What's the Weirdest (or Worst) License / Theme You've Seen on a Real Machine?

[Richard B]

One that comes to mind is Gilligan's Island. This wouldn't have been unusual at all in the 1960's, when the show was on the air, but seemed a bit out of place in 1991, when the table was released.
Then there are those that are laughable now because the films they were based on were notorious flops, such as Last Action Hero, Barb Wire, and Waterworld. However, the developers had no way of knowing that at the time.
Stern has had some strange licenses recently. Monopoly, Elvis, Ripley's Believe it or Not, the Sopranos, and Wheel of Fortune are not the first things that come to mind when dreaming up licenses. I was going to include NFL, World Poker Tour, and Roller Coaster Tycoon, but tables based on sports and card games been around almost since the industry began, and RCT is as much inspired by Williams "roller coaster trilogy", as the PC game on which the license is based.
Anyone know of any other unusual licenses or themes?

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

Phantom of the Opera always seemed to me to be a bizarre license for a pinball.

 

[Dutch Pinball ball]

I am a big, no.... an enormous Sopranos fan. I watched the whole 6+ seasons more then 10 times now, cant get enough of it.


But i cant picture a pinball machine with that theme. And i watched the stern machine and i still dont get it. Not a theme for pinball, is how i think about it.

 

[Richard B]

Phantom of the Opera always seemed to me to be a bizarre license for a pinball.

Yes, but a good one, as well as smart. Even though it was based on the novel, which was in the public domain, I don't think it was a coincidence it was released right around the time when the musical was becoming a worldwide hit.

 

[heberts811]

Why Bally thought Popeye was a great theme escapes me. I might add Congo but I have to admit that it is a fave of mine. Great music.

Gary

 

[Brian Clark]

I can't believe there was actually a machine based on Dolly Parton.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

I can't believe there was actually a machine based on Dolly Parton.

Worse yet, I can't believe I've actually played the table.

 

[Richard B]

I can't believe there was actually a machine based on Dolly Parton.

A pretty woman with big **** - what's not to like?

 

[dtown8532]

+1 for DP. Harlem Globetrotters is pretty bad too.

 

[Jeff Strong]

Harlem Globetrotters is pretty bad too.

I always thought it was alright. They just had it in PAPA 14 Classics too.

 

[dtown8532]

I always thought it was alright. They just had it in PAPA 14 Classics too.

I think they used Future Spa too in a tournament as well and that's a weird theme. I'm just talking about the theme with HG.

 

[Jeff Strong]

I think they used Future Spa too in a tournament as well and that's a weird theme. I'm just talking about the theme with HG.

The Globetrotters were pretty huge when I was a kid, so I thought the theme was cool, and I'm sure they were even bigger in the 70's.

There are a lot of crazy EM themes though, probably because they were cranking out so many machines and running out of ideas.

 

[Richard B]

The Globetrotters were pretty huge when I was a kid, so I thought the theme was cool, and I'm sure they were even bigger in the 70's.

There are a lot of crazy EM themes though, probably because they were cranking out so many machines and running out of ideas.

Not to mention the fact that, since there weren't any table specific sound effects in the EM or early SS days, they could swap out artwork to appeal to different demographics, or latch on to current trends.

 

[Brian Clark]

Not to mention the fact that, since there weren't any table specific sound effects in the EM or early SS days, they could swap out artwork to appeal to different demographics, or latch on to current trends.

El Dorado is a good example of this. Aside from the usual Add-A-Ball with the same art, there was Target Alpha (space themed), Canada Dry (licensed from the drink company), and Solar City (mixing the space and western themes). The 80s SS version went with an Indiana Jones-ish adventure theme, rather than the old west like the original.

 

[Kolchak357]

Charlie's Angels was pretty weird, especially without Farrah.