BlahCade Pinball Podcast
by Chris Friebus and Jared Morgan
A show about digital pinball on mobile, PC, and console from the industry's leading game developers. You'll be treated to segment favorites such as "BlahCade Speculation", interviews with industry leaders, and other tangents (including "real" pinball news) that keep the format fresh and topical. The show originates from the East Coast of Australia and the West Coast of California, with new episodes available when news is worth sharing (which is pretty regularly).
Episodes
-
2025 State of Zen Studios with Mel Kirk
Mel Kirk visits once again and chats with us about all things Zen from 2025, offering a sneak peek at what to expect in 2026. These interview episodes tend to be fan favorites, and you won't want to miss this one at all! Support the show Purchase X-Arcade gear through our affiliate link and get...
-
The 'lost' Halloween Episode!
The Lost Halloween episode! (that should have come out a few days ago but didn't, oops)Lots of pinball tidbits and a fair amount of talk about Alien: Earth
-
Pinball Titles We Love To Suck At
Two topics: Pinball we love to play despite being terrible at the tables. Look at the three tables in Zen's Williams Vol 9 pack: Pin*Bot, Taxi, and Who Dunnit
-
Actual Costs for Premium Pinball Experience
This time we go deep on how much it costs to either have the best Quest 3 VR experience with pinball or on a cabinet with AtGames Legends Pinball 4K. There's a lot to consider, and we're fans of both options! Show notes: https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-291/
-
Tomb Raider Pinball
Lara Croft and her raiding of tombs have been turned into two different pinball tables by Zen, and we're here to take a swan dive into them! Includes gameplay footage from the VR version. Show notes: https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-290/
-
Arcade2TV-XR Pt 2 - Software
Continued discussion of the Arcade2TV-XR controller and the software it comes with, Arcade Ranger and Pinball FX VR. Show notes: https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-289/
-
Is Arcade2TV-XR Our Dream Pinball Controller? (part 1)
On this episode, we discuss if the Arcade2TV-XR controller is the controller all us digital pinball players have been waiting for...or if it misses the mark. This is mostly a hardware discussion as we are saving the software discussion for next time. Show notes:...
-
VR Extravaganza! Pinball FX VR
The podcast provides an extensive and enthusiastic exploration of VR pinball gaming, focusing heavily on the Quest 3 headset experience, Pinball FX VR software, mixed reality features, and hardware peripherals such as the X Arcade controller. The discussion covers technical setup, immersive...
-
$1000 Pinball? Alice Goes To Wonderland
In this episode, we dive into Zen's announcement for Pinball FX VR! We also give our gut reaction to the Kickstarter for Wonderland Amusement's Alice Goes To Wonderland pinball machine. Is it a toy or is it more to it than this label? https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-286/
-
Spin the wheel of topics
This go around we've got a show packed full of shorter pinball topics: Zen being unusually quiet A new Wikipidia page about Pinball FX How to fight pinball doldrums Tables you should give another chance Zaccaria Pinball's new look! Enjoy the mixed bag!https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-285/
-
Happy 2025! Movies of 2024
It's the annual tradition of Chris giving his review of movies seen in the past year. But first, re-piping a house and the reveal from AtGames of what Zen titles are coming to ALP 4K through Aug of '25. https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-284/
-
End of year pinball bonanza
Three new tables have been added to Pinball FX as well as a whole new way to play Zen on a mobile app, Pinball World. Plus, there's new content from Zen for AtGames Legends Pinball 4K! So. Much. Pinball! https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-283/
-
Were you finished? Allow me to retort!
Chris and Jared respond to a comment thread regarding the interview with Mel Kirk. Also, they discuss what the highlights of the interview were in our opinion. https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-282/
-
The 2024 State of Zen with Mel Kirk
Our annual discussion with Zen Studios COO Mel Kirk is here to talk all things pinball that happened in 2024 and a sneak peak at what to expect in 2025. It is fantastic to hear things from the source and fuel speculation of what will come. Thank you to all of those who sent questions in for Mel.…
more -
Mel Kirk talks Zen and Goings On with AtGames
This is an excerpt from our interview (episode 280) with Zen Studios COO coming out next week. This small bit is all about Zen and their partnership with AtGames this past year and into 2025. If linking to any portion of this video, or featuring this video in another original piece of content,...
-
The Jurassic Park Home Edition $4900 Question
This go around Chris got his hands on Stern's Jurassic Park Home Edition at his local Costco and is here to address that price point. Also on the show we look at the WORST pinball machines from Bally, Data East, Gottlieb, Sega, Stern, and Williams. Let's see what debate that starts! Show notes:...
-
The Princess Bride Pinball: As You Wish
Two new Zen tables to discuss in this episode: The Princess Bride Goat Simulator Pinball. But first we discuss a bit about Stern's Uncanny X-Men. After the table talk, Chris talks a lot about recent movies he has watched, including why he loves Alien Romulus so much! Show notes:...
-
What's your favourite gimmick?
