Jersey Jack Pinball, Inc. is an American pinball machine manufacturing company that was established in 2011. The first table released by the company, The Wizard of Oz, appeared in 2013.[1]
 | |
| Industry | Interactive entertainment |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 2011 |
| Founder | Jack Guarnieri |
| Headquarters | Elk Grove Village, Illinois, U.S. |
| Products | Pinball |
| Owner | Jack Guarnieri |
| Website | www |
History
editJersey Jack Pinball was founded in January 2011 by industry veteran Jack Guarnieri. Starting in 1975, he serviced electromechanical pinball tables for a living, and he created the website PinballSales.com in 1999. Guarnieri hired designer Joe Balcer and programmer Keith Johnson to work on the first machines.[2]
In 2013, the company released its first pinball machine, The Wizard of Oz. They spent $2 million in startup and development and sold the machines for $7,000 each.[3] Guarnieri's goal was to produce a high-quality pinball machine regardless of cost, and attract a larger female pinball audience than other manufacturers.[2][3] The Wizard of Oz's release caught the attention of Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, who reached out to the company about collaborating on a pinball machine.[4]
Jersey Jack's machines have been used in donations by Project Pinball Charity in 2015, 2016, and 2019.[5]
In 2020, Jersey Jack relocated their manufacturing operations from their original location in Lakewood, New Jersey to Elk Grove Village, Illinois where their design team was already based.[6] The first machine produced at its new location was Guns N' Roses.[4] As of 2023 the company had over 100 employees.[7]
In September, 2024, the company announced that their next machine would be adapted from the Avatar franchise.[8]
Game development
editJersey Jack games have introduced several notable features over the years, including LCD screens, LED lighting, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, and camera integration.[9] The Wizard of Oz featured a 26-inch LCD monitor in the backglass.[10] Dialed In! featured a camera integrated into the game's backbox to facilitate selfie photography and Bluetooth capability.[11][12]
Games
edit| Year | Title | Designer | Comments | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | The Wizard of Oz | Joe Balcer | ||
| 2016 | The Hobbit | Joe Balcer | ||
| 2017 | Dialed In! | Pat Lawlor | ||
| 2018 | Pirates of the Caribbean | Eric Meunier | ||
| 2019 | Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory | Pat Lawlor | [13] | |
| 2020 | Guns N' Roses | Eric Meunier Saul Hudson |
[4] | |
| 2022 | Toy Story 4 | Pat Lawlor | Lawlor’s last game[14] | [15] |
| 2023 | The Godfather 50 years | Eric Meunier | ||
| 2023 | Elton John | Steve Ritchie | [16] | |
| 2024 | Avatar: The Battle for Pandora | Mark Seiden | [8] |
References
edit- ^ Bradford, Harry (27 June 2013). "Jersey Jack Pinball CEO Explains How He's Making The Beloved Arcade Game Cool Again (VIDEO)". Huff Post. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
- ^ a b Levin, Josh (2013-01-09). "Pinball Is Dying. Can This Man Bring It Back to Life?". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ a b Fry, Erika (2013-02-22). "It's not game over for pinball". Fortune. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ a b c Elejalde-Ruiz, Alexia (2020-10-07). "Why Guns N' Roses' Slash is in Elk Grove Village, playing pinball". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "Impact – The Project Pinball Charity". Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "Jersey Jack Pinball Relocates Manufacturing Operations" (Press release). Chicago, IL: Jersey Jack Pinball, Inc. PRNewswire. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ Winick, Erin (2023-10-16). "The Arcade Classic That Tilted Digital". Engineering.com. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ a b Harding, Matt (2024-09-12). "The Battle for Pandora is Here! Meet Avatar, Jersey Jack's Latest Pinball". RePlay Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ Barnas, Tom (2022-08-30). "A behind-the-scenes look at a Chicago pinball factory". WGN-TV. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "New Pinball Machine is a Game Changer for the Industry: We're Not in Kansas Anymore" (Press release). Lakewood, NJ: Jersey Jack Pinball, Inc. PRNewswire. 2013-05-21. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ Louis, Justin (12 April 2016). "Jersey Jack Drops A Bomb About Their Next Pinball Game [Video]". Wobm.com. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
- ^ "Jersey Jack Pinball Unveils The Pat Lawlor Game: Dialed In!". Arcadeheroes.com. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
- ^ "Pinball News: Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory reveal'". www.pinballnews.com. 13 April 2019.
- ^ "Pat Lawlor: Pinball designer". Pinball Mag. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ Seigh, Steve (14 June 2022). "Toy Story 4 pinball announced by Jersey Jack Pinball company". www.joblo.com. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ Pelletier, Ashley (2023-10-25). "Elton John Is Being Immortalized in Pinball Form". The Pop Insider. Retrieved 2024-04-16.