Police Force

Police Force, designed by Mark Ritchie and Barry Oursler (with concept work by Python Anghelo) for Williams Electronics Games in 1989, is a solid state electronic pinball machine built around a Cops and Robbers theme, with a production run of 4,751 confirmed units.

One of the standout aspects of Police Force is its 2-ball multiball feature. The machine's layout includes two ramps, three kick-out holes, and a 3-bank standup target system that require precise timing and strategy to navigate effectively. Players must also contend with the right ramp's diverter, which can send the ball either to the lock area or down a habitrail leading to the left inlane, and a plunger skill shot that sends the ball into a roll-under spinner lane for a random award.

The artwork, by Python Anghelo and John Youssi, features police-and-robbers imagery, and the game includes a moving car toy on the playfield. Interestingly, Police Force was originally planned as a licensed Batman game -- the police car was meant to be the Batmobile and the jail the Bat Cave -- until Data East secured the Batman license first, forcing a last-minute change of direction for the art (the yellow limousine taxi in the backglass had previously appeared on Ritchie's earlier game, Williams' 1988 'Taxi').