# SUPER CANASTA

**Source:** Pinball News Website  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2019-11-06  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2019/11/06/super-canasta

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## Analysis

Quetzal Pinball revealed Super Canasta at Pinball Expo near Chicago, a basketball-themed game designed for operators seeking minimal maintenance and modern appeal. The game revives the Canasta brand from 1986 Spain with a redesigned playfield featuring a central hoop, third flipper, split ramps, and player-controlled slingshots. Manufacturing is scheduled to begin at Bitronic's Spanish factory by year-end at €4,200 per unit.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Original Canasta 86 was very successful in Spain and earned good money for operators — _Antonio Ortuño cited it as inspiration; historical reference to 1986 Inder game_
- [HIGH] Super Canasta manufacturing scheduled to begin by end of 2019 at Bitronic factory in Murcia, Spain — _Official announcement from Antonio Ortuño at Pinball Expo reveal_
- [HIGH] Game priced at €4,200 — _Stated in official Pinball News article from show announcement_
- [MEDIUM] 2010 MarsaPlay New Canasta revival failed due to high price and unreliability — _Historical context provided in article; not directly from current designers_
- [HIGH] Player-controlled slingshots required visual indicator (moving hands animation) to communicate functionality to players — _Direct quote from Antonio Ortuño explaining design decision_

### Notable Quotes

> "Quetzal had total creative freedom and, considering the operators market, we decided to create Super Canasta because basketball is a popular theme for bars and pubs."
> — **Antonio Ortuño, founder of Quetzal Pinball**, Pinball Expo presentation
> _Explains market targeting and creative rationale for operator-focused design philosophy_

> "The starting point for the design of the playfield was the hoop – it is the protagonist of the pinball and would be in the centre of the playfield."
> — **Antonio Ortuño**, Pinball Expo presentation
> _Core design principle: hoop as central mechanical feature_

> "To explain the player that he controls the upper slings was essential, so I added a moving hands to the slings which proved to be very effective."
> — **Antonio Ortuño**, Pinball Expo presentation
> _Problem-solving approach to playfield communication and discoverability_

> "more casual and dynamic, with lot of movement"
> — **Antonio Ortuño**, Pinball Expo presentation
> _Describes artistic direction and intended gameplay feel_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Quetzal Pinball | company | Spanish boutique pinball manufacturer; makers of Captain Nemo Dives Again and Tokyo Perfect Drift; revealed Super Canasta at Pinball Expo |
| Antonio Ortuño | person | Founder of Quetzal Pinball; lead designer and creative lead on Super Canasta |
| Gustavo 'Lord Hiryu' | person | Game design consultant and artist for Quetzal Pinball; created all artwork and display animations for Super Canasta, Captain Nemo, and Tokyo Perfect Drift |
| Bitronic | company | Spanish manufacturer of slot machines and coin-operated amusement devices in Murcia, Spain; contracted to manufacture Super Canasta |
| Disaster Surrealism | organization | Spanish rock music band; composed and performed music for Super Canasta |
| Inder | company | Historical pinball manufacturer; created original Canasta 86 game in Spain |
| MarsaPlay | company | Manufacturer of 2010 New Canasta game; revival attempt that failed due to high price and unreliability |
| Super Canasta | game | New basketball-themed pinball machine by Quetzal Pinball; scheduled for manufacturing end of 2019; €4,200 price point |
| Captain Nemo Dives Again | game | Previous title by Quetzal Pinball; featured artwork by Gustavo |
| Tokyo Perfect Drift | game | Previous title by Quetzal Pinball; featured artwork by Gustavo |
| Pinball Expo 2019 | event | Annual pinball trade show near Chicago where Super Canasta was officially revealed |
| Canasta 86 | game | Original 1986 basketball-themed pinball machine by Inder; popular in Spain; inspired Super Canasta revival |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Game announcement and reveal, Design philosophy and playfield mechanics, Operator-focused market positioning
- **Secondary:** Historical IP revival and licensing, Boutique manufacturer production and pricing, Artwork and animation design process

