Electronic Arcade Pinball Review - is this $30 newly updated game the best value for home arcades?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ส.ค. 2024
- #pinball#arcade#electronicgames
JDV reviews Ambassador's newly updated tabletop pinball game. PLEASE give us a thumbs up if you liked the video - it really helps! Buy it here: www.target.com/p/ambassador-a...
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ep 67 - Electronic Arcade Pinball Review
Voxel Revolution by Kevin MacLeod
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Chill Wave by Kevin MacLeod
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I got this the other day off Amazon for $50. For the price I consider it a BLAST. The active components really kick the ball around. Much fun.
Hopefully we'll see another version down the line. It can def feed the need for pinball....
It’s a modern version of the Atomic Pinball from 1979. I loved that game. I bought this yesterday based on your recommendation. You are correct, it’s awesome for the money.
To be precise it's a ripped off version of Atomic Pinball from Tomy as their patent has expired. That was 1979 originally. Yes its had the guts ripped out removing the cogs and mechanical elements and the noisy motor. Except the flippers being still on a basic spring. Shame the styling still looks crap and there is no sound for the bumpers yet crap sound implemented...but i suppose still worth 30 bucks.
@@Tink-GB Ripped off is probably a better description. I’m ok with that. lol I’m just glad someone gave it an update. Well worth the $30. I would love to see someone make an upscale table in this scale, but I’m afraid interest in this segment is mainly limited to old folks like me. :(
@@Tink-GB hopefully when they update Tomy American Pinball (the one with the kickout holes and skill shot), they can give it an even better improvement
Glad I watched this video. I did give you a thumbs up. I have actual pinball tables, but was looking for a gift for my friend's 12 year old son. He loves arcade and stuff, and I am sure he's going to love this with actual bumpers. Thanks for the great video.
Robert, thanks for the kind words! I think kids would like it - mine do anyhow....
Great video! Looks pretty cool, might pick this up as a Christmas gift for someone. Thanks for sharing brother!
Jason, I just assumed you already had 3 of 'em! They would make a nice compliment to A1up countercades if you were building a table-top arcade....
With just a few minor adjustments, this could be a great little toy - it needs rollover switches in the side ramps and in the outlanes to the drain, and the shooter lane/plunger could do with being better finished so it doesn't fall so much. These additions would add very little to the cost per unit, but would make the game much more fun.
Those bumpers do look better than the first one you reviewed. This would make for a good Christmas present for the kids.
Hey man, good to see you again! It would make a nice present for kids and pin-heads and best of all... it's actually in stock!
The best thing about this up-dated game? It's actually in stock: th-cam.com/users/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa1FUN040alVlZUJwTDY2Y3lsQm16alM3X1FWQXxBQ3Jtc0trUkVjR2s1VlBobVBmN3pVdkZPb3lhbnd0azBtbHN6aEhvQ1h3aUhUdk1uSVVLSW4xdng5U29zY1pnUlYwX052TlFOb3BYcUdPdHBvelBSNU5hSXFiQWc5bEJBQm1WVnhHMlFad2MzczdSM0xLUTJXQQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Fambassador-arcade-pinball-game%2F-%2FA-79577211%23lnk%3Dsametab
Really appreciate your reviews, in particular Electronic Arcade Pinball. I listened to your reviews of the same game released a year earlier and the improved model that I recently bought. Really helped me make my decision. I do feel they could make this latest pinball game a little more solid. Seriously wonder if it will last more than a year. But I certainly enjoy it and your reviews. Thank you!
Thanks Eric! I think they're working on a larger version, hopefully out later this year. The fact is that anything that has a metal ball shooting around it fast will, eventually, break. All pinball games do - including brand new Sterns costing thousands of dollars. I'll say this - there is huge gap in the market for real 3/4 scale pinball. It essentially does not exist.
I got the original one of these in 1979 for my 9th birthday. It was called Atomic Arcade Pinball made by Tommy. It had an analog high score display.Just recently bought the original on eBay for $25 in the original box. Awesome memories 😊
The TOMY bumpers really kicks. Better than this.
It's bumper-mania! Truly great game for the money, it really is the best option I'm aware of for a table top pinball game. A seriously nice upgrade to the original game. I forgot to mention that this game will save the high scores after you turn it off, a very nice feature.
Can you reset the high score? My son's friends came over and cheated the game to an insane high score. Now I want to reset.
@@jdvbeaner Yes, I believe you can (maybe hold down the button? I forget exactly how.....)
