Having initially begun working for Data East, John Borg produced many of the company’s most popular tables, including the awesome Star Wars and much sought-after ‘Guns ’N Roses’ machine. Notable Games: Star Wars (1992), Guns ’N Roses (1993), Metallica (2013) The Walking Dead (2014) Total number of individual games designed (that made production): 25 Whilst Brian Eddy hasn’t designed as many games as some others, each of his games have proven to be uncontested hits with the more dedicated pinball community, often ranking as some of the best games by pinball players. When Brian Eddy actually begun his career in the pinball industry, it was actually as a software designer and not a game designer! His play fields are all tense tests of speeds and accuracy, blending great humour with great play field features. Notable Games: The Shadow (1994), Attack From Mars (1995), Medieval Madness (1997) Total number of individual games designed (that made production): 3 His most popular game (The Addams Family, 1992) remains the best selling solid state pinball machine of all time, with over 20,000 units shipped! Pat Lawlor holds the distinction of creating some of the best selling pinball machines of the 1990s, and players rate his games as some of the most involved and fun the industry has to offer. Notable Games: Banzai Run (1988), The Addams Family (1992), The Twilight Zone (1993), Ripley’s Believe it or Not (2004), Family Guy (2007) Total number of individual games designed (that made production): 18 If you step up to a game by Steve Ritchie, you’ll be in for one heck of a ride! Steve Ritchie has other claims to fame in the industry, from lending his voice to numerous games, to even coming up with the name ‘Mortal Kombat’ for the famous fighting game arcade series! Steve Ritchie is regarded by pinball enthusiasts as the ‘king of flow’, and his games are some of the most fluid and fast in all of pinball. Notable Games: Firepower (1980), High Speed (1986), Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1992) Spider Man (2007) Game of Thrones (2015) Total number of individual games designed (that made production): 23 Every one of these designers games feels very different, so let’s have a look at just some of the big names we’ll be seeing here: Speak to any pinball player, and they’ll tell you they all have their own favourite designers: Steve Ritchie, John Borg, George Gomez and Pat Lawlor just to name just a few. This article uses facts and figures derived from both Pinside (which offers users a comprehensive top 100 pinball machines list as rated by pinball players the world over) and the Internet Pinball Database (which offers detailed insights into some behind the scenes details such how many games were produced etc). How do you measure ‘greatness’? A total number of games sold? Best overall rated? Something else? It was a monumental challenge to find just who the best solid state designer of all time was. There are so many ways in which to approach this question, it left the entire team scratching its heads as to how to best approach it. Pinball really took off with the introduction of electronic solid state technology in the 70s, and this incredibly rich and diverse part of pinball's history leads onto one very hot debate: Who was the greatest solid state pinball designer of them all? Some games are lightning quick tests of accuracy and reflexes, whilst others are fun and refreshing games of an enjoyable challenge.īehind every single pinball play field is a designer, and many of these designers have become famous names in the pinball community. Even if you’ve never played on pinball machines before, you’ll be able to tell looking across a wide range of games that every play field you come across is completely unique. Much like pool tables, every single pinball machine is different. With the recent release of Iron Maiden Pinball Machine from STERN Pinball and their new pinball designer (and a 9 time major pinball championship winner) Keith Elwin, we asked ourselves: 'Who is the greatest pinball designer of all time?
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