Monster Bash (Classic Edition)
Chicago Gaming Co., 2018
Monster Bash (Limited Edition)
Chicago Gaming Co., 2018
Monster Bash (Special Edition)
Chicago Gaming Co., 2018You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider ptownpin.
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Quoted from Chuckwebster:when did toppers become so important? I'll take a well designed and solidly built game over the coolest topper any day of the week.
good point, and clearly a well designed game is more important. That being said if your gonna do a topper do it right....
Quoted from Only_Pinball:Yes. However, I am guessing they will have some protection from factory like AFM has. Time will tell if this will be enough. I am also wondering if the Drac track has any protection. I have seen ones that are pretty beat up.
ARMRLE has very little if any factory protection...all these games need Cliffy protectors in my opinion...its crazy that the factory ignores this issue. They would be smart to include so they eliminate customer calls and issues...seems like cheap insurance to me
Quoted from jcoble:Your auto dealer buy your car insurance?
not sure I understand your point....my point is that if they included they would protect their games and probably cut down on warranty and field issues. AFMRLE came with none (and needed them) so I drove to Cliff's house and picked them up. Much easier to install at the factory versus after the game is already built. That being said I am almost certain they won't include.
Quoted from Only_Pinball:They have a Mantis style protector and mine has been holding up quite well. YMMV
Agree, but it doesn't protect the top of the play field so I installed the Cliffy as well. Although it was kind of a pain in the ass to install.
Quoted from Goronic:That's my point - took me 4 hours to get cliffy's on the hobbit. Glad I did, but had to take A LOT of stuff off the playfield to get those VUK hole protectors on. I would rather they slap on a cliffy (or Mantis) at the factory. Oh well...they probably won't.
I'm with ya....Hobbit was a bit of a pain in the ass.....frankly most are a pain to install after the fact....they would take 10 minutes if done at the factory...DI LE was a primary example of a factory trying to do it themselves, and they totally screwed it up...I had to remove their protector and install Cliffs...
Quoted from pinballinreno:I'm thinking the LE's will sell out immediately...
Really? I thought the same with the AFMRLE, but they were available long after release. If they raise the price I doubt they'll sell out immediately.
True, but I suspect they'll at least attempt to build 1000 LE's...If this is priced at $8K like AFRMLE than they'll probably sell out at some point, but my guess it will take over a year....if its much higher than that than it will take longer...
Quoted from JJHLH:I was surprised that AFMLE didn’t sell out much faster. In my opinion it’s as good as Pinball gets. Hard to imagine that MBr will sell out quicker. Even though it’s awesome it’s not quite as strong as AFM, but time will tell.
I received an email today from Pinball Magazine with this quote:
“Chicago Gaming, in person of Ashley Davis, was looking for testers for CGC’s Monster Bash remake. The idea behind this was to find out whether the game needs further improvement based on the feedback from those who tested it. In the meantime, it appears that Ashley Davis is no longer working for the company, and she was there only just for a few months.”
So first Doug Skor left the company, and now Ashley. That, plus the 6 month delay, seems strange to me. But I love my AFMrLE and MMr. Very high quality games.
I find it very difficult to believe that licensing would be the delay. They have known for years that they were making this game after AFM. If it is licensing than someone completed screwed up. I suspect its more supplier, company, manufacturing and or capital issues thats driving this delay....looking to outsiders for comments is fine, but this is a game thats been around for 20+ years so not sure I even buy the further improvement issue.
Quoted from JJHLH:I know nothing about licensing but I agree. It’s a remake of a small market niche product so it’s hard to believe it would take weeks to months to get approval. If that’s the case something is wrong.
“Yep, looks like the original. Approved.”
exactly! were all speculating, but maybe their numbers and profits are down on these remakes so the delay is more investor/capital related.
Quoted from Goalie:Licensing is not as easy as that. The people that approved the original are probably no longer there, and new people might have different ideas of how key art should look like or how their characters are represented especially if they have new initiatives for those brands. Also there can be royalty issues with character creators etc. I've worked on a ton of licensed video games, I've been through all that stuff, some of it is just crazy. Sometimes at milestones they say, yeah great and then at final they say no to an entire character's voice and they want it replaced.
Its a remake....all the software, call outs, and art work is exactly the same as the original. As with many things it comes with its own set of challenges and the one u described I have no doubt is a challenge. That being said its a total screwup if senior leadership didn't obtain approvals prior to even making the decision to move forward on this game. I highly doubt licensing is the issue....I suspect its more capital related .
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:Licensing with Universal for the monsters is normally SUPER easy- when they feel like it. It would be very telling if Zen gets their Monster Bash out the door first. If it’s indeed licensing, Uni may just have a huge backlog for approval... or it’s something else
If you were senior management making decisions on what remakes to move forward with don't u think licensing would be addressed prior to moving forward with all the re-engineering and capital required to just start the process? I get that it might take time to obtain approval for something like a topper or other subtle changes, but that issue should have nothing to do with moving forward on the other two product lines (i.e. non LE's). They usually don't make LE's first anyways so my guess its something entirely different like supply chain, capital, man power, manufacturing, etc.....