What would you put into a pinball machine if you could design your own from the ground up? Chris and Jared debate over a list of things you normally find in pinball machines and build out their dream tables. Should a table have flow, or will it be stop-and-go? Should you have drop targets...
-
The pros and cons of real and digital pinball cab ownership
In this episode, Chris and Jared break down all the advantages and disadvantages of owning a real pinball machine versus a digital pinball cabinet. https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-276/
-
So many new Pinball FX tables to play
Since the last episode, seven tables have dropped on Pinball FX! Chris and Jared take a look at them through an abbreviated play-through. Before that happens, Chris talks about Zen's 45 new table packs coming to AtGames Legends Pinball 4K. https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-275/
-
Gottlieb Packs 1 and 2 review PLUS PinFX Universal TV Tables!
Chris explains why the Gottlieb packs for the AtGames Legends Pinball 4K might leave you wondering if FarSight even tried. Also, three tables were announced for Pinball FX, so we give our thoughts based on what is in the trailer before they release in May 2024. Follow us on Twitter: @BlahCade If...
-
AtGames Legends Pinball 4K Hands On Discussion
The boys dig into Chris' initial impressions of the ALP 4K now that he's had some time with it. Follow us on Twitter: @BlahCade If you would like us to feature or review your pinball-related product or have other inquiries, send an email to: [email protected] #pinball #atgames #zenstudios
-
Netflix and Zen?
Zen Studios has partnered with Netflix for a free with subscription game called Zen Pinball Masters. Not only that, the studio has also released a brand new table, System Shock, for their Pinball M platform. Gregg from @SpaciesArcade also produced some cool videos to help Chris with VPX so he can...
-
Top 10 Zen Originals We Always Play
They may not be the best, and they may not be our favorites, but these are the top 10 Zen Originals we always have a game or two on when booting up Pinball FX. Show notes: https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-271/
-
Target Alpha, New Toys for 2024!
Chris became an EM owner since the last episode with a Gottlieb Target Alpha, and it was as close to a barn find to be had without the actual barn! Things start with the annual tradition of the best movies seen in 2023 and the worst. Show notes at https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-270/
-
End of 2023 Interview with Zen's Mel Kirk
It's an annual tradition of having Zen COO Mel Kirk join us to discuss everything happening with Zen Studios and reflect upon what was a massive year for the studio. We discuss Pinball M, AtGames ALP 4K, and what to expect in 2024. The interview is shorter than the ones we have done in the past...
-
Pinball FX has 14 new tables!
Zen Studios just announced 14 new tables coming to Pinball FX within 1 week of each other! What?? We start the show by looking at AtGames's changes to the ALP 4K and some new SKUs they announced in partnership with Zen Studios. We then delve into all the new things and discuss the announced...
-
Unboxing AtGames Legends Pinball Arcade Control Panel, and South Park
We unbox the AtGames Legends Pinball Arcade Control Panel, look at the Pinball M demo, and show some differences with South Park in Pinball FX compared with Pinball FX2. Show notes at https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-267/
-
Hastily Thrown Together Reaction to AtGames Legends 4K Pinball
The announcement about the partnership between AtGames and Zen Studios came out of the blue, so here we are reacting to it! Yep, Zen has moved on from Arcade 1Up and instead has partnered with AtGames for their upcoming 4K pinball cabinet. We've got plenty of questions and only a few answers.…
more -
Top 5 Pinball Arcade Bally Williams Tables We Want Next in Pinball FX
Join us as we discuss which of the 34 remaining tables from The Pinball Arcade we'd like most to see next come to Pinball FX. Oh, and also some IMAX talk and the fact that Chris might experience a hurricane for the first time in SoCal. Check out the show notes at...
-
Is This Zen After Dark (Pinball M)?
Our favorite sort of episode: one filled with speculation! Zen soft announced Pinball M, a mature-rated, horror-themed pinball experience coming soon. We dig into what is, what might be, and what should be with this new product line. Show notes: https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-263/
-
Poll Results for the Best of New in Pinball FX
Get comfy because this is probably our longest show yet! We go over what we think are the best of the 29 tables (Williams and Zen Originals) that are new in Pinball FX, as voted on by you, our viewers. If you are a new adopter of the Nintendo Switch version or new to the Pinball FX platform, we...
-
Diving DEEP with Pinball FX's Peter Grafl
We had the opportunity to send several questions to Peter 'Deep' Grafl, the lead pinball designer at Zen. Today we share his answers with all of you! Show notes and other links at https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-260/
-
Table Speculation Time
Here we go again, our favorite thing to do: speculation! Zen's latest Pinball Show gave us lots to chew on, and chew we do: Is South Park coming back? Will we see a Harry Potter table? Are Twilight Zone and Whirlwind next on the Williams collection? But first, Chris declares his addiction to…
more -
What? Pulp Fiction Pinball!
