Craig Cole's Video Gaming & Pinball Blog
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!
Once again, PinMap came through! We spotted a pinball spot over in Brooklyn that looked packed with machines, so we hopped on the subway and made our way over. Only one train change—it was super easy to get to. The place? Scrappleland Pinball Bar. And from the moment we walked in, we were seriously impressed.
The lineup was huge—tons of machines, many of them brand new and in top condition. Loads of Premium versions too, which means all the bells, whistles, lights, toys—everything you want. I clocked Congo straight away and made a beeline for it.
They also had the brand-new title from Spooky Pinball, so of course, we had to give that a go. It’s a solid game with fantastic artwork and some really fun callouts. I had quite a few quick drains, though, and didn’t get deep into the modes. Maybe it was just the timing (we were both feeling a bit knackered), but I wasn’t totally blown away—yet. Definitely feels like a game I need to spend more time with. And the topper? So cool in person—definitely one of the highlights.
After that, we kicked off a little mini challenge between me and Paul. We took turns picking machines and going head-to-head to see who could score higher. Great fun—and credit where it’s due, Paul had the edge that day (though I had a few decent runs!).
We met some really friendly folks there too. One funny moment—while chatting with one of the local league players, the very first thing he asked when he found out we were from the UK was, “Do you know Neil McRae?” 😂 We had a laugh and ended up messaging Scott to let him know. Love how small and connected the pinball world can be.
The bar was buzzing—great atmosphere, and we were told it gets even busier on league nights. They were prepping for an event that weekend and invited us along, which was awesome. Sadly, we had to let them know we’d be in Detroit by then—but still, it was a really nice gesture.
Also got the chance to try out the Premium version of Dungeons & Dragons—still absolutely loving it, and I’m more convinced than ever that Premium is the way to go. The extra features really add to the experience.
Meanwhile, Paul discovered a cider he really liked—super fresh and properly refreshing. Safe to say he was just as happy as I was!
All in all, Scrappleland is an absolute gem. Great machines, great beer, great people. Next time I’m in New York, I’m 100% heading back. One of the highlights of the trip for sure.
