1986 · Williams
Pinbot
Known for Pinbot's Visor, Rainbow matrix, Eye saucers and Vortex. Black starfield with scattered white stars, ringed orange planet upper left, mottled green planet amid yellow flame mid left, blue earth-like planet mid right, striped orange planet far right and dark red cavern arch shapes right of centre.
- Year
- 1986
- Maker
- Williams
- Type
- Solid state
- Display
- Alphanumeric
- Players
- 4
Known for
- Toy
Pinbot's Visor
- Target
Rainbow matrix
- saucer
Eye saucers
- spiral
Vortex
- Ramp
Solar ramp
- upper playfield
Upper playfield
- Multiball
Visor Multiball
- Goal
Solar Value
On the playfield
Toy 1
- Pinbot's Visor
Extra level 1
- Upper playfield upper playfield
Ramps 2
- Vortex spiral
- Solar ramp
Hole 1
- Eye saucers saucer
Targets 4
- Rainbow matrix
- Left drop targets
- Left standup under ramp
- Right standup target
Lane 1
- Upper side lane
Post or gate 1
- Center post post
On the backglass
Who and what
- robot Central colossal robot head and shoulders, segmented steel-grey plating, striped cylindrical neck columns, dark marbled faceplate with vertical seam and one small eye opening, rainbow swoosh stripes fanning down both sides of the face
- robot Chrome/silver articulated robot arm on the right, white-gloss plating with black joint rings, hand raised open-palmed, holding a small white rocket-shaped object
- robot Large copper-red mechanical claw hand at lower right with splayed fingers, red and green striped finger segments and visible springs
- robot Blue and red mechanical hand at mid left with long splayed rod fingers and a silver wrist joint
- other Three tiny cartoon figures printed inside a small amber horizontal panel directly above the robot head
- other Two small illustrated triangular ramp panels, one lower left and one lower right of the console, each painted with yellow cartoon figures
Setting
- Black starfield with scattered white stars
- Ringed orange planet upper left
- Mottled green planet amid yellow flame mid left
- Blue earth-like planet mid right
- Striped orange planet far right
- Dark red cavern arch shapes right of centre
Text on it
- PIN
- BOT
- TM
- ASSIGN CONTROLLER 1
- ASSIGN CONTROLLER 2
- ASSIGN CONTROLLER 3
- ASSIGN CONTROLLER 4
- 6 AT
How it plays
-
Multiballs 1
- Visor Multiball
-
Goals 4
- Solar Value
- Energy Value
- Vortex Multiplier
- Planets
-
Awards 3
- Jupiter
- The Sun
- Lite Extra Ball
Made by
- Design & Art
- Python Anghelo
- Design
- Barry Oursler
- Mechanics
- Joe Joos Jr.
- Software
- Bill Pfutzenreuter
- Sound & Music
- Chris Granner
- Sound
- Bill Parod
The cast
- Pinbot
Reference
Linked terms
- Pinbot's Visor also called Visor
- Rainbow matrix also called Rainbow grid also called Visor targets also called Rainbow targets
- Vortex also called Vortex skill shot also called center Vortex
- Solar ramp also called Solar Value Ramp also called Timed Solar ramp
- Upper playfield also called pegboard
- Upper side lane also called upper left lane also called Left saucer awards
- Planets also called Advance Planet
- Jupiter also called Reaching Jupiter
- The Sun also called Reaching the Sun
- Pinbot also called PIN-BOT
Playfield vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Playfield
- black
- silver
- magenta
- amber
Fingerprint: pin•bot: Large chrome humanoid robot moulded upper-right, segmented ribbed limbs with magenta glow, grid of small coloured square targets upper-centre, blue ramp arcing upper-left, spiral hypnotic swirl painted lower-left, black starfield, chrome and magenta palette
The single most memorable element is a huge chrome humanoid robot moulded into the upper-right of the playfield, its segmented ribbed limbs standing out against a bright magenta glow. Second is the wide, shallow grid of small square coloured targets (orange, green, blue, red) filling the upper-centre, which looks like a pixelated mosaic. Third, the whole playfield reads as steel and chrome over a black starfield, with swirling spiral graphics painted across the lower-left quadrant. Fourth, two large white instruction cards crowd the bottom apron, which is unusual-looking and quite hard to miss.
