wow, that looks so good!

I think the unveiling was a little weak. Really didn't get to see the game very well with the poor camera set up. Didn't get to hear the music. I think a good promo reel showing the music and some of the animations would have gone a long way. Plus, could have asked SDTM, Buffalo, or even Bowen to set up a steaming rig on the cabinet that was on the main floor to stream people trying it out. That would have nailed it. I think they were pressed for time getting it finished before TPF and Charlie was really nervous so he kinda scooted quickly through the presentation. But looks nice.

I think they'll get a lot of orders today, but not 500. I don't think there is any rush to order before seeing a stream with more complete code (at least with a song) or actually getting hands on experience (which can be difficult given Spooky's low numbers). So, I'm not worried about sitting this one out for the time being.

delt31 They didn't need the hype. They have already sold well over half of their limited run already. Now that the game is shipping, a stream will be coming soon and also unboxing and review hype from the early games. Then, watch how fast those last 100 sell. I don't even really like AC that much, but the hype that is coming plus the fear of missing out are going to be hard to resist!

I understand taking the video down, but please Jack, release the Dracula mode where Bowen cradles the ball to sing Disco bloodbath boogie fever. Man, that was hilarious!

Wow, it's getting hard to keep looking past the spots going up for sale. Something about this game makes me want to pull the trigger. There is no way I would be able to play one before I tried it, though. But that AyceGogi stream really looked good. Can't wait to see some unboxing and home vids posted to see how people are digging it.

Shut up, Charlie! I'm trying to resist temptation here! Seriously, it is so awesome to see how you are growing as a company and adding jobs to your community. I hope Bug realizes the character and integrity that his father is demonstrating.

This pin desperately needs a good quality stream. Every time a spot opens up, I'm so tempted. But other than the Korean BBQ stream, there really isn't much out there...and that was over 2 months ago. Something about this pin just looks so unique and interesting.

I have a question about gameplay. It looks like this game is very linear. Hit orbits to lock in monster and get through rooms. Hit mode start. Play mode. Rinse wash and repeat. The only exception seems to be that Frankenstein multiball is available at all times. Are there any other scoring opportunities or strategies? That was my only issue with TNA. Just hit this, then this, then that over and over. Nothing else mattered but one shot at a time. Hitting anything else didn't really benefit. I enjoyed AMH where you could work towards qualifying multiple modes at the same time, had minions to defeat, and had stairway multiball all available in any order at any time(for comparison).

@Damonator, thanks for the explanation.

Thinking about it. This time of year gets real busy, real fast with activities, especially with kids. I hope to make at least one day of it. Really appreciate your work towards making it happen.

I have a question for owners and/or Spooky. Watching the more recent videos (like the Gogi one) the magnet save didn't seem to work and fling the ball. Has this been fixed? Also, any hints on the direction the code is moving toward?

Played this game several times over the last two days at Pincincinatti. I also played JJPOTC, Houdini, Deadpool LE, and Monster Bash remake. ACNC beats them all. Absolutely the most beautiful of them all. Sounds, callouts, music, and PLOT make this a winner. I got immersed exploring the castle. Two multiballs are available at all times as well. The shots are tough at first, but by game 3 had them down. But the tough shots make it so much more rewarding. Everything worked perfect and guillotine was awesome. Magnetic ball save flung the ball back up into play. Light show and sound effects were incredible. My 13 year old son even made the shots and defeated a monster! Sorry, I'm going on and on, but just wanted to put a positive review out there. My son ranked it above JJPOTC and Dialed In! That is high praise indeed...and he hadn't heard of Alice Cooper until a couple of months ago.

Sorry, I have absolutely no interest in that game. So didn't play it. Just not a theme I am interested in. Nothing against the game or company. Just not for me. Also, I am definitely not trying to put down JJP. As a WOZ and Hobbit owner I love thier stuff. It's just that ACNC has that "magic". I was literally shaking with excitement after my game where I reached 3 monsters including chopping off Alice's head. Didn't hurt that I had my son and Charlie cheering me on.

