# WHIRLWIND: TOTAL CHAOS REVEALED

**Source:** Pinball News Website  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2023-05-04  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2023/05/04/whirlwind-total-chaos-revealed

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## Analysis

Pedretti Gaming has announced Whirlwind: Total Chaos, the second 2.0 upgrade kit for classic Williams pinball machines. The kit features a new LCD display, updated rules and software developed by Team Pinball in Wales, new artwork by Morti Morti, and extensive new gameplay modes including video modes and wizard modes. The upgrade retains compatibility with classic rules via flipper button selection and requires no playfield modifications.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Whirlwind: Total Chaos is the second 2.0 upgrade kit released by Pedretti Gaming — _Article opening states this is the second kit after Funhouse: Rudy's Nightmare_
- [HIGH] Original Whirlwind had more than 7,000 units produced — _Janos Kiss quoted: 'with more than 7,000 units produced, there would be a sizeable market for the kits'_
- [HIGH] The kit uses a System 11B controller board, which is larger and different from the Funhouse kit's WPC-89 system — _Technical details explain Whirlwind used System 11B vs Funhouse's WPC-89_
- [HIGH] No playfield modifications are required for Whirlwind: Total Chaos beyond cabinet interior art decals — _Article states 'Unlike the Funhouse kit, there are no playfield modifications required'_
- [HIGH] Rules and software are created in Wales by Team Pinball with computing power from US and France — _Article describes multi-national collaboration with Pedretti Gaming (Italy), Team Pinball (Wales), and computing from US/France_

### Notable Quotes

> "He told us how the team discusses what the next 2.0 title should be based on a number of factors such as the number of units originally sold, possible hardware enhancements and potential ideas for extending the original ruleset."
> — **Pinball News (paraphrasing Janos Kiss)**
> _Explains the process for selecting which classic games receive 2.0 upgrade kits_

> "Janos told us they chose Whirlwind because the theme gave them many possibilities for new rules and, with more than 7,000 units produced, there would be a sizeable market for the kits."
> — **Janos Kiss**
> _Reveals decision-making criteria for selecting Whirlwind as the second 2.0 title_

> "As with the Funhouse upgrade, the player can choose to switch between the 2.0 version's rules and the classic rules before starting the game by holding in the left flipper button."
> — **Article (technical feature)**
> _Confirms backwards compatibility feature allowing players to experience both original and new rulesets_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Pedretti Gaming | company | Italian pinball remake/upgrade kit manufacturer managing, manufacturing, and marketing the Whirlwind: Total Chaos upgrade kit |
| Team Pinball | company | UK-based software development company (South Wales) that created rules and software for Whirlwind: Total Chaos |
| Janos Kiss | person | Programmer and rules designer at Team Pinball who creates rules and writes software for Pedretti's 2.0 games |
| Morti Morti | person | Italian designer who created re-imagined artwork for Whirlwind: Total Chaos backglass and cabinet decals |
| Marc Silk | person | Voice actor providing voice work for Whirlwind: Total Chaos, alumnus of Funhouse team |
| Planetary Pinball | company | US-based company providing overall supervision and controlling Bally/Williams licensing for upgrade kits |
| SG Gaming | company | US-based company providing overall supervision alongside Planetary Pinball for the upgrade kit |
| Whirlwind: Total Chaos | game | Second 2.0 upgrade kit from Pedretti Gaming featuring new LCD display, modes, artwork, and dual ruleset compatibility |
| Whirlwind | game | Original classic Williams pinball game from 1990 using System 11B platform that is being upgraded |
| Funhouse: Rudy's Nightmare | game | First Pedretti Gaming 2.0 upgrade kit used as reference and comparison for Whirlwind upgrade features |
| Williams | company | Historical pinball manufacturer that produced the original Whirlwind and Funhouse games |

### Topics

- **Primary:** 2.0 Upgrade Kits, Classic Game Modernization, Software and Rules Development
- **Secondary:** Pinball Hardware Platforms (System 11B vs WPC), Bally/Williams Licensing, Game Mode Design
- **Mentioned:** Artwork and Aesthetic Design

