Line #10 Pinball/TheXFiles


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/x_files.jpg]]
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3	''The X-Files'' is a LicensedPinballTable (obviously based on [[Series/TheXFiles the popular television series of the same name]]) released by Creator/SegaPinball in 1997.
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5	The game primarily revolves around the titular X-Files (collected in a cabinet in the middle of the playfield); spelling FBI lights one of eight episodes (based on actual episodes of the series) for completion. Completing all eight gives you a shot at the WizardMode. There’s also two different multiballs (one achieved by hitting the cabinet enough times, and “The Truth” – wherein you unscramble a message by making the right shots), as well as a choice between Mulder and Scully (who make it easier to start the regular and Truth multiballs, respectively).
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7	The game has received very mixed reception; some people think it’s an overly difficult title with muffled audio and an excessive amount of focus on its two ramps, while others think it’s nicely challenging and underrated.
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9	!!This game provides examples of:
10	* ArcWords: The show’s examples (“the truth is out there,” “trust no one,” and “deny everything”) pop in a few places:
11	** The game’s apron displays the latter two.
12	** Successfully shooting right during “…Smoking Man” prompts an animation showing his lighter, which has “Trust No One” engraved on it.
13	** [[spoiler:The three messages are also encrypted in Truth Multiball.[[note]]They start as “The Targets Unearth Limitless Outings Into Hidden Secrets,” “Truth Is Just Knowing Double Negatives,” and “Endurance In Your Work Can Be Very Forthcoming”.[[/note]]]]
14	* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: The hidden messages during Truth Multiball. [[spoiler:In order, they’re [[ArcWords “Deny everything,” “the truth is out there,” “trust no one”]]… and “Super Jackpot”.]]
15	* TheGreys: They show up during certain DMD animations (notably the Extra Ball & Shoot Again ones).
16	* MatchSequence: A busy bee hive is shown; the bees disperse to show “MATCH”, then re-group and disperse again, revealing the final number.
17	* MythologyGag: Several.
18	** The animation for starting an episode shows an X-File being pulled from the cabinet; the tab shows the season and episode number for its origin (i.e. “[[Recap/TheXFilesS04E07MusingsOfACigaretteSmokingMan …Smoking Man]]”, the 7th episode of the 4th season, has “4x07”).
19	** The different levels of “…Smoking Man” are labelled after the original episode’s on-screen titles.
20	** At the end of the WizardMode (based on [[Recap/TheXFilesS02E03Blood “Blood”]]), the flashing “KILL EM ALL” display begins to alternate between “ALL DONE” and “BYE BYE” (a reference to the message at the end of the original episode).
21	** The bees featured in the MatchSequence come from [[Recap/TheXFilesS04E01Herrenvolk “Herrenvolk”]] (and possibly [[Recap/TheXFilesS04E21ZeroSum “Zero Sum”]] as well).
22	* OfficiallyShortenedTitle: An odd example – the game refers to the episode [[Recap/TheXFilesS04E07MusingsOfACigaretteSmokingMan “Musings of a Cigarette-Smoking Man”]] as just “…Smoking Man”, undoubtedly to save space on the DMD.
23	* RecurringRiff: Most of the music borrows from the show’s theme in some manner.
24	* SpellingBonus: F-B-I lights an episode.
25	* WizardMode: “Blood”, which can only be activated after starting every episode (and the X-Files Trivia challenge), then shooting the FBI scoop one more time. You’re given four balls, an infinite ball-saver, and 60 seconds to achieve as many jackpots as you can. (The ramps give a normal jackpot; however, the cabinet’s jackpot increases every time you get a ramp jackpot. The catch is that the cabinet is constantly moving, and you have to get it in the top drawer for the points.)

Context Pinball / TheXFiles