This guide is based on the tutorial video available here. Special thanks to outsider238 for creating such a detailed and carefully made assembly walkthrough.
The ROKR Dinosaur Lab Pinball MGP01 started life on Kickstarter, where it ran from June 9 to July 9, 2026. The campaign closed successfully, raising well past its funding goal.
Backers’ enthusiasm has been rewarded with kits arriving, cracked open, and built. This wave of builders is where we get the machine review summaries below.
So sit back, relax, and find out what these enthusiasts are saying about this exciting new offering from ROKR’s roster of mechanical builds.
The Predecessor
The MGP01 isn’t ROKR’s first pinball kit. It follows the all-wood ROKR 3D Pinball Machine EG01, built around a circus theme, which several builders covering the Dinosaur Lab kit had already assembled themselves. That earlier machine earned a reputation for being genuinely fun to build, with a refreshingly smooth physical assembly and most of the challenge coming from the electronics side. Tolerances were tight, but the instruction manual was praised for its accuracy and helpfulness.
The kit was, and still is, a showstopper, introducing the live LED scoring matrix, authentic sound effects, flashing ramp lights, and fully electronic, reactive solenoids on the bumpers. All in all, it was deemed complex, well-engineered, and rewarding, comparable to going under the hood of a real, miniature arcade machine.
This was ROKR’s first mechanical pinball-type game offering. Indeed, a tough act to follow.
The Theme: A Lab Experiment Gone Wrong
ROKR designers took the feedback from the EG01 as both a challenge and an inspiration, coming up with a concept that’s as exciting as the fast pace of the game itself.
As fast as a T-rex sprinting away from its laboratory cage.
From the get-go, fans were hooked with the dinosaurs-running-amok concept, expressing curiosity and excitement as they unboxed their kits. They already knew, from the EG01, the quality of engineering ROKR pours into its pinball machines. So what they were most eager to know was if the theme felt authentic, or if it fell flat and pasted-on.
Feeling the Energy
YouTuber Clint Conner greeted the raptor cage reveal with an audible “Raar,” and was genuinely pleased when the two halves of a hand-applied “broken sign” sticker lined up exactly.
“I guess it does match up. That’s pretty good,” he muses in his video.
His appreciation escalated as the T. rex figure, cracked containment door, biohazard stickers, and caution signage accumulated across the playfield.
Reinforcing this impression is Gear Diary’s Perry Brauner, who referred to the kit as having real energy from a famous dinosaur film franchise, clearly read as a compliment. Mike Shouts echoes the “beyond novelty” sentiment, noting that the decor carries through the ramps, loops, targets, lights, and sound effects rather than being confined to stickers on the surface.
Overall, you could say the dinosaur theme stomped its case across the board with these reviewers.
The Build Builds Up
Conner did several videos of the kit, documenting his build step-by-step, including playing the game itself. Having already built the EG01 over two years ago, he couldn’t help but compare the two as he was assembling the Dinosaur Lab.
While he praised the craftsmanship and sturdiness of the all-wood EG01, the MGP01 noticeably leans much more heavily on plastic components, a refreshing change that will feel familiar to anyone who’s built one of ROKR’s Parallel World marble-run kits. Even the cables are routed neatly and clipped into place with dedicated plastic cable-management pieces.
His impression of the MGP01 was largely positive, noting that most press-fit connections went together cleanly and satisfyingly once seated.
| Builder notes | EG01 3D Pinball Machine | MGP01 Dinosaur Lab |
|---|---|---|
| Theme | Circus | Dinosaur lab breakout |
| Main build material | All wood | More plastic components, similar to Parallel World kits |
| What builders highlighted | Smooth physical assembly, tight tolerances, challenging electronics | Clean press-fit connections and tidy clip-in cable routing |
The Game
Power comes from your own USB-C cable (not included in the box); plug one in, and the machine lights up immediately.
Once running, the MGP01’s electronics and gameplay largely outperform expectations for a kit at this price and format. Players noted the flippers have a satisfying snap, the ball rolls true, and the ramps guide the ball smoothly without it catching even in odd spots. The playfield’s mechanical bumper was the standout, actively firing the ball back into play with real physical feedback rather than a passive rubber post. It’s the kind of touch a company wouldn’t have needed to include but did anyway.
After spending an evening playing, Robin from Pinside notes real ramps, mechanical flippers, a genuine pop bumper, ball sensors, and challenges that give players a real goal. It exceeded his expectations, and he kept wanting to play another round.
Across the board, reviewers praised the surprising amount packed into a tabletop kit:
- a T-rex breakout and raptor-takeover play area
- dedicated impact scoring zones and targets
- a health bar display
- infrared sensor scoring
- a visible score progress bar
- two play modes: a straightforward high-score mode and a tougher time-pressured challenge mode
- adjustable difficulty and volume
What Builders Want to See
No kit is perfect, and builders brought to light some improvements that could be made.
Flipper Issue
A small plastic tab that the flipper retaining screw passes through has a reported tendency to crack if that screw is overtightened. Once cracked, the flipper stops working. ROKR addressed the issue directly in a Kickstarter update, confirming the fix is simply correct torque. Even though this has happened to several builders, it’s an issue with a straightforward fix: don’t overtighten.
Before you tighten: turn the flipper retaining screw only until it is snug, then check that the flipper still moves freely. If a flipper stops working, the Dinosaur Lab Pinball support guide covers parts and troubleshooting.
Scoring Display
A few reviewers prefer a digital readout rather than the MGP01’s lit-up letters for easier tracking of where they stood mid-game.
Part Shortages
Some kits were shipped without the small silicone O-rings needed for the playfield bumper posts. ROKR sends replacement sets speedily, with builders receiving them as quickly as the next day they were requested. If anything is missing from your box, you can request it through ROKR part replacement.
The Verdict: It’s a Hit With a Bonus
The ROKR Dinosaur Lab Pinball Machine MGP01 is a definite hit with early builders. The kit goes together well; assembling it gives builders time to appreciate all the detail that went into one small tabletop machine. The printed instructions do a solid job walking builders through each stage, even with hunting through the multiple bags and sprues packed inside the box.
More can be done. Overtightening screws can break flippers or stop them from moving; that’s a real issue if builders aren’t warned, but an avoidable one with careful screw tension. Beyond that, this is an enjoyable build with a spectacular result. Once assembled, the machine plays better than its price point suggests.