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.85) — Enthusiastic tone about game design innovation and market opportunity; detailed explanation of creative decisions; confidence in manufacturing partnership; positive framing of operator appeal and gameplay features

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Manufacturing partnership between boutique designer (Quetzal) and established Spanish manufacturing facility (Bitronic); production capacity and timeline established (confidence: high) — Bitronic factory location and manufacturing start date confirmed; pricing point set at €4,200
- **[competitive_signal]** Game positioned in €4,200 price segment targeting bar/pub operators seeking low-maintenance games; directly addresses operator market needs unlike higher-priced premium boutique games (confidence: high) — Antonio Ortuño explicitly states design created 'considering the operators market' with focus on basketball theme popularity in bars and pubs
- **[design_philosophy]** Previous 2010 MarsaPlay New Canasta failed due to high price and unreliability; Super Canasta addresses these concerns through simplified design and operator-friendly approach (confidence: medium) — Historical context provided contrasting failed 2010 revival with current design philosophy emphasizing minimal maintenance
- **[design_philosophy]** Operator-focused design approach emphasizing minimal maintenance, modern appearance, and accessibility; central hoop as 'protagonist' mechanic; playfield communication through visual indicators (moving hands animation) (confidence: high) — Direct quotes from Antonio Ortuño explaining design rationale and decision-making process throughout article
- **[licensing_signal]** Revival of historical Canasta brand from 1986 Inder game; licensing or rights arrangement to use brand name for modern redesign (confidence: medium) — Article explains Canasta 86 as successful historical game; Super Canasta positioned as spiritual successor; no explicit licensing details provided
- **[announcement]** Official reveal of Super Canasta at Pinball Expo 2019; new basketball-themed game from Quetzal Pinball with manufacturing partnership with Bitronic (confidence: high) — Article headline and opening paragraph; official Pinball Expo presentation by creators; scheduled manufacturing timeline provided

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## Transcript

At the recent Pinball Expo show near Chicago, Queztal pinball – makers of the *Captain Nemo Dives Again* and *Tokyo Perfect Drift* – revealed their newest title, *Super Canasta*.

[![Quetzal Pinball's Antonio and Gustavo with Super Canasta, Tokyo Perfect Drift and Captain Nemo](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/15-super-canasta-1024x710.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/15-super-canasta.jpg)

Quetzal Pinball’s Antonio and Gustavo with Super Canasta, Tokyo Perfect Drift and Captain Nemo

*Canasta* (Spanish for ‘basket’ or ‘hoop’) *86* was a very popular game in Spain, earning good money both for operators and for the manufacturer, Inder. The title, theme and layout were revised in 2010 by MarsaPlay with their New Canasta game, but that never gained any traction due to the high price and unreliability.

Quetzal Pinball were contacted by the company [Bitronic](https://bitronic.es/), who build slot machines and various coin-operated amusement devices in their factory in Murcia, Spain, and asked to design a pinball for them to build which would be modern in appearance but require minimal maintenance in order to appeal to operators.

Antonio Antonio Ortuño, who founded Quetzal Pinball, told Pinball News why they brought back the *Canasta* brand. He said, “*Quetzal had total creative freedom and, considering the operators market, we decided to create* Super Canasta *because basketball is a popular theme for bars and pubs. In Spain, the pinball* Canasta 86 *was very successful and everybody remembers it, especially operators who made a lot of money with that pinball.*“

With the decision made to create the basketball-themed game, work began on the design. Antonio explained the process.

“*The starting point for the design of the playfield was the hoop – it is the protagonist of the pinball and would be in the centre of the playfield. Almost immediately a third flipper was added, with a split ramp to do upper loops and a magnet which would capture the ball and do a “slam dunk” to increase the number of shots to the basket.*“

[![A prototype of the basket area](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/04-super-canasta-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/04-super-canasta.jpg)

A prototype of the basket area

Antonio explained how the initial design for the centre shot involved a moving ramp, but this idea was subsequently discarded because it added unnecessary complexity to the playfield. Instead, this evolved into a mini-playfield area containing two player-controlled slingshots, working as ‘rebound’ feature.