Setting
- Black starfield scattered with small white and coloured dots
- Swirling spiral and concentric-ring graphics painted on the lower-left field
- Chrome and brushed-metal mechanical panels around the playfield edges
Symbols
- Grids of small square coloured target inserts
- Circles and concentric rings
- Arrows
- Star dots
- Spiral swirl motif
- Rectangular coloured lane bars
Notable shapes
- Fan-shaped chrome plaque with radiating coloured segments at the top
- Large spiral/concentric-ring graphic painted on the lower-left playfield
- Rectangular grid of square coloured targets upper-centre
- Glowing magenta pocket area beside the robot figure on the right
- Squared-off chrome edge rails framing both sides of the field
Art motifs
- Chrome and brushed-metal panel work
- Glowing coil/magenta lighting effects
- Spiral hypnosis graphics
- Starfield speckle
- Hand-lettered yellow arcade-style captions
Themes
- Robot
- Android
- Space
- Factory
- Futuristic machinery
Title on it
- Pin•bot
Text on it
- PIN•BOT
- Williams
- SHOOT AGAIN
- BONUS
- 1-UP
- 2-UP
- FOR AMUSEMENT ONLY
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Robot | A large chrome/silver humanoid robot figure moulded into the upper-right playfield: rounded domed head, ribbed segmented torso and limbs, standing upright on the field, surrounded by a vivid magenta-pink glow from the coil area beside it. |
| Robot | A smaller silver robot or mechanical assembly mounted lower on the same right-hand side, also chrome with rounded forms. |
A photographed pinball playfield, shot straight down from above, filling the frame with black surroundings. The field is steel/chrome with a deep black starfield background. On the upper right is a large chrome/silver segmented robot figure with a rounded head, ribbed limbs and glowing magenta-pink coils around it. A blue ramp arcs across the upper left, and the upper-centre holds a fan-shaped chrome plaque with red-lettered reel windows, flanked by '1-UP' and '2-UP' markers. Below that is a rectangular grid of small square inserts/targets in orange, green, blue and red, with a row of coloured bars above it. Amber/yellow pop-bumper caps and a 'BONUS' legend sit mid-field, with a large spiral/hypnotic swirl graphic painted on the lower-left playfield. Two white plastic instruction cards are screwed to the apron area at the bottom, carrying dense black print. Yellow 'Williams' script is painted on the lower-left of the field and yellow 'SHOOT AGAIN' lettering sits near the lower centre. The palette is black, chrome silver, magenta and amber, with blue and green accent inserts.
Backglass vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Backglass
- black
- red
- blue
- orange
Fingerprint: Giant robot head centre with dark marbled faceplate, tiny eye in chin, rainbow swoosh stripes and segmented neck columns. Blue-and-red skeletal hand left, huge copper claw right. "PIN BOT" in bulb-studded neon letters (blue-magenta), round letter as lens. Grey console with score windows, orange seven-segment digits. Ringed planets and yellow flame burst.
The single most memorable element is the giant centrally-placed robot head, its face a dark marbled plate ringed by rainbow-coloured swooshes and striped segmented columns, with a tiny eye peering out low in the chin. Framing it are two contrasting robot limbs: a blue-and-red skeletal hand on the left and a huge copper claw reaching up on the right. The title is spelled in bulb-studded neon-like letters, blue then red-magenta, with the round letter replaced by a lens. A grey console of blank score windows and glowing orange seven-segment digits sits directly beneath the face, and an orange ringed planet with a green cracked world over yellow flame fills the left side.
Setting
- Black starfield with scattered white stars
- Ringed orange planet upper left
- Mottled green planet amid yellow flame mid left
- Blue earth-like planet mid right
- Striped orange planet far right
- Dark red cavern arch shapes right of centre
Symbols
- Ringed planet
- Blue earth-like globe
- Green mottled planet
- Striped gas-giant planet
- Yellow flame burst
- Stars
- Rainbow swoosh stripes
- Bulb-studded neon lettering
- Seven-segment digits
- Coloured square lamps
Lettering
- Bulb-studded outlined neon block capitals, first half in bright electric blue with white highlights and second half in red-magenta with orange-gold inner detail, a small tm at the right, sitting on a curved segmented metal tube bar; controller labels are narrow condensed italic capitals in red on dark grey panels
Themes
- Robot
- Space
- Futuristic machine
- Planets
- Electronics
Title on it
- Pinbot
Text on it
- PIN
- BOT
- TM
- ASSIGN CONTROLLER 1
- ASSIGN CONTROLLER 2
- ASSIGN CONTROLLER 3
- ASSIGN CONTROLLER 4
- 6 AT
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Robot | Central colossal robot head and shoulders, segmented steel-grey plating, striped cylindrical neck columns, dark marbled faceplate with vertical seam and one small eye opening, rainbow swoosh stripes fanning down both sides of the face |
| Robot | Chrome/silver articulated robot arm on the right, white-gloss plating with black joint rings, hand raised open-palmed, holding a small white rocket-shaped object |
| Robot | Large copper-red mechanical claw hand at lower right with splayed fingers, red and green striped finger segments and visible springs |
| Robot | Blue and red mechanical hand at mid left with long splayed rod fingers and a silver wrist joint |
| Other | Three tiny cartoon figures printed inside a small amber horizontal panel directly above the robot head |
| Other | Two small illustrated triangular ramp panels, one lower left and one lower right of the console, each painted with yellow cartoon figures |
A square backglass on a black starfield, dominated by a huge machine head-and-shoulders filling the centre: a segmented steel-grey robot with striped neck columns, a dark marbled faceplate with a single small eye opening low on the chin, and a fan of coloured swooshes fanning down either side of the face. Above the head sits a small amber marquee panel showing three tiny cartoon figures, and across the top a curved metal tube bar carries the title in bulb-studded block letters, blue for the first half and red-magenta for the second, with the round letter as a lens. Below the face is a grey console of recessed windows: three upper number windows, four long dark roller-style score panels stacked in pairs labelled with controller numbers, glowing orange seven-segment digits, and a low panel of coloured square lamps. Left of centre is a blue-and-red mechanical hand with splayed rods beside an orange ringed planet and a mottled green planet bursting over yellow flame. Right of centre is a chrome articulated robot arm ending in a large copper claw, with a blue Earth-like planet and a striped orange planet behind. An orange cursive company logo sits bottom left. Style is glossy airbrushed sci-fi illustration.
