Funhouse

Funhouse, designed by Pat Lawlor and Larry DeMar for Williams Electronics Games in 1990, is a standout title in pinball history. This solid-state machine, built on the Williams WPC (Alpha Numeric) platform and produced in a run of approximately 10,751 units, embodies the spirit of a classic carnival funhouse. Its centerpiece is Rudy, a talking, ventriloquist-style head (voiced by Ed Boon) who taunts players, tracks the action with his eyes, and even addresses each player by an assigned nickname. Artwork by John Youssi, music by Chris Granner, and sound by Jon Hey round out one of the most characterful packages of the era.

The gameplay is ingenious. Three flippers, three pop bumpers, and two manual plungers give players an unusual range of control, while a ramp, standup targets, a 3-bank of standup targets, three cellar holes, and dual right inlanes fill out the playfield. The ramp features a diverter that guides the ball either to the left inlane or the left outlane for a left-plunger skill shot attempt, and the upper loop hides a trapdoor that opens briefly when an upper loop shot is made. The game builds toward a memorable climax: when the playfield clock reaches midnight, Rudy falls asleep with his mouth open, and shooting a ball into his mouth scores 1,000,000 points and starts Midnight Multiball, a thrilling two- or three-ball frenzy.

The design and art bring the carnival atmosphere vividly to life, and the game's blend of humor, mechanical showmanship, and satisfying rules has made Funhouse a beloved classic among pinball enthusiasts. Williams had used the theme once before, on 1956's 'Fun House,' and would revisit the talking-head idea with two heads on 1994's 'Red & Ted's Road Show' — but Rudy's original stage remains one of the most fondly remembered machines of the 1990s.