Doctor Who (pinball)
| Company type | Pinball machine |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Gaming |
| Founded | September 1992 |
| Founder | Bill Pfutzenreuter, Barry Oursler |
| Products | Pinball machines |
| Parent | Midway (under Bally label) |
Doctor Who is a pinball machine created by designers Bill Pfutzenreuter (Pfutz) and Barry Oursler, launched by Midway under the Bally label in September 1992. This machine draws inspiration from the BBC television series Doctor Who.
Design
The initial 100 units included a unique Dalek topper that rotated side-to-side while delivering speech, utilizing an intricate combination of motor, cam, and optoelectronics technology. Due to the high cost and mechanical complexity, this feature was eliminated in subsequent production batches, although the software continues to support it and aftermarket solutions allow restoration of the movement.
Early prototypes featured a Bally-style backbox with alternative artwork, but this was replaced with a Williams-style backbox to lower manufacturing expenses.
The mechanism behind the time-expander was safeguarded by a patent.
Gameplay
The core gameplay revolves around seven incarnations of the Doctor available at the time, each affecting specific areas of the playfield through unique rules or scoring bonuses:
- Doctor 1 (William Hartnell): Grants an additional "E-S-C-A-P-E" letter for every target hit or ball dropped into sinkholes, aiding access to Video Mode for "collecting" the chosen Doctor and Special.
- Doctor 2 (Patrick Troughton): Increases duration for the "Hang-On" shot and doubles its point value.
- Doctor 3 (Jon Pertwee): Extends the time allowed to complete the "W-H-O" sequence, which can yield extra balls.
- Doctor 4 (Tom Baker): Provides an extra "R-E-P-A-I-R" letter per target hit, enhancing their point worth.
- Doctor 5 (Peter Davison): Doubles scores from Jet Bumpers and speeds up Transmat charging to secure the selected Doctor.
- Doctor 6 (Colin Baker): Increases Playfield Multiplier by one with each loop shot up to four times and slows down multiplier decay.
- Doctor 7 (Sylvester McCoy): Awards Time Expander factors for hits on the center Lock targets and additional factors from up/down targets, facilitating multiball start.
Areas of Importance
Each section of the playfield is linked to a particular Doctor and modifies gameplay mechanics accordingly. While completing these zones does not directly grant that Doctor, having earned the Doctor simplifies acquiring that zone’s reward. The zones include:
- Doctor 1: The lower right orange target bank marked "E-S-C-A-P-E." Hitting all six targets activates video mode via the upper left orbit. Successfully finishing video waves awards the lit Doctor and changes game rules. After obtaining Doctor 1, hits in this area score double.
- Doctor 2: Located at the left entrance lane above the upper left flipper. Activating Hang On mode occurs when the right inlane switch is triggered; a red arrow indicates activation. Hitting this left entrance lane before time runs out doubles Hang On rewards.
- Doctor 3: A sequence involving shots on the right ramp, left entrance lane, and upper right loop lights up "W-H-O." Completing this sequence multiple times (default two) can earn extra balls. When active, hitting a designated lane grants an additional ball.
- Doctor 4: The upper left target bank labeled "R-E-P-A-I-R." Clearing all six targets within a time limit activates Unlimited Millions, where points increase with each successive hit as long as hits continue before time expires.
- Doctor 5: Transmat becomes active after scoring 1,000,000 points on jet bumpers. If Doctor 5 is awarded, bumper scores are doubled, accelerating Transmat charge. Once charged, hitting a target beneath the upper right loop transmats the selected Doctor, locking in their rule modifications for that game.
- Doctor 6: The upper right loop enables a multiplier on the playfield up to 4X. Without Doctor 6, each loop advances multiplier by 0.5X with diminishing active time; with Doctor 6, it increases by 1X with longer durations. Every tenth loop triggers Sonic Boom, redirecting the ball to the left inlane to earn 10 million points per shot through the W-H-O sequence.
- Doctor 7: Center target bank and mini-playfield known as The Time Expander. Without Doctor 7, hitting five targets on mini-playfield level two lights Time Expander Factors (15 required for multiball). With Doctor 7 active, hits count twice. Additionally, if collected, hitting center targets on level one lights a Factor and extends re-lock timer if no jackpot occurs during initial multiball wave.
Multiball
The Multiball sequence is triggered once the player activates 15 Time Expander Factors after locking a ball. When the Time Expander countdown reaches zero, the mini-playfield elevates to level 3, revealing three gates adorned with Dalek imagery. Striking any one of these gates initiates multiball by releasing two previously locked balls and maintains the playfield at level 3. To claim the jackpot, all three gates must be hit; rewards begin at 5,000,000 points for lower-level Daleks and escalate to 50,000,000 points for the Emperor Dalek. Upon defeating the Emperor Dalek, Davros emerges as the primary villain. The mini-playfield then descends to level 2, where hitting a series of five targets disables Davros' shield and raises the playfield back to level 3. Successfully hitting all three gates once more grants a 100,000,000-point Davros Jackpot. Each jackpot is subject to multiplication by the playfield multiplier, allowing scores up to 1,200,000,000 points if Davros has been defeated twice and the multiplier stands at 4.
Digital versions
This pinball table was initially launched for The Pinball Arcade on October 1, 2016; however, it was removed from availability on June 30, 2018 due to the expiration of the WMS license.
A revamped edition named Master of Time was introduced on December 21, 2016. This version highlights Doctors from the post-classic series and permits players to select a villain instead of a Doctor. It includes new voice recordings by Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor and Michelle Gomez portraying Missy, along with video clips featuring other Doctors from the newer series. This iteration is still accessible for purchase.