Indiana Jones Pinball

Naturally, pinball manufacturers expect increased attention when a new machine is based on a current movie. That approach can work, as seen with the Terminator 2 pinball machine. However, another option is to wait patiently, carefully study three blockbuster films centered around the archaeologist Dr. Jones, and then—much later—build a pinball machine that faithfully reflects many elements of the entire trilogy.

Today, the Indiana Jones pinball machine is one of the most sought-after games in Europe and, when in good condition, has been rising dramatically in value almost month by month. Machines in good or very good condition have become as rare as a needle in a haystack.

Restoring an Indiana Jones pinball machine is particularly demanding when done properly and meticulously. The double-decker plastics and the playfield consist of numerous technical refinements, and the material investment in new parts during a restoration is considerable. Apart from Indiana Jones and Medieval Madness, there are only a few pinball machines that have increased so dramatically in value over recent years—and there is no end to this trend in sight.

For customers with especially exclusive demands, we restore this top-class pinball machine to like-new condition plus several extra features (24-carat gold ramps and siderails, a powerful speaker system, etc.) that the manufacturer could never have implemented themselves for cost reasons.

“The Adventure Continues” was the slogan used in the original brochure—and it was no empty promise. This is especially true of the video modes, of which the machine offers three different ones. The first is Choose Wisely: simply keep your eye on the correct chalice as it rapidly changes position with four others. Anyone who has watched skilled shell-game players knows what this means. Unlike the shell game, however, the Indy pinball machine gives the player a real chance—at least in the first round; after that, it gets faster and faster.

The second video mode is the mine cart ride. All you have to do is steer a little—left, right, straight ahead—making the correct choice 25 times in total, and you are rewarded with 30 million points.

The third video mode takes you to a bar in Cairo. Engage in a small shootout with the villains and find the medallion.

Equally complex is the game system on the playfield itself. Path of Adventure, Hand of Fate, INDY rollovers, Castle Grunewald, Monkey Brains, and Steal the Stones are just a few of the many adventures the player must master—and all of this on the extra-wide playfield of the so-called Superpins, similar to Twilight Zone.

Releasing the Indiana Jones pinball machine long after the third film of the series proved to be an absolutely correct strategic move, as it allowed an extensive range of movie elements to be implemented in the machine. Among collectors and professional players alike, Indiana Jones continues to enjoy an exceptionally high reputation—and for good reason.

Due to extremely high global demand and the simultaneous difficulty of sourcing this model, market prices continue to rise relentlessly. With the exception of machines imported from Eastern Europe—which are often in catastrophic technical and visual condition—hardly any units are offered for sale at all.

Well-maintained machines that have not been improperly modified and that still possess good to very good core substance are now extremely difficult and expensive to obtain. For our restorations, we exclusively use unmodified machines, which we offer to our customers after extensive restoration in a high-quality condition corresponding to the desired condition class.

The price increase of the Indiana Jones pinball machine has surprised even us, and it must now be said that no end to further price and value increases for machines in near-new condition is foreseeable. Since 2004, the base machine alone has more than doubled in price, and elaborately restored examples can hardly be found for under €5,000. It is only a matter of time before Indiana Jones pinball machines cost more than Medieval Madness. It is certainly a sound investment for any pinball collector.

Restoring an Indiana Jones pinball machine is highly demanding, as this model exhibited numerous manufacturer-related issues after production, which must be corrected as part of a proper restoration. The movable Path of Adventure was installed too tightly, meaning it often does not move through its full range and therefore prevents correct gameplay. The Idol frequently fails to detect balls and triggers multiball at the wrong time. The center drop targets often jam because the original decals catch when they drop. The Raise Jackpot plastic above them and the two slingshot plastics are often broken, as the ball destroys them without additional metal reinforcement. The double-deck airplane plastic is usually missing or damaged, as strong flipper shots can break it during ramp runs. The light barriers on the playfield and the optocouplers in the ball magazine are often defective, impairing gameplay. Due to the extensive lighting used in the Indiana Jones pinball machine, the circuit board connectors responsible for lighting are often brittle and no longer conduct properly, causing intermittent contact issues.

All of these problems are professionally corrected by us in every restoration condition class, which requires a significantly higher investment of time and materials compared to other pinball models. Many people do not even notice that, due to these faults, the machine switches into a limited emergency gameplay mode via the software and is therefore unable to play through all programmed sequences.

Maintaining this high standard of quality is extremely important to us, and we are proud to present first-class Indiana Jones pinball machines with high collector value in our showrooms. As delivery times are updated almost daily, we kindly ask interested customers to contact us directly for current availability. In individual cases, machines that are “available immediately” may be in stock.

If you are looking for an Indiana Jones pinball machine as a reliable top-tier game, our many years of experience with this model are an important guarantee.