Originally published as an Advisory Hour Substack post on 2026-10-26. This first-party site copy preserves the text, localizes public supporting media, and connects the record to its project trail.
Original post
Folded Thunder is the next pinball machine in TiltLab. For this one, I wanted to see how much of the original game’s artwork and assets I could bring over to build a richer environment around the cabinet.
The machine sits inside a pop-up book of the Foldlands. As you progress, one world folds away and another unfolds around you. There are things to unlock, different starting locations, and a storybook that fills in as you play.
If you’ve played Folded Thunder, you’ll recognize the characters and cut scenes. If you haven’t, this is another way to meet them.
There’s even a little stage on the machine where Pip runs through the scenery and the bosses appear. You’re working your way through a version of the original adventure by playing pinball, which I find pretty delightful. The original game’s music and sounds come over, too.
One of my favorite details is the ball itself. Look closely and you’ll see that it’s Pip, the little paper dinosaur, all rolled up. That’s who you’ve been bouncing around the machine.
There’s also a thunder component. Build enough momentum and the sky darkens, lightning comes down around the cabinet, and the scoring doubles for a little while. I think you’ll have fun getting that going.
You can move the camera around to inspect the machine and its surroundings, as with the other tables. On a keyboard, Space launches the ball, and A/D or the arrow keys operate the flippers. There are touch controls on a phone as well.
The funny thing about testing these machines is that I keep forgetting I’m supposed to be testing them.
I’ll sit down to check something, then half an hour later realize I’ve just been playing. There’s something mellow and satisfying about pushing a couple of buttons and watching the ball go around. I’m not a huge pinball guy, but I increasingly find myself thinking that I wouldn’t mind owning a real version of one of these machines.
There are boss fights here, too, so there’s quite a bit to work toward. I’m not claiming I’ve successfully beaten every machine in TiltLab, but I’ve certainly put some time into this one.
And even though the basic mechanic takes place within a single cabinet, there’s still a surprisingly large amount to test. The ball needs to reach the right places. Unlocks need to happen. Bosses need to start and respond when they’re supposed to. And, of course, the ball needs to avoid getting wedged somewhere I hadn’t thought to check.
If you encounter something weird, I’d like to hear about it. It may be a situation I simply haven’t run into during my own games.
I’m not going to tell you my high score yet, but I have definitely been practicing.
There’s no video for this one here. You can jump straight into the machine and take a look around.
I had fun with it. Hope you do, too.
Connected work
- Play Folded Thunder Pinball: Launch Pip through the Foldlands.
- About the machine: Read the rules and see how the pop-up worlds work.
- The original Folded Thunder: Meet the game that supplied the characters, art, and sound.