Sharkey's Shootout

Sharkey, released by Stern Pinball in September 2000, is a billiards-themed solid-state electronic (SS) pinball machine and one of Stern's early releases following the company's founding in 1999. Designed by John Borg, with concept work by Dwight Sullivan and art by John Youssi, the game runs on the Sega/Stern Whitestar platform, and its playfield was adapted from Bally's 1981 title 'Eight Ball Deluxe'.

Sharkey's gameplay centers on its billiards theme, featuring three flippers, three pop bumpers, eight drop targets, and one spinning target. A notable toy is the "Mystery Ball," a feature reminiscent of a Magic 8-Ball. Fred Young contributed voice characterizations for the game, and the sound and music were handled by Kyle Johnson, with software by Dwight Sullivan, Keith P. Johnson, and Lonnie D. Ropp.

With its neon-lit, pool-hall artwork and design lineage tracing back to a Bally classic, Sharkey offers an interesting look at how Stern Pinball built on established playfield designs in its early years as a manufacturer.