UltraPin
About This Machine
The UltraPin, released by Global VR of San Jose, California in December 2006, is a distinctive hybrid pinball machine manufactured under license from Williams Electronic Games. Rather than a traditional mechanical playfield, it uses a 32-inch LCD video screen for the playfield and a 19-inch LCD screen in the backbox for video and scoring, blending video-game technology with genuine physical pinball feel.
One of the UltraPin's most innovative features is its U-Shock I/O card, which lets players bump and nudge the cabinet to influence the ball in play just as on a standard pinball machine. UltraPin shipped with six virtual recreations of classic tables - Bally's 'Strikes and Spares' (1978) and 'Xenon' (1980), Williams' 'Sorcerer' (1985) and 'F-14 Tomcat' (1987), Midway's 'Attack from Mars' (1995), and Williams' 'Medieval Madness' (1997) - selectable via the flipper buttons before starting a game. Additional tables could later be added through Expansion Pack 1 (Firepower, Eight Ball Champ, Funhouse) and Expansion Pack 2 (Fathom, PIN-BOT, Black Knight 2000).
About 200 units of the UltraPin were produced, with design led by producer/designer Brian Matthews and a small software and art team. It remains a notable curiosity for collectors as an attempt to bridge classic pinball tables with video-screen technology.
Images (12)
Technical Details
- Notable Features:
- The playfield is a 32-inch LCD video screen. The backbox houses a 19-inch LCD screen that runs videos and also serves as the score display. The U-Shock I/O card installed in the cabinet allows the player to bump and nudge the cabinet to affect the ball in play, just like a standard pinball machine. UltraPin ships with six pinball tables: Bally's 1978 'Strikes and Spares' Bally's 1980 'Xenon' Williams' 1985 'Sorcerer' Williams' 1987 'F-14 Tomcat' Midway's 1995 'Attack from Mars' Williams' 1997 'Medieval Madness' Player operates the flipper buttons to select which table to play before starting game. Additional pinball tables can be installed later as Expansion Packs. Expansion Pack 1: Williams' 1980 'Firepower' Bally Midway's 1985 'Eight Ball Champ' Williams' 1990 'Funhouse' Expansion Pack 2: Bally's 1981 'Fathom' Williams' 1986 'PIN·BOT' Williams' 1989 'Black Knight 2000'