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"It's Clown Time!"

"Hurricane should be more appropriately named 'Clowns Go Crazy'."

Hurricane is a Physical Pinball Table designed by Barry Oursler with art by Python Anghelo and John Youssi. It was released by Williams Electronics in 1991.

As before, this pinball takes players to an Amusement Park filled with clowns, carnival games, clowns, rollercoasters, and clowns. Knock down the plush cats and duck targets for prizes, then shoot the Juggler to lock the ball or a Mystery Score. Hit the Dunk Tank Dummy, ride the two Ferris Wheels, then go by the Palace for the Palace Jackpot and free Fanservice. For the biggest thrills, ride the Comet and Hurricane rollercoasters, then light up the clown's face for the Clown Time frenzy — but don't get sick when the Hurricane hits the corkscrews on the backglass...

This was the final table in Williams' "rollercoaster" series of pinballs, after Comet and Cyclone. While the first two games were widely popular for their uncomplicated gameplay and thrill ride themes, Hurricane is more divisive, with detractors turned off by the overly complicated rules, flow-breaking ferris wheels, and heavy emphasis on clowns. On the other hand, its supporters praise its strategy-oriented design, particularly the need to master multiball for the best scores.

On February 19, 2016, FarSight Studios released a digital version of Hurricane for The Pinball Arcade. It remained available until their license to all Bally and Williams tables expired on July 1, 2018. Another digital version would eventually be released by Zen Studios as part of Volume 4 of their Pinball FX3 Williams Collection.

Has no relation to Whirlwind.


The Hurricane pinball demonstrates the following tropes:

  • Amusement Park
  • Balloonacy: The backglass shows a clown being carried into the sky with a handful of balloons.
  • Cartoon Juggling: The Juggler clown on the playfield demonstrates the "Arc" style, albeit with a few motion lines.
  • The Computer Shall Taunt You: The Dunk Tank Dummy from Comet returns to annoy players.
    Dunk Dummy: "My grandma throws better than you!" / "You've got an arm like a wet rat!"
  • Combos: Pregressively higher scores are given for successive shots to the Comet or Hurricane ramps.
  • Continuity Nod:
    • The Comet rollercoaster from Comet appears once more in the game.
    • Two of the rollercoaster riders on the backglass are wearing "Comet" and "Cyclone" T-shirts.
    • There is a Mystery award worth nothing like in Cyclone.
  • Culture Equals Costume: An (obscured) indian with a feathered headdress is seen riding the coaster on the backglass.
  • Ferris Wheel Date Moment/First Kiss: Seen on the ferris wheels.
  • Gotta Catch Them All: The player must complete six goals to light up the clown's face and activate the Clown Time frenzy.
  • Harmless Electrocution: One of the animations during Clown Time is a clown electrocuting himself while plugging in an amp.
  • Monster Clown: The front car of the Hurricane roller coaster has the face of a manically grinning clown sporting razor-sharp teeth.
  • Non-Ironic Clown: Lots of them, all over the game.
  • No Celebrities Were Harmed: One of the rollercoaster riders on the backglass is the Energizer Bunny.
  • Nuns Are Funny: A pair of nuns are shown riding the Hurricane on the backglass; one's cheering excitedly while the other is praying in fear.
  • Progressive Jackpot: On default settings, the PALACE Jackpot and the clown face lights carry over until someone claims them.
  • Score Multiplier: A short 2x, 3x, or 5x playfield multiplier is given after ending multiball, or can be gotten from a mystery award.
  • Sequel Escalation: Hurricane is Comet and Cyclone with two ferris wheels and lots of clowns!
  • Shout-Out: Sometimes, if the last ball is drained through an outlane, the barker will say, "This way to the egress!" Circuses around the turn of the 20th century sometimes had signs stating just that, word for word, as a way to scam people who didn't know what an "egress" was into buying a second ticket.note 
  • Skill Shot: Launch the ball around the playfield, then immediately shoot the Hurricane ramp.
  • Slapstick: During Clown Time, making key shots will play clips of clowns performing various slapstick routines.
  • Spectacular Spinning: The Hurricane rollercoaster car in the backbox spins whenever you shoot the Hurricane playfield ramp or the Mystery Score.
  • Spelling Bonus: P-A-L-A-C-E enables the Palace Jackpot at the Juggler.
  • Top-Down View: Once again, the playfield shows the park from an overhead view, looking down at the people.
  • Vomit Discretion Shot: One of the backglass rollercoaster riders is a man vomiting into a paper bag.
  • Zonk: One of the Mystery Score rewards is "Absolutely Nothing".

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