The Addams Family (pinball)

The Addams Family pinball machine

Company type	Pinball machine
Industry	Arcade games
Founded	March 1992
Founder	Pat Lawlor, Larry DeMar
Products	Pinball machines
Parent	Midway (Bally brand)

The Addams Family pinball machine debuted in March 1992, crafted by designers Pat Lawlor and Larry DeMar, and manufactured by Midway under the Bally brand. Inspired by the 1991 movie, it includes original voice recordings from actors Anjelica Huston and Raul Julia. It holds the record as the best-selling solid-state pinball game, with total sales reaching 20,270 units.

Background

Initial licensing discussions took place with Orion and Roger Sharpe at Williams, but ultimately the rights were secured by Paramount, which assumed control of the film amid escalating expenses. Pat Lawlor was initially hesitant due to Orion's financial instability.

Once Ken Fedesna, general manager of Williams Electronics, confirmed the license acquisition, Lawlor showed enthusiasm for designing the machine, motivated by his appreciation for the original television series. Sound designer Chris Granner commended Raul Julia’s vocal contribution. Artist John Youssi was tasked with modifying Anjelica Huston’s character’s nose on the backglass after her request, obtaining her approval during a visit to California.

The machine’s unveiling took place on Paramount’s sound stage with a promotional event attended by the design team, members of the film cast, producer Scott Rudin, and MC Hammer. The event was broadcast live on Rick Dees’ radio program.

Overview

According to the game card, players are invited to "Explore the strange world of the Addams Family," focusing on two primary objectives:

• Tour the Mansion: Located centrally on the playfield, the mansion features 12 distinct rooms, each granting a unique reward. Collecting all these rewards unlocks a special "wizard mode" called Tour the Mansion.
• Vault Multiball: Positioned in the upper-right corner, a blue bookcase symbolizes the vault entrance. Hitting this target awards letters spelling GREED; completing this word unlocks access to the vault. Shots to this area lock balls for multiball or initiate multiball when two balls are locked. The bookcase also opens during other modes; entering it while closed triggers it to open and locks a ball.

Additional gameplay features include:

• Bear Kicks: A ramp located at the top-center delivers points, mansion room awards, or extra balls, inspired by a scene involving a bearskin rug in the film. Under specific conditions, it activates
• Thing Flips, where the machine autonomously controls the upper left flipper to shoot into the Swamp sinkhole for bonus points, succeeding approximately 50-60% of attempts.
• Staircase Ramp: Situated on the left side, this ramp grants escalating millions starting at 1 million per ball and awards letters spelling "THING." After passing through the left loop, hitting this ramp can also light up stars—up to two stars may be activated.
• Graveyard: Comprising five bumpers that increase a Graveyard Value collectible from the Swamp area; this value resets each ball and caps at 4 million points.
• Train Wreck: A dead-end shot found in the top-left quadrant that yields points; surpassing certain thresholds raises values, retains Graveyard Value bonuses, and activates extra balls.
• GRAVE: A set of five targets that award letters forming "Grave," granting progressively higher millions upon completion.
• THING: Completing all letters in "THING" triggers a top-center scoop that provides bonuses along with points for any lit stars.
• Skill Shot: Launching the ball into Thing's saucer awards points beginning at 2 million and increasing up to 5 million for consecutive successes; it also collects any illuminated benefits such as extra balls or multiball locks.

An electric chair positioned above a central sinkhole lights up at each ball’s launch and grants the currently flashing mansion room reward when struck. Shooting either ramp reignites this feature, and hitting the Swamp kickout hole also awards the flashing room while active.

Below the main playfield lies "The Power," consisting of spinning magnets that influence ball movement, with their activation indicated by flashing lights.

A decorative topper extends from the mansion motif into a cloud shape featuring flashers that simulate lightning effects.

Mansion

Players earn Mansion rooms by shooting the electric chair when its light is active, hitting the Swamp kickout hole while the chair is lit, or by achieving specified bear kick shot counts. After a room is awarded, the electric chair’s light turns off and can only be reactivated permanently with a ramp shot or temporarily via the right inlane. The chair lights up at the start of each ball, and the flashing room indicator cycles through hits on the jet bumpers. Multiple Mansion room scoring modes may operate at the same time.

