Comet

Comet, designed by Barry Oursler with artwork by Python Anghelo, was released by Williams in June 1985 on the System 9 platform, with software by Brian Dolatowski and Bill Pfutzenreuter. A four-player game with a confirmed production run of 8,100 units, it earned a genuine place in the record books as the first solid-state machine to feature a one million point shot - the Cycle Jump ramp in the upper right playfield - announced by designer Steve Kordek's voice calling out 'One Million!'.

The gameplay is engaging, with two flippers, three pop bumpers, two slingshots, and nine standup targets providing multiple opportunities for scoring. A drop target protects a stationary target, adding a strategic element, while the corkscrew ramp in the upper-left playfield can be qualified to award an extra ball or Special. A left crossover return lane and a mini-post screw between the flippers round out the layout.

The carnival theme has a charming backstory: Oursler originally planned to call the game 'Riverview', after the amusement park that once stood across the river from Williams, but after discussions with management and distributors he renamed it for one of that park's roller coasters - Comet being a common coaster name alongside Cyclone and Hurricane, names Williams would indeed use for the follow-ups. Anghelo even wanted the top rollover inserts to read 1-9-8-6 in recognition of Halley's Comet's 1986 fly-by. With its blend of classic gameplay and million-point showmanship, Comet remains a beloved entry in Williams' mid-1980s catalog.