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Segasa or Sega S.A. Sonic (or was it just Sonic?) Pinball was Spain’s major contribution to the golden age of pinball. Its products evolved from licensed electro-mechanical arcade designs to original solid-state pinball machines under the “Sonic” brand.

Established 1968, Segasa (later Sega S.A. SONIC) initially, imported and distributed American amusement machines before transitioning to local manufacturing due to import restrictions.

Production ceased in 1986, marking the end of Spain’s efforts for world domination and it’s pinball adventure…

Sources:

SEGA-SONIC, una historia entre el éxito y la nostalgia (Spanish) – Here

1937 Hollywood movie Way Out West. Here

Segasa/Sonic Games list. Here and Here

Easy Paella Recipe. Here

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Topic begins at 12:28

Episode Summary:

Pinball has had a dramatic change since the end of the modern DMD era at Stern. The designers we all know and love from the 80s and 90s have begun to retire, slow down, or leave the industry. A new wave of designers has started to slide in and learn from the masters… The first major new designer to come along was the tournament player Keith Elwin.

Some say Keith Elwin is the second coming of our lord and saviour Steve Ritchie. Others say ‘in Elwin we trust’… but is that all hype? Has Keith Elwin changed the pinball designer game as much as some believe?

Join us this month as we chat about the second coming golden age of pinball, Keith’s dominance of tournament pinball, his deep understanding of repair, play, code, and design, his first pin, and his second smash hit follow-up!

Sources:

Kineticist Keith Elwin Profile

Head2Head Pinball Podcast Ep. 45 – Iron Maiden

Head2Head Pinball Podcast Ep. 106 – Jurassic Park

Just Another Pinball Podcast – Godzilla

 Flip N Out Podcast with Joel E – Jaws

Loser Kid Podcast – King Kong

Pinside Keith Elwin Designer Profile

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Topic begins at 7:35

Episode Summary:

In the third part of our Pinball Downunder series, we look at Homepin.  Homepin was established in 2013 and was born from the hobby business of Mike Kalinowski. It seems like a really smart idea to set up manufacturing in the world’s largest manufacturing country, China, but it turns out to be a mixed bag.

Ron and Dave play it as straight as the possibility can from a manufacturer who struggled out of the gate, overcame some very difficult situations, knows a theme is a must, understands costs are king, and whose owner went on a podcast charm offensive, which was more offensive than charming for the pinball community.

Sources:

HomePin Games List. Here

The Aussie Pinball Podcast, Ep 16 – Mike from Homepin

YouTube. Mike Kalinowski. Here

HomePin Facebook Page. Here

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Episode Begins at 16:52  

Episode Summary:

Ron and Dave Return to the Gottliebs, one of the best-known names in pinball. But did you know about Michael Gottlieb and the company he started with his father Alvin? Let’s chat about Gottlieb’s sale (again), the changes at the company and why they happened, Cheater the Gottlieb delivery driver, how Michael Gottlieb ended up in pinball following his family’s exit, his famous pinball last name, Alvin G. & Co, when did Clowns becoming creepy, and finally what he does now!

Sources:

Expo Speech – Here

The Gottlieb Name Change (Mylstar)- Here

The Gottlieb’s Picture – Here

Alvin Gottlieb Obituary – Here

AAMA Induction Video – Here

Alvin Gottlieb Game List – here

Youtube

·        Pistol Poker Video – here

·        Richard  (Dick) M. Bueschel – The Pinball Historian. Pinball Expo 1985 Seminar. Here

TopCast, Ep 13 Michael and Alvin Gottlieb.

Pinball News. Expo 2006 Recap. Here.

Episode Summary:

Join us this month where Dave says ‘Swing on Over’ like 40 times in the preamble, Ron spoils JJPs next game with the help of Jersey Jack himself, reviews of 70’s style, Jack’s business building and evolving that business over and over, pinball needing to move to the home consumer market, stripped down Sterns,  building a company from scratch, their first game Wizard of Oz and how it changes pinball forever, and the Abess Family. 

Have you ever heard the saying, “pinball is hard?” Well, the team at Barrels of Fun hasn’t and they decided to smash on ahead and impress pretty much everyone. It’s been over 24 months since they launched their company and their first licensed game… and (as of this recording) they’ve manufactured all the games they said they would. 

Join us as we chat about the loving relationship between two pinball fellas, building a new company from nothing, transformers, art, ramps, picking the bones of Deeproot Pinball, and Dave’s unhealthy love for David Bowie in tight pants… 

Do you find yourself craving? Do you ever hanker for a special little thing? Well, we have had multiple people email and inquire about Hankin, you might say they had a craving for another Australian-based episode. Let’s go down under again with Part 2: Hankerin’ for Hankin and Mr. Pinball!

Let travel together down under this month with a massive correction from our last episode (whoops), some fun Aussie themes, learning about Cricket, fun themes and the craziness of Australian licensing.    

Episode Summary

Our topic this week, nicknamed The King of Flow, the bestselling pinball designer of all time, my favorite designer, and the reason why you know or will know what Meniere’s Disease is: Steve Ritchie.

This episode reviews the early life of Steve Ritchie until his first break from pinball in 1982 which includes his early life, how he became a designer, his first years in the industry at Atari Pinball, moving to Williams and designing some of the biggest modern sellers and most innovative pinball machine in this history of the hobby.

Episode Summary

Before Stern Pinball Inc., which dominates the pinball landscape today, there was Stern Electronics, our second episode’s topic. We cover where Stern Electronics came from, Sam and Gary Stern’s early years, Dave mispronouncing names, the change from electro-mechanical pinball to solid state, the sketchiness around that transition, legendary designer Steve Kirk, Stern’s wild art, and the death of Stern Electronics.

Episode Summary

Our Previous episodes have all been from the early solid-state era. The last 70’s and early 80’s was where the industry went though some of its largest shifts, we call that ‘disruption’ now-a-days. The exit of electro-mechanical pinball and the entrance of solid-state was a watershed moment in the hobby.

Some companies excelled in the new market and some fell almost immediately. Gottlieb well… they became zombies, just refusing to die and walking on and on and on… hanging in there… Somehow…

Today we’re going to review their final years of Gottlieb in the System 3 era.