As the playfield layout is the same as the original, no doubt the game will have a great feel regardless of the components used, & may very well have a very similar or better feel with new designed parts as a dialed in original game with the added benefit of reliability with modern architecture & all the other options.

In terms of different style mechs used, for example, on an original game if you swap out the linear style flipper assemblies to the very different old style flipper mechs (common mod) you will find the game feels quite different, but it's still essentailly the same fun game with both - it doesn't suddenly not feel like a Fathom, what's key is the layout, the sounds (especially when the second level is reached) speech & multiball flow - when it all comes together.

I don't think new design mechs or other components will change that (in any negative way)

I think it would be good if the unused speech phrases that are present in the original Squawk & Talk ROMS were used. The existing home ROM version uses these phrases & it fits perfectly in the original game format.

Yes, not those under any circumstances!

Make it this beer if you can get it.

Great suggestion! Was just going to post Coopers Pale, especially since they are made locally to me.

Maybe...

https://www.uniteddistributors.ca/beers_ciders/united_distributors_products_beers_ciders_coopers_pale_ale.html#simple1

Certainly worth tracking some down if you can as they are distributed in the US. Their is just something fantastic about how that beer tastes that they have achieved that's hard to define.

Good thing is, even though they are a mainstream brand now, the Pale still tastes exactly the same as it did decades ago.

When you lock a ball during multiball, it's normal that the drops don't reset like the first time the ball is locked because a couple of other things happen.

The otherwise inactive star rollover just in front of the saucer becomes activated so when you rollover the star, 50k will be rewarded & you get also the "help me" speech call out.

Multiball can be resumed by dropping the corresponding colour targets on the left bank - which quite often you may already have one or two down, so recommencing multiball can be easy.

One of the many quirky aspects this game has.