Marvel Heroes vs. Villains
About This Machine
Marvel Heroes vs. Villains, designed by John Popadiuk and Chris Nicolella for Zizzle Arcade Pinball in 2006, is a home-market pinball machine licensing Marvel comic book characters, part of a wave of Marvel and Pirates of the Caribbean themed games Zizzle produced in 2006-2007. A motorized, spinning Dr. Doom figurine serves as the game's central toy.
Gameplay-wise, Marvel Heroes vs. Villains features two flippers, three pop bumpers, and two slingshots, all controlled by a set of dedicated solenoids, plus two standup targets and a spinning target that add to the dynamic play experience. With its 3/4-inch ball size and LCD scoring display, the machine was aimed at the home pinball market.
The machine's artwork and design are also noteworthy, featuring a heat transfer laminate print on a wooden playfield, and an injection-molded backbox with decal artwork on a wood cabinet. This game holds a US design patent (D579,055), filed by John Popadiuk Jr. et al. in September 2006 and granted in October 2008. Marvel Heroes vs. Villains remains an intriguing addition to the pinball landscape, particularly for enthusiasts who value its early incorporation of licensed comic-book themes into a home pinball package.
Images (6)
Technical Details
- Theme:
- Licensed Theme - Comic Book Characters
- Toys:
- Motorized spinning Dr. Doom figurine
- Notable Features:
- Flippers (2), Pop bumpers (3), Slingshots (2), Standup targets (2), Spinning target (1). LCD scoring display, LED game lighting. Music, sound effects, and speech. End-of-ball bonus score. Tilt ends ball in play. 3 or 5 balls per game, plus extra balls. Wood playfield with heat transfer laminate artwork. Injection molded backbox. Injection molded bumpers, ramps, ball guides and playfield inserts. Wood cabinet with decal artwork advertised as 34 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 54 inches high. Metal legs. 110v/220v transformer. One solenoid operates the three pop bumpers simultaneously. A separate solenoid operates both slingshots simultaneously. Each full-size flipper has its own solenoid. All solenoids were 24VDC open frame case style. Ball size: 3/4 inch. Design patent D579,055 [PINBALL MACHINE] filed September 29, 2006. Granted October 21, 2008 to John Popadiuk, Jr. et al.
Credits
- Designer:
- John Popadiuk, Chris Nicolella
- Artist:
- John Popadiuk, Katie Gyarmaty
- Software:
- Shing Lam