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Call or Write:
P.O. Box 295 • Bus. 54 South
El don, Missourl 65026
1-314/392-7964
1-314/392-3374
8
Gante Plan
contes back with pins
In
May 1977, W endell McAdams
and two partners, Lee Goldboss and
Mike Abram s of AES Company,
formed Game Plan and began making
sit-down pinball games. Beginning
with Foxy Lady, Game Plan sold
about 12,000 sit-down pins, manufac-
turing 12 machines a day in 6,500
square feet of AES Company facilities
in Elk Grove Village, Ill.
The company then introduced its
first upright pinball, Sharpshooter,
and it was very successful. Videos
became popular about the same time,
and Game Plan began licensing such
video games as Tora Tora, Megattack,
Killer Comet, Tank Batallion, Kings
and Balloons, Pot 0 ' Golf, and Shark
Attack.
After the video boom, Game Plan
turned its efforts to its gambling clivi·
sion and also manufactured coin-
handling equipment. According to
McAdams, these ventures kept the
company alive until pinball made its
comeback.
Now that pin balls have come back,
Game Plan is trying to become the
number-one pinball manufacturer in
the country. "Oh, we know it won't
happen overnight," said McAdams,
"but at least we can aim for number
two right now."
McAdams notes that there are
only four U.S . pinball manufacturers:
Willi ams, Bally, Game Plan , and
Premier. With the decline of video,
and with Game Plan's expertise, pin-
ball is where McAdams feels that
Game Plan needs to be. "When we got
back into pinball production and
design with Attilla the Hun , Agents
777, and Captain Hook , we didn't feel
we were making a strong enough
Impression. So we decided to make an
all-out pitch to become number one by
employing well known people in the
industry such as Roger Sharpe, Paul
Ferris, Joe Kaminkow, Don Caloric ,
Shamus Mclofton, and others of that
caliber to design new pinballs, do
sounds, and graphics."
The effort has produced what
Game Plan is touting as the new
generation of pins - Andromeda ,
Cyclopes , and Loch N ess Mon ster.
McAdams , having been in the
industry nearly 40 years, speaks from
experience when he says that pinball
always comes back into IJrominence
to fill the market void after a big boom
in some other kind of equipment. "As I
see it now," he said, "It's happening
right now ; pinball is coming back
because of the decline in video."
McAdams also said that though
the video market is dominated by the
Japanese, he does not forsee the
Japanese getting involved in pinball
because there is no pinball market in
Japan. "The reason the Japanese
dominate the video market is because
the big manufacturers over there are
also hugh operators, and they are
designing equipment for their own
routes . What we get here is spill-over
from their own needs in Japan. And
since there is no need for pinball, I
have no reason to believe they'll get
into it," he said.
McAdams has seen many phases
of the industry during his 25 years with
Chi c ago Coin , his experience in
pinball design, his involvement with
management in the industry, and his
stint as a route operator. He describes
his philosophy as more than just opti-
mistic, but realistic. "I'm not one of
those who think the industry is going
to the dogs. I've seen many phases in
this industry and believe it is normal
now . With video it reached a peak,
then plunged into a valley, but we're
on level ground now ."
McAdams continued, "It 's impos-
sible to predict what someone will
dream up in the future . Over the years
something always comes along that
changes the direction of the industry-
momentarily, at least - and I think
something is just around the corner.
I'd love to be the one that finds
whatever it is ."
But whatever that new miracle
creation of someone's imagination
might be or its effect on the coin-op
amusement industy, one thing is evi-
dent now, pinball has been around for
more than 50 years, and Wendell
McAdams and Game Plan intend to
offer to an eager industry pin balls from
some of the best designers available. •
PLAY METER. December 1, 1985