Episode 61: The Golden Age of Pinball: Is It Happening RIGHT NOW?
About this episode
The episode explores whether we are currently in the golden age of pinball and how different generations perceive this era.
Are we living in the golden age of pinball right now? In this episode, we dive into one of the biggest questions in the pinball hobby: is modern pinball better than ever, or are we just caught up in the moment? I also talk about how my own perspective might be shaped by when I entered the hobby. I got into pinball around 5–6 years ago, so the era of modern Stern, Jersey Jack Pinball, Chicago Gaming, Spooky Pinball, American Pinball, and all of these new releases has been my “normal.” But for veteran players who grew up on EMs, solid-state games, or the classic Bally/Williams era, the golden age of pinball might mean something completely different. We discuss the moving scale of nostalgia, why every generation of players may see “their era” as the best, and whether some longtime pinball fans have evolved with modern pinball — or if modern rules, deeper code, LCD screens, licensed themes, and complex modes have changed the hobby too much for some players. From classic pinball machines to today’s feature-packed games, we ask the big question: are we actually in the golden age of pinball… or will we only realize it years from now? Drop a comment and let me know: what do YOU think is…
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