The available rewards include:

• 3 Million, 6 Million, 9 Million: Individual rooms granting these point totals. On standard difficulty, collecting either 3 or 6 Million also spots the other.
• Graveyard at Max: Enhances all five jet bumpers to their maximum value, adding 30,000 points per hit.
• The Mamushka: Adds 1 million points to the end-of-ball bonus plus 250,000 points for each switch hit within a 20-second window.
• Hit Cousin It: Grants 1 million points to the end-of-ball bonus and 200,000 points per switch hit during 20 seconds; hitting the Cousin It target awards an additional 2 million and increases per-switch value by 50,000.
• Quick Multiball: Activates Quick Multiball mode, allowing a two-ball multiball via Thing’s scoop. Vault awards begin at 5 million and increase by 1 million with each collection or center ramp shot, capping at 10 million.
• Fester's Tunnel Hunt: Awards escalating points of 5, 10, and 15 million for hitting the swamp, electric chair, and vault within either three shots or 20 seconds.
• Seance: Provides 5, 10, and 15 million points for ramp shots made within three attempts or a 20-second period; also triggers "The Power" magnets which redirect center ramp shots to the left.
• Get Ball to Thing: A hurry-up mode where points decrease from 15 to 3 million; shooting Thing’s scoop before time expires grants remaining points and initiates a two-ball multiball with vault shots awarding equal values.
• Raise the Dead: Contributes 2 million points to the end-of-ball bonus plus 100,000 per bumper hit (3 million total for four hits); mode ends after 30 seconds or once all bumpers have been hit four times.
• Lite Extra Ball: Lights an extra ball at Thing’s scoop; after five extra balls are earned in one game, subsequent extra balls convert into score bonuses.

Mansion rooms cannot be earned or spotted during multiball or after locking two balls for Vault Multiball. Timed modes already active when multiball begins continue unaffected.

Collecting every Mansion room reignites the electric chair light and triggers the game’s "wizard mode," indicated by a flashing "?" in the top room upon the next hit:

• Tour the Mansion: Awards a substantial 50 million points, lights extra ball and “special” (free game) on outlanes, maximizes jet bumper values, and sequentially runs all six timed modes automatically. No additional Mansion Rooms can be collected until the next ball; losing the ball immediately terminates this mode.

Vault Multiball

By hitting the bookcase situated in front of the vault, players accumulate letters spelling "GREED." Once completed, this opens the bookcase to reveal a vault shot used for locking balls during multiball. The initial multiball locks two balls—one via Thing’s scoop and another in the swamp—while activating The Power magnet locks a third ball. Multiball can be initiated from either the vault shot or initially from the electric chair.

During multiball play, The Power magnet remains active. The Train Wreck shot becomes lit for Jackpot scoring. Meanwhile, the Staircase Ramp lights up for Super Jackpot awards (double value on first multiball, triple on subsequent ones). Jackpots start at 10 million points and increase by one million for each Bear Kick shot or closed vault hit, up to a maximum of 25 million. After scoring a jackpot, the vault reopens; subsequent lit shots are limited to the Staircase Ramp. Play continues as long as two or more balls remain in play.

If two balls drain without scoring any jackpot, players have a 20-second window to shoot Thing’s scoop to restart multiball with two balls and resume prior jackpot values. No additional restarts are permitted if no jackpot is scored before only one ball remains.

Special Collectors Edition

In October 1994, Bally introduced the "Special Collectors Edition," also known as The Addams Family Gold, which showcased gold detailing on both the playfield and cabinet alongside updated software enhancements. This edition featured an "extra ball" buy-in button, enabling operators to offer additional balls per credit.

Key improvements included:

• The "Super Seance" Mansion Award was randomly assigned, with ramp values elevated to 10, 15, or 20 million points.
• Randomly awarded Cousin It items (such as his hat or car keys) granted points, lit extra balls, or specials in conjunction with room awards.
• The 3 Million room provided access through "Pugsley and Wednesday's Trap Door," allowing a second Mansion Award if it had not been previously earned.
• The 3 Million and 6 Million rooms were separated and could be scored independently.
• New quotes and updated dot matrix display graphics were incorporated.

Only 1,000 units were manufactured, each bearing a unique number (0001-1000) on a plaque located beneath the coin door. Production was matched exactly to orders, with Pat Lawlor receiving machine number one. Every unit came with a certificate signed by members of the production and development teams exclusive to this edition.

