Brewdog Las Vegas

[Julian Hepworth]

I just came back from a trade show in Las Vegas and whilst there visited the new Brewdog on the strip. I think it's just over a year old.

There's a lot to like, tap room with all the classics as well as beers brewed on site called things like 'Fluffy', a roof top terrace with a DJ playing The Beatles and Bowie amongst others from some decks in a mini , great guacamole and chips, but perhaps most notable of all, a line of 5 immaculate Sterns including Jaws.

My original plan was to spend time at the PHOF, but the fact that I was the only one ever playing and low replays meant I went to Brewdog multiple times and PHOF once. That said PHOF did have at least 4 if not 5 Jaws so I was able to compare the different versions side by side. That's a superbly executed game in my opinion; so taken by it, I watched the film on the flight back for first time in about 30 years which made me appreciate the game even more.

Anyway, Brewdog Vegas - definitely worth a visit if you find yourself out that way

 

[Will2.0]

Nice I am out there in a few months will go check it out , went to PHOF last time and it was kinda overwhelming. This looks a lot less hectic

 

[Crewey]

Nice. I’m there June too we’ll 100% check it out

 

[ianw]

Really enjoyed Brewdog Vegas last year

 

[Crewey]

I just came back from a trade show in Las Vegas and whilst there visited the new Brewdog on the strip. I think it's just over a year old.

There's a lot to like, tap room with all the classics as well as beers brewed on site called things like 'Fluffy', a roof top terrace with a DJ playing The Beatles and Bowie amongst others from some decks in a mini , great guacamole and chips, but perhaps most notable of all, a line of 5 immaculate Sterns including Jaws.

My original plan was to spend time at the PHOF, but the fact that I was the only one ever playing and low replays meant I went to Brewdog multiple times and PHOF once. That said PHOF did have at least 4 if not 5 Jaws so I was able to compare the different versions side by side. That's a superbly executed game in my opinion; so taken by it, I watched the film on the flight back for first time in about 30 years which made me appreciate the game even more.

Anyway, Brewdog Vegas - definitely worth a visit if you find yourself out that way




View attachment 250559

Popped in earlier today, same line up.
Just stuck a $5 in Jaws which lasted a good while and left it with a couple of earned credits in for any curious visitors. It's not levelled perfectly, definitely a tendancy for balls to travel rightish down the playfield.
Feels pretty different to the LE I played in Orlando in April, not that I made the upper playfield on that many times tbh. Leah's first comment was it looked a bit empty but enjoyed playing it and thought the small flipper was crap
The sister in law stuck a dollar in Mando and enjoyed that, although I did notice there's a something not registering the ball lock to release to the upper playfield as each time it took a ball search to release the ball.

Will pop in again as we're here for another week.

 

[Crewey]

Past few days popped into the below on the strip:

Urban Necessities; inside Caesars Forum selling vintage and collectable trainers. The pinball lineup seems to be there just to create a vibe they're trying to market "look at us we're so cool" they're so unmaintained it's very sad especially with them having something as recent as a RnM. The game list is on Pinball Map but shouldn't be classed as a location as they're unplayable to the point I was angry they'd had zero love or care.

Arcade inside the Horseshoe (formerly Bally's ) CGC Cactus Canyon and a LZ pro next to the bar area sandwiching a Big Buck Hunter shooter not pinball. Games card is required, works out $1.50 per credit but the replay on LZ is very low as I achieved this multiple times. Levelling is off but plays much better than the one at Arcade Monsters in Orlando I gave up on in April. Cactus Canyon is a weird one as it should feel new but it's janky and plays badly. Think the pitch needs increasing and the flipper power turned up as it's a floaty mess. The speakers are turned up to the point they're crackling and distorting. The worst part is the LED insert brightness must be set to maximum it's blinding.

Pinball Hall of Fame; I've read plenty of praise about this place .... I'm really hoping I turned up on an off day. To say 50% of the games were on or working would be generous. Has the most unloved CFTBL imaginable it was criminal, with a colordmd which just seems bizarre when the rest of the game was scrap.
Played both their John Wick pros they have and both were setup badly, slingshots lacking any sensitivity they needed to be hit by a brick to trigger. The most bizarre thing I found while being there was at least 2 big groups were conducting competitive play as they were recording scores in 4 player play... Everything I touched pretty much played like a turd how they can tolerate that I have no idea @David_Vi would have a full breakdown seeing the janky flipper angles, pop bumpers and slingshots that need sledgehammers to react.
A couple of positives, JB60 was in there so that was a game I'd assumed I'd probably never flip and RoboWar was a beautiful Gottlieb treat that made me smile instantly, those sound FX and unique Gottlieb vibe is

I think the saddest part was there were so many families there with young children wandering around with their little pots filled with 25c coins, unable to put them in half the pinballs. They've achieved the hardest part getting young people to the location, but the condition and availability of the machines could permanently turn off the youngsters forever

I left much earlier than I anticipated so decided to walk back to the strip, not the wisest decision in 110F temperatures but it got me thinking. If Neil/Matt and the Pinball Republic crew had their hands on a unit of that size with this volume of machines, and with the level of footfall I believe it truly would be worthy of the Pinball Hall of Fame title and a must visit experience. However, as it stands it felt more like The Pinball Mausoleum


(I am aware that this location is run as not for profit and have donated incredible sums of money to the Salvation Army, so my thoughts may seem harsh in this regard)

 

[MajesticPinball]

Past few days popped into the below on the strip:

Urban Necessities; inside Caesars Forum selling vintage and collectable trainers. The pinball lineup seems to be there just to create a vibe they're trying to market "look at us we're so cool" they're so unmaintained it's very sad especially with them having something as recent as a RnM. The game list is on Pinball Map but shouldn't be classed as a location as they're unplayable to the point I was angry they'd had zero love or care.

