The first Indiana Jones pinball was released by Williams in August 1993. This machine is a part of Williams' "SuperPin" wide-body machine line and was designed by Mark Ritchie. Indiana Jones features the usual bells and whistles, as well as seven standup targets, 3-bank drop targets, three video modes, a player-controlled tilted upper playfield, and more. This was the first machine to feature Williams / Midway's DCS Sound System, providing a more immersive experience for players. The game also has sound bytes from the original trilogy and brought back actor Jon Rhys-Davies to record new lines as his character, Sallah.
This pinball is regarded as one of the best machines ever made.
I've played it multiple times in various arcades, and despite how often I've played it, the game still remains challenging yet engrossing. The theme fits impossibly well within the Indian Jones universe, and if an owner keeps up with maintenance, can be enjoyed for decades to come. Stern released their own Indiana Jones in 2008, this time including The Crystal Skull in the theme. While that version is still a ton of fun, it doesn't compare to The Pinball Adventure.
Since the machine's introduction fans have been able to modify the machine to their liking. You can buy additional toys for the playfield, change the original lights for an LED kit, and even get a full-color DMD for the back box. Unlike comic books, restoring and modifying machines can potentially help the value of a pinball machine.
Buying an Indiana Jones isn't hard, but you will likely pay a lot for it.
Williams produced 12,716 units of Indiana Jones, so it was a widely distributed game. Refurbished Indiana Jones machines cost as much as many brand-new Stern machines, and within the past 3 years alone the price has steadily increased on them. In June 2019 a machine in an unknown shape sold for $8,200. In June of 2021, a machine in an unknown shape sold for $13,200.
The Pinball Company currently has a refurbished machine for sale for $15,999. Pinside gave an estimated median price for Indiana Jones to fall around $12,500, so paying up for a truly exceptional machine isn't surprising.
If putting out that kind of cash for a vintage machine isn't appealing, the Stern Indiana Jones from 2008 isn't hard to find, with a median asking price of $6,200. Stern's Indiana Jones was designed by John Borg, who also designed several other Stern machines including TRON, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Iron Man.
As I said earlier, this game is still a ton of fun to play but doesn't hold its value as well as the Williams machine. But if you're an Indiana Jones fan looking to dip your toes in the pinball landscape, this isn't a bad machine to own! If you're buying to invest, you may be sitting on this machine for a while.
Have you played either of the Indiana Jones pinball machines? Tell us about it in the comments below!
*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.
