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Twilight Zone the pin

       Twilight Zone (TZ for short) is widely regarded by pinball collectors as one of the best machines ever produced and the ultimate in pinball experiences.  Much effort went into designing this pin and its obvious from first glance.  Twilight Zone is a moody and dark sci-fi/fantasy theme taken directly from the original television series.  Like the show, "The Twilight Zone" features its host, creator and writer Rod Serling.  This pinball even plays a version of "Twilight Zone" as its main theme music by Golden Earring.  Pat Lawlor and designers incorporated a few extras into TZ from other popular pinball machines they created including Funhouse (FH), The Adams Family (TAF), Whirlwind (WW) and Banzai Run (BR).  Many of the items on the playfield and artwork can be directly traced back to one of nostalgic television episodes.    Its a fun game to watch from the sheer mechanical aspect.  The rule set is deep and difficult.  Twilight Zone's shots are very unsymmetrical, uncomfortable and awkward but varying.  Who the hell puts a shot between pop bumpers partially hidden by a mini playfield... Pat friggen' Lawlor that's who.  You don't see the shot right away but after you play its pure genius. 

        Twilight Zone is a wide-body pinball machine with interesting playfield and numerous toys.  The playfield features a working analog clock, 3 pop-bumpers, 4 flippers, working gumball machine and mini playfield.  Even the plunger has a slight twist.  The pin has a manual skill shot plunger that will send it to an auto plunger to launch.  Twilight Zone is the first and only pinball machine to use a very light ceramic pinball termed "Powerball" that plays extremely fast on the playfield.  There are 18 game modes and 5 different multi-ball modes such as the famous 6 ball "Lost in the Zone" multi-ball.  If that wasn't enough it also has 2 magnets under the playfield to catch and re-direct pinball's back at the player.  The back glass also has a dot-matrix display for game status, score and entertaining animations.   Great artwork, incredible sound-effects and fantastic music all oozes effortlessly together in this  machine like giant pinball burrito.

Did you know?

When you are awarded a replay, the three reels on the display spins to spell RE-PL-AY. Watch the left and center reel, where the cows are. The right reel reads "The Stunt Cows". To see the animation in slow motion, click here.

Flipper bonus: When you are awarded a replay on your out hole bonus, press both flippers when the first reel has stopped. This will give you a 5M flipper bonus.

During Attract mode, press the following sequence to see the Design Team:
5R, 1L, 1R, 1L, 5R, 1L

DOHO can be seen in the animation for the Jet Bumpers, look carefully at the radiator grill on the right car.  Scott Slomiany (aka. Scott Matrix) "created" the DOHO and it stands for Doris Ho, Scott's wife.

Quotes from older Pat Lawlor pins are heard during "Fast Lock", in reverse chronological order:
The Addams Family: Cousin It blabbing. Hitting lock: Cousin It: "Aaaah!".
Funhouse: "Hey, it's only pinball!". Hitting lock: Rudy: "Gulp...ptooey!".
Whirlwind: "Return to your homes!". Hitting lock: "Do not panic".
Earthshaker: "It's sunny drive time!". Hitting lock: "Ooh, Gimme shelter!".
Banzai Run: "Welcome race fans!". Hitting lock: "Go for the hill!".

Hit The Clock six times during "Clock Chaos" to hear Rudy from Funhouse: "Quit playin´ with the clock!".