Williams Hyperball Classic Arcade Pinball Machine

Here’s something you don’t see come up for sale often, a 1981 Williams Hyperball “pinball” machine.

There were around 4500 of these produced but relatively few remain in circulation as when it came out it was a nightmare to maintain (don’t panic it’s ok now!!) being left switched on 18 hours a day and taking a constant pounding, video gamers avoided it as it "wasn’t a video game" and pinball players avoiding it because they perceived it as not a pinball machine as it shared many of it’s features with the Defender video game. The result was most of them got scrapped and few remain in working order today.

So what’s it like? Remember when you were a kid and you could get a game called crossfire? (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2816 ) Well this is crossfire on steroids for big boys! You grip the 2 handles on the top of the game, (both of which have triggers) and twist them left and right to aim the cannon pulling the triggers which can fire the ¾ inch ball bearings at the rate of up to 5 per second (!!) if you can pull the triggers fast enough. The balls are fired at 1.5 meters per second, cool!! It is a 1 or 2 player machine.

 The basis of the game is  that you are the energy centre (the big red pulsating  light in the middle of the playfield) and enemy bolts of lightning travel up the side of the playfield to attack you, if they reach the top before you shoot (by hitting holes at the side of the playfield) them they start to travel down the playfield to get you! You can try to stop them by hitting one of the 9 targets at the top of the playfield that they are travelling down from, if you miss 3 of them you lose a life, lose 3 and it’s game over!! There are also “Baiter” bolts that appear indiscriminately and dart around the playfield to catch you out.

Once you have completed a level (wave) you move to the next one where the bolts get even faster, complete 4 waves you get a “Reflex Wave” during this you have to hit the lights in the order they flash (and quickly enough) to win, not easy!

In addition to all this (are you keeping up?) the display under the energy centre tells you words that you should try to spell (at the same time as repelling the lightning bolts) by hitting the corresponding letters over the holes and targets.

You have one friend though, the “Z bomb”, you typically get 3 of these although you can win more through the game. If it all gets too much and you are being attacked on all sides hit the button between the gun handles and you destroy all the lightning bolts on the playfield and get a much needed breathing space.

Couple all this with the pounding retro sounds (there is a volume control!) and it’s a great package.

Ok, now you know all about it click on this link http://www.youtube.com/user/tattyadams#p/a/u/1/Mkn8llAI7Rg to see me playing this very machine (badly!). You can also click on this link  http://www.youtube.com/user/tattyadams#p/a/u/0/MIBiTADzQKU  to see an extended 1 player game (press the start button twice) that features a reflex wave.

Want to know more, read some info and a rule sheet here http://www.ipdb.org/rulesheets/3169/HYPERFAQ.HTM

This game is in what I consider to be great condition for its age (remember it is nearly 30 years old!) and I would describe it as follows.

·         Cabinet - Very good, a few small knocks but better than you would expect. Bright and un-faded art work.

·         Playfield – Very good, recently stripped and polished to a shine

·         Plastics – Generally good but with a couple of broken plastics (as you might expect from a game with that many ball bearings flying around) Some spares included please see list below.

·         Displays (alfa numeric) – all good and bright

·         Backglass – In fantastic condition

A new “Z bomb” decal has been installed under the button

A new plunger (complete with recoil spring) has been fitted to the cannon

What’s included with the machine?

·         An original workshop manual as well as a copy

·         All the keys, coin door and back box

·         Spare (used) plastic set, the best ones are on the game though.

Collection only please, I may consider delivery within a 100 mile radius but please mail me before hand for a cost. I will charge £0.50 per mile (whole trip) with a minimum £25 charge.

If you are an overseas bidder I will pack this for transportation for no extra cost but it is up to you to arrange a courier from Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 0EA UK. Obviously full payment (via bank transfer) will be required before I realise the machine.

I think I have covered everything but if you have any questions or I have missed something off please click on this link matt_a@btconnect.com to ask me a question or ask for more pictures etc.