Twilight Zone

Overview

Twilight Zone is a pinball machine based off of the television show of the same name.  It is one of the most complex machines to be designed, yet is still a top machine.  It also features a ceramic ball which is not affected by the magnets on the playfield, and is a bit lighter than normal pinballs.

Twilight Zone is one of the pinball machines in the Superpin line. Both Williams and Midway created some of these widebody machines.

Game Modes

There are 16 panels on the door in the middle of the playfield.  Two of these show what balls are locked toward multiball, the other fourteen are the game modes.

1. 10 Million: The player scores 10 million points.
2. Battle the Power: Battle the Power becomes lit.  Shooting the right ramp starts the mode.  The player's ball enters a magnetic area called the "Powerfield".  The player has 10 seconds to get the ball into the top of the Powerfield.  The player gets 5 million points to start the round, and 500,000 points are scored for each time a wall is hit.  If the player succeeds in getting the ball into the top hole, the Battle the Power score is doubled.
3. The Camera: Hitting the Camera when it is lit will award a random prize.  See below.
4. Clock Chaos: 5 million is given to the player, then the player must hit a Clock Target to gain one million for every hour the clock shows. (The clock showing 4 means 4 million)  On every Clock Target hit, however, the direction of the clock reverses.  The clock starts at 6, and the round ends slightly after the clock reaches 12.
5. Clock Millions: The clock starts at 12, then goes clockwise.  The round ends when the clock reaches 12 again.  Every time a Clock Target is hit, the player gets one million per hour on the clock, like in Clock Chaos.  Hitting a Clock Target 5 times is worth 10 million in end-of-ball bonus points for "Clock Damage", 6 hits are 20 million.
6. Fast Lock: This mode has a radio motif.  The Fast Lock value starts at 20 million, and continues until it reaches 5.3 million (as in 530 AM, the lowest frequency for AM.)  Quotes from other pinballs will play intermittently.  Hitting the lit "Lock" scores the Fast Lock value, and starts a three-ball multiball, where another "Lock" hit scores the Fast Lock value again.
7. Greed: The total starts at 5 million points.  Every time a Greed Target is hit, 5 million more is added, and that target is disabled.  This is awarded at the end of the ball.
8. Hitchhiker: The player receives 2 million points per Hitchhiker gained during the game.  In addition, for the rest of the ball, each Hitchhiker picked up is worth 2 million more.
9. Lite Extra Ball: Extra ball is lit.  Shoot "Lock" to gain said ball.
10. Lite Gumball Machine: Hit the Spiral to gain points and load the ball into the gumball machine.  15 million for the first time, 20 million for the second, and 25 million for each time after 2.
11. The Spiral: The clock goes from 12 to 12, as in Clock Millions.  Shooting the Spiral scores 10 million for the first two times, then 15 million.  Every time after 3 is also worth 15 million.
12. Super Skill Shot: Shooting the left ramp brings the ball to the plunger for a Skill Shot.  Shooting the red zone lights "Battle the Power', the orange zone lights the outlanes for an extra ball on the left and a special (usually a free game) on the right (only one will be lit at any time), and the yellow zone lights a normal extra ball.
13. Super Slot: Shooting the Slot Machine scores a random value from 10 million to 20 million points.  The clock ticks from 12 to 12 as in Clock Millions.
14. Town Square Madness: 3 million is given to start, then every switch scores 350,000 points.  Every time a bumper is hit, the switch value goes up by 25,000.  Same time limit as in Clock Millions.

Camera Prizes

• 10 Hitchhikers
• 20 million points
• 3x Town Square (Awards triple the current Town Square Value)
• Clock 10 Millions (10 million points are given, and any Clock Target hit withing the Clock Millions-esque time limit scores 10 million.  5 or more hits awards Clock Damage as in Clock Millions.)
• Collect Bonus (Whatever the end-of-ball bonus would be if the ball drained at that moment is given to the player.)
• Hold Town Square (Town Square value does not reset after the current ball drains)
• Lite Greed Targets
• Lite Outlanes (See Super Skill Shot)

After all 14 modes are awarded, the "?" doorknob is lit.  Starting the "?" mode, which is called "Lost in the Zone", gives several benefits.

Lost in the Zone Prizes

• All balls from the Gumball Machine are released
• All balls from the drain are released
• Powerfield is lit, and winning is worth 50 million points
• Clock Millions, Dead End (Scores double Town Square Bonus), Greed, Super Slot, Town Square (collects Town Square Bonus), and Town Square Madness are all lit.
• Each hitchhiker is worth 2 million
• Each shot to the left ramp is worth 10 million

Balls are automatically plunged until the time runs out, all of the balls drain (don't worry, a fresh ball will be shot afterwards), and your total Lost in the Zone score is totaled.  The top such will be preserved on the machine.

Other Notes

• Golden Earring's "Twilight Zone" can be heard before the ball is plunged, while the ball is in play, when two balls are locked, and after the game ends.