Judge Dredd (pinball)
| Industry | Pinball machine manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Pinball machines, including Judge Dredd (1993) |
| Parent | WMS Industries (brand) |
Judge Dredd is a pinball machine designed for up to four players, manufactured by Bally Manufacturing (operating under the WMS brand) in 1993. The game draws inspiration from the British comic strip Judge Dredd, originally published in 2000 AD. Approximately 7,000 units were produced.
In 1993, Bally collaborated with Egmont to issue an eight-page, full-color promotional comic that reprinted the story Pinboing Wizard from the Judge Dredd Annual 1981. This narrative was created by John Wagner, the original author, with artwork by Mike McMahon.
Gameplay
Players select between two distinct modes: Regulation (costing 1 Credit) or SUPERGAME (costing 2 Credits). In Regulation mode, the objective is to solve nine different crimes or challenges:
- Bad Impersonator
- Battle Tank
- Blackout
- Pursuit
- Meltdown
- Sniper Tower
- Stakeout
- Safe Cracker
- Manhunt Millions
Successfully completing these tasks unlocks the Ultimate Challenge, which doubles the mode difficulty and rewards players with a congratulatory message from Judge Death. The SUPERGAME mode, hosted by the fictional character Anita Mann, sends players to one of four crime scenes: Mad Bomber, Deadworld Attack, Traffic Jam, or Prison Break. This mode includes two balls in play, a Drain Shield for protection, and extended gameplay time. A standout feature is the 100 million point super shot, achievable exclusively in SUPERGAME by elevating the crime level to Class X Felony and hitting the shot within a three-second window. Traditional modes are also available with doubled point values as "Super" versions.
Multiball is initiated by spelling out JUDGE using drop targets. The Deadworld planet mechanism rotates, and locking three balls via the left ramp triggers Multiball with six balls active on the playfield. During Multiball, players can gather jackpots; collecting four jackpots activates the Ultimate Challenge. Additionally, hitting all five JUDGE drop targets followed by entering the Subway tunnel starts a 6-ball Super Multiball mode offering an opportunity to claim the Super Jackpot.
Later releases
Initial prototype versions featured a crane mechanism designed to lock balls within Deadworld's atmosphere. However, due to difficulties with ball handling and reliability, this feature was eliminated from subsequent production models along with its associated hardware and software components.
Design Team
- Direction: Pat Lawlor
- Concept & Mechanics: Ed Krynski
- Game Design: John Trudeau
- Software Development: Jeff Johnson
- Artwork: Kevin O'Connor
- Animation: Eugene Geer, Scott Slomiany
- Audio and Music: Paul Heitsch, Vince Pontarelli
- Voice Callouts: Tim Kitzrow
Game quotes
- "Your driving days are over, punk!"
- "You cannot kill what is not alive..."
- "Get the extra ball"
- "Stop, or I will shoot!"
- "I have returned to judge this city!"
- "35 years for arms dealing!"
- "85 years for treason!"
Digital version
An enhanced digital rendition of Judge Dredd pinball was launched for DOS and Microsoft Windows platforms in 1998. This version presented notable changes in gameplay mechanics, ruleset, audio design, and visual elements.
The game was also officially licensed as a table in The Pinball Arcade, available on PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Android, and iOS devices from January 2016 until June 30, 2018. Distribution ended following the expiration of WMS’s licensing agreement.