The Wizard of Oz is a Jersey Jack Pinball, Inc.pinball machine designed by Joe Balcer and released in April 2013. It is the first US pinball machine with an LCD in the back box as well as the first one to have color on the monitor produced in the US since the Pinball 2000 games.[1] Although it is not the first pinball machine with a LCD worldwide because MarsaPlay in Spain manufactured a remake of Inder's original Canasta titled New Canasta, with an LCD screen in the backbox in 2010.[2][3]
The backbox has a 26-inch HD display[1] that displays film clips in full color[4] and the playfield is illuminated by RGB LED lights that can change into any color as industry firsts.[1][6] Widebody pinball machines as The Wizard of OZ offer more playfield space and more to be packed in but has been too expensive because pinball sales have been in decline since 1994.[4] The machine also includes two completely filled out upper playfields.[4]
Upon release, the machine MSRP was $9,000 and Jersey Jack Pinball spent $2 million into the production.[7] Jersey Jack Pinball licenses its flippers from Planetary Pinball Supply and builds its soundboards in partnership with Massachusetts’ Pinnovators.[6] The sound system supports stereo and has 600 watts of power.[4] A $300,000 inkjet printer was used for printing the artwork. Jersey Jack tested more than 10 different playfield finishes, rolling and shooting hundreds of thousands of balls.[6] The machine uses Williams parts.[4]
Toys includes ruby slipperflippers, Munchkin huts and roofs, the disappearing witch, the witch legs in the house, the witch castle walls, the throwing apple trees, the state fair balloon, the topper, the laser-cut Oz head, a crystal ball[8] that displays videos,[6] a spinning house and flying monkey assemblies.[4] The machine includes 5 flippers[8] with a reverse flippers mode,[4] 4 pop bumpers, 2 slingshots, 5 magnets,[8] 2 in front of the wicked witch,[4] 2 vertical up-kickers, 1 drop target and 1 spinning target.[8]
