Dang, I offered mine up for sale cuz I need to make room for Elvira Blood Red Kiss…but maybe I should stay in the club & sell something else in the meantime.

Exciting news Luke!

Early impressions didn't help, same for Halloween where i've met many who only tried the game right when it came out and the code was really limited, or they heard negative things based on the early code.

The game has come a very long way and still getting better with more support. But folks are quick to write off games nowadays, with so many new pins hitting the market now from every direction.

Ultraman is very niche, never was big in the west, so it's obvious why it hasn't retained secondary market value as much as Halloween has. Similar games, but the IP just gives the other more clout. Sadly folks also like to just look at market values as a judge of how good a game is without even have played it.

Took 178 games over 1.5 weeks...but finally broke the default top score of 20 million. It's such a sad score, I know, I really suck at pinball but hey, I'm having fun, love this game! Slowly learning the rules and finally started to learn to tilt after having pins for almost a year now. Slow learner....but again ..having fun.

PXL_20231025_023403754 (resized).jpg

So what’s a bargain price for an Ultraman? I’ve only played it a few times and not enough to even understand what I should be doing. The elevated playfield seem cool and I remember watching Ultraman on tv when I was a little kid.

Nitro has the CE NIB for $6,000! That's $3k off everywhere else! With shipping it came out to the price of most used ones ($6200-6300). Great American Pinball (10mins from me) is asking $6k for a used one. So couldn't resist my first NIB. I don't think $6k for a used one is bad either though (taking this rare sale out of the equation). https://nitropinball.com/products/ultraman-collector-edition-preorder

There's a Butter Cab CE in the Marketplace for $5500 (OBO). That's a steal, imo.

I believe in this game. I think getting it for 6k is a really good deal.

Lol. I think my high score is 12 m. It's a challenging game.

My scores have gone down as code has advanced; I'm not sure if actual scoring has been neutered or if it's because I'm focusing on fun objectives and not just crushing super jackpots all day.

One thing I did recently was swap on some silicone rubbers I had laying around... I'm very much a standard-rubber guy, but with this game having so many tight shots and the steep center ramp etc, being able to slow the ball down quicker really made it more fun for me, because there's a lot less missed shots + rejects. Think I'm going to throw lightning flippers on it next to balance out the increased ball time from the silicone

On that note (and knowing fully well this is a bad use of programming time since I'm maybe the only masochist in here that'd enjoy it), I think this would be a fun game to have a "no cradling" mode/setting, like the "Impossible Mode" in Stern's Mandalorian. It'd make chasing the Super Jackpots in Jirahs + Bemular way tougher (I find those two quite a bit easier than Baltan, maybe that's just me) and would add to the fun of chasing down Zetton.

Scoring for most things I believe has gone up. The key really is to get those multiplier opportunities going when you have stacked modes. Also the locked ball multi ball with the 2x scoring which can stack on top of other modes can essentially give you three modes going on at the same time with multiple stacked jackpots all with increased scoring on. Top this off with the new scoring multipliers you build up by collecting points, one can cause the game scoring to explode.

This has been the reason for my new low scores. LOL I'm taking stupidly riskier shots trying to get all the standup targets when I hear "5 seconds" then boom, SDTM. I laugh and start a new game.

Has anyone had an issue when you plunge the ball and ball save starts, but if you drain it doesn’t activate actual ball save and players turn ends. I even get auto plunging on the next player. I can’t seem to figure out what’s the reason. Any help would be appreciated.

I'm working on 300 games in just two weeks. I've wiped the playfield down a couple of times, but at what point do I need to wax?

Haven't had that issue. I'm on 1.13 (latest)

With modern machines, pretty much never. Just wipe off the grime now and then.

Take the glass off and lightly run your fingers over the playfield.

Does it feel slick and smooth or do your fingers kind of "grab" at the surface?