@rubber ducks, just want to respond to your comments, which I assume are from the stream. I didn't find the audio cues to be off at all. Plus there are tons of amazing sounds and lights that the stream just didn't seem to capture that you get in reality. I had watched just about all footage of this game that was present before the show and nothing compared to standing in front of it. Not at all challenging your comments or opinions, just throwing out some encouragement and first person observations. Also, once you get the hang of it, the ball is really easy to control and trap in the upper playfield. Think of the castle playfield on WOZ, but with more shots available.

And....I'm officially in!

Having been a TNA buyer, this time I have much less stress. I have played ACNC and I know it is everything I want. I'm not going to rush to sell off anything. I'm just going to relax and wait for my 2 week email. Much easier this go around knowing what to expect.

TNA is best when played with others. That is why I ended up trading mine. I love it, but it's best in community. ACNC is the best theme integration and experience I have seen in a long time. Really captures that old B/W style. It is tough, has depth, and lots of shots and strategy. Both are great games, but in my opinion, if you are like me and play solo the majority of the time, then go ACNC. And of course, try to play before you commit.

It's not that you can't leave honest opinions. It's just that some folks leave the same negative opinion over and over again. It gets old when everytime a new comment is made, some folks feel they have to leave that same negative thought. So, it is hard not to perceive that as "trolling." But I get it. I made a comment that I thought was fairly neutral in the Beatles thread (not the owner's thread) and got attacked by the Stern faithful. I think this is a pretty good crowd compared to a Stern or JJP thread.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by this statement.

Gotcha @robertmee. I hope not as well. What makes me a little more hopeful about ACNC is that because of TNA and a parts delay, looks like ACNC code will be more fully developed once main production is underway. Also, ACNC and TNA are on PROC vs Heck's boards. That may make coding and updating easier (not sure, just guessing). Finally, there will be more ACNC owners out there vs RZ just because of run numbers, so probably more likely to be better supported. All that said, sorry the RZ folks are not getting all the code support they were wanting. If I had to guess, this is weighing on Charlie because I truly believe he cares deeply about people liking his games. Just watching him stare intently while folks played ACNC at Pincincinatti told me that. Also, remember that it is only in the last 3 to 6 months that Stern has finally updated some old unfinished code...and they have been doing this for over 30 yrs.

I am super excited to see how the code developes on this game. Some of the shots are tough, but very rewarding. I watched some of the stream from Pincincinatti. One observation that I had since I was there and played that same game, is that streams don't do it justice. Mainly because of the overhead flat viewing angle. Viewed from the players position it is gorgeous. The castle looks like a castle. LCD is perfect and lighting is fantastic. It is a he very definition of "world under glass."

@chuckwurt, hope you did not take offense at my comment. So glad you were able to get that game (and Charlie) to Pincincinatti and to stream it. Unfortunately, for most games with lots of toys and upper playfields, the overhead viewpoint only gives the 2D look. But, how else to show the whole game? Those who have tried other angles make it so you can't follow the game. I think you did a great job capturing the audio.

Just got back from playing it on the way home. Unfortunately it is running really old code. If anyone knows the owner please urge them to update it. A totally different experience from the code I played a few weeks ago at Pincincinatti. New code is so awesome.

Well, Charlie said they would be making nothing but ACNC once done with TNA. Looks like they will be done with TNA very soon or by mid Jan. I have been impressed by how many TNA's they've been shipping. I waited 6 months for #151 and in 9 months they went from 150 to 550. So looks like they have done something to up production. Bottom line is that by Feb they should be cranking them out regularly. I expected the wait, so its not bothering me. Plus seeing how code has progressed from the first streams to now, trust me, you should be happy for the wait. Code is so much more improved and there is more to come...and not just polish.

