I love TNA's translite. The art style really appeals to me since I've been on a synthwave kick lately, which has the same aesthetic.
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The main character looks like she'd fit in well in the Overwatch universe, which could probably help pull in some younger people to the pinball hobby. This is Tracer from Overwatch, for example.
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Totally! And the trailer is hilarious (warning: language and game violence)

I love Kung Fury! In the same vein is the music video for Carpenter Brut's (my favorite synthwave artist) "Turbo Killer" which I think was produced in part by the team that did Kung Fury.

The way I see synthwave/outrun music described is like the music you would imagine hearing if you were in the '80s driving in a Ferrari along the coast at night while being chased by the cops. Carpenter Brut's music is like that except you're driving through Hell.

I disagree. This is just an example of parts of the old becoming new again and being adopted back into the zeitgeist. It doesn't have to be full adoption or nothing. It's like how bell-bottoms made a return in the late '90s/early 2000s and integrated with the rest of the popular fashion trends at that time.

In this case, the most aesthetically pleasing parts of this particular visual style from the '80s are merging with an illustration style similar to the current hottest game on the market. The timing couldn't be more perfect with the Blade Runner sequel and Matrix movies on the horizon, as well as the Cyberpunk 2077 RPG, introducing neon-soaked cyberpunk visuals to a new generation of gamers. I don't know that a more perfect combination of art styles could have been made in a fully original IP that could possibly appeal to new and younger gamers in the very near future.

I think it's the same concept even if we're talking about bringing just one visual style into the present or intermixing two from different decades.

I disagree that the character is made to a '90s style though. The artist in the TNA piece has colored the lineart with a clipping mask to make the lines mostly disappear. I don't remember seeing that being done very commonly in the '90s or even early 2000s. I think what makes the TNA girl look more '90s-like is a reduced anime influence in the design of the face compared to more contemporary stylized drawings (for example, check out how the bridge of her nose is straight and not a subtle curve outward as you see in anime). The differences between TNA and Overwatch character styles is a combination of the artist's preferences vs. the Overwatch team's as well as the translation of the visual identity to 3D. Take a look at the TNA girl next to the concept art of Overwatch's Sombra to see the truth in this, and then look at Sombra's 3D version in the center for comparison.

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I think quasi-Overwatch style illustrations merged with the synthwave look would work great and fit in with the whole theme. I think it would also offer a certain appeal to some passers-by that might have not have tried a pinball machine if it were covered with realistically drawn (or photos of) people, like someone in their mid-20s or younger that may have never touched a pinball machine before, but they have played Overwatch. Again, I don't believe in order to use the '80s vibe means you have to go whole-hog on it.

Exactly. I think a lot of the guys on here that are turned off by the art might have a different appreciation for it if they see it make their kids interested in their hobby. The reality is that if the gameplay is amazing, most pinheads aren't going to be as concerned with their perceived shortcomings on the theme. GOT sold a lot of units despite (IMO) having some of the worst playfield graphics in a pinball machine in a long time, because it has that Steve Richie flow and great gameplay. Many people here have been salivating over TNA since before they saw the backglass art despite the machine just being a whitewood with some crude Sharpie drawings. I think this game has the potential for broad appeal, in that it offers compelling gameplay for pro pinball enthusiasts and has an art package that might finally turn some kids' heads.

I think you are misinterpreting what trunchbull meant. All of those backglasses are really well done, but someone that isn't familiar with pinball probably wouldn't guess that any of those games were made in the last decade, whether due to theme or art style. TNA is "with-it" in this regard. It'd be hard to assume it's not modern when the character looks like she'd fit in Overwatch and the retro-futurisic neon aesthetic is growing in popularity again.

No, apply the full context first. Some of the '80s retro-futuristic stylings mixed with modern stylings (like Overwatch illustration styles and Photoshop graphic design techniques) are what look modern. On top of that, I'm saying the '80s neon look is coming back due to music/visual movements like synthwave/outrun and upcoming blockbuster-potential cyberpunk movies like the new Matrix and Blade Runner, as well as videogames like Cyberpunk 2077.

I signed up for the sales list as soon as I saw the photos. So far, the team has perfectly nailed this game, in all dimensions. I haven't been this excited for a pinball machine as long as I've been in the hobby. I wasn't sold on the need for the segmented LED score displays until I saw how they are integrated now. So hot. I can't wait to own this game!

Starting at 18:09 talks about the sound system and why it won't rattle the cabinet the way other sub mods would.

It looks like TNA is going to be built using a framework called SkeletonGame. I can't say for certain, but I don't think the audio assets are going to be protected or locked away in some manner, so you will likely be able to open up the SD card or whatever the game is stored on, then replace the music files directly with your own. You'll just have to convert your MP3 files into Ogg Vorbis or Wave file format, which shouldn't be too difficult with free tools like Audacity.

http://skeletongame.com/step-3-adding-assets-images-sound-etc/

Edit: If you want to add more songs instead of just replace songs, you'll have to change the game logic, which is obviously going to be more advanced. One solution that avoids having to reprogram the game would be to modify the game's audio files by adding more songs to the end of each one. Like you change "Reactor 1 Song.wav" to add your Excision song on the end of it. You'll probably have to have a pretty long ball time to be able to hear your song, but that would be one way to do it without any programming. You could use Audacity to combine audio like this.