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:Ideally, sure - but you can’t do them all in series because you would never finish. You have to figure what’s your longest step (which really shouldn’t be licensing, it’s probably tooling for ramps and figures), start that up, and then get to the licensing for when you THINK it will be completed, working backwards. This is hard stuff, it doesn’t lay out nicely a lot of the time. I used to work on a cartoon called “Tutenstein” and we had to get two separate Universal licenses (1 for the mummy, one for the Frankenstein-esque name and a bunch of the jokes) and it took like 3 months or something. Of course, this was Discovery Channel who has regular POC contact over there, not a Pinball company who’s having to renegotiate all this
I hear ya, and I'm sure its a challenge. As we all know manufacturing pinball machines is a big challenge for all the obvious reasons. One BIG one is the capital required to make it happen. I can only imagine what the start up costs are to get the first unit off the manufacturing line. My guess is that profits/sales are not what they expected and that capital is the problem (like in most cases). I say all this not knowing who is actually putting up the capital to make this happen.
Quoted from EricHadley:I've got 8 grand burning a hole in my pocket and a open spot in my line-up! Bring it on!
I suspect you may need to throw in a few more bucks if you want the LE....
Quoted from Shapeshifter:Flippers do feel different though to original games.
Maybe it is the fact that the game is an emulation and there is a slight delay?
zero delay on my AFMRLE and MMRLE .....
Quoted from DrJoe:Disagree. All the remakes flip different from any original. The remakes flip late.
I think its mental as I've had a restored MM and a MMRLE sitting next to each other and aside from the subtle difference that each game has there is ZERO delay in the flippers...
Quoted from ectobar:But, but, but that game I played 20 years ago in a pizza shop played so much differently! Trust me bro, I remember.
yea right....I'm pretty sure every game plays a little differently 
Quoted from iceman44:Call it what you want if it makes you feel better but there is ZERO added value to an LE just because it’s “limited” to 1000 and I have an AFMLE. Literally speaking, it’s “limited”, who cares
We blow so much $$$ on plastic junk mods and then complain about the cost of a standard versus an LE. It’s comical
I tend to agree there is really is no value to the LE's. The only reason I purchased is because I liked the topper and the green trim. I guess the extended warranty had some value, but not sure exactly how much?
Quoted from PinMonk:The interactive AfMr LE topper is one of the best if not THE best ever done, and adds value to the machine because it improves the overall *experience* of playing the game. Batman'66 might take the crown if they ever get around to taking advantage of all that stuff they put IN it that is currently doing nothing.
The topper really is nice (and Im not a topper guy)....when doing the math I put a value of $500 on the topper, $75 mirrored blades, $300 on the trim, and a few hundred on the extended warranty.....thats how I made my decision
licensing could be the issue, but it seems illogical to me. Nobody is that stupid to wait to the last hour to gain approvals. Especially after spending thousands to design, re-engineer, and manufacturer. I understand the topper issue, but that shouldn't have anything to do with the other models. Delays seem more fiscal or supplier related.
Quoted from iceman44:Ever hear of Dutch Pinball and SkitB?
Dutch yes, SkitB no....
Quoted from Goronic:I want the MBr to play as close as possible to the original (not the prototype). Just my 2 cents...
MMR and AFMR both play the same so I'm sure MBR does as well
Quoted from Only_Pinball:Thanks but it was beyond easy to find. I figured I try replacing Medieval with Monster and Madness with Bash and see if I would get lucky. Jackpot! Actually, Super Jackpot!
well done
I'm a little surprised there are 1250 LE's....I suspect they sold mostly LE's on AFMRLE so the upped the number on MB? with so many LE's their really not that limited That being said I do like the topper (although not in the same class as AFM), and blue powder coating....the only other thing your really getting is a shaker, lockdown bar plate, and mirrored game blades....probably worth the extra coin.
Quoted from Goronic:How much is that...extra coin?
Not sure $700-$1000 bucks is my guess
Topper $400, powder coating $300, Plaque $50, Game Blades $100, shaker $100 is the value I put on the add on's + whatever u think the extended warranty is worth.
Quoted from Nepi23:Is the conclusion from players at expo that it plays similar to the original? This was what I got from the feedback of the test players at least at CGC factory.
They all do...the only difference is its a brand new machine
Quoted from Rarehero:I have one of the original MMr’s. The first MMr’s actually shipped with flipper coil plungers that were too long, so they did legitimately play different. Don’t just call someone a “hater”, as those first MMr’s may be their point of reference and it’s a legit complaint. The good thing is, when replaced with the original coil plungers, they play exactly as they should and I’m still enjoying mine 3 1/2 years later.
