Chopping Mall
WantedFans keep asking for it. No machine has been announced.
#122on the Hype Index, our daily ranking of themes fans want as machines
Peak #116, Oct 2026 ·Rank updated Oct 21.
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Killer security robots hunt teens through a neon-lit 80s mall after closing time.
About This Theme
Chopping Mall is a 1986 American science fiction horror film directed by Jim Wynorski and produced by Roger Corman's Concorde Pictures. The film follows a group of teenagers who become trapped in a shopping mall after closing time when the facility's newly installed security robots malfunction and begin killing them. Originally released under the title Killbots, the film was retitled Chopping Mall for its wider release, a title that proved far more memorable and helped it stand out on video store shelves during the VHS era. Despite modest critical reception upon release, the film has accumulated a devoted cult following over the decades, particularly among fans of 1980s B-movie horror. Its blend of slasher conventions, science fiction elements, and a recognizable mall setting has made it a nostalgic touchstone for genre enthusiasts who discovered it through Blockbuster rentals or late-night cable broadcasts.
Discussion of a Chopping Mall pinball machine has surfaced within the pinball enthusiast community, particularly on forums like Pinside, where the film is mentioned alongside other cult horror properties from the same era such as Night of the Comet and Night of the Creeps. Community members have noted the film's strong visual identity and VHS-era charm as qualities that make it appealing as a novelty theme, even as some expressed skepticism about its commercial viability compared to more widely recognized properties. One frequently cited concept in adjacent discussions referenced a Dawn of the Dead themed machine with a multi-level mall layout, escalators leading to upper playfield sections, and an extended body width representing a parking lot, a design framework that would translate naturally to Chopping Mall given its near-identical setting.
As a pinball theme, Chopping Mall offers several compelling design possibilities. The three Killbot security robots from the film, which are visually distinctive wheeled machines capable of shooting lasers and electrocuting targets, would serve as natural candidates for toy mechs, pop bumper themes, or multiball lock targets. The multi-story Park Plaza Mall setting could inspire a tiered playfield layout with ramps representing escalators and distinct retail zones serving as individual shot destinations. The film's synthesizer-heavy score and campy dialogue provide ample source material for callouts and background music, and the VHS aesthetic could inform cabinet artwork and display animations in a way that appeals to collectors drawn to 1980s nostalgia. The premise of surviving waves of robotic attackers maps directly onto traditional pinball progression structures, making Chopping Mall a thematically coherent if unconventional candidate for adaptation.
