Baywatch Pinball Machine (Sega, 1995)
⭐ At‑a‑Glance
- Manufacturer: Sega Pinball, Inc. (Chicago, IL)
- Release Date: February 1995
- Production: ~2,000 units
- System: DataEast/Sega Version 3b (solid‑state)
- Players: Up to 6
- Display: Extra‑large DMD — a known cost driver in restorations
Gameplay & Mechanical Features
Flippers & Ball Control
- 4 flippers total
- 3 standard
- 1 “Shark Flips” mini‑flipper — game‑controlled with a shark fin on top (unique toy)
Playfield Layout
- 3 pop bumpers
- 12 standup targets
- 3‑bank drop target
- 1 spinning target
- 1 scoop
- Vertical up‑kicker
- Left outlane kickback
- Right dual inlanes
The layout is wireform‑heavy, fast, and surprisingly modern for a mid‑90s Sega title. The large DMD allows for more elaborate animations than its contemporaries.
Theme & Artwork
- Based on the hit TV show Baywatch
- Backglass and cabinet feature David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson, and cast
- Cabinet art is bright, beach‑themed, and intentionally “young‑male‑marketed” for the era
Design Team
- Game Design: Joe Balcer, Joe Kaminkow
- Engineering: John Borg
- Software: John Carpenter, Lonnie D. Ropp, Neil Falconer, Orin Day
- Artwork: Jeff Busch, Markus Rothkranz
- Sound & Music: Brian Schmidt
This is a stacked team — Borg, Balcer, and Kaminkow all have major titles under their belts, which explains why Baywatch shoots better than its reputation suggests.