Episode 5 - Video Modes

Wedgehead hosts analyze video mode history and quality across pinball machines.

Synopsis

Alan and Alex (The Waterboy) from Wedgehead A Pinball Podcast discuss the history and design of video modes in pinball machines, from early 1980s hybrids like Caveman and Baby Pac-Man through modern DMD-based modes. They analyze what makes video modes effective or terrible, highlight Dwight Sullivan outsized influence in popularizing them (~60% of his games feature video modes), and share their favorites (Bram Stoker's Dracula, Fishtales, Getaway, Indiana Jones mine cart) versus least favorites (Theater of Magic's virtual pinball). The hosts debate whether video modes detract from pure pinball gameplay or enhance the experience.

Highlights

• Dwight Sullivan is responsible for approximately 11 out of 18 games he led as programmer having video modes, meaning he's responsible for over a quarter of all video modes across all pinball machines of all time.
• Terminator 2 (Bally Williams) was the first pinball game with a DMD-based video mode, designed by Dwight Sullivan.
• Indiana Jones (Williams Pinball Adventures) has the most unique video modes in a single game with three distinct video modes.
• Junkyard technically has more video mode variety than Indiana Jones because it includes a time machine feature that cycles through video modes from other Williams games.
• Approximately 40 games across all companies and time periods have at least one video mode, with many having multiple.
• Caveman (1982, Gottlieb) was the first hybrid arcade/pinball game with integrated video gameplay, using a joystick.
• Baby Pac-Man (1982, Bally) was an immediate copycat to Caveman, leveraging Pac-Man IP.
• Granny and the Gators was released by Bally in 1983, part of the early hybrid game wave.
• Star Trek Next Generation's video mode is broken from a competitive standpoint because it rewards 200-300 million points plus an extra ball if memorized, skewing tournament scoring away from pinball skill.
• Theater of Magic's virtual pinball video mode is atrociously bad, featuring pinball gameplay from a wrong perspective angle on the DMD.

Entities

• Bally· company
• Gottlieb· company
• Williams· company
• Baby Pac-Man· game
• Bram Stoker's Dracula· game
• Caveman· game
• Fishtales· game
• Fishtales· game
• Getaway· game
• Granny and the Gators· game
• Indiana Jones (Pinball Adventures)· game
• Junkyard· game
• Star Trek Next Generation· game
• Terminator 2· game
• Theater of Magic· game
• Toy Story· game
• Alan· person
• Alex the Waterboy· person
• Dwight Sullivan· person
• Mark Ritchie· person
• Megan· person
• Rhodes· person
• Steve Ritchie· person
• Portland Pinball Bar Wedgehead· venue