The Addams Family Pinball Machine

(Video shows a previous Addams Family Machine. New video coming soon) The Addams Family Pinball Machine, launched in 1992 and is the best-selling pinball machine ever made, amounting to over 20,000 units built and sold. It was manufactured by Midway, under the Bally name. It is based on the 1991 movie of the same name, and features genuine custom speech by the movie’s stars, Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston. This Addams Family machine even includes additional models and modifications all over the playfield to bring the world of The Addams Family to life. You’ll find real models of a telephone, a model railway engine, a safe and even Uncle Fester himself sitting in the game’s electric chair. Key Features: Your objective is to “Explore the strange world of the Addams Family.” There are two central objectives: The Mansion: The Addams Family mansion is located in the center of the playfield and has 12 “windows”. Each window corresponds to a different room that the player can enter and receive an award for. Vault Multiball: In the top-right section of the playfield is a blue bookcase, representing the bookcase that Gomez shows Uncle Fester in the movie. Hits to it award letters in the word “Greed”. Once the word is completed, like in the movie, the bookcase turns, revealing a shot to the vault behind the bookcase (it is possible but rare for a ball to go into the vault when the bookcase is in the blocking position). A shot to the vault locks the ball for future multiball use, or starts the multiball when two balls have been previously locked. The bookcase also opens access to the vault at certain other times during the mini games, with varying scores and effects. Other objectives include: Bear Kicks: a ramp in the top center of the playfield awards 1 or 2 “bear kicks” (referencing the scene in the movie with the bear carpet that comes to life), awarding points, mansion rooms, and extra balls. A successful “bear kick” shot enables Uncle Fester’s light bulb (when not in multiball mode), which indicates that a shot into his electric chair gains a mansion room and activates a mini game (after such a shot, the light bulb goes out). Staircase Ramp: a left-side ramp that awards an increasing number of millions, usually 1M-10M, and letters in the word “THING” (see THING below). Graveyard: a set of 5 bumpers (a rare amount on modern machines) that increases the “Graveyard value”, which is collected from a right-side shot. Train Wreck: a dead-end shot in the top-left section that awards points, assists graveyard scoring, and lights extra balls. GRAVE: 5 targets strewn around the field that award letters in the word “Grave”, which when completed award an increasing amount of millions. THING: Once the word THING is completed (see Staircase Ramp above), a scoop in the top right corner awards an increasing multiple of 5 million points. Skill Shot: When initially launching the ball, dropping it into Thing’s scoop just past the launch ramp gives 2 million points the first time, increasing by a million each time up to a maximum of 5 million points each time. Hitting a skill shot may also gain other benefits if they are active on Thing’s scoop (e.g. extra ball, Quick Multiball, Thing points, locking a ball for multiball). Why is the Addams Family one of the most sought after pinball machines? There are a number of combining factors which made this game such a major hit when released, and why it is so sought after by collectors today. At the time of the game’s release video arcade games were decling in popularity, due to the improving quality of home games systems. Whilst at the same time pinball had experienced a host of new technological breakthroughs, such as the dot matrix display screen which is housed in the backbox. This enabled animations top be added, better explaining game objectives, special modes, and high-scores. The gameplay is what really got players hooked, with three “toys” which enhanced gamplay and added a “wow” factor for players and spectators: Thing – a hand that comes out of the the box at the top right hand side of the playfield, using a magnet to pick up the ball and then disappear again The Power – using under-playfield electromagnets when activated it would cuase the ball to move in a random manner, devaiting it’s course and sometimes flipping it in an entirely different direction. Thing Flips – Above the top left flipper was an optical sensor that at certain points in the game let the machine attempt to read the speed of the ball, and taking control of the flipper from the player hit a shot on the opposite side of the field. This is the first CPU controlled flipper in pinball history. The game’s ability to use missed shots to calibrate future attempts resulted in an automatic flip that was impressively accurate.