Flight 2000 (pinball)
Flight 2000 is a 1980 Stern widebody pinball machine. It was the first table by this company with speech. The theme of the game revolves around futuristic space flight.[1]
Manufacturer | Stern |
---|---|
Release date | October 1980 |
Design | Harry Williams |
Programming | Bill Pfutzenreuter |
Artwork | Gerry Simkus, Doug Watson |
Production run | 6,300 |
Description
The game has 3-ball multiball where each ball is launched through three separate 'Lift-Off' stages. This is placed at the upper left of the playfield inside a maze-like ball lock mechanism.[2]
The playfield contains a ball capture feature in the upper left and a spinner and drop targets in the middle. Space ships heading to the stars are depicted on the backbox.[3]
Flight 2000 has a robotic synthesised speech sound that fits well to its space travel theme; the voice is the same one that was used in Stern's own Berzerk. Pinball machines with speech were still uncommon in 1980. Xenon was not released by Bally until a couple of months later.[4]
The pinball machine was well received for its combination of attractive art and Harry Williams' innovative design therefore Flight 2000 sold well and is still widely recognized as one of Stern's finest and most memorable games.[4] In Japan, Game Machine listed Flight 2000 on their June 1, 1983 issue as being the third most-successful flipper unit of the month.[5]
Digital versions
Flight 2000 was the winner of a fan poll as the classic Stern table and therefore officially released as a licensed table on The Pinball Arcade for several platforms.
References
- "Internet Pinball Machine Database: Stern 'Flight 2000'".
- "Latest | Official PlayStation™Store US". store.playstation.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- "Flight 2000 Pinball By Stern of 1980 at www.pinballrebel.com". www.pinballrebel.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- "Pinball News - First and Free". www.pinballnews.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - フリッパー (Flippers)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 213. Amusement Press, Inc. June 1, 1983. p. 29.