Banzai Run

Banzai Run is a pinball machine produced by Williams in 1988, and the first machine designed by Pat Lawlor. It has a multi-playfield design, in which the player can play a vertical game on the machine's backglass in addition to the main playfield. The concept was patented by Pat Lawlor and Larry DeMar,^[1] but due to cost was never used again.^[2]

Banzai Run

Manufacturer	Williams
Release date	May 1988
System	Williams System 11B
Design	Pat Lawlor, Larry DeMar
Programming	Larry DeMar, Ed Boon
Artwork	Mark Sprenger
Mechanics	John Krutsch
Music	Brian Schmidt
Sound	Brian Schmidt
Production run	1,751 units (approximate)

Design

To experiment with vertical shots Larry DeMar used his Space Shuttle machine on its end and discovered that the maximum distance a ball could travel was about 8 inches and so all shots would have to be designed to be be short ones.^[3] The concept and layout for this game were developed for Wreck'n Ball or Wrecking Ball (the name wasn't finalized) in 1987 which was never completed and acted as a prototype for Banzai Run. This was based on a (de)construction theme and had displays inset into the middle of the vertical playfield. The prototype was viewed by two Williams executives Ken Fedesna, and Neil Nicastro, with a leading pinball designer, Steve Ritchie. Previously a software designer at Williams Larry DeMar's experience and reputation persuaded them to manufacturer a version of the game.^[4] Other than the theme the biggest difference between this prototype and Banzai Run is how the ball moves from the main playfield to the backbox playfield.^[5] During the design stages it was called "Banzai Enduro".^[3]

The machine only used 2 balls in play during the multiball, but contained 3 balls. The software in the machine could compensate for a lost ball to reduce the time it could otherwise have been out of order. This was the first Williams pinball machine with this feature.^[6]

This was also the first machine to use low voltage flipper buttons which could be used in attract mode without activating the flippers.

The score display is in a higher than usual location, above the near vertical playfield.

Due to the number of lights in the game certain ones on each the playfields cannot be activated when the corresponding light is lit on the other playfield.

Most of the design team are on the playfield as names of the racers:

• 6 Schimdt
• 5 Sprenger
• 4 Boon
• 3 Lawlor
• 2 Krutsch

Layout

The playfield in the cabinet has 3 flippers, and a kickback mechanism in the left outlane. A long ramp loops round starting at the right side. Towards the top of the playfield are 3 bumpers with a saucer placed just above them that can be reached with a shot through the bumpers. The backbox playfield is reached with the aid of a magnet at the top left of the main playfield.

The playfield in the backbox contains a further 3 flippers, 2 in the lower area, and a smaller flipper in the upper left "Banzai Hill" area which is reached with a specific shot from the lower area. In this area there is the Banzai Hill shot, and a captive ball. There is also a pachinko-like freestyle course in a separate upper right area where the player has no control over the smaller ball.^[7]

Gameplay

The game is based on a motocross race in Tokyo (as indicated on The Twilight Zone), with the player beginning the game in 6th place.

After an attempt at a skillshot the player needs to hit various targets on the main playfield to light shots in the vertical playfield corresponding to competitors in the race - 'Green Machine', 'Yellow Belly', 'Red Hot', and 'Blue Beard'. Once lit, hitting the shot overtakes a rider, and after overtaking all four of these the player is in second place in the race. To win the race the player then needs to start the multiball, and hit the captive ball to win the race and become the new King of the Hill.^[8]

This was the first game to introduce multiball restart, where if the player loses a ball during multiball they have the chance to start multiball a second time by hitting a shot (which for this machine is the saucer).^[7]

Digital versions

Banzai Run was released for The Pinball Arcade in March 2018, but delisted on June 30, 2018, due to the loss of the WMS license.^[9]

It was released alongside Black Knight 2000 and Earthshaker! for Pinball FX on December 12, 2024.^[10]