Pikachu isn’t the only ’90s video game mascot to star in a new pinball machine this year. Jersey Jack Pinball and Sega are teaming up on a Sonic the Hedgehog pinball machine, the two companies announced today; it’s already on sale at Jersey Jack’s site, in three different models. Sonic arrives hot on the heels of rival pinball firm Stern’s Pokémon machine, which was released in February, reviving the classic rivalry between Sega and Nintendo on a new battlefield: the world of barcades and basements in which pinball has thrived over the last decade.
Based on the trailer, Sonic aims to capture much of the video game feel of its inspiration. It boasts visuals and music from Sonic Generations, with references to iconic Sonic levels like the Green Hill Zone, and even a “boss battle” with Dr. Eggman, who appears as a toy suspended above the playfield. Small screens throughout the machine display images of spinning gold coins, a looping ramp evokes the loop-de-loops Sonic often has to run through, and when you collect enough chaos emeralds you trigger a multiball mode. And the press release promises that Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Amy, and other friends all make appearances to help out Sonic, so the whole gang’s here.
If you’re more of a pin fan than a Sonic stan, this might pique your interest: It’s designed by pinball legend Steve Ritchie, who gave us classic ’80s machines like Firepower, Black Knight, and High Speed, and then worked on a run of great modern machines for Stern in the 2010s. It’ll be Ritchie’s second design for Jersey Jack, after 2023’s excellent Elton John game. And if you aren’t a pinballer from way back, you’re probably still familiar with some of Ritchie’s work; he was the voice of Shao Kahn and the announcer in the ’90s Mortal Kombat games, and is the man behind the unforgettable “Finish him!” line reading.
The three-model concept is standard for Jersey Jack and Stern machines, and obviously the more expensive versions of the game have more features. The standard Arcade Edition costs $9,999 and includes a 27-inch HD LCD screen, Jersey Jack’s “immersive” lighting system, the gold ring displays, wi-fi connectivity, and a camera that takes a photo of the player when they get a high score—a standard little gimmick on Jersey Jack machines. The Special Edition, priced at $12,000, has all of that plus Green Hill Zone– themed cabinet art, blue armor, a battle-themed topper, and a shaker motor that gives haptic feedback. The $15,000 Collector’s Edition packs in all of those bells and whistles and also comes with unique cabinet art, metal armor in “Knuckles Red,” a special gold ring plunger knob, a plaque, and a more complex mechanical topper featuring an LCD screen with a battle between Sonic and Eggman.
A Sonic the Hedgehog machine continues a recent trend in pinball: instead of IP and themes that appeal to men in their 50s, it aims for a slightly younger crowd of Millennials, late Gen X, and their children. Unlike the solidly Boomer-baiting Led Zeppelin or AC/DC machines—both of which Ritchie designed for Stern in the 2010s—Sonic joins Stern’s Pokémon and Jersey Jack’s own Harry Potter machine from last year as attempts at hooking the next generation of potential pin fans. It’s a smart move, and one that hopefully keeps the pinball revival flipping for years to come. And although this is Sonic’s first actual pinball machine, it’s not his first time messing with flipper sports; Sonic Spinball was a particularly busy version of video pinball released for the Genesis in ’93, and a belated follow-up called Sonic Pinball Party hit the Game Boy Advance a decade later. As cool as video pinball can be, though, nothing matches the speed and physicality of the real deal—something Sonic fans will find out soon. Check out that trailer below.