I wasn't aware of this...sounds like an anomaly?
Quoted from iceman44:All of them. ZERO chance they sell out 1250 LE's
PATIENCE. Come on, we all know they will be available for F's sake.
zero chance they sell out....AFMRLE took over a year....these will be available for a while....patience
Quoted from Only_Pinball:Yup. That's correct and a heck of a value. There was a lot of talk early on that this would be more then AFM due to BOM and Universal licensing, nice to see that's not the case.
I actually give CGC a lot of credit on how they priced the game. I am sure that they figured out they sell way more LE's than the SE, and CE models so they upped the number (very smart). When you do the math you actually get value for their LE game. Their not really LE's as their really just pimped out games, but with the shaker, blue trim, topper, blades, plasma disc, and warranty you can easily convince yourself to buy the LE, which I am sure is their plan.
Quoted from Only_Pinball:Yes. It's in the works. [quoted image]
great upgrade for the MMR
Quoted from Only_Pinball:It's definitely cool. I bet it's not going to be cheap. A nice side bonus is better speakers. The stock MMr speakers are awful.
yea theres zero chance I would upgrade to the bigger dmd, but it might help future sales of MMR if they don't increase the price much
Quoted from IdahoRealtor:Exactly. And then from the mid version you start doing the math on all the LE extras and next thing you know you bought an LE.
I'd going to try not to talk myself into the higher versions on this one. We'll see how that goes.
I hear ya....although its pretty easy to talk yourself into the LE if you like the shaker, blue trim, topper, plasma disc, mirrored blades, stainless plaque on the lockdown bar, and mirrored blades....clearly the value of adding these is more than the $700 ... if these are things you would never add than its an easy decision
Quoted from PinMonk:Kind of a bummer they went with mirror blades rather than art blades, or at least the option of art blades.
I like the mirrored game blades, but I agree it would have been nice to have a choice. Probably because the art blades take more man power to install?
Quoted from Only_Pinball:They added more of a Clifty type one.
Any other protectors on the game? I know AFMRLE only had one on the scoop (which does nothing to protect the edges) so I had to add all the other Cliffy protectors....
Quoted from Only_Pinball:Not sure. Here's the scoop one. [quoted image]
ITs good they installed one there as it gets pretty beat up...I hope its thin like Cliffs? JJP on DI tried to make their own protectors and they sucked
Quoted from Only_Pinball:Agreed. Good news is, this would do the trick till a real Clifty can be fitted.
Agreed...who knows maybe Cliff made those? I'll drop by his house and ask him
Quoted from OnTheSnap:No way 1250 is sold out. Call around. Lots of folks still with allocation for the LE
The LE will available for a long time....especially since they upped the number 250 units from AFM....AFMRLE was available for a year after release.
Clearly CCG figured out that they sell way more LE's then SE's and Classics (just my guess) so they upped the number of LE's. Distributors alway say their allocation is going quick, but that comes to a grinding halt after a week or two.....right now everyone is excited, but my guess these will be available for a long while.
Quoted from Rarehero:That’s a good thing. They can’t build them all at once....and with these evergreen classic titles, they don’t need to frontload sales...they can keep making/selling them for years.
Yep + they have increased cash flow with building so many LE's. I suspect they sell those much quicker than the SE/CE games.....so overall probably a great business decision for CCG. As we all know the game really isn't an LE, but a pimped out version on the original....
Quoted from Diospinball:Okay... So I am thinking about getting an LE... Its just gorgeous and plays amazing. I played it at the expo for like 50 plays... I put up a few decent scores on it... Here is my question to people though...
Is this game deep enough for a home use game. My fear is that it isn't. Now I played this and I played Deadpool. I liked this a hell of a lot better than deadpool. In fact this was one of my favorite games that I played at the expo, if not my most favorite one. Love Attack from Mars and I plan on getting that at one point too.
Didn't care too much for the hobbit, and while I thought JJ Pirates was an amazing game. That game's theme is just does nothing for me. And the amount of moving parts on it scares the hell out of me, and my 100 year old floors.
So, I know I'll have a great time with this machine. It looks amazing. Plays amazing.
But, how long till I get bored of it and move on. My friend made Monster Bash mode on the weekend and I think if I played more by myself and not 2 player games I could have done so too... I stink generally when taking turns.
So how well do you guys think this will hold up in a household collection?
One of the great things about MB is that the rule set is easy to understand, which trust me is a great thing. I own or have owned a lot of really nice pins, and what really separates MB, AFM, MM, TZ from most is that not only are they really fun to shoot, but the rule sets are easy to understand, and explain to guests/kids, etc... Its hands down one of my favorite pins. I've been looking for a nice one for a long time, but could never locate one locally in good condition .... so I ordered the LE
Quoted from Rarehero:Not trolling. It’s THE last great game released. I doubt any other movie themed game of the “LCD era” will be as good based on what we’ve seen since. Bobalee Bobo.