Having player-controlled slingshots at the top of the playfield where they might not be obvious and could be overlooked was a challenge for Antonio. He said, “*To explain the player that he controls the upper slings was essential, so I added a moving hands to the slings which proved to be very effective.*“

[![The finished basket area with the player-controlled slingshot hands](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/13-super-canasta-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/13-super-canasta.jpg)

The finished basket area with the player-controlled slingshot hands

![The right ramp](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/10-super-canasta-1024x708.jpg)

The right ramp

Assisting Antonio in the design of *Super Canasta* was Gustavo ‘Lord Hiryu’. In addition to being a consultant and participating in the game design brain-storming, he also created all the artwork and display animations, just as he did with *Captain Nemo* and *Tokyo Perfect Drift*.

[![Early playfield art concepts](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/03-super-canasta-452x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/03-super-canasta.jpg)

Early playfield art concepts

[![The Super Canasta backbox artwork](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/02-super-canasta-1022x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/02-super-canasta.jpg)

The Super Canasta backbox artwork

Antonio described the comic-style look of the game as, “*more casual and dynamic, with lot of movement*“.

[![The playfield artwork](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/12-super-canasta-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/12-super-canasta.jpg)

The playfield artwork

[![A draft of the skill shot display animation](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/18-super-canasta.gif)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/18-super-canasta.gif)

A draft of the skill shot display animation

[![A draft of the jackpot animation](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/17-super-canasta.gif)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/17-super-canasta.gif)

A draft of the jackpot animation

[![The slam dunk animation](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/20-super-canasta.gif)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/20-super-canasta.gif)

The slam dunk animation

The music for the game was composed and played by *Disaster Disaster Surrealism*, a Spanish rock music band. Antonio thinks that their style of music perfectly complements the casual style of gameplay.

[![Disaster Disaster Surrealism in the recording studio](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/05-super-canasta-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/05-super-canasta.jpg)

Disaster Disaster Surrealism in the recording studio

The game features relatively simple and understandable rules, with six modes, a multiball and several shot combos.

**OBJECTIVE:** Complete 6 games.
Shoot upper scoop to select a game:
•    3 pt Contest –
     Complete 5 shooting positions (hoop). Orbits move left & right.
     3pt targets increase the score.
•    Slam Dunk – Shoot Left & Right ramps alternately.
•    21 – Shoot 1, 2 or 3 points targets and then shoot the hoop to add them and get to 21 points.
•    Skill Contest – Complete ‘Run & Gun’, ‘Pick & Roll’, ‘Assist’ and ‘Crossover’.
•    HORSE – Shoot blinking arrows to get the letters.
•    Super Stars – Complete 5 shooting positions (left ramp).
      Right ramp increases the score.
**SKILLSHOT:** Shoot the left ramp
**MULTIBALL:** Shoot the lock to light lock and lock 3 balls
**RUN & GUN, PICK & ROLL AND CROSSOVER:** Shoot to lite, then the Hoop to Score
**ASSIST:** Shoot to light, then Left Ramp to score

Quetzal Pinball’s *Super Canasta* game is scheduled to begin manufacturing at Bitronic facility by the end of this year, and will be priced at €4,200.

[![One of the prototype games in the Bitronic factory](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/07-super-canasta-645x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/07-super-canasta.jpg)

One of the prototype games in the Bitronic factory

[![Super Canasta from Quetzal Pinball](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/16-super-canasta-768x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/super-canasta/16-super-canasta.jpg)

Super Canasta from Quetzal Pinball at Pinball Expo 2019 in Chicago

You can see Antonio and Gustavo talk about the creation of Super Canasta in their presentation at Pinball Expo 2019, produced by Pinball News.

VIDEO

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: dad2d68f-285d-465e-a415-f42e5b944d89*