Embedded Files
For my last pinball design I got to create a Star Wars table so I could say I've done everything. Which is not true of course but it sure felt like it. This was a huge challenge because the setting was Ahch-To Island, one of the chillest places in the Galaxy far far away. No space battles, no Sarlacc or army of stormtroopers with questionable aiming. Just cute Porgs, gentle Caretakers and a seemingly futile quest to persuade Luke to train Rey.
After the initial uncertainty I decided to lean into the calm vibe and create a relatively chill pinball experience. The result is a table with less punishing game modes, a simpler layout with great flow and the sounds of Ahch-To Island's curious fauna instead of the usual pinball chimes.
"Just breathe". One must be able to get calm and listen to the force if she wants a Jedi training. How can a theme like this be translated into pinball form?
Rey's Meditate mode starts like any other pinball mode: flashing lamps show the way where to shoot the ball. But they change so rapidly it seems impossible to hit the right targets. That is until the player learns how to control the ball and focus - hold the ball on one of the flippers. This state slows down the target changing mechanic and now there's plenty of time to aim for the perfect shot.
Chewie also tries to relax on this table by his cozy campfire. That is until he sees the Porgs. In this mode he tries to catch them and I'm not going to spoil the movie but on the table no one gets eaten or harmed in any way.
The Millennium Falcon is present on the island so it is, naturally, on the table. On Ahch-To Island the legendary starship smuggles a multiball mode for the player.
What's special about this mode is the locking mechanism: there are five hatches on the playfield, they open randomly after a 5-way combo shot. To lock a ball the player has to shoot the ball near them, so the open hatches will suck the ball inside - this may be my weirdest physics-based locking mechanism to date.
After the third ball is locked, the Millennium Falcon takes off, flies above the playfield and ejects three balls.
If you'd like to learn more about Ahch-To Island Pinball, check out the community-made table guide:
Google Sites
Report abuse