Star Wars Episode I
Quick Overview
Star Wars Episode I is a pinball machine released by Williams in 1999, taking players into the world of the movie Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. This time the fate of the galaxy rests on the flipper buttons: race on Tatooine, fight the droid army, and face the fearsome Darth Maul! The machine uses one of the most remarkable technological innovations in pinball history, the Pinball 2000 system, which combines traditional pinball with computer graphics.
Basics
- Release1999
- ManufacturerWilliams Electronic Games
- DesignerJohn Popadiuk
- GenrePinball
- ThemeStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
- Players1–4 (alternating)
- SystemWilliams Pinball 2000
- Units producedApprox. 3,500
Characters & Creators
Standout features:
Play It Live!
May the Force be with you! Enter the podrace, defeat the droids, and face Darth Maul on the legendary Star Wars Episode I pinball machine at Arcade Museum Budapest!
Get My Ticket!Game Objective
Star Wars Episode I is not a traditional pinball machine. Digital animations appearing above the playfield bring the movie's characters and battles to life. With the ball you don't just hit mechanical targets — you can also fight virtual opponents projected onto the playfield. Thanks to the spectacular effects, the physical and digital worlds merge into one thrilling adventure. Complete missions based on the movie's story, defeat the enemy droids, and score as many points as you can! The different modes bring podrace races, space battles and lightsaber duels.
Fun Facts
- It is based on the 1999 movie Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
- It uses Williams' revolutionary Pinball 2000 technology.
- The digital images appear through a half-mirrored glass over the physical playfield.
- Darth Maul, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi all appear in the game.
- It was Williams' last pinball machine to go into commercial production.
- A must-play for Star Wars fans, but also worth trying for anyone curious about the technological evolution of pinball: the meeting of traditional mechanics and digital graphics is still impressive today.
Why Is It Special?
Star Wars Episode I is one of the boldest experiments in pinball history. In the Pinball 2000 system, the image from a monitor is reflected over the playfield, so the player sees the digital characters as if they were standing right in the ball's path. This technology was far more than a visual gimmick: the virtual targets are an integral part of the gameplay. Only two Pinball 2000 models went into series production: Revenge from Mars and Star Wars Episode I. Star Wars Episode I holds a special place in pinball history: it was Williams' last mass-produced pinball machine. The company ended its pinball production in 1999, so Pinball 2000's promising technology ended after just two released models. That makes Star Wars Episode I not only a movie-themed pinball machine, but also a memorial to the end of an era.