Newsletter May 2026
- May 1
- 7 min read
Welcome to our monthly newsletter!
In this issue, we focus on Portal Pinball.
We let you know what’s happening at Ye Olde Pinball Shoppe, share an interview with Kelly Mitchell, and highlight what’s coming up- plus a date worth circling, special hints: ‘Kiwi’, ‘Capital’, ‘Silver’, and ‘Ball….’
Don't Upset GLaDOS...
We’re delighted to welcome Portal to our arcade- a game that uses the unique Multimorphic P3 platform that blends both physical ramps and pinballs with a dynamic digital playfield. It draws inspiration from the beloved video games Portal and Portal 2. The game also features cameos from several characters in the original video game series, including Chell, GLaDOS, Atlas, P-Body, and Wheatley.
Set inside the Aperture Science Enrichment Centre, players progress through a series of experiments overseen by Wheatley and the sarcastic AI- GLaDOS. Armed with a portal gun, you’ll solve intricate spatial puzzles, sending the ball instantly from one area to another. Along the way, you’ll activate modes, stack multipliers, and complete test chambers, all while interacting with 3D models of turrets and weighted companion cubes.
The ultimate goal is to progress through the test chambers and “destroy” GLaDOS in an exhilarating wizard mode. The seven test chambers are:
Test Chamber 1:
The Big Fling - A multi-phase climb requiring shots to all three ramps, a Faith Plate launch, and a Hard Light Bridge traversal to reach the L.O.F.T. (Library of Failed Tests) for a momentum jump.
Test Chamber 2:
Encouragement via Discouragement -Features a rotating, on-screen discouragement beam that affects flippers and slingshots. Players must hit targets to drop items and shoot the Turret Control Centre scoop to succeed.
Test Chamber 3:
Proactive Energy Redirection - A puzzle mode where players hit specific shots to align panels to guide an energy pellet to a detector.
Test Chamber 4:
It Takes 2 - A cooperative-themed mode where players must use two balls (a "companion cube") to hit three specific locations, ending with a shot into the L.O.F.T. to push the cube into an incinerator.
Test Chamber 5:
Shortcuts - A speed-based challenge requiring 11 shots, with opportunities to use portals (shortcuts) to skip steps.
Test Chamber 6:
Escape Viscosity - Involves spraying white gel on to the centre wall barrier, using the L.O.F.T. to build momentum for a Moat jump, and loading the kickback with Repulsion Gel.
Test Chamber 7:
Turret Manufacturing - A timer-based, mini-wizard mode unlocked by achieving Super Spinner level 4. Players must knock malfunctioning turrets off a conveyor belt.
YouTube link for more information: Portal on the P3 Platform by Multimorphic.
A strategy to increase your points dramatically in Portal.
On ball three, the Faith Plate Multiball will be automatically lit. You can bring that into any Multiball that has already started.
Use the first two balls to get as close as possible to starting Turret Multiball. To do this, hit the target to the right of the spinner to light the lock. Shoot the ball into the left scoop. If it times out, re-hit that target again.
There’s a decent chance you will start a mode during this time. That’s OK…play it out.
Ideally, begin ball three with two Turret locks.
When in ball three be very careful to not light a mode at this point, because that may partially block your lock shot.
Be careful to not start Faith Plate Multiball too early, as I believe you can’t bring in any other multiball during Faith, you can only bring Faith into other multiballs.
Once Turret Multiball has started on ball three, focus on shooting the centre shot to bring in Faith Plate Multiball. The centre shot awards Faith Plate jackpots and collect Turret jackpots on the left scoop.
Each month we interview a pinball player.
KELLY MITCHELL
Kia ora Kelly!
Please give us a brief rundown on when you first started playing pinball.
I started playing pinball around April 2023. I used to walk past the arcade on my way to uni, and I actually held a petty grudge against them because they took over the spot of my old hairdressers! The arcade kept a Godzilla pinball machine right by the door, and since I’m a fan, I decided to give it a go. After wasting my tokens in record time, I asked a staff member, Ashley Burke, how to get better value. He recommended the monthly tournaments. I went to my first one the next month and a second one about six months later; since then, I have rarely missed a monthly tournament.
Tell me about the Maidens.
Multiball Maidens is a monthly arcade event for women and gender-diverse people who want to play pinball together. It provides an accessible, open space for practice and making new friends.
First machine that won your heart?
It would have to be a toss-up between Godzilla, Fish Tales, and Game of Thrones. Godzilla was my first love. During my early days, Fish Tales was the only other game I would put tokens into, purely because the aesthetics, layout, and music made me smile and sometimes laugh. Game of Thrones locked me in as a tournament regular because it was the first game I would have said I was good at. I really liked the ruleset and the variety of strategies you could use to get quick, big points. I think it was also the first game where I ever hit one billion.
What is it about pinball that keeps you coming back?