Just bought one from Smyths. Bumpers don’t vibrate or score , says in instructions they do 🤷♀️
I'd return it ASAP as both things should happen....
@@evilgeniusentertainment thanks I will,
My niece fell in love with my A1up star wars pinball. Might be fun to get this and bring it for the family during the holidays. 30 bucks is pretty cheap
That's so cool!
Found one of these in a resale shop for cheap and have been enjoying it. Something that really helps is to wax the surfaces of the bumpers with a little turtle wax or similar so they're slick and the ball won't get stuck in them.
A good shot of oil in the gear train helps a lot too.
Good tips! Thanks for posting....
Hi,can you please tell me how to remove the plastic frame,so that I could wax the bumpers ?
3:00 The bumpers and kickers on the side do not have their own electric solenoid. Instead, they have a mechanical solenoid. There is a single DC motor by the battery compartment. It sets a bunch of rods spinning. When the ball touches one of the bumpers or kickers, it pushes down a piece of plastic which allows the bumper or kicker to pull down very hard which pushes the ball away at a decent speed. It basically reacts as a mechanical solenoid. When you hit one of the bumpers, all will kick. Same with the rollovers.
There is another version made by Tomy which is significantly larger and has more bumpers and a spinning multiplier. That's really the best one to get, but it is much less common than Atomic Arcade, which is what this game is based on.
Got one of these last year. I collect the old TOMY pinball machines, this is basically a clone of TOMY's Atomic Pinball. The unit I got seemed imperfect in terms of playability. It's good to hear they addressed some of my feedback to the company. I may have to get the revised model.
Yeah, I think they bought the rights to the old TOMY game, and then did a bunch of improvements. The 2nd version is worlds better then the first.
In 1998, Tyco made a Sesame Street pinball machine toy. Can you do a video about that one? I did, but I'm curious to hear what you think of it as a pinball machine. Does it give you the pinball experience?
Cool 😎.
Hey Johnny, thanks for watching! I enjoy you videos.....
Just bought one today I hope 🤞 it works great 👍 my kids are going to love it
Well, you probably will any way! ;)
@@evilgeniusentertainment is there any new tabletop pinball machines coming for Christmas 2022?
@@musclemark2710 Not that I'm aware of.... HOWEVER, I've seen footage of a new 2 foot pin coming in 2023 (tentative). More when I know a bit more....
@@evilgeniusentertainment I am highly interested!
Great machine! Is there any difference in the boxes between the old, and new updated version? Really want to buy one but want it to be the updated version. The 2 differences in the boxes on Google. 1 has 16880 as the score and the features written in 2 langue. The other says 34185 and only in 1 language. Which box came with your updated machine? Cheers
Bring Back the Pinball crazy
tried to find the offical website and looks like its down. I wonder if there is going to be a 2022 edition. I want something like this. maybe something that uses standard size pinballs. I am willing to bet you could pull the guts out of these things and make something more interesting. Thanks again for the video!
I've been told that they are coming out with a larger version of it this year.... we'll see, but there's clearly a need for a mid-size pinball machine on the market!
@@evilgeniusentertainment Yes I totally agree. Let's hope we see something. I am ready to play some home pinball.
Thank you for the review.
I was wondering how this compares to the 'TOMY Astro Shooter Electronic Tabletop Pinball'? It has skill shots and a highscore counter. It came out in 1983 and was (I think) an update version of this Atomic Pinball.
Thanks.
My understanding is just that - it is essentially an update to the Tomy version. Thanks for watching!
@@evilgeniusentertainment Thank you. There was also one more toy version called Alien Assault. I think it's the same size as Astro Shooter, but I have never seen any footage on it.
Looks good
Won't be able to play for weeks on end or anything, but for a good quick game, it's a lot of fun.
No longer available at the Target URL provided in the description. Has it been discontinued?
No - I actually just got a catalog from a company called "Fat Brain (basically toys for kids) that had the unit in it. I'll try to see if Target will be carrying for Xmas....
Is your reviews DE10583 model? What’s difference between GA2001 and DE10583 models? Thanks!
I'm buying one!!
They're a fun toy for sure. Won't change your life or anything, bt def worth the money....
Between this one and the one w light up bumpers- which one is better? I'm torn
Well. they're 2 pretty different sizes. Technically, the smaller one is better (real bumpers), but I probably play the bigger one more (played it a few days ago in fact). Both are fun either way.....
Hi nice video. Did the old version look similar to this one?
