainchild of Joe Ciaravino, founder and Degenerate-in-Chief of the Pinball Degenrates Facebook group, one of the best pinball communities online. The packs come with 11 unique sticker designs, with $15/set sold going to Project Pinball, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity organization that places pinball machines in Children’s Hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses.

Go Behind the Scenes of Whirlwind: Total Chaos with Voice Actor Marc Glass

Noted voice actor Marc Glass released a quick behind-the-scenes video from some of his voice work for the new Whirlwind: Total Chaos conversion kit from Pedretti Gaming.

Past Times Arcade Grand Opening with Retro Ralph

YouTuber Retro Ralph covers the grand opening of Past Times Arcade in Girard, OH. The new location, from Pinball Expo’s Rob Berk, already sports one of the largest collections of games in the US, as it joins the rare 300+ game club alongside other large locations like the Pinball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas and Pinball Perfection in PA.

Make sure to check out the Latest Games and Rumors page.

Disclaimer: Any articles, interviews, or mentions of pinball manufacturers or pinball products is NOT an endorsement.