Arcade inside the Horseshoe (formerly Bally's ) CGC Cactus Canyon and a LZ pro next to the bar area sandwiching a Big Buck Hunter shooter not pinball. Games card is required, works out $1.50 per credit but the replay on LZ is very low as I achieved this multiple times. Levelling is off but plays much better than the one at Arcade Monsters in Orlando I gave up on in April. Cactus Canyon is a weird one as it should feel new but it's janky and plays badly. Think the pitch needs increasing and the flipper power turned up as it's a floaty mess. The speakers are turned up to the point they're crackling and distorting. The worst part is the LED insert brightness must be set to maximum it's blinding.

Pinball Hall of Fame; I've read plenty of praise about this place .... I'm really hoping I turned up on an off day. To say 50% of the games were on or working would be generous. Has the most unloved CFTBL imaginable it was criminal, with a colordmd which just seems bizarre when the rest of the game was scrap.
Played both their John Wick pros they have and both were setup badly, slingshots lacking any sensitivity they needed to be hit by a brick to trigger. The most bizarre thing I found while being there was at least 2 big groups were conducting competitive play as they were recording scores in 4 player play... Everything I touched pretty much played like a turd how they can tolerate that I have no idea @David_Vi would have a full breakdown seeing the janky flipper angles, pop bumpers and slingshots that need sledgehammers to react.
A couple of positives, JB60 was in there so that was a game I'd assumed I'd probably never flip and RoboWar was a beautiful Gottlieb treat that made me smile instantly, those sound FX and unique Gottlieb vibe is

I think the saddest part was there were so many families there with young children wandering around with their little pots filled with 25c coins, unable to put them in half the pinballs. They've achieved the hardest part getting young people to the location, but the condition and availability of the machines could permanently turn off the youngsters forever

I left much earlier than I anticipated so decided to walk back to the strip, not the wisest decision in 110F temperatures but it got me thinking. If Neil/Matt and the Pinball Republic crew had their hands on a unit of that size with this volume of machines, and with the level of footfall I believe it truly would be worthy of the Pinball Hall of Fame title and a must visit experience. However, as it stands it felt more like The Pinball Mausoleum


(I am aware that this location is run as not for profit and have donated incredible sums of money to the Salvation Army, so my thoughts may seem harsh in this regard)

An interesting take on the HoF, I've heard it's pretty bad, I've been given permission to film a video there and have been offered the chance to interview Beth one of the owners so will see where that goes.

From a maintenance point of view I simply don't understand their struggles, why Tim won't hire a tech I will never understand. Comparing the HoF to PBR for example (I know PBR has significantly smaller opening hours) but generally I get around 7 hours a week to work on the machines there (60+ games) for the most part they were all up and running. Once I'd taken over tec duties and got them all to a good standard they were fairly reliable... And that's just on 6/7 hours a week. If they just hired 1 person full time think of what they could achieve.

For a location that size not to have a workshop is absolutely bonkers too. I'd have 10+ machines spare, lined up and ready to go out on the floor and as soon as one fails swap it round with the backup and take everything broken off the floor

 

[Crewey]

An interesting take on the HoF, I've heard it's pretty bad, I've been given permission to film a video there and have been offered the chance to interview Beth one of the owners so will see where that goes.

From a maintenance point of view I simply don't understand their struggles, why Tim won't hire a tech I will never understand. Comparing the HoF to PBR for example (I know PBR has significantly smaller opening hours) but generally I won't get around 7 hours a week to work on the machines (60+ games) for the most part they were all running. Once id taken over tec duties and got them all to a good standard they were fairly reliable... And that's just on 6/7 hours a week. If they just hired 1 person full time think of what they could achieve

It is shocking mate honestly, it's not as if the games that are switch on play particularly well from the perspective Tim might want to maintain them himself and other hands must be kept off.
Totally bonkers

 

[MajesticPinball]

It is shocking mate honestly, it's not as if the games that are switch on play particularly well from the perspective Tim might want to maintain them himself and other hands must be kept off.
Totally bonkers

I went to the old location in 2018 and for the most part everything was on, a lot of games had issues though but at least the stuff was on I suppose. I'd love to run the tec dept. at a place like that, I know it could be somewhere really special...

 

[Crewey]

I went to the old location in 2018 and for the most part everything was on, a lot of games had issues though but at least the stuff was on I suppose. I'd love to run the tec dept. at a place like that, I know it could be somewhere really special...

We regularly went to Vegas pre covid and I never ventured to the old building sadly as Pinball wasn't majorly on my radar then.

 

[Julian Hepworth]

I went to the old location in 2018 and for the most part everything was on, a lot of games had issues though but at least the stuff was on I suppose. I'd love to run the tec dept. at a place like that, I know it could be somewhere really special...

Yes, that was my experience too ; must have played a working Pinball Circus on 3 or so separate occasions.
It seems to have lost something moving off East Tropicana.