# HALLOWEEN & ULTRAMAN PINBALLS REVEALED

**Source:** Pinball News Website  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2021-07-05  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2021/07/05/halloween-pinball-revealed

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## Analysis

Spooky Pinball officially unveiled John Carpenter's Halloween and Ultraman: Kaiju Rumble!, two distinct themes sharing the same playfield design. Halloween features three cabinet variants (Standard $6,995, Blood Sucker $7,995, Collector's $8,995) with identical gameplay but cosmetic differences, while Ultraman is a complete retheme with separate software, artwork, and toys. Both games sold out completely (1,250 Halloween + 500 Ultraman units) within three hours of public sales launch on July 7, 2021, with an estimated 18-month production timeline.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Halloween features three cabinet variants with identical playfields but different cosmetic finishes, trim, and build order — _Pricing and variant details explicitly stated: Standard $6,995, Blood Sucker $7,995, Collector's $8,995 with differences in cabinet art, speakers, knocker, shaker, and build priority_
- [HIGH] Both Halloween and Ultraman share the same core playfield design with three upper playfields and hedge/building mechanics — _Article explicitly states 'Ultraman is a total retheme' of the same playfield layout with new artwork, plastics, toys, topper, software, and animations_
- [HIGH] Production cap: maximum 1,250 Halloween units and 500 Ultraman units — _Article states 'a maximum of 1,250 of these being built' for Halloween and 'Only 500 of these will be built' for Ultraman_
- [HIGH] All 1,750 units (1,250 Halloween + 500 Ultraman) sold out within three hours of public sales launch on July 7, 2021 — _UPDATE section: 'within three hours all 1,750 units (1,250 Halloween + 500 Ultraman) had sold out'_
- [HIGH] Spooky Pinball estimates 18 months to complete all orders; no new announcements expected until end of 2022 — _UPDATE: 'Spooky Pinball estimate it will take eighteen months to complete orders, so we shouldn't expect any new game announcements from them until the end of 2022'_

### Notable Quotes

> "Halloween marks a number of changes in the way the Spooky Pinball titles are sold."
> — **Pinball News**
> _Signals shift in Spooky's business model toward tiered pricing and variant strategies_

> "The playfield features are the same across all three but the trim finish, interior cabinet art, speaker lights, knocker, shaker, plastic protectors, target decals and build order varies"
> — **Pinball News**
> _Clarifies that cosmetic differentiation rather than mechanical features drive variant pricing_

> "Ultraman is a total retheme, with new artwork, plastics, playfield toys and topper, along with separate game software, sounds and animations."
> — **Pinball News**
> _Establishes that Ultraman is not a simple re-skinning but a complete separate game experience despite shared playfield_

> "within three hours all 1,750 units (1,250 Halloween + 500 Ultraman) had sold out"
> — **Pinball News (UPDATE)**, July 7, 2021, 9am Central Time onwards
> _Demonstrates extreme demand and FOMO dynamic in collector market; validates scarcity strategy_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Spooky Pinball | company | Manufacturer releasing Halloween and Ultraman; expanding production to 1,750 units with 18-month fulfillment timeline |
| John Carpenter's Halloween | game | Horror-themed pinball machine based on 1978 film; features three cabinet variants and three upper playfields with hedge/Michael Myers mechanics |
| Ultraman: Kaiju Rumble! | game | Japanese superhero-themed retheme of Halloween playfield; 500-unit production cap; features separate software, art, and animations |
| Tony Moran | person | Actor who portrayed Michael Myers in Halloween film; referenced in playfield theming |
| Donald Pleasence | person | Actor who played Dr. Loomis in Halloween film; referenced in playfield theming |
| Jamie Lee Curtis | person | Actress who played Laurie Strode in Halloween film; referenced in playfield theming |
| John Carpenter | person | Director and composer of 1978 Halloween film; game title attribution |
| Pinball News | organization | News outlet providing detailed coverage and imagery of game announcement |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Product tiering and pricing strategy, Playfield design and mechanics, Dual-theme playfield reuse model, Demand and sell-through velocity
- **Secondary:** Production capacity and lead times, Collector's edition cosmetic differentiation
- **Mentioned:** IP licensing (horror and anime)