Unfortunately, like me when I went through the TNA experience, new Spooky customers get frustrated. They are a small business. VERY small when compared to Stern. It takes them a lot more time to make their games. Any production delays are also magnified as a result of the size difference in companies. But, you get the benefit of higher quality, originality, quality control, and personalization. Also, you get to be a part of helping some legitimately good people. Inlove that this is a family business. Reminds me of my Dad's company growing up where we all knew each other and felt like family. So to sum it up, it takes longer but is worth it!

Hey lancestorm and @frankmac, please take the personal stuff to PM. I would ask the Moderators to back me on this. It is getting old guys. Bury it and move on.

Woohoo! According to the podcast they should be a dedicated ACNC shop starting next week.

Wow, game looks even more polished. Love it!

I'm thinking collecting weapons from the rooms gives incentive to take the long way instead of the secret passage by giving a higher value if you b as title and/or defeat the monster. Just a thought.

I promised myself I would be patient when I got my spot, but now that I know Spooky is switching to full ACNC production, I am starting to watch for people getting their emails. Hope to see some soon. So we know we are really moving forward!

@chicoman, I played ACNC in late Nov at Pincincinatti. The game is pretty forgiving once you get used to it. You need to have some basic nudge skills and be able to control the ball. I'm an average player at best and I put up 69 million + on it (including chopping off Alice's head). I enjoyed it so much, I put a deposit on it. My 13 year old son also had a blast and defeated a few monsters. The shots may be a little tighter than a modern Stern, but boy they feel great when you hit them. The combo sound and light effects are great. And finding and battling monsters is a thrill. Plus there are two multiballs (Frank and Crypt) that are available (and able to be stolen) throughout the game. Try to play one with current code, it's a blast. The newest code is even better and more polished!

easiest to look through the image gallery.

This is a wonderful picture from Spooky's Facebook page today.

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Not to throw doubt on your comment, but your score ends in a 3. You may have played 4 monsters...but one is still out there.

That is one heck of a score!

Can't wait for mine and love that the score keeps track of the monster kills, just like TNA's reactor count.

Did the same thing. Guess they just made this decision. Oh, well.

I thought the blue really made the side art pop when I played one at a show. The hammered grey/black also looks good. I don't think you can go wrong.

Can't think of a better way to end the argument. Well said, sir.

For TNA, Pinball Life offered a power board for mods. I would assume this would also work for ACNC. Allows for like up to 5 or 6 mods to be plugged in so that you don't blow the main board.

It is so hard knowing you are close to getting the call. But because of butter cabs and other machines getting built out of order, don't know if will be this month, or the next, or...

ahh...Data East...THE standard in pinball! ha, ha, ha! I needed that.

I think they are building a run of butter machines right now. I'm 54 standard cab and was told maybe end of this month or next by my distro.

That's depressing. I truly believe they are working hard and I believe in the company, but boy they need to get these things out and get some positivity going. This game blew me away when I played it in Cincinnati. It needs to be out there in folks' homes.

Just a word of advice, relax all you fellow buyers with deposits in. This is the same situation us TNA buyers faced. Very, very slow start that eventually ramped up to a steady pace. At the beginning TNA trickled out to locations and to folks willing to unbox at shows. Lots of folks sold their spots, some for less than cost. But once production ramped up, games and deposits sold for cost or above cost once it got out there and was played. ACNC is one of the most unique games I've ever played. I'm a mode based game person and can't wait to have it in my home. Yes, the wait is killing me too. But I'm confident in what I will be getting.

Totally different game and how it came to be, but I was just comparing the rollout, which unfortunately, is a very similar situation. Hard to be patient in the world we live in today.

They have been up front with the non-refundable deposit and Charlie urged people not to put down a deposit unless they were sure about it. A lot of folks got sucked into the hype wagon. I personally waited and played later code at Pincincinatti where I put about 20 games on it with my son. I got lucky and found an early spot that was unsold by a distributor. And, being a previous TNA buyer, knew I was in for a wait. And knew that Spooky's dates are usually way too optimistic. But the game was great in Cincinnati and looks to be even better. I agree that the upgraded tech and coding will be worth it.

