Silver Ball Century ep. 68 - Late 1993 - Alvinball

Alvin G. was a short-lived pinball company, but the world of '90s pinball was richer from the fact that they gave it a try. They first released their head-to-head pinball game A.G. Soccer-Ball in 1991, then the more standard Al's Garage Band Goes on a World Tour in December 1992, and now in late 1993 we see their last two releases: Mystery Castle, a game that is simplistic but beloved and has very clear goals, and Pistol Poker, a game that I think is the opposite on most of those axes. There is heart in Mystery Castle, in its low-budget callouts and animations. Its dancing skeleton is a candidate for the best dot animation made by someone who isn't that good at dot animations. It's iconic enough that I've seen it as an animated emote in pinball streams. Remember, the "G." is for Gottlieb, but they can't use that trademark. Meanwhile, the elder Gottlieb brings us the sassy skiing game Wipe Out, which is everything you'd hope for from a '90s Gottlieb, and Gladiators, a game with a…