Backglass
- black
- red
- yellow
- blue
Fingerprint: Colossal chrome robot head, blank black oval faceplate, rainbow brow panels red-yellow-green-blue. Five square coloured lenses across cheek line. "PINBOT" with cratered yellow planet as O. Pale blonde female robot in silver and blue bodysuit on right, striking raised-arm pose. Blue-grey mechanical limb reaching left with red-white striped prongs. Orange seven-segment score windows below. Airbrushed science-fiction, black space background.
The colossal chrome robot head fills the centre, its face a blank black oval and its brow a rainbow of red, yellow, green and blue panels. Under its chin a bank of orange seven-segment score windows reads 140, 00, 03 and 1 on black strips labelled MISSION CONTROLLER. A pale blonde female robot in a silver and blue suit strikes a leaning, one-armed-up pose on the right, while a blue-grey gun-armed mechanical limb reaches in from the left. The word PINBOT sits across the top with a cratered yellow planet as the letter O.
Setting
- Black starfield
- Orange ringed planet top left
- Small grey cratered moon left of centre
- Blue earth-like globe upper right
- Flaring orange sun at top right corner
- Red cylindrical space station with gantry arms right of centre
- Yellow-orange lightning streak behind the left mechanical arm
- Tattered blue-grey smoke plumes at right edge
- Red and white horizontal striped deck plating at bottom centre
Symbols
- Ringed planet
- Cratered moon
- Yellow lightning bolt
- Seven-segment digital score windows
- Colour-blocked square lenses
- Red chevron markings
- Red-white striped prongs
- Tattered smoke plumes
Lettering
- Large squared slab-serif capitals across the top, pin in mottled blue-grey marbled fill and bot in mottled red-orange marbled fill, with a cratered yellow planet substituting for the letter o; smaller red condensed capitals on the black display strips below
Themes
- Science fiction
- Robot
- Space station
- Space travel
- Spaceship
Title on it
- Pinbot
Text on it
- PINBOT
- 140
- 00
- MISSION CONTROLLER
- MISSION CONTROLLER 3
- 03
- 1
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Robot | Enormous central chrome robot head, white and grey helmet with two tall upward-curving side horns, small red-yellow-blue crest at the crown, rainbow fan of brow panels, five square lenses in yellow, blue, orange, green and red across the cheek line, and a deep black oval faceplate with a vertical seam |
| Creature | Blue-grey mechanical limb on the left with segmented joints, cylindrical barrels and three red-and-white striped prongs, extending diagonally inwards over yellow lightning |
| Woman | Pale blonde female humanoid robot on the right, silver and blue bodysuit with bare midriff panels, one arm raised with open hand, the other extended, leaning backwards on one leg with the other leg extended out |
| Vehicle | Red cylindrical space station module with a domed top and lattice gantry arms, positioned right of the robot head |
| Other | Grey stacked console tower beneath the robot head carrying four horizontal display windows in white and grey frames |
Airbrushed science-fiction backglass dominated by a huge central robot head: a chrome-and-white helmet with two tall curved side horns, a rainbow-striped fan of red, yellow, green and blue panels forming the brow and cheeks, five square coloured lenses in a row beneath (yellow, blue, orange, green, red), and a deep black oval faceplate with a vertical seam and two red chevron marks near the top. Above it, block letters spell PINBOT, with PIN in mottled blue-grey and BOT in mottled red-orange, the O replaced by a yellow cratered planet. Beneath the head sits a stacked console of four horizontal display panels in grey and white frames, two showing lit orange seven-segment digits (140, 00, 03, 1) with the red words MISSION CONTROLLER and MISSION CONTROLLER 3 on black strips between them, and unlit 88-pattern segments on the other windows. Left of centre a blue-grey mechanical arm with articulated barrels and red-and-white striped prongs reaches inwards; right of centre a pale blonde humanoid female robot figure in a silver and blue bodysuit leans back on one leg with one arm raised. Background is black space with a ringed orange planet, a smaller grey moon, a blue Earth-like world, a fiery orange sun at top right, and a red cylindrical space station.