Machine Description

Released in 1989 by Data East, the RoboCop pinball machine capitalized on the massive success of the 1987 science fiction action film starring Peter Weller. This pinball adaptation arrived during a pivotal time in both arcade gaming and pinball history, as manufacturers were increasingly turning to popular movie licenses to attract players.

The machine featured numerous iconic elements from the film, including digitized speech samples of RoboCop's famous quotes and a prominent chrome-colored RoboCop figure on the playfield. The gameplay centered around law enforcement themes, with players taking on the role of RoboCop to clean up crime in Detroit. Notable playfield features included a rotating 'ED-209' target bank, crime scene multiball modes, and various ramps representing different districts of Detroit that needed to be protected.

Data East's RoboCop pinball machine stood out for its innovative use of sound technology for its era, featuring clear voice samples and electronic music that helped immerse players in the game's futuristic law enforcement theme. The backglass artwork prominently displayed RoboCop in his signature pose, along with the Detroit skyline, which helped attract fans of the film to the machine.

While not considered one of the all-time classic pinball machines, RoboCop represents an important example of how the pinball industry was adapting to compete with video games in the late 1980s by incorporating popular media licenses. The machine had a respectable production run, though exact numbers aren't widely published, and it remains a sought-after collector's item among both pinball enthusiasts and RoboCop franchise fans.