[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cirqus-voltaire_7928.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"You must challenge me!"]]
->'''Announcer''': "Get ready for the greatest pinball on earth!"

''Cirqus Voltaire'' is a pinball game designed by Creator/JohnPopadiuk and Cameron Silver, with artwork by Linda Doane. it was released by Creator/WilliamsElectronics (under the "Bally" label) in 1997.

As the title indicates, the game takes place in an electricity-themed ''avant garde'' circus, and the player is an aspiring performer who wishes to join this eclectic crew. To do this, he must perform nine Marvels, then prove his mastery of the show by completing the multi-stage WizardMode. Along the way, he will impress the Jugglers, prance with the Highwire Multiball, pop the Boom! Balloon, fire the cannon in the backbox, roll the Menagerie Ball, and challenge the four (or possibly five) Ringmasters when they rise from the playfield. But if he perseveres and Joins the Cirqus, perhaps he will unmask Ringmaster Voltaire and be crowned as the Party Champion.

Visually, ''Cirqus Voltaire'' is notable for its brash art design, with people divided on its electrifying aesthetic, neon colors, and unapologetic flamboyant style. In terms of gameplay, ''Voltaire'' is praised for its deep but understandable ruleset, eight multiball modes, and the ability to stack multiple multiballs to quickly build up scores. If nothing else, no one remains indifferent to this game.

''Production trivia:'' Unlike most pinball games, ''Cirqus Voltaire'' doesn't have a single design style, but was manufactured with neon tubes and Menagerie balls of various colors and patterns. It's actually considered one of the more beautifully designed tables because of it. Of these, blue and purple seem to be the most common, while yellow and red are the rarest.

A digital version of ''Cirqus Voltaire'' was formerly available for ''VideoGame/ThePinballArcade'' before the license to the Bally/Williams tables expired on July 1, 2018; to mimic the multitude of colored accents mentioned above, you get a random color every time you load the game. It later reappeared in ''[[VideoGame/ZenPinball Pinball FX 3]]'' as part of Volume 5, except players can now choose the neon and Menagerie ball color.

