Line #9 Pinball/Xenon


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/xenon-pinball_9244.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Enter Xenon]]
3	->'''Xenon:''' "Welcome to Xenon."
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5	''Xenon'' is an [[PhysicalPinballTable arcade pinball game]] released by Creator/{{Bally}} in 1980. It was designed by Creator/GregKmiec with art by Creator/PaulFaris, and electronic musician Suzanne Ciani provided the voice and music.
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7	The game itself centers around Xenon, the supercomputer at the heart of a futuristic society. Build up the Mota Special and the Bonus multiplier, then spell XENON to advance the Super Bonus. When you've collected three X's from the top saucer, shoot through the tube to interface with Xenon and start multiball for faster scoring.
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9	''Xenon'' has the distinction of being Bally's first solid-state pinball game with multiball, and although it was not the first talking pinball machine ever, (that honour belongs to ''Pinball/{{Gorgar}}'') ''Xenon'' was also Bally's first game with speech, using Ciani's digitized and processed voice instead of the MachineMonotone of earlier games. The attractive science-fiction artwork, appealing sound effects, and uncomplicated rules made it one of Bally's best-selling games of the year. Even today, it is widely regarded as an iconic classic by pinball enthusiasts.
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11	''OMNI: The New Frontier'' did a short documentary on the creation of the game's audio effects; it can be viewed [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3LAg1hcajM&start=1970 here.]]
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13	A digital version was available for [=FarSight=] Studios' ''Videogame/ThePinballArcade'' until July 2018, when their license for the Williams and Bally tables expired.
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16	!!The ''Xenon'' pinball demonstrates the following tropes:
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18	* AppealToNovelty:
19	** WordOfGod is that ''Xenon'' was originally intended as a single-ball game centered on the plastic transport tube. Bally management decided to add a female voice after [[Creator/WilliamsElectronics Williams']] ''Pinball/{{Gorgar}}'' and Creator/{{Stern}}'s ''Pinball/{{Flight 2000}}'' arrived with simple MachineMonotone voices.
20	** The two-ball multiball was added in a day after management later heard that another pinball was about to be released with multiball play.
21	* BrainComputerInterface: The playfield shows two red-skinned humans using jacks in their head to interface with Xenon.
22	* BrainInAJar: The robots on the playfield have transparent skulls, with their organic-looking brains clearly visible.
23	* ComputerVoice
24	* {{Fembot}}: Xenon is suggested to be one, though only her head and shoulders are visible.
25	* FunWithAcronyms: The tube transport system is the '''K'''inetic '''M'''olecular '''I'''ntegrated '''E'''volution '''C'''ylinder (KMIEC), named after designer Greg Kmiec.
26	* TheFuture
27	* TheImmodestOrgasm: The sound effects include some arousing moans.
28	* MaleGaze[=/=]VictoryPose: A woman on the playfield is standing in front of Xenon, her back to the viewer and her arms raised in the air.
29	* NamesGivenToComputers: Xenon, which has no meaning beyond RuleOfCool.
30	* NippleAndDimed: The red-skinned woman on the playfield is nude and topless, but has no visible nipples.
31	* ProtagonistTitle
32	* SdrawkcabName: The Mota Special.
33	* SkillShot: Roll over the flashing button switch at launch to score 1,500 points and knock down one of the four side drop targets.
34	* SpaceClothes: The people are wearing full-bodied single-colored jumpsuits.
35	* SpellingBonus: X-E-N-O-N, of course.
36	* TronLines: Although predating the ''Film/{{Tron}}'' movie itself, ''Xenon'' is an UrExample of the style, with heavy use of blue plastics and lights all over the playfield. Some collectors modify their tables with blue [=LEDs=] to further emphasize the effect.
37	* TubeTravel: The table's most prominent feature is a clear plastic tube that takes pinballs across the playfield.
38	* WeWillAllFlyInTheFuture: The backglass and playfield show people flying around, just because.
39	----
40	->'''Xenon:''' "Try me again."

Context Pinball / Xenon