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.85) — Article is factual and promotional, presenting both games favorably with extensive technical detail. Instant sell-out and production challenges frame games as highly desirable. No critical commentary or concerns raised.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Spooky Pinball production capacity fully consumed through 2022; 18-month lead time represents significant manufacturing and supply chain commitment (confidence: high) — 1,750-unit production combined with 18-month fulfillment estimate signals major capacity allocation
- **[design_philosophy]** Spooky adopting platform/theme reuse model: same playfield chassis with distinct thematic overlays (Halloween vs. Ultraman) to expand production and reach differentiated markets (confidence: high) — Article describes how 'Ultraman is a total retheme' using 'same layout' but with 'new artwork, plastics, playfield toys and topper, along with separate game software, sounds and animations'
- **[market_signal]** Immediate sell-out of all production (1,750 units) within 3 hours of public sales launch indicates extremely strong demand and effective FOMO positioning (confidence: high) — UPDATE: 'within three hours all 1,750 units (1,250 Halloween + 500 Ultraman) had sold out' on July 7, 2021
- **[announcement]** Official reveal of two new Spooky Pinball titles sharing common playfield design with distinct theming and software (confidence: high) — Comprehensive official announcement with promotional video, detailed specifications, and full image gallery
- **[product_strategy]** Three-tier pricing model (Standard/Blood Sucker/Collector's) with identical playfield but cosmetic variation in cabinet art, speakers, knocker, and build order (confidence: high) — $6,995/$7,995/$8,995 pricing with explicit differences in 'trim finish, interior cabinet art, speaker lights, knocker, shaker, plastic protectors, target decals and build order'
- **[product_strategy]** Collector's Edition includes motorized animated topper, custom powdercoated speaker grilles, bespoke shooter rod, and optional $995 glossy 'butter' cabinet decals as cosmetic upgrades (confidence: high) — Detailed variant specifications showing premium builds include topper with motorized stabbing knife, special grilles, and custom shooter rod
- **[product_strategy]** Spooky Pinball projects 18-month production timeline for 1,750 units; no new game announcements expected until end of 2022 (confidence: high) — UPDATE section states 'estimate it will take eighteen months to complete orders, so we shouldn't expect any new game announcements from them until the end of 2022'
- **[business_signal]** Spooky implementing production constraints (1,250 Halloween, 500 Ultraman) to maintain scarcity and collector demand; limited supply drives rapid sell-through (confidence: high) — Explicit production caps combined with instantaneous sell-out suggests deliberate scarcity strategy