If it feels not-slick, wipe it down with a clean rag *slighty* dampened with 91% isopropyl alcohol, and then wax with a coat of hard carnauba paste wax and buff it with a clean cloth.

Should only need to do this occasionally.

RM

Looks like you have the same issue I’m having with ball save not working properly. Seems like it doesn’t recognize ball save for some reason. Im running on the previous code before this new release. I’m going to update with newest code and see if it’s a code issue!!!

Check your Trough Switches, too.
Anything that has to do with Ball Count makes me suspicious of possible Trough issues.

Watched the Code Update Stream last night. Excited for the chance to Update to it, soon.

The ball save was definitely fixed in latest code.

RM

Remember there is now an actual Ball Trough Test Mode in recent code.

You can cycle the balls through the trough, into the shooter lane and back onto the playfield and see all of the switches active/inactive

Very handy

RM

I just had a weird issue where I hit the scoop and it gave me kaiju selection and giant fuji, but killed my flippers until after the ball drained. Anyone see that same issue?

Yeah I didn’t have the issue until I updated with last code update from what I notice. I’m hoping it’s a code issue and this new one will fix it!!!!. Is that what happens to your issue? Everything works fine with this new code drop?

Anyone have issues with their light strips after updating? I updated mine and the bottom lights stopped moving, locked on random colors. I don't think they were doing that before the update, but honestly at this point I'm not sure I would have noticed it either way.

Pretty much, yes.

There is a multiball bug I am still trying to get a repeatable case of, but yes, upgrade to 1.13

RM

That's the RGB strip on the edge of the middle (Bemular) playfield?

It is the whole strip or only part of it that never changes colors?

RM

That's the one. I went back and looked and it appears that 90% of the strip is locked on.

I have had that happen twice because of ball strikes to the LED strip, both times near that front edge/corner

If that is the case, Spooky will send you a new LED strip.

I have a pic of where to route the cable; it's a short tight run but it reaches

I made an edge protector out of lexan and have not had it happen again since (six months or more)

RM

Has anyone had issues with a Baltan working hit and miss, including in the test servo menu? It's odd because when he doesn't show when he's supposed to, if I barely touch him, it engages. In the photo he's stuck. But I can get him to reset if I tinker enough.

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Are you still using the original servos that came with your Ultraman?

Intermittent movement or shuddering may indicate a failing servo.

If it fails, the recommended solution is to replace all 3 with better servos.

Take the glass off and the balls out
Flip the playfield up and find the bundle of servo wires - cut the zip ties so they are free
Place the playfield back down, place a towel on the playfield
Take the Buildings off, they go in a specific order
Detach the wireform and pull it out - take careful note of where the back ends go, that's crucial to getting it to fit back in at the end
Take the Baltans off
Flip the wireform over and clip all or most of the zip ties
Replace all 3 of the servos, one at a time
Zip tie the wires back together just like they were and flip the wireform back upright
Don't put the Baltans back on yet
Turn the game on, it will reset the 3 servos to the Hidden position
Go into servo test and test each servo so you know they are working
Leave them in Hidden position
Turn the game back off
Replace the Baltans (Note - you may have to use the small screws that come with the new servos for this, the old ones may not fit the new servos)
Replace the Buildings
Feed the wires back down
And replace the wire form and bolt down
Flip the playfield back up and re-zip the wires neatly
Done

Get this 3-pack
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0874JS7BX/

RussM

Thanks for the instructional writeup! Yes, original....because the game is only two weeks old. So I still have the spare that came with it that I can swap it with if that's the case.

Don't bother. The spares are still crap and the amazon link above is the better part with metal gears. I replaced all 3 of mine when one started acting up. My coinbox also didn't have any of the spare stuff it should have included.

Well that's annoying. I'll pick these up then, thanks!

Remember that's 12.99 for a 3-pack; all you need.

Don't get 3 of them LOL

RM

By chance would these Servos also work in Scooby Doo? I am going to order a 3 pack for Ultra Man, but see Scooby also uses some type of servos. Also it would be great if someone could make these directions into a highlighted key post.

