Made by
- Art
- Roy Parker
Vision analysis
On the playfield
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Playfield
- yellow
- red
- blue
- brown
Fingerprint: Thing score title, five white bumper caps lettered T-H-I-N-G across upper arch, large blue keyhole target ringed by numbers 1-9, red-yellow script, flames rising both sides, magenta-white striped V-shaped ramp, maroon MYSTERY SCORE banners mid-field, red KEEP OUT shield above flippers, cartoon fleeing figures, yellow-black score panels, honey-brown woodgrain arch.
Five pop bumper caps lettered T-H-I-N-G in a wide arc across the arched top - the single most memorable feature. Below them a big blue keyhole target ringed by the numbers 1 through 9, with THING SCORE in red-and-yellow script across it and red flames rising on both sides. A magenta-and-white striped V-shaped ramp at the top centre throws a bright red glow. Two maroon MYSTERY SCORE banners flank the mid-field, and a red shield reading KEEP OUT OF HERE with a 10 sits directly above the flippers.
Setting
- Raised arched upper playfield painted as honey-brown woodgrain with a rounded top
- Deep navy-blue mid-playfield behind the keyhole target
- Bright canary-yellow lower deck and apron area
- Natural varnished wood cabinet side rails framing both edges
- Red-and-yellow flame graphic on the cabinet front panel below the playfield
Symbols
- Five round pop bumper caps lettered individually
- Keyhole or lightbulb-shaped centre target
- Ring of nine numbered circles 1 to 9
- Pair of rising red flame motifs
- Angled yellow-and-black score panels
- Two plain triangular slingshots
- White chevron arrows
- Two small qr code stickers
Notable shapes
- Large keyhole/lightbulb cutout target ringed by numbers, red shield reading keep out of here with a 10, steeply arched upper deck, striped v ramp
Art motifs
- Hand-painted 1950s airbrushed cartoon illustration
- Flame-and-escape composition
- Arched upper-deck woodgrain vignette
- Opposed left-right symmetry about the centre keyhole
Themes
- 1950s science-fiction creature feature
- Horror-movie imagery
- Humanoid monster
- Chase-and-escape artwork
Title on it
- Thing score
Text on it
- T
- H
- I
- N
- G
- MYSTERY SCORE
- THING SCORE
- KEEP OUT OF HERE
- 10
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10,000
- 50,000
- FLIPPER
- PLUG FLIPPER
- No Wrong Way To Play
- CONTROL BUTTON
- INSTRUCTIONS
- CHICAGO MACH. CO.
- MFD.
- ILL. U.S.A.
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Man | Painted cartoon man at mid-left of the keyhole, wearing a red-orange outfit, crouched low and leaning forward in a running or lunging pose, arms extended, facing right toward the target |
| Man | Painted cartoon man at mid-right of the keyhole, cream-white shirt with dark trousers, bent forward and running away toward the right edge, one arm trailing back |
| Other | Small pale painted figure or hand reaching up near the upper-left side of the keyhole, in cream and dark outline |
Full-length wooden-cabinet pinball playfield, shot from above and slightly head-on, with a raised arched upper section. The upper arch is painted warm honey-brown woodgrain and holds five round pop bumpers with white translucent plastic caps whose black letters spell T-H-I-N-G across the arc. Between and below them sit two curved maroon-and-gold banners reading MYSTERY SCORE, and a V-shaped ramp striped magenta, pink and white rises toward a bright red glowing lamp at the top centre. Mid-playfield the dominant feature is a large keyhole or lightbulb-shaped target on a deep blue oval, ringed by white circles numbered 1 to 9, with red-and-yellow script reading THING SCORE across it and a separate 10 circle below; red flames lick up both sides of the keyhole. Cream cartoon figures of fleeing men in red and white are painted left and right of the keyhole, with angled yellow-and-black score panels reading 10,000 and 50,000. The lower deck is bright yellow, with two yellow flippers and white flipper bats marked FLIPPER, triangular slingshots, white arrows reading PLUG FLIPPER, KEEP OUT OF HERE on a red shield, an INSTRUCTIONS card, and CHICAGO MACH. CO. MFD. lettering.
