“FOREGROUND MY ASS!”
Despite the enormous range of movies that have received pinball machine adaptations, Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic Jaws was not one of them, even though it’s a snug theme for it.
Zen Pinball is fixing to rectify this situation, as Jaws will be coming to the updated Pinball FX3, when it launches later this year. Jaws will be the first of three Universal Studios-themed tables planned for the acclaimed simulator, to be followed by E.T. and Back to the Future at a later date.
The new table features buoy pop-bumpers, a ship’s wheel housed in the left outlane and a shark cage scoop. A 3D model of Robert Shaw’s grizzled shark hunter, Quint, leaps to and fro about the top of the playfield, awaiting the titular great white shark’s appearance. As with all Pinball FX licensed tables, there’s some questionable impersonations going on for the callouts, but that’s all part of the fun.
No signs of Roy Scheider’s Chief Brody or Richard Dreyfuss’ biologist Hooper unfortunately. We also seem to be getting a pretty-close-but-not-quite rendition of the iconic John Williams theme. We can expect a selection of modes based on scenes from the movie, as well as several multi-balls and a “Raging Sea” feature, which rocks the table.
Jaws will be released for Pinball FX3 when it launches later this year on PC, PS4 and Xbox One. The majority of tables purchased for previous Pinball FX games will carry over, although several as yet unnamed tables will not, due to licensing reasons.