Sadly, they're exactly the same looking; no way that I'm aware to tell them apart. New stock has a label on the box, but I don't think the machine does (you have to put the stickers on yourself)
Can you turn off the volume or lower the volume in these pinballs? If so, where is the button to do that? Thanks.
JDV, I was wondering if my arcade is smaller than yours to claim worlds smallest. I only am able to fit 11 full size machines, Bill Changer, and 1 Arcade1Up cab. I also have a 60's soda machine, popcorn cart, and a gumball machine on the opposite wall since they are narrow enough to fit. That makes me wonder if removed if I could fit my A1UP Star Wars horizontally on that wall. Not sure how many machines you have to have to be considered to be an arcade.
The shack's 12x12! I'd say if you have 3 machines or more you have an arcade, as the most video games I've ever seen in a convenience store is 2!
Saw this today in Smyth's toys and thought it looked quite cool, think ill buy it
Did you buy one from Smyths? I just did but bumpers don’t vibrate and don’t score 🤷♀️
@@ginbob46 returned 2 to smyths today for that very reason. Wasted my time getting this as a Christmas present for my daughter and for my friends son.
@@jessicaandtrains7768 I took mine back to Smyths. They replaced no problem. All bumpers working correctly now, grandsons loved it, ages 11 and 28 lol. Was great fun on Xmas day, a bargain for just £25! Some were selling for £45!
If it turns on, ostentatious calculate score or vibrate, it’s the battery fault. Electric battery’s and some cheaper not as powerful ones can only power the lights for some reason.
How can I tell the new version from the old?
+ I was thinking about should I get this or what this one is based on: the „Atomic Pinball“ Toy-Pinball machine from 1979 by Tomy. Actually this new toy pinball machine is almost a 1:1 copy of the 1979 Tomy one. Would be cool if you would do a review on the 1979 Tomy as well. + Tomy back then also did handheld arcade-cabinets as well, check out Tomy‘s „Caveman“ or their version of Tron. Also while you’re at it, in case I catched your interest, Tomy also made a mechanical version of Pong in 1977 & called it „Blip“. Greetings - Mark 😊
You can't... but if it's new stock at place like Target or Amazon, it's almost certainly the newer model. Just be sure wherever you order from has a good return policy......
I got this off Target's website. The stickers were in an odd position, which wouldn't be concerning, but what IS concerning is the clear fluid leaking from the bottom. I don't see anything about this online, either. Is this anything to be concerned about? It's not coming out of the battery compartment, either.
I'm guessing you got a used one - the stickers don't come pre-applied. And liquid? Should be as dry as a bone....
Looks cool for $30. Does it have a tilt sensor?
Sorry Vader, it doesn't - you can move it all around. Which is both good and bad....
One more question. As soon as I am going to start the game and I pull the ball plunger just to get the ball, the scoring starts by 10s. Do you think this pinball is broken, and if so, is it an easy fix. I bought this game in a 2nd hard store. Thanks. Please respond to my first questions. thanks.
I'll fire it up tomorrow and give you an update!
Does the high score get lost when you have to change the batteries?
Cas - that's the one thing I didn't check... let me go see! (give me a minute, it's supper time right now)
How do you know that they have updated this pinball machine? Is it possible that your previous purchase was just a defective one? If it really was updated how should we know which version we are getting? I suppose that the packages do look the same, right?
They company told me they did... and my play-testing confirmed it! My guess is that if you're buying a new one in 2022 from a chain store (like Target), it's probably the 2nd gen.
@@evilgeniusentertainment Got it, well it's a bummer that the customer is basically buying a pig in a poke.
I didn't watch the whole video but we have a brand new one and it's garbage. The ball gets stuck in the middle and causes one of the numbers to lose control.
I bought this one yesterday and the ball keeps getting g stuck in the green number and one of the blue bumpers
yeah i had the same issue
It means your battery’s are low, or they aren’t strong enough in the first place
How do you differentiate between the new and old version when buying one?
Pat, the only way I know how to get the new for sure is to buy it om Target, as they have fresh stock....
@@evilgeniusentertainment thanks for your speedy reply much appreciated
I bought both when you turn both pinball machines on you'll hear a noise like a motor running the one that's louder is has more sensitive bumpers and plays better hope this helps
@@patrickmcpartlin3499 I got this today for Christmas and the motor sound when playing is so loud! You can't even hear the music or sound effects during play. This video doesn't demonstrate the problem. I actually thought my machine was faulty until I saw your comment, but the loud motor noise seems to be normal. A real shame. I still love it, though.
