Check out HOW TO BUILD A PINBALL MACHINE for material sources, CAD drawings and fabrication instructions...

Jupiter Crush is a newly-built custom pinball machine, using a mix of vintage and reproduction playfield machinery (Bally, Williams and Gottlieb) with new microcontroller electronics, and original artwork with a retro sci-fi theme.

A computer simulation, with a physics engine and accurate topographical table layout, was used to help develop the game rules, scoring and other functionality.

On the surface, this pinball is designed to look and play like a vintage 70's to 80's machine. However, instead of silkscreening, the custom artwork is printed at 600dpi directly onto a mylar film, with a high gloss laminate for protection. Behind the retro scenes, there are modern microcontrollers and power electronics, using high-speed serial communication and a USB interface for running and programming the game rules.

Some of the electronic circuits are unique and highly customized, while others are off-the-shelf units from PinScore or MultiMorphic. In all cases, a network of Arduino Duos with custom firmware are used to interface and control individual boards, read the playfield switches, keep score and set the game rules.

SPECIFICATIONS:

GAME CONTROLLER: Arduino Duo with custom firmware and USB interface for programming. This device reads the switches, keeps score and communicates with other boards that perform simpler interface tasks.

SOLENOID DRIVER: 38V output using a Power Driver 16 from Multimorphic on an SPI interface to the main Game Controller.

LIGHTING DRIVERS: Custom Space-Eight design with a serial UART to the main Game Controller.

SCORE DISPLAY: PinScore LED displays with an Arduino Duo interface that communicates via I2C to the main Game Controller.

Although the playfield geometry was designed with old fashoned pen and paper, a computer simulation was used after the fact to explore game rules, scoring, and other potential functionality. This was implemented using Visual Pinball (VP) software, a copy of which can be found here, and is freely available to play on a personal computer.

The cabinet for Jupiter Crush was donated from a generic Gottlieb game of the late 80's era, which has a steep rise towards the back. The next iteration will probably use something closer to the classic rectangular cabinets of the early 80's.

The pinball head and back box, however, was custom fabricated and is an original design inspired by earlier model games. The backglass continues the theme from the playfield, with artwork on a mylar translight behind 1/4" acrylic.

This photo shows the cabinet in-process with masking tape and primer, prepared for the final side artwork which will be a standard three-color stencil design in keeping with the sci-fi theme.

Completed and installed at the Seattle Pinball Museum on May 19, 2013.

Charlie and Cindy at the SPM have "Jupiter Crush" nestled perfectly in between two machines of the era that JC is trying to emulate: the famous Gottlieb 1981 "Black Hole" on the left, and an "Asteroid Annie" from 1980 on the right, also Gottlieb.

Screenshot from the Visual Pinball computer simulation.

Although the playfield geometry was designed with old fashoned pen and paper, this simulation was used to explore game rules, scoring, and other potential functionality. This was implemented using Visual Pinball (VP) software, a copy of the table can be found here, and is freely available to play on a personal computer. Enjoy!