A pinball machine by Bally/WMS Gaming, a subsidiary of Williams Electronic Games. The Addams Family (abbreviated sometimes to TAF) was originally produced in 1992, and became such a popular game that it exceeded all sales expectations. In 1994 a special Gold version of The Addams Family was produced, with a run of 1,000 machines, equipped with gold playfield accents and some special game modes.
The Addams Family was designed by Pat Lawlor, pinball god. Some unique and nifty features of the game include Thing capturing balls and disappearing into his box with them, and The Power, a series of electromagnets under the playfield which make the ball move unpredictably (and, unfortunately, often flick it off into an outlane).
Notable features of the game:
Skill Shot: This is scored at the small hole that Thing lifts the ball out of when activated. You can get the ball in here by plunging it with just enough force to make it kind of dribble off the end of the steel ramp at the end of the plunger lane. This is worth 2 million the first time, then 3 million, 4 million, and a maximum 5 million. If you got it in here, it will be kicked out to the right and you'll have a chance to shoot...
The Train Wreck Target: This is on a small curved path leading off to the upper left. This scores a jackpot during multiball, and otherwise scores Train Wrecks. Scoring a Train Wreck prevents the GRAVE value from resetting at the end of the ball, and will light an extra ball on the fourth. The first Train Wreck takes two hits, the second takes three, and so on. The maximum number of hits for a Train Wreck is six.
Ramps:
- Left side - shoot here to score Million Plus, which starts out at 1 million, and advances with each additional shot, resetting to 1 at the beginning of each ball. A diverter will move with a loud snap. This also lights a letter in THING (on the backglass). This ramp also scores Super Jackpot during multiball. This shot is made at the upper left flipper. The ball will be dumped at the lower-left exit of the bumper area, and will roll to the lower-left flipper.
- Right side - This ramp scores one Bear Kick if lit, and will also fire the diverter if Thing Flips is lit. If it isn't, the ball will be returned at the right inlane.
- Thing - This is a tiny mini-ramp, about one inch high and made of metal, equipped with a green light and a yellow light. Green indicates a lock is lit here, and yellow indicates Thing Bonus has been lit by completing the letters of THING.
Mansion:
At the beginning of a ball, a shot to the right inlane, or after shooting either ramp, a yellow lamp will be lit on the right side of the Electric Chair. This is the hole next to the bumpers. Mansion rooms may also be awarded at the Swamp. Shooting either one will begin the mode currently flashing on the mansion windows (a matrix of lights on the playfield). To relight the mansion after collecting a room, shoot a ramp. The lit mansion room is cycled by each hit from the jet bumpers. Completed rooms will be lit solidly. The final mansion room is "?", which allows many of the rooms to be re-awarded.
Swamp: Three possible entrances, one exit, and a few standup targets on the right side of the playfield. Balls can enter here from the left side, from the plunger lane, or from the front entrance/exit (which fires balls back to the right flipper). The Swamp can lock balls for multiball. The targets on its left side are lit for 1 million points briefly as the ball rolls down the lane leading to the upper left flipper. Shooting the ball into the swamp from here scores 5x the GRAVE value; shooting it in any other way scores it 1x. To advance the GRAVE value, shoot the G and R targets below the bumpers, the A target to the left of the center ramp, V (which is the ramp itself!), and E, which is the hole from which balls are kicked out of the swamp. An unlit GRAVE target advances the value of the jet bumpers (much like the center target on Whirlwind, or the unlit Camera hole on Twilight Zone). The GRAVE value is advanced by bumper hits; 10K if unlit, 20K lit, 30K flashing. The Swamp Millions targets and the 5x Grave Value are all disabled during the 15 second countdown for Thing Multiball.
The Vault, GREED, and other fun multiball objects: The Vault entrance is covered by a plastic bookcase with a light curtain between the bottom and the overhanging top. Interrupting this light curtain by hitting the bookcase with a ball will spot a letter in GREED. Light all the letters to enable the locks. Green lights will be on at the mini-ramp to Thing and the Valut, and a yellow "LOCK" light will be on at the Swamp. On the first multiball, you may lock balls at the Swamp, Thing, or Vault. You may lock a ball in the Swamp immediately by just plunging it weakly, so it rolls back down. The machine will congratulate you for this by saying "Good thinking!". A ball can also be locked at Thing by completing a Skill Shot. Once two balls are locked, red lights will be on at the Electric Chair and Vault; shoot either one to start. The jackpots are at the Train Wreck target and left ramp. On the second multiball, you will only be able to lock balls in the Vault. On the third and beyond, you will also have to shoot the Vault to begin multiball. If multiball ends without any jackpots being scored, you will have 15 seconds to restart with a 2-ball multiball by getting the ball to Thing.
Thing Multiball is a different creature altogether. The Vault jackpot value starts at 15 million and rapidly counts down on the display along with "Get Ball To Thing". Once you get the ball to Thing, the value stops counting down, Thing locks the ball, and a second ball is served to the plunger. The Vault is open, and shooting it will score the value left from the countdown. The minimum is 3 million.
Quick Multiball, lit from the mansion, is similar to Thing Multiball, except the vault starts at 5 million, increasing each time it's awarded or the center ramp is shot (up to 10 million).
Bonus multiplier: "ADV X" will be lit on the lane that goes all the way around the back of the machine from the bumpers to the upper right flipper briefly after the ball rolls down the right inlane. Shooting it will advance the Bonus X from 1 to a maximum of 5.
I'm not going to explain all the different Mansion Rooms here, as it would make this writeup massive; the game does a pretty good job of explaining them itself.
Bear Kicks: Shooting the center ramp scores one, or two if the ball has just rolled down the center-right inlane. At 15 Bear Kicks and each 10 after that, a Mansion room is spotted. A certain number of Bear Kicks also lights an extra ball.
When playing this game, the two most important things to remember are:
1. Master the Slap Save; you're going to need it often.
2. Have fun!
Easter eggs: With no game in progress and no credits on the machine, try these codes:
L = Left flipper, R = Right flipper, S = Start:
7L, 1S, 14R, 1S, 20L, 1S - This will give you some insight into where ground beef comes from, as well as displaying the mysterious DOHO.
13L, 1S, 1R, 1S, 2L, 1S - Designers' credits, with a nice loud boomy audio accompanyment.
Sources:
Brian Dominy's rulesheet, version 2.0.
Lots of time spent playing.
FIVE TONS OF FLAX