Its got better screen resolution that a 1UP!! Seriously its gotta be 4k its so lifelike! :P
And the physic's emulation is off the chain!
@@evilgeniusentertainment Most definitely! haha... Seriously though, it's a cool little Xmas time gift.
Well, it's at least in stock!
Question: how would you tell the difference between this updated version to the original? Is there something on the box that says so?
Bumpers etc more aggressive on the newer model. Nothing on the box to tell the difference, but if it's new stock, you should be fine.
In the UK, it has a large "Ver.2" on the top side of the box, why I ended up here wanting to know what was updated from the old one... 😉
Sounds like that must be the new version alright, b/c last year there was no way to tell the difference based on packaging.
@@evilgeniusentertainment Cool, I had no idea it was updated until I saw the new box in Smyths toy shop, (UK). The original came out during covid lockdowns. I might pop back to the shop and grab Ver.2 before they all go. 👍
Shame there aren't more (well, any) true 3/4 scale real pins out there. 'Til them, games like this are all we have! Let us know how it plays.....
Anyone know how to reset tge high score?
I think there is a small hole you can stick a paperclip into... but I have forgotten where it is located.
Could you do a tear down?
II actually did tr to take it apart (to see if I could remove the bumpers to put into the QVC pinball game I have). It's put together in such a way that I'd either break it, or would have to spend too much time doing it safely.
@@evilgeniusentertainment
I was more looking at attaching the scoring and sound to rotary pinball game that lacks sound beyond simple bells.
If you don't mind shredding the body of the machine, bet it would work (might have to extend out some wires though)
@@evilgeniusentertainment
Yes it’s going to work, I bought one and have dissembled it. Just gotta drill the holes and dremel off some of the plastic from the unit then elongate the wires and it will fit in. Exciting!
Hey, if you do a video, link it here!
I bought one of these. Half the time the bumpers and kickers would just stop functioning during a game so I had to return it.
I also don't want something I have to put all the stickers on.
Lastly. I didn't like that it was possible to launch the ball and the motors not activate to start the bumpers etc working.
I've heard the first gen is much more glitchy than the 2nd gen. Unfortunately, I don't know how to tell the difference based on the box!
This thing is basically a clone of Atomic Arcade pinball. I have repaired these machines and there is no voltage going to the bumpers. They are not electric. They are entirely mechanical. There is a single small motor powering the whole thing.
Wish I had $8k laying around because I'd quit messing around with toys and get Stern Godzilla
Heck, I'd take something like those 3/4 scale PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN games that came out about 10 years ago.... sniffle
This thing is selling for 70 Dollars. Ridiculously overpriced. It's a 40+ year old game. It is a mostly an Atomic Arcade pinball machine by Tomy. The only difference I can see is the LCD scoring. The original had faux LCD scoring which was mechanical and not LEDs. I got one as a Christmas gift in like 1982. I still have it and the box it came in.
Why you guys always talking more as it have space into a book?
Sorry have to call BS on this. Those are pure mechanical flippers which it is fine for what it is ... which basically are levers ... but there is no way possible they can be as responsive as a regular pinball flippers which you touch with hardly any pressure and it flips out at full consistent speed.
Like I said it is fine for what it is ... a cool little kids inexpensive pinball game. I tried something non electronic like this by Brio and it plays fine but you do have to put a fair amount of pressure on the bottons to get them to flip properly. A toddler wouldn't be able to push these effectively for instance.
I don't think he's comparing it to a standing pinball machine just the little arcade joints, he even mentions a 90 dollar one I don't think you are getting a standing pinball machine experience for 90 bucks so chill daddy.
@@muramasa24 Regardless ... responsive is the completely wrong word. They are as responsive as your finger strength. It's a lever. Like I said it is fine for what it it is but he is kind of way over selling the features.
Ron, all I can say it that the flippers work very well for the game. When you compare it to the larger QVC pinball game, it's miles ahead. The left flipper constantly gets stuck on that game (mentioned by almost every reviewer of the game), so much so that I had to make a wooden replacement. So, in that context, these Ambassador flippers work great. But no, they are not electronic....
@@evilgeniusentertainment Have you tried the Brio Pinball? If so how does it compare?
Just seen videos on it - no electronics at all; purely mechanical....
What?! I can not hear you!
ah yes, minecraft java edition
Mechanical flippers suck . Throw this in the garbage . Real electronic flippers or nothing
No. A lot of fun can be had with a set up like this.