Hidden game codes

The Addams Family pinball contains two known Easter eggs, with a third exclusive to the Special Collectors Edition. These are triggered by specific sequences involving the flipper buttons and Start button. These Easter eggs serve purely decorative purposes and do not influence gameplay.

The codes operate only when the machine is in Attract mode or displays "game over," with no credits inserted and the Start button not flashing; they do not function during free play. Using them repeatedly may temporarily deactivate the codes until Attract mode cycles again.

The available Easter eggs and their activation sequences are:

• "When Cows Fight": A dot-matrix image is shown for approximately three seconds. Sequence: left flipper pressed 7 times, Start once, right flipper 14 times, Start once, left flipper 20 times, Start once.
• "When Cows Dig for Gold" (collectors edition only): Sequence: left flipper 12 times, Start once, right flipper 5 times, Start once, left flipper 4 times, Start once.
• Design credits: Sequence: left flipper 13 times, Start once, right flipper once, Start once, left flipper twice, Start once.

Occasionally during theme music playback at game conclusion or attract mode, the flippers move rhythmically in time with the chorus.

Aftermarket modifications

Several machines have been customized with aftermarket additions such as:

• A ColorDMD full-color display replacing the original orange dot matrix display.
• An Uncle Fester figurine seated in the electric chair holding a light bulb in his mouth.
• A white bear model positioned near the central staircase ramp.
• A bronze-colored vault placed atop the vault shot hole.
• A Cousin It figure mounted above the Cousin It targets (which can occasionally trap balls).
• Bronze-colored train model near the train shot area.
• Bronze-colored telephone situated adjacent to Thing's box.
• Bronze-colored suit of armor located at the back center of the playfield.
• A miniature Tiffany-style lamp positioned near Thing's box.

Reception

The Addams Family was recognized as the most played pinball machine of 1992 at the AMOA awards—the fourth title designed by Pat Lawlor to earn this honor after Earthshaker!, Whirlwind, and FunHouse. It also received an award for best innovation due to Larry DeMar’s Thing Flips. The following year at the 1993 AMOA awards, it again claimed the title of most played pinball machine.

In Play Meter's monthly equipment rankings, it debuted at number one for pinball in April 1992 and maintained that top position for at least sixteen non-consecutive months through December 1995.

A retro review published in 2022 by Pinball Mag lauded its captivating gameplay and audio design, describing it as a "world under glass." Although its dot matrix animations were less sophisticated compared to some contemporaries like Creature from the Black Lagoon, its commercial impact was significant given its era.

Legacy

The Addams Family set a precedent by introducing a series of modes leading up to a wizard mode—a feature now common in nearly all modern pinball machines.

Its lasting appeal among collectors was emphasized in a 2022 article featured in Wired.

Digital versions

A planned adaptation for the Nintendo 64, developed by Digital Eclipse and published by GT Interactive, was ultimately cancelled.

The table is supported by Visual Pinball, allowing fans to emulate it digitally on custom-built cabinets.

In July 2014, FarSight Studios announced they had secured major licensing rights to digitally recreate this table. Their Kickstarter campaign launched in September raised $115,276—surpassing its $97,640 target.

FarSight released the digital version in February 2015 as part of The Pinball Arcade Season Four across iOS, Android, Amazon devices, Steam (PC & Mac), and OUYA platforms. Due to licensing constraints, images of Christopher Lloyd (Uncle Fester) and Jimmy Workman (Pugsley) were modified. The "Special Collectors Gold Edition" was offered as an exclusive reward for backers pledging over $100. The table was removed from sale on June 30, 2018 after FarSight lost the WMS license.

Zen Studios launched their rendition on February 16, 2023 alongside Pinball FX releases on PlayStation, Xbox, and Epic Games Store; a Steam release followed on April 13, 2023. Later versions became available for Switch and mobile devices. This edition also features altered images of Christopher Lloyd and Jimmy Workman.

AtGames unveiled a Legends pinball 4K cabinet featuring The Addams Family with distinct artwork differing from the original table design at Pinball Expo 2023.

Redemption game

In 1993—one year after the table's original debut—Midway released a redemption game based on Addams Family Values. It utilized the same DCS sound system found in other Midway pinball machines from that year and leveraged The Addams Family pinball’s commercial success prominently in its marketing efforts.