Checkpoint (pinball)
Encyclopedia
Checkpoint is a 1991 pinball machine released by Data East
. The game had the first dot matrix display
(DMD) ever used on a pinball game. It used a "half-height" DMD as compared to the standard DMD used by Williams
.
Various objectives were lit or scored by achieving certain shot speeds.
There are four single-ball modes in the game:
The game also features two multiball modes:
At the beginning of the first ball, the player can also select which style of music should be played during the game (the first game to offer such a feature). Choices include:
Data East
also abbreviated as DECO, was a Japanese video game developer and publisher. The company was in operation from 1976 to 2003, when it declared bankruptcy...
. The game had the first dot matrix display
Dot matrix display
A dot matrix display is a display device used to display information on machines, clocks, railway departure indicators and many other devices requiring a simple display device of limited resolution...
(DMD) ever used on a pinball game. It used a "half-height" DMD as compared to the standard DMD used by Williams
Williams (gaming company)
WMS Industries, Inc. is an American electronic gaming and amusement company based in Waukegan, Illinois. The company's main operating subsidiaries are WMS Gaming and Orion Gaming. WMS traces its roots as far back as 1943, the Williams Manufacturing Company, founded by Harry E. Williams...
.
Gameplay
The machine's gameplay centered around a ramp that "clocked" the ball's speed, by measuring the timing between the ball's hitting of two switches, and translating it into a speed analagous to the speed of a racing car; so the lowest possible speed was 80MPH, and the player could achieve speeds of upwards of 250MPH. In addition to the normal high score list, Checkpoint also let the player record their initials if they set the machine's speed record.Various objectives were lit or scored by achieving certain shot speeds.
There are four single-ball modes in the game:
- Fast
- Blue Light Special
- 1 million ramp/10 million ramp
- Hot Nitro Round
The game also features two multiball modes:
- 2 ball multiball: Increase RPM to 6000 and shoot the Checkpoint, or increase RPM to 7000 and shoot either the Checkpoint or the Pit Stop to start 2 ball multi-ball.
- 3 ball multiball: Increase the RPM to 8000 to start 3 ball multi-ball (Red Line).
At the beginning of the first ball, the player can also select which style of music should be played during the game (the first game to offer such a feature). Choices include:
- Country
- Rock
- Jazz
- Rap
- Classical
- Soul