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.82) — Article is factual and promotional in tone, presenting the upgrade kit as a comprehensive enhancement with substantial new features, expanded ruleset, and technical improvements. No criticism or concerns are raised. Enthusiasm evident in coverage detail and feature emphasis.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Multi-national manufacturing and development model: Pedretti (Italy) managing production, Team Pinball (Wales) providing software, Planetary Pinball/SG Gaming providing supervision and licensing oversight (confidence: high) — Article describes complex international collaboration with specific geographic attribution of responsibilities
- **[design_philosophy]** Backward compatibility strategy: players can toggle between original and modernized rulesets via flipper button, preserving access to classic experience while enabling new gameplay (confidence: high) — Article states 'player can choose to switch between the 2.0 version's rules and the classic rules before starting the game by holding in the left flipper button'
- **[announcement]** Pedretti Gaming officially announces Whirlwind: Total Chaos as second 2.0 upgrade kit with detailed feature set, availability for pre-order (confidence: high) — Full article dedicated to official announcement with screenshots, video, and Pedretti Gaming's website referenced for ordering
- **[product_strategy]** Whirlwind: Total Chaos expands gameplay significantly from original: new storyline, multiple new modes, video mode, two mini-wizard modes, full wizard mode, extended Super Cellar Door awards (confidence: high) — Detailed mode list and ruleset descriptions throughout article demonstrate substantial rules expansion
- **[technology_signal]** LCD display and new controller board architecture represents upgrade path for classic System 11B games, enabling modern features on legacy hardware (confidence: high) — Kit includes full-colour LCD monitor, new controller boards, and manages System 11B compatibility differently than WPC-based upgrades

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## Transcript

The second ‘2.0’ upgrade kit to be released by Pedretti Gaming is to be *Whirlwind: Total Chaos*.

[![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/118-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/200-whirlwind-total-chaos.mp4)

Pedretti Gaming’s new *Whirlwind: Total Chaos* upgrade kit

The game is another multi-national collaboration, with Pedretti Gaming in Italy managing, manufacturing and marketing the kit, while the rules and software are created in Wales with the computing power originating in the US and France. The artwork and music comes from Italy too, with overall supervision by Planetary Pinball and SG Gaming, both headquartered in the US.

A whole new storyline has been created for the *Total Chaos* package which adds multiple new modes – including a video mode, two mini-wizard modes and a full wizard mode.

[![Storm Blasters - Any Time... Any Where!](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/106-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x312.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/106-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

Storm Blasters – Any Time… Any Where!

[![Just another day on the job?  Not quite!](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/107-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x312.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/107-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

Just another day on the job? Not quite!

The original theme of a storm-blaster attempting to track the whirlwind and subdue its lethal power has been retained and extended to incorporate the effects of the impending storm on people, animal, plants and, yes, donuts too.

[![Won't somebody think of the donuts?](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/110-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x312.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/110-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

Won’t somebody think of the donuts?

The upgrade kit includes a new speaker/display panel featuring a full-colour LCD monitor which will show the all-new custom animations along with scoring and gameplay information as well as new diagnostics screens. Running the new code and driving the LCD requires a whole new set of controller boards which are included, along with a new backglass and a pair of interior cabinet artwork decals.

As with the *Funhouse* upgrade, the player can choose to switch between the 2.0 version’s rules and the classic rules before starting the game by holding in the left flipper button.

[](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/201-whirlwind-total-chaos.mp4)

Part of the attract mode video for Whirlwind: Total Chaos

The original *Whirlwind* speaker panel included illuminated sections below the score displays for the seven Super Cellar Door awards. These awards have been greatly enhanced in the new ruleset while the original seven awards are emulated on the display panel when playing the classic version of the rules. The alpha-numeric displays are also emulated, in the same way they are in *Funhouse: Rudy’s Nightmare*.

[![The new colour display and the new speaker panel](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/002-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x407.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/002-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

The new colour display and the new speaker panel

A new backglass is included in the kit along with the interior cabinet artwork decals, all featuring re-imagined artwork created by Italian designer Morti Morti.

[![The new backglass artwork](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/122-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x708.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/122-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

The new backglass artwork

Unlike the *Funhouse* kit, there are no playfield modifications required for the *Whirlwind: Total Chaos* package other than the addition of the cabinet interior art decals.

These self-adhesive decals feature scenes and characters from the new *Whirlwind: Total Chaos* storyline

[![The interior cabinet decals](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/003-whirlwind-total-chaos-469x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/003-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

The interior cabinet decals

[![The right-side cabinet artwork](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/120-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x573.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/120-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

The right-side cabinet artwork

[![The left-side cabinet artwork](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/121-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x593.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/121-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

The left-side cabinet artwork

The sound package includes voice work by Marc Marc Silk, another *Funhouse* team alumnus.