I love the Hobbit.....kids love it as well....
Quoted from Rarehero:So do 548 other people on Pinside....but the same vocal 5 people who hate it (and have prob never played it on new code with some settings tweaks & the sound blasting) are convinced I’m the only person who likes it.
even without the new code the game was great and a lot of fun.....honestly for the kids they love the graphics and sound quality....feels like your immersed in the movies if I had to nick pick it would be that its a wide body....I would have preferred a standard size cabinet.
Anybody have an idea of what CCG manufacturing capacity is? I.e how many games per week they can build?
Quoted from Bublehead:Deep metallic blue... it is stunning
Looks great...almost looks purple in the pics
Quoted from arcadem:AFMR LE's topper is the new gold standard for toppers. It will be hard to "top" (pun intended) in the future. MBR's topper should have had some animation to the figures but it is still good. Just not up the AFMR's. I might add that by comparison to CGC's, the toppers that JJP and Stern provide are a bit disappointing for pins with much higher price points. I ordered a TILT Topper for my POTC LE because I felt the game should have something better than what JJP included.
Totally agree that CCG toppers are the gold standard, and it will hard to ever beat the topper for AFMRLE......I also agree that JJP toppers are absolutely horrible, which is a surprise considering their games are built to such a high standard (I've owned them all).
Quoted from pinballinreno:This may be true,
Yet still I'm waiting for my hobbit topper as stated on the flyer when I paid in full.
Also waiting for Smaug to interact with the ball.
True....the JJP games are great yet their toppers are really crap.... i.e. WOZ RR or ECLE along with LE Pirates ...their so bad they look out of place....
I was told they were building a 100 or so SE's now, and that the LE's would start shipping on Nov 19th.....The first LE's would be "legacy" games with matching serial numbers....I was told before xmas, but that might be wishful thinking?
Quoted from Rarehero:Me. The CA Use Tax board came after me for Metallica...and cuz I had 2 shipped to my house (1 for a friend to save on shipping), they were trying to force me to pay tax on both games!!!
wow really? Did you pay the taxes? I've had several sent to my house in Cal and nobody has ever asked for taxes
Not great for the consumer, but local businesses will love it....State taxes are so high in California that saving $700 on a game is a lot....
Quoted from pinballinreno:My hope is that area's with the lowest sales tax will have the highest sales.
This might cause sales taxes to get lower or become zero in some areas in order to compete.
California will however probably never lower taxes, they believe that 100% taxation over time is the correct route to follow to pay for the entitlements they offer.
Yep...its a complete joke....
Quoted from Rarehero:I had to...they were on my ass with letters and calls. My friend paid the tax on his game, tho....I didn't have to pay for both. Not sure if having 2 shipped set off a red flag, or if they just got me random...I dunno! They got me again for Iron Man Vault.
who was your distributor?
I've never had luck with Planetary....I left two messages with no return call so I ordered from another distributor.
Quoted from pinballinreno:You dont have to pay in full until your game is ready to be shipped. So, 30 to 90 days is about right.
I agree....I wouldn't pay the final payment until the game is about to ship....
Quoted from Jvspin:Nothing says they won't be getting more allotments later.
It took AFMRLE well over a year to sell....I suspect the MBRLE's will take a long time as well....
Quoted from hollywood:I just bought a NIB AFMLE this past week. They are still around. I also just put a deposit on MBLE....they will be around for a while too I’m sure.
Its all BS sales tactics that distributors use .... these games will be around a long time....I would be shocked if they sold these out within the next 6 months....remember they also upped the number to 1250 units versus only 1000 MMR and AFMR LE's
Quoted from Deez:I was looking for the same thing as I wasn't interested in the additional bling. My distributor assured me the game is exactly like the original but has the LCD screen that you can change colors. Otherwise it's the same.
I don't think this is true? The GI lighting is very different on the SE/LE versus the CE
Quoted from Mrbill:I was not asked about a trim color with my order. So I would assume 1 color. if you really hate the color, you can always change it.
as for buying new or HUO, I don't see the LE's selling for much under the original sales price. So what are you really saving? Its pretty simple. of you want the topper, get the LE. If not, buy the SE. I am sure someone will make an aftermarket cool topper for the SE and CE so you will have a shot to get one.
On the flipside, if you don't care for the topper, there will be a market for it if you want to sell it.
Does anyone know if the topper requires the extra board like AFMRLE?
Quoted from mjannusch:You can still get the LE and just not install the topper.
You can probably sell the topper for a pretty good chunk of change. If its like the AFMRLE topper u would need the extra board...that being said not sure it would work on an SE or CE? I'm sure Lloyd or someone else would know best
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