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## Transcript

After weeks of teasing, Spooky Pinball today unveiled their next title, John Carpenter’s Halloween. ![The Halloween backbox image](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/101-halloween.jpg) The Halloween backbox image Halloween marks a number of changes in the way the Spooky Pinball titles are sold. For a start, there are three models of Halloween – Standard Edition, Blood Sucker Edition and Collector’s Edition priced at $6,995, $7,995 and $8,995 respectively. The playfield features are the same across all three but the trim finish, interior cabinet art, speaker lights, knocker, shaker, plastic protectors, target decals and build order varies, with the Collector’s Edition built first followed by the Blood Sucker Edition and finally the Standard Edition. For all three variants, glossy “butter” cabinet decals are available for an additional $995. ![The three variants of Halloween](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/133-halloween.jpg) The three variants of Halloween As we said though, the playfield gameplay features are consistent across the three models. Here’s Spooky’s description of them. ![Halloween's in-game features](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/030-halloween.jpg) Halloween’s in-game features Another first for Spooky is the way this playfield design is being given two separate themes. Halloween is the first with a maximum of 1,250 of these being built. The second is the Japanese cartoon superhero, Ultraman. Only 500 of these will be built. Although there is a cap on the overall number of each title produced, there is no defined split between the three variants – the numbers of Standards, Blood Suckers and Collectors will depend on how many of each are ordered. We’ll look at Ultraman a little later, but let’s begin with the main Halloween theme. The pictures seen here are believed to be of the Collector’s Edition which comes with all the add-ons installed except the butter cabinet decals. ![The left side of the backbox](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/102-halloween.jpg) The left side of the backbox ![The right side of the backbox](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/104-halloween.jpg) The right side of the backbox The backbox translite artwork for this Collector’s Edition model doesn’t include the name of the game. That’s because it is on the animated topper which features a motorised stabbing knife. Likewise, there are special powdercoated speaker grilles and a bespoke shooter rod. The variants without the topper do include the Halloween title on the backbox translite. ![The animated topper with the game's name](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/107-halloween.jpg) The animated topper with the game’s name ![Tha backbox translite for the variants without the topper](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/130-halloween.jpg) The backbox translite for the variants without the topper ![The speaker and display panel](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/103-halloween.jpg) The speaker and display panel ![The knife shooter knob and pumpkin side rails](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/110-halloween.jpg) The knife shooter knob and pumpkin side rails ![Cabinet artwork](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/105-halloween.jpg) Cabinet artwork ![Cabinet artwork](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/106-halloween.jpg) Cabinet artwork ![The left side of the Collector's Edition](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/131-halloween.jpg) The left side of the Collector’s Edition ![The right side cabinet artwork](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/132-halloween.jpg) The right side cabinet artwork The Halloween playfield is heavily-themed on the movie and the key characters of Tony Moran’s Michael Myers, Donald Pleasence’s Loomis and Jamie Lee Curtis’s Laurie with repeated use of the knife and pumpkin motifs. ![The Halloween playfield](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/126-halloween.jpg) The Halloween playfield One of the key scenes in the movie is where Myers appears from and then disappears behind a hedge. This is played out in triplicate with three hedges and three animated Myers models. ![The main playfield area](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/117-halloween.jpg) The main playfield area Each hedge features a subway entrance beneath which all feed the ball to an elevator. This lifts the ball from the subway into the inlane to feed the flippers. ![The left flipper area](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/120-halloween.jpg) The left flipper area There is a corresponding subway on the right with its own elevator to lift the ball into the right inlane. ![The right flipper area](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/112-halloween.jpg) The right flipper area Unusually, rather than relying on the LCD panel to give information about ball locks and tilt warning remaining, these are indicated by playfield inserts in the inlane feed to the flippers. ![Balls locked and tilt warning remaining are shown by playfield inserts in the inlanes](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/014-halloween.jpg) Balls inlanes We’ll add much more detail to this article about the playfield features very shortly, but in the meantime here are some pictures of all the key areas. ![The mid-playfield area](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/108-halloween.jpg) The mid-playfield area ![Close-up detail of the mid-playfield area](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/127-halloween.jpg) Close-up detail of the mid-playfield area ![The three hedges with appearing/disappearing Michael Myers models](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/121-halloween.jpg) The three hedges with appearing/disappearing Michael Myers models ![The left ball return wireform runs behind the hedges](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/113-halloween.jpg) The left ball return wireform runs behind the hedges ![The illuminated pumpkin scoop and Judith Myers ball lock](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/116-halloween.jpg) The illuminated pumpkin scoop and Judith Myers ball lock ![The Judith Myers ball lock](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/125-halloween.jpg) The Judith Myers ball lock ![The illuminated pumpkin drop targets](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/118-halloween.jpg) The illuminated pumpkin drop targets ![The three upper playfields](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/109-halloween.jpg) The three upper playfields ![The first upper playfield on the mid-right](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/122-halloween.jpg) The first upper playfield on the mid-right ![The upper-upper playfield with dual spinners](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/123-halloween.jpg) The upper-upper playfield with dual spinners ![The ramp out of the upper-upper playfield](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/128-halloween.jpg) The ramp out of the upper-upper playfield ![The route to the third upper playfield](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/124-halloween.jpg) The route to the third upper playfield ![The third upper-playfield](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/129-halloween.jpg) The third upper-playfield ![The Halloween playfield](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/111-halloween.jpg) The Halloween playfield You can watch Spooky Pinball promotional video of John Carpenter’s Halloween right here. VIDEO We said earlier how Halloween is not the only theme Spooky Pinball are applying to this playfield design. Ultraman: Kaiju Rumble! is a second theme using the same layout. ![Spooky Pinball's second theme for the Halloween design](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/200-halloween.jpg) Spooky Pinball’s second theme for the Halloween design Ultraman is a total retheme, with new artwork, plastics, playfield toys and topper, along with separate game software, sounds and animations. ![The Ultraman translite artwork](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/216-halloween.jpg) The Ultraman translite artwork ![The Ultraman animated topper](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/201-halloween.jpg) The Ultraman animated topper As with Halloween, we’ll have more details of Ultraman very soon, but here are some playfield pictures and a promotional video. ![Ultraman backbox artwork](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/213-halloween.jpg) Ultraman backbox artwork ![Ultraman cabinet art](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/214-halloween.jpg) Ultraman cabinet art ![Ultraman cabinet art](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/215-halloween.jpg) Ultraman cabinet art ![The left side of the Ultraman Collector's Edition](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/218-halloween.jpg) The left side of the Ultraman Collector’s Edition ![The right side of the Ultraman Collector's Edition](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/217-halloween.jpg) The right side of the Ultraman Collector’s Edition ![The view of the Ultraman playfield from the main flippers](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/207-halloween.jpg) The flippers ![The Ultraman playfield](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/208-halloween.jpg) The lower part of the Ultraman playfield ![The three upper playfields and ramps](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/205-halloween.jpg) The three upper playfields and ramps ![The flipper area](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/202-halloween.jpg) The flipper area ![The left inlane area](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/206-halloween.jpg) The left inlane area ![The right inlane area](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/204-halloween.jpg) The right inlane area ![The first upper playfield](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/203-halloween.jpg) The rocket scoop and first upper playfield ![The upper upper playfield](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/210-halloween.jpg) The upper upper playfield ![The exit to the third upper playfield](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/209-halloween.jpg) The exit to the third upper playfield !The three upper playfields The three upper playfields ![The ball return wireform behind the buildings](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/halloween/212-halloween.jpg) The ball return wireform behind the buildings Finally for now, here’s Spooky Pinball’s promotional video. VIDEO UPDATE: Sales to the general public began at 9am Central Time on 7th July, 2021 and within three hours all 1,750 units (1,250 Halloween + 500 Ultraman) had sold out. Spooky Pinball estimate it will take eighteen months to complete orders, so we shouldn’t expect any new game announcements from them until the end of 2022.

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 53366bc0-7b6b-4c3e-bf0f-7ae663e9a8f0*