[![The new backglass and speaker panel](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/119-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/119-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

The new backglass and speaker panel

Driving the display and running the new code is a replacement boardset mounted in the backbox. As with *Funhouse: Rudy’s Nightmar*e, a new sound card is included in kit to produce all the new music tracks, Marc’s voice calls and the new sound effects, as well as an emulation of the original *Whirlwind* sounds when playing in classic mode.

There are some differences from the *Funhouse* kit. While *Funhouse* was Williams’ first pinball to use their WPC system (WPC-89), *Whirlwind* used the earlier, less capable System 11B. That requires a different, larger [System 11 controller/driver board](https://fastpinball.com/retro/system-11/), while the original *Whirlwind* also uses an additional Sound Overlay board to drive the spinning discs and the backbox topper’s fan.

[![Whirlwind: Total Chaos with the original fan topper](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/123-whirlwind-total-chaos-876x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/123-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

The complete Whirlwind: Total Chaos package

To find out more about the new title and the development process, Pinball News visited the offices of Team Pinball in Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales where we spoke with Janos Kiss who creates the rules for Pedretti’s 2.0 version of the game and writes the software.

[![Programmer Janos Kiss with the first two Pedretti 2.0 games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/004-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x663.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/004-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

Programmer Janos Kiss with the first two Pedretti 2.0 games

He told us how the team discusses what the next 2.0 title should be based on a number of factors such as the number of units originally sold, possible hardware enhancements and potential ideas for extending the original ruleset.

Although Pedretti Gaming’s *Funhouse: Rudy’s Nightmare* is probably the most well-known 2.0 kit available, other manufacturers have also been licensed by Planetary Pinball for either existing or future Bally/Williams upgrade kits, meaning not every title is necessarily available.

Janos told us they chose *Whirlwind* because the theme gave them many possibilities for new rules and, with more than 7,000 units produced, there would be a sizeable market for the kits.

Pedretti Gaming devises the new storyline and create the new mode names and concepts, while Janos creates rules around them and writes the code to implement them, working with the video artist, composer and voice artist to ensure all the necessary assets are available and fully integrated into the gameplay.

There are lots of new player-selectable modes in *Whirlwind: Total Chaos* based around the storm and its toxic effects, along with attempts to repair the Storm Blasters van and finally defeat the storm. Most are timer-based with a mix of single- and multiball modes featuring shot sequences and roaming shots, and even a video mode. Here are some of them:

[![The Donado is a multiball mode](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/114-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x312.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/114-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

The Donado is a multiball mode

[![Armor the House](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/104-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x312.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/104-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

Armor the House

[![The Scaryboyz](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/116-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x312.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/116-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

The Scaryboyz

[![5G Zombies](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/101-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x312.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/101-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

5G Zombies

[![Area 51](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/103-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x312.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/103-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

Area 51

[![Run Run Chicken is a video mode in the style of 'Run From Spike' in Junkyard](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/112-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x312.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/112-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

Run Run Chicken is a video mode in the style of ‘Run From Spike’ in Junkyard

[![The Piggies](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/115-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x312.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/115-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

The Piggies

[![Bermuda Crab](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/105-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x312.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/105-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

Bermuda Crab

[![Nuke Nick](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/111-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x312.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/111-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

Nuke Nick

[![Acid Plants](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/102-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x312.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/102-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

Acid Plants

[![Sewie vs Nannies](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/113-whirlwind-total-chaos-1024x312.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/whirlwind-total-chaos/113-whirlwind-total-chaos.jpg)

Sewie vs Nannies

If all the required shots in a mode aren’t completed in the time available, the mode can be chosen again and will pick up from where you left it. The difficulty varies across modes, with some easily completed, while others may well require two or more attempts to finish.

Completion of all the regular modes is required for one of the sub-wizard modes, while the other is awarded for collecting all the Super Cellar Door prizes, the range of which has also been considerably extended.

Here’s Pedretti Gaming’s promotional video of their new *Whirlwind: Total Chaos* game.

VIDEO

*Whirlwind: Total Chaos* is now available to order. The price is yet to be confirmed but check [Pedretti Gaming’s website](https://www.pinballremakes.com/) for availability and distributors, and check their [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/PedrettiGamingArcadeFlipperJukebox/) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/pedretti_gaming/) feeds for more announcements.

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 895d1775-7f6c-4f90-a085-9dc53d09b671*