I think the interest will pick up with TPF, MGC combined with more games coming out at a hopefully quicker pace. At the end of the day, I'm not worried because I know what I'm getting. Just hate to see criticism, especially from those that have no stake in the game. This is a small, family business run by good folks. For those with deposits in, I understand your frustration. But they have always delivered.

I don't think it is repeat customers. Instead Spooky has said and their history with TNA kinda confirms that they give preference to location games and those willing to unbox at shows. Wouldn't be surprised to see a couple of folks get theirs "early" at TPF and MGC. I understood this for TNA as it was an open ended run, but with ACNC a limited run, I think they should stick with going in order, especially since it has been effectively out for a year. The butter cabs do not bother me as much as they make them in groups. Since there are less of them, lots of different numbers get bundled together.

It is becoming harder and harder to wait for things these days. You get the itch for a new game and want it now. I try not to look at the marketplace, but find myself gazing and dreaming of owning certain pins. Then remember my only spot is waiting for my ACNC. I know it's a great game and I will love it. But i think the frustration is that we live in an Amazon Prime world now. Plus, constantly hearing negativity about it on certain podcasts and posts doesn't help. Just need to turn off the noise and be patient. I'm deliberately not going to watch Bowen's stream or play on location until I get mine so none of the fun gets spoiled. The game is fantastic and the company is great. So no worries here...just need to stay off pinside.

So Kaneda ACTUALLY played ACNC at TPF and...said it was incredible. Maybe now that he has finally played it himself he will stop dogging it constantly on his podcast. He owes Spooky (all of them) a HUGE apology. Of course, it won't happen. Good job Spooky, if you can win over your biggest critic, you know you have a hell of a game on your hands.

Was there a second Bowen steam at TPF, besides the seminar one? If so, is there a link?

#54 here no word yet.

#54 to be ready next week!

I love the creativity and nuances in the ACNC code. 5 days away from picking mine up. Can't wait to explore the castle!

What is Alice mode? Are you talking about the Alice Cooper "monster" mode where you hit the guillotine?

#54 was finished last week and waiting for me to pick it up this weekend! I will be a club guy real soon.

Number 54 is now home. A few audio tweaks and we are off. My 12 year old daughter finished Ethyl on her second game with speed run of 25 seconds...yeah, I won't be beating that.

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Gotta tell you, Friday night I played Wonka, DI, BK3, Munsters, Deadpool, Octoberfest, and Houdini...all the new stuff and ACNC rocks them all. Art, code, sounds, lights, shots, and of course, music. I know many of you are waiting, but it will be worth it. I know, total honeymoon phase quote, but each game is electric. Just wanted to post a note of encouragement for those waiting after seeing the new reveals. Alice beats then in my opinion.

Art blades plus the blue powder coat look amazing on mine. I think the mirrors look better with the gray trim myself, just because the art blades do not match as well with the standard trim.

In regards to shaker, if I had to do it again, I would have waited. I think the subwoofer shakes the machine as much as the shaker motor. I don't know if I'd miss it. Plus, seems a relatively easy install if I did want to add it later. But still can't go wrong with it there.

Also, get the target decals, they really look natural on this game and add just the right amount of character.

As an owner, yes the shots are tighter than most, but you can recover pretty well. This game has some of the most fun and unique modes of any game I've played. Truly unique and original. If I had to say one thing about ACNC compared to other games is that it has character. It is not for everyone, but my friends and family love it!

It's a tough game. At the start, utilize the secret passage and start Frank mode (easier to hit). When you start 3rd mode extra ball is lit. Also, change replay award to extra ball. But mostly, just keep playing. You'll find the shots. I would have thrown in the towel myself, but I love the unique gameplay. No other game like it. Ive owned it for almost a year now. Played it last night for an hour. Best was 4 monsters. But damned if I didn't giggle, sing, and shout every minute of it. Love it!