In a change of pace for us, we discuss actual pinball machines! Three new machines have all been announced in the last few weeks, with Play Mechanix's Pulp Fiction grabbing Chris' attention. Now if only we had a spare $10,000 lying around. We also look at JJP's The Godfather and Stern Pinball's…
more -
Let's Play Garfield and Snoopy
We're taking a spin on Peanuts Snoopy Pinball and Garfield Pinball, the last two carryovers from the Zen Pinball Party mobile app, into Pinball FX. Show notes: https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-256/
-
Let's Play Pinball FX and Look At Some Festering
Whelp, PinFX is here! We look at how Zen went about their "festering" of Bally's The Addams Family and discuss some of the tweaks made from Early Access. Then we play a bit of pinball, mainly the two new Gearbox titles being _Borderlands: Vault Hunter_ and _Brothers in Arms: Win the War_ pinball....
-
Pinball FX Feb 16 Launch Details
Zen's Pinball FX platform is officially coming out of Early Access and onto PlayStation and Xbox consoles on February 16! Chris and Jared take a look at 80+ titles available at launch and give some clarification to title transfers. Show notes at https://www.blahcadepinball.com/blahcade-254/
-
Let's Play Plants vs Zombies and Ms. Splosion Man pinball
Before we play, we first discuss what was curiously missing from Arcade 1Up's CES announcement: pinball cabinets. Who could Zen have partnered with to produce the next generation of cabinets? After that, it's off to play _Plants vs. Zombies_ and _Ms 'Splosion Man_. These two tables never came to...
-
Winter 2022 Chat with Mel Kirk
It's that time of year again when Zen Chief Operations Officer Mel Kirk visits the show and talks all things Zen pinball. Get tons of info related to the upcoming console releases of Pinball FX, The Addams Family, and the decision behind removing ticket pricing. And, of course, Mel's responses to...
-
GOOAAALLL! WCS '94
We do a play-through of the indie game The Pinball Wizard by Frosty Pop and then do the same for Zen's latest Bally recreation World Cup Soccer '94. There is some bonus TV talk at the show's end. If you're looking for new entertainment, perhaps some of these shows could be right for you.
-
My Little Star Inks
In this episode, we talk about the game Inks and how it is now available on Android. We do a Let's Play of this title and talk through the chilled-out elements of the gameplay. We also discuss the 12 "new to Pinball FX" Star Wars tables added, along with the Hasbro My Little Pony table from Zen...
-
Homeworld Pinball Let's Play
We speculate a bit about what is coming up from Zen in Pinball FX for September, October, and November. We then dive into the live play of Zen's latest, Homeworld: Journey to Higara Pinball. Is this Zen Original a "buy now" or "don't bother"? Show notes at...
-
The rest of 2022 as we see it
It has been a bit of a quiet year regarding commercial digital pinball. Chris and Jared break down what has happened throughout this year and predict how the year may end based on what we know now. There is also a break from the usual pinball talk with a discussion about the new Predator _Prey_...
-
Grimm Tales and RetroPlay Aftermath
Well, people sure did have things to say about our previous episode featuring RetroPlay! We try not to kick the hornet's nest once more and probably fail. You decide. But we start the show with Jared talking about the BPAP 2022 festival in Brisbane, and we finish with a "Let's Play" of Zen's…
more -
Retroplay Gets Us Talking About VPX
We usually stay clear of VPX discussions. But we saw what Retroplay is doing with a new app in their cabinets that takes all the hassle out of installing VPX tables, so they work well. With this being a major frustration point for Chris and me, we decided to talk with them. David Gilmore joins us...
-
RIP Digital Pinball Fans
It's the end of an era! The digitalpinballfans.com forum is closing at the end of July 2022. We go down memory lane and talk about how the site hugely impacted digital pinball's growth and our reason for existing as a podcast. Oh, and Bride of Pinbot got announced, so we talk a little about what...
-
Swords, Monsters, and Cab Mode
This week, we discuss Pinball FX's latest new table _Swords of Fury_. We also dive into the announcement about Zen Studios collaborating with Toho Studios for a trio of Monsterverse tables due to crash through buildings in late 2022. Then, of course, cabinet mode is now available in Early Access....
-
Spring 2022 Chat with Mel Kirk
A must-watch episode as Zen's very own Mel Kirk joins us once more on the show to talk about the current state of Pinball FX, where the platform is heading, and how your feedback affects the game. The effort for Pinball FX is "a marathon, not a sprint" as Mel repeatedly says throughout this...
-
More Williams and More Originals
Join us as we look at Zen's roadmap of future tables. We also offer our first impressions of the new World War Z table from the Paramount Pinball collection. Finally, we share our opinions on the three latest Zen originals: Noir, Curse of the Mummy, and Sky Pirates. Read...
About this show
A show about digital pinball on mobile, PC, and console from the industry's leading game developers. You'll be treated to segment favorites such as "BlahCade Speculation", interviews with industry leaders, and other tangents (including "real" pinball news) that keep the format fresh and topical. The show originates from the East Coast of Australia and the West Coast of California, with new episodes available when news is worth sharing (which is pretty regularly).
Hosted by
Chris Friebus and Jared Morgan
Categories