Spent the day sorting Kong, then upgraded the stock speakers with the very same ones Stern uses in their LEs—because life’s too short for tinny audio.
Check the for-sale section later tonight if you’re interested; I knocked together half a dozen full kits, speakers included.
Anyway, back to the game and my first impressions after having
@Chaggers over for a few two-player battles. Like every new Elwin game, even the early code feels polished—unlike certain others I won’t name, but you know who you are. Kong is super fun with that instant likeability factor. When you actually manage to make the shots, the flow feels spot on. The rules are simple enough to grasp and genuinely rewarding when you hit what you’re shooting for.
Sounds, music, and narration? Absolutely nailed it—A+ with a cheeky bit of humour thrown in. The LCD animations really pop too, with a slick art style that helps it stand out from the usual suspects.
The diverter sees plenty of action and I was really getting a feel for it when needed. Landing a backhanded shot to the gong off the right flipper feels ridiculously satisfying. No easy task, but definitely safer than trying it head-on from the left flipper, which tends to catapult the ball straight back to your SDTM zone.
As we got deeper into it, we started to figure out what needed hitting to progress, and it wasn’t long before the confidence kicked in. I still need to work on dialing in some of the trickier shots—especially Kong’s throwback on the right orbit, which feeds into the Biplane shot. That one’s up there with the gong for sheer pinball satisfaction.
Bear in mind I had John pop in for a quick couple of games, and as all good sessions do, it ended with the classic “just one more go” vibe. Honestly, we could’ve played all night if it wasn’t for those pesky Famalam duties calling.
Early days, I know, but this definitely feels like something special.
Best bits:
Too many to list. Even warmed to Incy—stacking his multiball with a mode has become my go-to move at the moment.
Not-so-great bits:
The art’s decent enough but it really grinds my gears when they just mirror each side. Lazy stuff, that. The backglass doesn’t quite hold up in my lineup either—though it’s hard to beat a mirrored one, to be fair.
I Also had a few cheap drains on the right outlane, but that might be down to my 7.5-degree setup… or maybe because I’m just a distinctly average player.
So yeah the sad reality: pinball prices are slowly strangling the second-hand market. Taking a punt on one without playing it first—especially after experiences with Venom and Wick—is a big ask these days.
I took the plunge with Kong purely because of the theme. Games like Evil Dead and Harry Potter look and play brilliantly, but they just don’t get my pulse racing. Kong does
So, big thumbs up so far and lucky me gets to experience all the upcoming code updates, which let’s face it Elwin’s team always nails.
I would highly recommend tracking one down and playing it somewhere you can really hear it properly—ideally in a home setup to get the full effect.
Right, I’d better grab one last game before bed.