On the backglass
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Backglass
- dark navy blue
- red-orange
- yellow
- black
Fingerprint: Giant magenta-red plaid circle containing cartoon man in red checkered shirt reaching toward blonde woman in red two-piece swimsuit holding banknotes, "THING" title with THI in white-yellow and NG in red-orange ringed by white radiating speed lines, arc of nine colored ribbon banners 100,000-900,000, dense comic-strip collage of crooks, flaming devil with pitchfork, banknotes.
A giant magenta-and-red plaid circle dominating the centre-right, enclosing a cartoon man in a red checkered shirt who reaches out towards a blonde woman in a red two-piece swimsuit holding a bundle of banknotes. The word 'THING' is spelled with the letters THI in white and yellow and NG in red-orange, ringed by white radiating speed lines against a black background. An arc of nine coloured ribbon banners across the top enumerates 100,000 through 900,000 in ascending order. A dense comic-strip collage of small cartoon crooks, a flaming devil with a pitchfork and piles of banknotes fills the lower-left quadrant. The header reads '54321 MILLION' in multi-coloured block numerals above cursive 'Chicago Coin\'s'.
Setting
- Night sky with cloud puffs
- Black comic-strip collage ground
- Stylised green shrubbery
- Yellow grass tufts
Symbols
- Rainbow arc of nine award ribbons
- White radiating speed lines behind the title
- Starburst glitter on the plaid circle
- Orange rectangular placard with three circular dials
- Speech balloon
- Three red question marks
- Yellow grass tufts
- Piles and bundles of banknotes
- Musical piano with keyboard
Lettering
- Large chunky comic display type with white keylines and drop shadows; header numerals in block sans with heavy outline; cursive script logo; tall condensed sans numerals on coloured ribbon banners
Themes
- Money
- Crime cartoon
- Burglars
- Comic strip
- Celebration of winnings
- 1930s gangster parody
Title on it
- Thing
Text on it
- 54321 MILLION
- Chicago Coin's
- THING
- 100,000
- 200,000
- 300,000
- 400,000
- 500,000
- 600,000
- 700,000
- 800,000
- 900,000
- GET OUT!
- EEK!
- PIANO
- PLAY NOW
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Man | Large central cartoon man with slicked-back blond hair, red and magenta plaid/check shirt, seen from behind inside a plaid circle, one arm extended with index finger pointing |
| Woman | Barefoot blonde woman on the right in a red patterned halter swimsuit top and short yellow fringed skirt, holding out a striped bundle of banknotes |
| Man | Blond man in yellow trousers standing behind a piano at upper centre-left |
| Man | Man in a dark suit and hat bursting through a yellow door frame at centre-left |
| Woman | Flame-haired woman in a green patterned dress holding a bundle of notes beside the yellow door |
| Man | Man in a dark suit with arms raised fleeing a yellow coin machine, near the get out! speech balloon |
| Man | Man in a light striped shirt and green plaid trousers pushing a pile of banknotes at lower centre-right |
| Monster | Red devil figure with yellow flames and a pitchfork standing in yellow grass at lower left |
| Man | Balding man in a maroon suit sprawled over a spotted bundle of notes at bottom centre |
| Man | Man in a tan coat and red cap hauling a bundle of notes at bottom right |
| Woman | Woman in a red dress with one arm raised next to the eek! balloon and question marks |
| Other | Pale grey skeletal or ghost-like figure seated in an oval mirror frame at upper left, holding a bundle of notes |
| Other | Yellow coin machine with three round dials and a chute at centre-right lower area |
| Other | Small wheeled cart or wagon piled with banknotes at mid-left |
Illustrated backglass in a chunky mittened wooden frame, backed by a dark navy-blue night sky with stylised cloud puffs. A black banded header carries large block numerals '54321 MILLION' in white-outlined red, yellow and grey digits, above a rainbow arc of nine ribbon award banners reading 100,000 through 900,000 and cursive script 'Chicago Coin\'s'. The centre word 'THING' is set in huge chunky letters, THI in white and yellow with NG in red-orange, ringed by radiating speed lines. Below and left, a montage of comic-strip vignettes on a black ground shows small cartoon men in hats carrying bundles of banknotes, a flaming devil figure with a pitchfork, a piano, a coin machine, a jukebox-like cabinet and a yellow door. Dominant right side is a large magenta-and-red plaid circle containing a blond cartoon man in a red check shirt reaching out, opposite a barefoot blonde woman in a red swimsuit and yellow fringed skirt holding a striped bundle of notes.