Quick Summary

F‑14 Tomcat is a 1987 Williams System 11A machine designed by Steve Ritchie, known for extreme speed, brutal ball returns, and iconic rotating beacons. Production was 14,502 units, making it common but highly collectible when restored.

Core Facts 

Design & Team

• Designer: Steve Ritchie
• Software: Eugene Jarvis, Ed Boon
• Art: Doug Watson
• Sound/Music: Bill Parod, Chris Granner, Steve Ritchie
• Voices: Mark Ritchie, Steve Ritchie

Production & Hardware

• Release: March 1987
• System: Williams System 11A
• Units Produced: 14,502
• Players: 4
• Flippers: 4
• Multiball: 4‑ball
• Signature Feature: Three rotating beacons on the backbox

Gameplay Identity

• Successor to High Speed, built around speed and aggression.
• Ritchie described it as the kind of game that sends players away “in a wave of expletives… to try again.”

Gameplay & Feature Breakdown

What Makes It Unique

• Jagov Kicker: Fires the ball back at the flippers at high velocity.
• Spinning Target + VUK: Adds chaos and vertical movement.
• Left Outlane Kicker: Saves balls with proper nudging.
• 20 Standup Targets: High-risk, high-speed scoring.
• Rotating Beacons: One of the most iconic System 11 light shows.

Player Experience

• Fast, punishing, and adrenaline-heavy.
• Ideal for competitive players who like repeatable, high-speed loops