Thanks for link. I unboxed and setup over the weekend. Plays great right outta the box with no adjustments necessary. It had 1.08a code installed from Spooky
with a October 2022 build date. Definitely ordering the servos. Just a matter of time before they go wacky. Going to order a extra set to have in case Scooby
-Doo starts going haywire in his barrel.LOL

I have both an Ultraman and a Scooby Doo.

UM/HWN uses 2 types of servos:

MG90S servos (small ones) that run the Baltans/Michaels

Feetech FT5320M servos (much bigger) that run the ball lifters and the ramp diverter (I think)

Scooby Doo only uses the bigger Feetech FT5320M servos under the apron kickouts and the Scooby Doo in the Barrel

That's it I think

RM

For all those haters who complain that "Spooky uses cheap-o servos because they are a terrible pinball company" can take note that I saw some pics of the underside of Labyrinth and they use at least three and possibly 5 or 6 of the exact same servos.

RussM

Thanks for the clarification on the different types of servos on Scooby and Ultraman. I wish Spooky sent a manual along with their games!

I'm working on a manual, hopefully will be available soon, it might be something that comes out as a v1, then gets added to over time.

I made this ball accelerator mod after dealing with the slow right lane lifter return since I received the machine....what do you guys think? I want to finish up another "bug" with the ball drop...but for the most part it's working....It uses the ball's inertia to speed it through the subway..it requires cutting and replacing the bottom of the subway with a 3d printed accelerator of sorts.

pic of the installation

20231103_065126 (resized).jpg

20231103_065139 (resized).jpg

That seems to work well.

I have thought about something like this, but what about a 3D printed wedge-type thing that would just get adhered to the inside head end of the subway, something like the Swamp Accelerator that works so well in Addams Family?

Would be much easier to install.

RussMyers

When I looked at what was going on there...I realized that it needed more than just a swamp accelerator fix that TAF had implemented, moving that ball quickly was key...this accelerator not only moves it on the way down, but then quickly turns it to exit the accelerator...the other issue,that I'm still working on, is when the ball drops, it hits the corner of the playfield that seems to jut out into its path . I need to get around that and that should speed things up more...before installing this my ball literally just sat there....I would tilt it trying to get it to move...

Got it. I might be interested, but I'd want to check with Spooky to see if I can get a spare subway for myself before I would cut the one I have.

RM

Ha I got cha....I'll be providing a printed template to make the cut line...nice and slow on a chop saw and it came out great...

Has anyone found a way to repair a broken Beta Capsule? Only 42 plays on the game since receiving from Spooky 2 weeks ago.

IMG_3825 (resized).jpeg

Don't bother...get Vimtoman 's replacement capsule...much nicer...no more issues...

Email Spooky and ask them for a replacement (they are really good on support - [email protected]), and then use @vimtoman's mod for the scoop or get/modify your own from some of the tips in this forum. (https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/ultraman-kaiju-rumble-owners/page/91#post-7817031)

I broke mine but the wires were still intact so I just glued it back together and then changed the snubber deflector to a rounded deflector and the new deflector goes far enough under the beta capsule to protect it. I've sent some super strong shots to that scoop and the new deflector has worked perfectly. Bonus - very few rejected shots.

Well, you can solder those broken contacts back, kind of a PITA.

Alternatively, if you have a white LED #89 flasher you can dig the old one out of the silicone and replace it.

Spooky support will send you a new one ASAP.

Vimtoman's replacement is very nice, but cost and shipping from the UK

RussM

Thanks for the helpful suggestions. I will reach out to Spooky on Monday. I had a get together with non Ultaman fans. Everyone that played it loved it. ~30ish.
games played with no further issues. I had no LED's on hand, so placed an incandescent #89 from inventory. No one seemed the wiser about a missing Beta Capsule except I.LOL

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