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!!This pinball demonstrates the following tropes:
* AllThereInTheManual: The game's backstory, given as a scrolling message in Demo Mode, justifies the "Voltaire" pun by having the French philosopher Voltaire as the founder of the Cirqus' initial form.
* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: The Ringmaster, whose face is bright green. Some of the performers have uncharacteristically bright yellow and orange skin tones.
* {{Angrish}}: The Ringmaster sometimes lapses into this if you hit him enough times during one of his multiball rounds.
* AntiFrustrationFeatures: The game has silent ball savers for a few events, such as when the ringmaster drops the ball from his head.
* ArtificialLimbs: The Ringmaster has a spring for a neck, while the acrobat on the backglass has her legs replaced by a spring.
-->'''Ringmaster:''' "You'd be cranky too, if you had a spring for a neck."
* AttractMode: A textual history of the Cirqus appears in the display.
* BigBad: The Four Ringmasters, whom you face off against.
-->'''Ringmaster''': "Is that the best you got?"
** Play the game right, and you get to face a fifth Ringmaster.
* BigNo: Sometimes done by the Ringmaster upon defeat.
* BlackoutBasement: "Neon Multiball", a three-ball multiball mode where the only illumination comes from the neon tube in the cabinet.
-->'''Announcer:''' "Are you ready for a shocking experience?"
* {{Blipvert}}: After defeating the Ringmaster during the "Ringmaster Battle" mini-WizardMode.
* CreatorCameo:
** The long-haired high-wire walker in the right corner of the backglass is Creator/JohnPopadiuk.
** Some of the end-of-ball judges include members of the design team.
* DoWellButNotPerfect: Hoping to start the Ringmaster Battle mode? It can actually be difficult to defeat the Ringmaster five times without achieving the other marvels in the process, which enables Join the Cirqus and disables the Ringmaster until you've played it.
* DramaticUnmask[=/=]TheReveal: After "Unmask Voltaire" is completed in [[WizardMode "Join the Cirqus,"]] it is revealed that [[spoiler:[[SamusIsAGirl Voltaire is actually a woman,]] ''Madame Voltaire'', who is also the game's Announcer.]]
-->[[spoiler:'''Voltaire[=/=]Announcer:''' "You must challenge Voltaire. ''I'' am Voltaire!"]]
* EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench[=/=]Creator/{{Voltaire}}: WordOfGod is that the game was intended to be a tribute to France for inventing ''bagatelle'', {{Pinball}}'s predecessor.
* FrenchJerk: The Ringmasters.
-->'''Ringmaster:''' "''Monsieur,'' I challenge you to a duel!"
* GodivaHair: The ''Pinball FX 3'' digital rendition of the table applies this trope on images of a female performer on the backglass due to censorship of suggestive imagery.
* GoodAllAlong: completing the wizard mode shows [[spoiler:the Ringmaster is just the announcer (Voltaire) testing you. This is foreshadowed by the fact that most of his quotes encourage you to defeat him, and those that don't are more playful than malicious.]]
* GratuitousFrench: The Ringmasters often dip into this.
* HarmlessElectrocution: The fate of the highwire artists when starting Highwire Multiball.
* HoldUpYourScore: At the end of each ball is "Fun With Bonus", when three judges hold up scorecards that affect the player's bonus.
-->'''Announcer:''' "And the judges' score..."
** If you get a perfect score (three 10s) from the judges:
-->'''Announcer''': Show off!
** If you get an average between 9.6 and 10
--> '''Announcer''': Take a bow! They love you!
* HyperDestructiveBouncingBall: The Menagerie Ball, which is contained in a spherical cage on the left side of the playfield.
-->'''Man:''' "Here is Menagerie Marvel, very nice!"
* InexplicablyIdenticalIndividuals: The Ringmasters, right down to having the same voice. [[spoiler:Justified in that they're all the same person, the female announcer in disguise.]]
* LosingHorns: The weak fanfare that plays when the sideshow prize is Big Points.
* MatchSequence: A clown walks across the display and gets knocked down by a pie, with the splatter forming the match digits. The clown also gives a thumbs up if there is a match.
* MundaneMadeAwesome: The Juggler dramatically proclaims his ability to juggle one, two, and even ''three'' balls at the same time.
* MyGrandmaCanDoBetterThanYou:
-->'''Ringmaster:''' "Granny ringmaster shoots better than you!"
* MyNaymeIs: "Cirqus", "Frenzie"...
* PublicDomainSoundtrack: Parts of Julius Fucik's "Entrance of the Gladiators" (often known as "circus music") are interpolated in the main theme.
* RepulsiveRingmaster: You have to beat four of them as part of the requirements to unlock Join the Cirqus. If you're careful about the order in which you earn the marvels, you can even take on a fifth.
* RubeGoldbergDevice: One of the animations for destroying a Ringmaster is something of one, with the ball being relayed by many circus performers into the Ringmaster's mouth.
* SequentialBoss: The WizardMode definitely qualifies.
%%* ShockAndAwe
* ShoutOut:
** Many of the "Fun With Bonus" judges are LawyerFriendlyCameos, including [[Literature/{{Discworld}} Rincewind]], Music/{{Tommy}}, and [[Series/JudgeJudy Judy]].
** Underneath the left and right slingshot switches are the words "Pop" and "Duke", a reference to designer John Popadiuk and his father.
** Near the right inlane is a cat pushing a dynamite plunger with "Joos TNT" on it, a reference to Williams' engineer John Joos Jr.
* SkillShot: Gently plunge the ball so that it hits the Skill Shot target on the ramp. Making five or more skill shots gives this quote by the Announcer:
-->'''Announcer''': "Skillfully done! Show off!"
* SpellingBonus:
-->'''Announcer''': "Spell W-O-W to summon the Ringmaster!"
** The game begins with W-O already lit, so challenging the first Ringmaster will likely happen after a minute into the game. There is also S-P-I-N to complete the Spin Marvel, R-I-N-G to increase the bonus multiplier. and V-O-L-T to activate the Boom! Balloon. The first part of "Join the Cirqus" also requires spelling C-I-R-Q-U-S.
* SpoilerCover: The backglass depicts a visibly feminine person with a spring for a body, holding a green mask in one hand.
* StealthPun: Spelling RING increases the bonus multiplier, but only up to 4X -- because this is a ''three-ring'' circus...
* TakeThatAudience: Many of the Ringmasters' quotes fall under this.
-->'''Ringmaster:''' "You're a disaster and I'm still the Ringmaster!"
%%* ThePlace
* VideoMode:
** "The Amazing Roonie", where the goal is to help Roonie the kangaroo jump over various obstacles.
--->'''Roonie:''' "G'day, mate!"
** The 2.0H software adds a second video mode, called "Copy-Cat", which is similar to Simon Says.
* VillainousHarlequin: The Ringmasters.
* WizardMode: "Join the Cirqus", a four-stage wizard mode which can only be reached after completing all nine Marvels. It is divided into four parts -- Spell Cirqus, Unmask Voltaire, Meet the Cirqus, and Party Multiball. A player who reaches Party Multiball and gets the best score gets to enter his initials as the Party Champion.
* XtremeKoolLetterz: About the only place you'd see a "Q" in place of a "C"...
* YouFightLikeACow: The Ringmaster. "You make me weep...Not really!"
* YourMom: The ringmaster is ready to insult her. And have his mom be implied to be insulted too.
-->'''Ringmaster:''' "Bah! Your mother drives a dumptruck!"
-->'''Ringmaster:''' "What did you say about my mother?"
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-->'''Ringmaster:''' "Do you still want to play? I think you've had enough for today."