It is the new friendships I have made, and it’s about having a healthy competitive outlet. While I have always enjoyed competition, I have not found an activity outside high-commitment team sports that engages that desire. Pinball is perfect because it offers close competition while feeling like playing video games with your haumis.
What are your feelings on old games vs new games?
If I wanted to own a game at my own house, I would want one of the newer ones; it is so impressive how much content manufacturers are able to put into modern games. New games also involve a lot of fun strategising and practice, which keeps me really engaged and excited to play them. However, I think playing older games is often a purer form of fun. Especially late electro-mechanical machines or early solid states They have a more peaceful pacing and the sounds that seem to scratch that little corner of your brain in the perfect way.
Do you have a current favourite now?
At the moment, I’m really enjoying Dune. I think the sounds and shot layout are really engaging, and the way the lighting shifts from day to night is pretty slick. I’m also really looking forward to Pokémon *wink wink.*
Many thanks to Kelly and Hugo for this interview.
IFPA NZ Pinball Championships 2025
We had the pleasure of hosting the IFPA NZ Championship 2025 this January, in conjunction with the Fork and Brewer next door.
The event brought together top players from across New Zealand, along with a couple of qualifiers from Australia, competing on a mix of both older and modern machines.
Simon spent a significant amount of time repairing and preparing some older vintage machines from his collection. It was wonderful to have such a broad range of titles to play on:
- Charlie’s Angels (1979)
- Eight Ball (1977)
- Joker Poker (1978)
- Supersonic (1979)
- Cirqus Voltaire (1997)
- Totem (1979)
- Mata Hari (1978)
- Silverball Mania (1980)
- Terminator 2 (1991)
- Dr. Dude (1990)
- High Speed (1986)
- Getaway - High Speed 2 (1991)
- Alien Poker (1980)
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1978)
- Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1993)
Some of these titles are still at the arcade for you to enjoy.
After two days of intense pinball action, the winner was Ashley Burke. His first ever win at the NZ Championships!
Dune has arrived!
To celebrate the launch, Wellington-based sculptor Steven Saunders signed our machine. He sculpted the models for Dune and is the second Wellington artist to work on a Barrels of Fun pinball machine, after Johnny Fraser-Allen, who worked on The Labyrinth.
Nick and Molly Baldridge visited
Nick and Molly visited Aotearoa in February, flying down from Hamilton just to see us. They are the creators of the vampire-themed Drained (2022), designed for the Multimorphic P3 platform. The game showcases Molly’s incredible hand-drawn artwork, influenced by Edward Gorey.
Drained also brings back the classic “gobble hole” feature, last seen in the 1960s, and includes over 50 original songs and 70 sound effects by Charles Wolf Music.
Nick, who is a customer support technician for Multimorphic, fixed a couple of faults on Portal while he was here.
Nick and Molly gifted us some t-shirts and a copy of Coin Op Carnival, an illustrated series that explores the history, design, and culture of electro-mechanical coin-operated games - especially pinball and pre-1978 arcade machines. It dives into the artwork, mechanics, and stories behind these machines, bringing their history to life.
Nick is a big fan of older EM machines, particularly bingo games. He hosts the For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast (400+ episodes).
Flipped Out For Cuba Dupa!
Ye Olde Pinball Shoppe participated in the wonderful Cuba Dupa, a street festival in Pōneke that runs over 2 days. Many thanks to Sinphonic Events! We had house music DJ’s pumping out the jams for most of the weekend.
Join us for the 4th annual Kiwi Capital Silver Ball.
Join us in Wellington this King’s Birthday weekend for four days of pinball tournaments, competition, and great company.
The main tournament has officially sold out!
However, there are still tickets available for the Kiwi Capital Best Game Open & 20th Century Knock Out.
Kiwi Capital Best Game qualifying is open across both days and can be played at any time. Players do not need to be present for the full duration, however you must have 12 eligible scores submitted before 6:00pm Sunday.
For any questions:
Regular Events
Pōneke Pinballers
Entry Level Pinball Tournament
Haven't played in a pinball tournament before? This is the perfect place to start.
First Thursday of every month. Next tournament is 7th May 2026
$25 entry covers free play all night.
Doors open 6 PM, tournament starts 6:30 PM sharp.
Multiball Maidens
Wellington's women's pinball league!
Tournaments every fourth Thursday of the month.
Our league is inclusive of the trans, non-binary & LGBTQ+ community.
Incoming Games
Banzai Run - an exciting 1988 pinball from Williams and the first machine designed by Pat Lawlor (Whirlwind, Addams Family, Twilight Zone). It has a multi-playfield design, in which the player can play a vertical game on the machine's backglass in addition to the main playfield. The motorcross theme and groovy soundtrack make this a very compelling game.
Rumour has it that an old score reel machine will be here soon too! The first EM (electro-mechanical) game YOPS has ever seen. Fantastic…(hint hint)
We also have Beetlejuice and Winchester Mystery House on order.
We look forward to seeing you soon. Come and enjoy the warm and cosy pinball space that we are very proud of.
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