Craig Cole's Video Gaming & Pinball Blog
Just installed the Tokyo Neon 4 Theatre Mod from Stumblor Pinball on my Godzilla and wow—this thing pops! Pictures don’t even come close to doing it justice. The build quality is top-notch, install was a breeze, and it blends into the machine like it was there from day one. Stumblor absolutely nails that perfect balance—enhancement without overkill. Another absolute winner, love it!
Buzzing! Just picked up a few playfields and backglasses to hang in the pinball room—and they look absolutely stunning lit up with LEDs. The colours pop, the artwork shines, and one of them even runs a simulated game with players battling it out—how cool is that?! Huge thanks to Alan from Leeds for sorting me out. These are going to take the games room to the next level!”
Unplanned mini pinball showdown with Luke—one game on every machine in the line-up to decide the ultimate Cole Pinball Wizard! It was neck-and-neck, with some cracking scores along the way… but in the end, he flipped past me and took the crown. The student becomes the master!
Pinball, beers, and battles at mine—epic night with the lads! Great to catch up, loads of laughs, and some proper flippin’ fun.
Just installed the TX Door Flasher board on my Bally Twilight Zone—and wow, it looks fantastic! Huge thanks to Davi on Pinside for making it mega easy to install (proper plug-and-play, no soldering, no stress).
What makes this mod so cool? It actually brings back a feature that Bally’s designers originally planned but had to ditch at the last minute—four flashers hidden under the central door that fire in sync with in-game action. The production game only ever used two (GUM and BALL), but now the LOCK 1 and LOCK 2 inserts finally get to join the party.
The little PCB with four built-in LED flashers drops right in under the door panel and blends perfectly—it feels like it should’ve been there all along.
Best part? It restores the machine exactly how the designer wanted it to be: more glow, more feedback, and a proper light show every time the action kicks off. Clean, reversible, and totally factory-feel. Absolute win!
Hanging out with Mark P at Funland in London—got a proper pinball masterclass! Gutted to say it, but yes… he beat me fair and square. Learning from a true wizard at the flippers
Absolutely buzzing to add Lethal Weapon 3 to the collection! Love the theme, the cheesy call-outs, and those awesome video modes. Proper 90s action vibes—this game is pure fun!
Lethal Weapon 3 is a high-energy, action-themed pinball gem that blends thematic flair (movie clips, real voices, licensed music) with accessible yet challenging gameplay. It’s well-designed, visually engaging.
Includes a unique hidden leveling system: players use a “Data East gun handle” to eliminate bad guys in video crime simulation shootouts.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Release Year | June 1992 |
| Manufacturer | Data East USA |
| Production Volume | ~10,350 units |
| Design Team | Joe Kaminkow, Ed Cebula |
| Art & Animation | Markus Rothkranz, Jack Liddon |
| Sound & Music | Brian Schmidt |
| DMD Display | Full-view Gen 3 with movie clips |
| Unique Feature | Gun-handle “shootout” leveling system |
| Theme Elements | Real voice clips, licensed music |
| Gameplay Style | Fast, multi-ball, beginner-friendly |
We’re here! All the way from England to attend the Ann Arbor Michigan Pinball Show 2025—and honestly, I’m beyond excited. This trip had been circled on the calendar for ages, and it’s already blowing expectations out of the water.
The venue? Absolutely fantastic. The sheer volume and variety of machines is just mind-blowing. From classics to rare gems, it was like stepping into pinball heaven. And the condition of the games? Seriously impressive—everything played beautifully, fast, clean, and smooth.
We were lucky enough to grab VIP tickets, which meant early access Friday night in addition to Saturday and Sunday. That made such a difference—less crowded, more time on the machines, and a proper chance to soak it all in. We had an absolute blast.
The vibe was super friendly—everyone we met was welcoming, laid-back, and just genuinely into the hobby. Got chatting with loads of cool folks, swapping stories and sharing tips between games.
And as for the highlights? Where do I even start…
Grand Lizard – hadn’t played it in a while, still an absolute joy.
Meeting Clay and his team – genuinely lovely people, so welcoming and clearly passionate about what they do. Huge thanks to them for pulling off such a well-run event.
Big Bang Bar – first time playing it! Amazing experience, and seeing how excited Paul was when he spotted it was priceless.
Sorcerer – another first for me, and it did not disappoint.
Fire! – that bell! I kept getting drawn back to it—such a fun and satisfying machine.
Safecracker – love that game’s unique energy and style.
Stern’s King Kong – had a few games on Friday (when the queue was big), but by Sunday it was wide open. Funny how things change! Great game, but I focused more on the older titles by then, knowing I’ll have more chances to play Kong back in the UK.
And the mechanical arcade games—wow. I finally got to try some of the vintage bowling and baseball games, and they were so much fun. There’s something so satisfying about those mechanical clunks and clicks, and how surprisingly addictive they are. I could’ve played them for hours. It’s wild how well they’ve held up after all these years—like stepping back in time.
Honestly, there were too many great moments to list. I was constantly filming, just trying to capture the magic of it all. And spending the whole weekend immersed in pinball fun with Paul made it even better.
Special shoutout to the amazing BBQ food—seriously hit the spot between long sessions flipping.
Massive thanks again to Clay and everyone involved. You created something really special here. I’d absolutely love to come back next year—already thinking about it!
