Silverball 4: The Shadow

Now anyone who knows me knows what a big fan of The Shadow I am. I love the pulps, the comics, the serials, and the radio shows. I even loved the 1994 movie. Yes, there was some terrible stuff in there, but there was also a great amount they got right. Of course like any potential blockbuster, there was a lot of merchandising - like this pinball machine.

This Midway machine was designed by Brian Eddy with art by Doug Watson based on the movie. Over and above the silly and awkward shooter shaped like one of The Shadow's trademark .45 pistols, the game features three flippers, two playfields, optical targeting, and gameplay that followed a story. It was pretty advanced for the time I'm told.

The game is fun to look at, fun to watch someone else play, but as with most games - I suck at it. But still, it's The Shadow, and it's awesome, one of the best parts of the visit to the Silverball Museum.

Silverball 3: Flash

At first glance this pinball machine from the Silverball Museum might appear to be referencing Flash Gordon, with the artist getting our hero's hair color mixed up, but no, this Williams machine from 1979 is an original. The name Flash actually refers to the fact that the game was the first to use flash lamps, displaying a lightning-like effect.

Flash was designed by Steve Ritchie, featuring art by Constantino Mitchell. It was state of the art for the time and common in arcades that were then switching over to electronic games. It also showed a digital score as opposed to rollover numbers. Flash also had a continuous soundtrack that got louder and faster the further you advanced in the game.

Flash was a pinball machine I remember playing back in the day. It was easy and fun for me, which says a lot about the game, both good and bad. I liked it a lot, and was one of the few games I spent a lot if time playing on my visit to the Silverball Museum.

Silverball 2: Oxo

Oxo is a Williams four-player pinball machine from 1973, despite its 1980s New Wave vibe and coincidentally sharing a name with the dance rock one hit wonders of "Whirly Girl" fame.  

Oxo was designed by Norm Clark with art by Christian Marche. Based on the simplicity of a tic-tac-toe game, it's easy, fast, and fun to play.

 Oxo was one of the two pinball machines I had the most fun playing on the visit to the Silverball Museum.

Silverball 1: Beat Time

Beat Time is a Williams pinball machine from 1967, designed by Steve Kordek with art by Jerry Kelley.

This was a Beatles pinball machine taking advantage of the height of Beatlemania.

The caricatures are obviously the Fab Four, borrowing from the cartoon of the time, but predating their slightly modder look from Yellow Submarine.

Fun and basic, this was a nice trip back in time, I dug it.

The Silverball Museum

Recently I visited the Silverball Museum in Asbury Park with The Bride.

You can read the original post about the trip right here on one of my other blogs, Welcome to Hell.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be taking a closer look at some of the pinball machines on display there at the Museum, so keep an eye out!