BIG BUCK HUNTER PRO

Following our first three reports on the game, Stern have published a press release formally announcing it to the trade.

It includes two pictures which are slightly different to those in our initial report. They're still mocked-up images as you can tell from the lack of the new side rails which cover the area around the flipper buttons and the missing tournament start button on the front.

These pictures include the artwork on the apron featuring a wood panel texture and show the buck stopped at one of its resting places half way across the playfield and the elk diverter open.

The playfield picture reveals how the two inlanes on the right effectively move the flipper area and the playfield's centre line quite some way to the left, meaning it is no longer aligned with the shape of the apron.  This could make it harder to detect SDTM balls.

Along with the two pictures we also get more information about the people working on game which reveals a close co-operation between the video game's creators and the pinball design team.

The design of the pinball game was assisted by Big Buck Hunter video game creator George Petro - a former Midway game designer who founded Play Mechanix in 1995. 

Play Mechanix merged with Eugene Jarvis's Raw Thrills in 2007 to become a wholly owned subsidiary.  Eugene is a well known pinball and video game person, working on software at Atari and Williams where he often teamed up with Steve Ritchie on games such as Airborne Avenger, Firepower and F-14 Tomcat.

Former pinball designer Mark Ritchie was in charge of the Big Buck Hunter series at Play Mechanix where he is still Production Coordinator/Producer.

All three worked with the Stern staff on the design of Big Buck Hunter Pro pinball with George providing the main narration, just as he does in the video game.

The voice of Pappy is provided by Scott Pikulski who also has a pinball background. Scott created dot matrix display effects and animations for Capcom Pinball on games such as Pinball Magic and Big Bang Bar.  Capcom, of course, was where Mark Ritchie was Director of Game Development.

Artwork on Big Buck Hunter is by long-time pinball artist John Youssi while sounds come from Ken Hale who worked on the recent Stern Batman game and also sound engineered on the Big Buck Hunter video games.

So here's Stern's press release:

STERN RELEASES BIG BUCK HUNTER® PRO PINBALL TO MUCH ACCLAIM

January 13, 2010-Big Buck Hunter® Pro Pinball by Stern Pinball, Inc. is a hunting game that delivers a hot new quarry of no-limit fun to players everywhere. Big Buck Hunter® Pro Pinball is based on the hugely successful Big Buck Hunter® arcade video game series by Raw Thrills, Inc. and Play Mechanix, Inc. Eugene Jarvis, George Petro, and Mark Ritchie of Raw Thrills/Play Mechanix assisted the staff at Stern Pinball with the design of Big Buck Hunter® Pro Pinball. And like the arcade video games, Big Buck Hunter® Pro pinball is sure to challenge new hunters, as well as seasoned marksmen.

Big Buck Hunter® Pro pinball takes you on a hunting adventure. Players are in pursuit of wild game. The game features a motorized buck that runs across a forest-like playfield. Strike the buck multiple times and start Big Buck Multiball. Big Buck Hunter® Pro pinball also features a ramp that winds around the playfield, a ram that kicks the ball back to the player, an elk mechanism that re-directs the pinball, and lots of multiball action.

Big Buck Hunter® Pro pinball features speech from the video game. George Petro, narrator of the Big Buck Hunter® arcade video game series narrates the pinball machine while contributing additional original speech. Pappy, voiced by Scott Pikulski, also appears offering comic relief.

John Youssi, creator of the Big Buck Hunter® arcade video game art, contributes the art for the pinball. Big Buck Hunter® Pro pinball also features sounds and music by Ken Hale, the sound engineer for the Big Buck Hunter® arcade video games.

Gary Stern says, “The Big Buck Hunter® series of video games are proven winners. Our pinball compliments any location with this video game. These games have a strong following who will also love the pinball machine. This game is both fun and beautiful. The folks at Play Mechanix and Raw Thrills know pinball and guided us through the Big Buck Hunter® property.”

George Petro of Play Mechanix says, “Big Buck Hunter® Pro pinball is fun for the hunter in everyone.”

To get your Big Buck Hunter® Pro pinball, contact your nearest Stern Pinball distributor or retailer. You can also contact Michael Reimer at 1-708-786-7029 or [email protected].

To learn more about Big Buck Hunter® Pro pinball, visit www.sternpinball.com. To learn more about the Big Buck Hunter® Pro arcade video game series, visit www.bigbuckhunter.com.

Big Buck Hunter Pro copyright (c) Play Mechanix, Inc. All rights reserved. Big Buck Hunter is a registered trademark of Play Mechanix, Inc.

 


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