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Banzai Run

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description Banzai Run Overview

Banzai Run is a solid-state pinball machine released by Williams in 1988 and co-designed by Pat Lawlor and Larry DeMar. Its defining feature is a second playable playfield mounted vertically in the backbox, reached from the conventional lower playfield by moving the same ball between the two levels. The unusual arrangement changes how gravity, flippers, ramps, and ball control work, making the machine relevant to players interested in experimental late-1980s pinball design.

help Banzai Run FAQ

What is unusual about the Banzai Run pinball machine?

Williams released Banzai Run in 1988 with a second playfield arranged vertically in the backbox. That layout lets the ball move into an upright section instead of remaining only on the normal horizontal playfield.

Who designed Banzai Run?

Pinball references generally credit Pat Lawlor as the designer of Banzai Run, not Mark Ritchie. The machine was produced by Williams in 1988 and is associated with Lawlor's early Williams work.

How do you play the vertical section in Banzai Run?

Shots from the main playfield send the ball into the upright backbox playfield, where separate controls and targets continue the game. The vertical section is therefore an active game area, not merely a decorative backglass.

Why is Banzai Run important to pinball history?

Its dual-level layout was a major mechanical departure from the standard single-plane pinball table. Williams combined the conventionally horizontal field with a vertical playfield in one 1988 machine.

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