Wedgehead Pinball Podcast
A weekly pinball podcast brought to you by the people that run Wedgehead, a pinball bar in Portland, Oregon. Each week Alan and Alex discuss a different pinball topic, with a focus on location play, often with other interesting guests. Support our show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast If you have any questions, or might want to guest on a future episode, please email : wedgeheadinfo@gmail.com.
Episodes
Support the show and receive a link to our private discord: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
In this episode we cover the 20 machines that Gottlieb made from 1982-1985 and discuss all the weird, strange, wacky, and good games and innovative designs that they churned out during the doldrum years of the mid 1980s.
But buckle up, there's adult language throughout.
Support the show and get a link to our private discord: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
Our friend Lisa, a pinball tech at Next Level comes on the show to defend her love for Stern's Austin Powers machine from 2001, and makes sure to state clearly that she does NOT like the movies at all. We read all the bad reviews we could find online and Lisa educates us on why they are all wrong.
But be warned if this is your first time, we do us...
Support the show and receive a link to our private discord: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
In this episode Alan sets the record straight on the true greatest game of all time, Dennis Nordman's masterpiece, 1993's Whitewater made by Williams. Listen to us discuss why Whitewater not only excels in all aspects, but why it truly transcends the medium.
Normal disclaimer: We curse when we get excited, and this episode is about the GO...
Support the show and receive a link to our private discord: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
In this episode we discuss 6 names from the EM era that you should be aware of, two from each of the Big Three of Williams, Bally and Gottlieb. This episode really is a love letter to EM machines, and all the very talented designers of pinball's most popular, but least celebrated era.
But as always, we use some adult language when we get reall...
Support the show and receive a link to the private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
AJ of Flip a Coin in Colorado is back to discuss the current affairs of operating brand new pinball machines in the year 2026 and beyond. AJ buys lots of new games from Stern, Barrels of Fun, JJP, and CGC and he's here to cut through all the marketing talk and just discuss the business side of buying NIB games and trying to make money...
Support the show and receive a link to our private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
This episode we explore the period from 1995-1999 when Gary Stern successfully convinced another Japanese arcade game manufacturer to partner with him and rebrand from Data East to Sega for the North American coin-op pinball market.
These games are mostly pretty low production run games, with some clear cost cutting measures in place, and t...
Support the show and grab a link to our private discord: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
In this episode we are joined on the show by veteran pinball machine mover, casual on location pinball player, and Alex's wife, Megan aka the Watergirl and she is here to give her thoughts on all the 2025 pinball releases from her unique perspective as a non-nerd, and non middle-aged man.
Hear about how the average pinball player views all these ...
Support the show and get access to our private discord: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
This whole episode is Alex trying to describe to the listener why there has never been a good center ramp in a pinball machine, and even the ones that you think are good, aren't actually center ramps (according to him).
As always when discussing niche nerd topics, we speak fluent profanity in the episode.
Support the show and get access to our private discord server: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
For the first and probably only time, we bring you the Wedgehead Podcast Holiday Special! So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, and listen to us as we run down the best holiday games from pinball's past, what to buy for the pinhead in your life, and a good reminder of what this season is really all about: PINBALL!
Warning: We were in the holiday spi...
Support the show and receive a link to our private discord server: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
This week's episode has us exploring the history of the ball save in pinball, why it has grown bigger over time, and whether or not it was actually all a big mistake.
But we do curse throughout the show...this is your warning.
Support the show, and join our discord by donating to: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
Former guest of the show, and video game designer Paul Michael Melio gave us this bonus episode to share on our channel with the first edition of BEST GAME EVER!
Hear about why Jaws is Paul's favorite game of all time, and maybe why it should be yours as well.
Warning: We must've rubbed off on Paul, because he does curse while he describes his ...
Support the show and receive a link to our private discord automatically: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
We are back once again, looking back through the decades with the mighty power of Hindsight to accurately give out awards to the best pinball machines that were released in the year 1991!
Unlike network tv awards shows, we do however use occasional adult language.
Support the show and get access to our private discord: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
We are discussing the pinball career of legendary pinball designer and mechanical engineer, John Borg. He worked at Premier, Data East, Sega, and still works at Stern to this day, and we deep dive into his games and what design hallmarks that he is best known for.
As always though, just like John, we don't f*&k around on this show. Curse word...
Support the show and get a link to our private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
Our friend Paul, a video game designer and aspiring pinball designer joins us on the show to defend his DOTH Game: SHAQ ATTAQ! At the time of recording, this is the 8th lowest rated game of all time on the pinside list, and the second lowest rated game that we have covered on the show.
But Paul joined us to set the record straight (with some ch...
Support the show and get a link to our private discord server: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
We're back with a nice culmination episode that pieces together a lot of bits and themes from the last 100+ episodes of the show, and compiled them into a nice and tight episode not only showcasing the importance of community building, but also some actionable advice for how to grow a scene around you, no matter where you live.
But as long-...
Support the show and get a link to our private discord: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
Waterboy is back with his own response to the age-old question: what is the greatest pinball machine of all time?
As always with our show, swear words were used in the making of this episode.
Well... unfortunately sh*t happens. We will be back though, although we don't know if we will ever get to release episode 100 for y'all or not. It was a DOOZIE.
Support the show and receive a link to the private discord chat: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
Alex is bringing y'all a very special episode of the show all about one of the dumbest and yet most discussed aspects of the pinball hobby today, and that's TOPPERS!
Warning: curse words were cursed in the making of this episode.
Support the show & receive a link to our private discord server: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
This episode is all about the pinball's most important mech, the flipper. We cover the history and evolution of the flipper, discuss how they work, and the differences in flipper feel over the years.
Warning: We manage to discuss some of the science behind electricity while still managing to swear quite a bit.
Support the show & receive a link to our private discord channel to chat with us and other supporters of the show: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast
In this very special episode of the show, legendary sound designer Chris Granner joins us once again. In the last episode we discussed his career, and his artistic process, but in this episode, we listen to selections from 15 different games and over 50 pieces of his music, and Chris tells...
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