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[img width=542 height=750]http://www.pinballclicks.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/Large-900-For-ThickBox/photo/5/17.png[/img]
Number 9 on my Top 10 list is a motorcycle themed pin called Banzai Run. There are a few things that make this pin special, the most notable of which is the playfield backbox. When a shot is made through the spinner in the upper left corner of the lower playfield, a magnet carries the ball to the upper playfield, which plays a significant role in the game. Before heading to the upper playfield, it's important to light your "competition;" the riders Red Hot, Blue Beard, and Yellow Belly are lit by hitting 3 color coordinated stand-up targets and Green Machine is lit by sending the ball into the knockout hole between the pop bumpers. Once these are lit, the player shoots through the spinner to send the ball to the upper playfield. There, a shot representing each opposing rider is lit and hitting each shot causes you to "pass" that rider in rank on the leaderboard. Once all riders are defeated, the lock on the upper playfield or lower playfield knockout hole is lit and sending a ball into either, locks a ball and allows you to plunge a second for multi-ball. The object here is to put one ball into the knockout hole for a timed lock and send the other to the upper playfield for a very difficult captured ball shot. Hitting the captured ball allows you to pass The King (the ultimate rider) and move into first place to win the race.
**The King defeated just after the 4:00 mark**
Banzai Run is a fairly simple game. It doesn't have a large number of shots and the goal is fairly simple once you understand it, but I find that the excitement in trying to achieve this goal is overwhelmingly addictive. The shots on the upper playfield are difficult due to the pitch, but once you have a feel for them, they are relatively simple. The game has a total of 6 flippers, which are all really important to master and each play a key role in the game.
For those who really appreciate the history of pinball, the most notable feature of this pin is its designer, Pat Lawlor. Lawlor is one of the most well-known pin designers and arguably, regarded by many, the best. A list of his most notable pins include: Twilight Zone (#1 on several lists), The Addams Family (the best selling pin of all time), Whirlwind, Funhouse, and Monopoly. Banzai Run is special because it was actually Lawlor's first.
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