Earthshaker! (pinball)

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Earthshaker!
EarthshakerPinballFlyer.jpg
Manufacturer Williams
Release dateFebruary, 1989
Design Pat Lawlor
ProgrammingMark Penacho
ArtworkTim Elliott
MusicJon Hey, Chris Granner
Production run5,257

Earthshaker! is a pinball game designed by Pat Lawlor and released by Williams Electronics in 1989. The game features an earthquake theme and was advertised with the slogan "It's a Moving Experience!" Some prototypes have a building that when the shaker motor is activated will fall down but the team removed it due to cost savings. [1]

Contents

Earthshaker! was the first pinball machine with a shaker motor that causes the table to rumble along with the theme of the game. [2] [3] However, this was not patented by Williams so was available for other manufacturers to use in their designs. [4]

Description

The player assumes the role of an earthquake researcher and has to visit various zones along the California-Nevada border. During the game the two states split apart and become a rail for the ball. [5]

Sample games feature an "Earthquake Institute" building that sinks into the playfield. About 200 of these sample machines were produced before this toy was made stationary due to cost savings. [1] Some hobbyists re-add this feature in their custom pinball machines. [6]

The music and voices of the game are typical for its era, although the pinball machine is known for a female voice saying "Bitchin'!" which was unusual for its time. "Family" ROMs that censor the questionable language by omission was developed.

One of the modes on a 2017 pinball machine also designed by Pat Lawlor, Dialed In! , has a mode named after this machine.

Gameplay

[7] [8]

Digital versions

Earthshaker! was released as a licensed Williams table in The Pinball Arcade for several platforms in 2014, [9] but was delisted with the loss of the Williams license on June 30, 2018. [10]

It was released alongside Banzai Run and Black Knight 2000 for Pinball FX on December 12, 2024.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Internet Pinball Machine Database: Williams 'Earthshaker'". Ipdb.org. Retrieved 2015-08-28.
  2. ↑ "Williams Shakes Up Pin Industry With Earthshaker — First Machine To Shake & Quake". Canadian Coin Box. Vol. 44, no. 2. April–May 1989. p. 49.
  3. ↑ "#287 Williams EARTHSHAKER Pinball Machine - first machine with SHAKER Motor! TNT Amusements". YouTube . Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  4. ↑ Shalhoub, Michael (2012). The pinball compendium: 1982 to present (2nd ed.). Atglen, Pa: Schiffer Publishing. p. 108. ISBN   978-0-7643-4107-6.
  5. ↑ US 4981298,Lawlor, Pat&Krutsch, John R,"Ball diverter playfield feature for pinball machines",published 1989-10-06,issued 1991-01-01
  6. ↑ "Williams Earthshaker Pinball Moving Building Add On Kit". Basementarcade.com. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  7. ↑ "Pinball Archive Rule Sheet: Earthshaker". Ppinball.org. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  8. ↑ Earthshaker! operations manual (PDF). Williams Electronic Games. March 1989.
  9. ↑ Cunningham, James (2014-12-19). "It's Sunny Drive Time! Earthshaker added to Many Versions of The Pinball Arcade". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 2025-06-28.
  10. ↑ Lawson, Aurich (2018-05-08). "The Pinball Arcade is losing its classic tables; grab them while you can". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2025-06-28.
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