Line #6 Pinball/Taxi


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/taxi-pinball-flyer_1414.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300:''Note:'' Marilyn does not appear in this game (except on a few machines).]]
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4	->'''Gorbie:''' "Hey, comrade taxi!"
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6	''Taxi'' is a PhysicalPinballTable designed by Creator/MarkRitchie with art by Creator/PythonAnghelo. It was released in 1988 by Creator/WilliamsElectronics.
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8	Compared to other {{Pinball}} games of the time, ''Taxi'' is deceptively simple. As a taxi driver, pick up a crazy cast of characters -- including former Soviet Leader UsefulNotes/MikhailGorbachev (Gorbie), {{Dracula}}, and SantaClaus -- then take them to the airport and collect the jackpot. The longer you play, the more tips you'll put on the meter, so take the Express Lane and loop the airport for an even bigger score.
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10	''Taxi'' is proof that a pinball game doesn't need complicated rules to be challenging, as most of the high-scoring shots are timed, and a great score requires prodigious flipper skills. The uncomplicated layout makes it appealing to beginners, while the fast action and broad crisscrossing loops keep everyone attentive.
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12	A digital version of this pinball was available on ''VideoGame/ThePinballArcade'' until the license to the Williams and Bally tables expired on July 1, 2018.
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14	''For other works named'' Taxi, ''[[Main/{{Taxi}} click here.]]''
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17	!!The ''Taxi'' pinball demonstrates the following tropes:
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19	* {{Cap}}:
20	** The meter caps out at 99,000 points, and its multiplier caps at 5x for a max fare of 495,000.
21	** The Spin-Out SkillShot multiplier tops out at 5x the spun value.
22	* CaptainErsatz: "Lola", a blatant copy of Creator/MarilynMonroe. WordOfGod is that the character was originally "Marilyn", to make the reference even more obvious, until Williams management became worried about a lawsuit from the Monroe estate. "Marilyn" became "Lola" by [[AdaptationDyeJob changing her hair color]] on the backglass and playfield art, but it is believed that a few ''Taxi'' machines with the blonde "Marilyn" art are still in circulation.
23	* {{Combo}}:
24	** The crisscrossing figure-eight airport ramps, which builds the Airport Value and can be advanced to light the 1 million point shot.
25	** During multiball, locking one ball then quickly hitting the Drac Scoop earn an Express Lane bonus worth 300,000. All ramp shots score 100,000 as long as both balls remain in play.
26	** Shooting both ramps at the same time during multiball scores a Crossover bonus of 250,000.
27	* CompanyCrossReferences: On the backglass, the taxi is in front of Williams' Pinball Palace, with a sign name-dropping several then-recent pinball games from the company: ''Pinball/{{Cyclone}}'', ''Pinball/PinBot'', ''Pinball/SpaceStation'', ''Pinball/HighSpeed'', ''Pinball/BanzaiRun'', ''Pinball/{{Comet}}'', and ''Pinball/BigGuns''.
28	* {{Crossover}}: Pinball/PinBot is one of the passengers.
29	* GottaCatchEmAll: Collect all five passengers to light the Jackpot.
30	* GloriousMotherRussia[=/=]YouNoTakeCandle: Gorbie talks like this.
31	-->'''Gorbie:''' "You give to me ride!"
32	* {{Leitmotif}}: The game plays a brief tune associated with each character when they are picked up.
33	* MachineMonotone: As in his own game, Pin*Bot speaks like this.
34	-->'''Pin*Bot:''' "[-TAXI-] - [-TAXI-] - [-TAXI-]."
35	* MatchSequence: A taxicab zips across the display, pulling a pair of spinning boxes behind it. The boxes eventually settle down to form a pair of match digits.
36	* OneUp: Extra balls are earned by completing the [[SpellingBonus C-A-B]] rollovers three times and shooting the Drac scoop (all on the same ball).
37	* OurVampiresAreDifferent: They need taxicabs to get around town, for one.
38	* PaintingTheMedium: "[-PIN*BOT STRANDED.-]" is displayed on alphanumeric display, much like the one it used.
39	* ProgressiveJackpot
40	* PublicDomainCharacter: "Gorbie" (Mikhail Gorbachev), [=Dracula=], and Santa Claus.
41	* ScoreMultiplier: The Spin-Out's value multiplier increases after every drained ball ([[{{Cap}} up to a maximum of 5x value]]).
42	* ShoutOut: According to Mark Ritchie, Lola was named after Music/TheKinks[='=] [[Music/LolaVersusPowermanAndTheMoneygoroundPartOne song of the same name]]. The song is about a man's encounter with a transvestite, and the song was chosen due to Lola's muscular arms on the backglass.
43	* SignatureStyle: ''Taxi'' hits all of Mark Ritchie's favorite touches, especially the crisscrossing ramps, long shots, and lots of timed shots.
44	* SkillShot: Shoot the ball into the Spinout saucer, then collect a bonus based on how many revolutions it makes.
45	* TheSmurfettePrinciple: Marilyn/Lola is the only female character in the game.
46	* SpecialGuest: [[Pinball/PinBot Pin*Bot]], a refugee from his own game.
47	-->'''PinBot:''' "[-PINBOT STRANDED.-]"
48	* SpellingBonus: C-A-B advances the bonus multiplier ([[{{Cap}} up to 5x value]]), and, for 10 seconds, every hit to the pop bumpers raises the jackpot value.
49	* TheTaxi
50	* ThatPoorCat: A cat screech is heard every time the player shoots the left airport lane.
51	* TimedMission: Almost all of the high-scoring shots in the game.
52	* VampireVords: Drac talks like this.
53	* YourSizeMayVary: Pin*Bot was quite a bit larger than a human in his game.
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Context Pinball / Taxi