 front of advertising flyer | |
| Manufacturer | Williams Electronics |
|---|---|
| Release date | December 1987 |
| System | Williams system 11B |
| Design | Barry Oursler |
| Programming | Ed Boon |
| Artwork | Tim Elliot |
| Music | Brian Schmidt |
| Sound | Brian Schmidt |
| Voices | Steve Ritchie (Mission control) |
| Production run | 3,804 |
Space Station is a 1987 Williams pinball machine designed by Barry Oursler.
It is the sequel to 1984's Space Shuttle by the same designer, and a few features from that game are used in this. [1]
The backglass is dominated by the space station, which also shows three space shuttles, and an astronaut. The game is subtitled pinball rendezvous on the backglass. A variety of astronauts and shuttles are shown on the playfield. [2] The shuttles are called "Defender" and "Liberty". [3]
In the playfield artwork underneath the diverter assembly in the lane that goes to the right ball lock is a monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey . [4]
This is the first game that Brian Schmidt composed all the music and sound effects for. [5]
A wireform from the plunger lane leads to a small upper playfield with 1-2-3 rollovers. Below these are U-S-A rollovers and three pop bumpers. The game has no inlanes, and includes a kickback mechanism in the left outlane. Seven S-T-A-T-I-O-N targets are on the left side of the machine, and two more banks of targets spell S-H-U-T-T-L-E. The revolving space station mechanism at the top right of the machine can redirect balls to lock them in place. The only ramp on the machine leads to this mechanism; in front of the entrance to this ramp is a drop-target. [6]
The game is controlled with two flippers, and has a manual plunger. [3]
The game is based on docking two space shuttles with the space station by completing 1-2-3 and locking balls, and then scoring jackpots by redocking them. [2] [7] The general illumination changes from white to green during multiball, [8] called "condition green". [9]
Similar to the feature in Space Shuttle , hitting the drop target in front of the right ramp followed by the ramp awards "stop & score" points. [7]
Completing the S-T-A-T-I-O-N or S-H-U-T-T-L-E targets awards the player one of the rewards shown on the center of the playfield. [2]
After the players last ball is lost, a time-limited bonus ball can be played. [7]
Play Meter called it "a fine addition to the Williams line". [2]
Space Station released on October 20, 2020 for Pinball FX3 as part of Williams volume 6. [10] A remastered version released for Pinball FX on June 30, 2022. [11]
The game was used in the debut single of Imani Coppola, "Legend of a Cowgirl". [12] It was also briefly used in Fargo (1996), and Big Daddy . [9]
