Two days ago, Turner Pinball shared a teaser photo of its upcoming first pinball machine, Ninja Eclipse, with the front portion hidden behind a sign that said...
TOP SECRET
TO BE REVEALED SOON
Well, here's the reveal. I'm getting some of this second hand and the official Turner Pinball Expo seminar is not until tomorrow Friday, October 20th at 2:00 PM. They do have quite a bit of information on their new innovations on their website (see below).
No it's not a Pinbar as many had speculated. It's Coinless Pinball, at least that's what I'm calling it. Ninja Eclipse does not have a Coin Door. Instead, it has two buttons in the front. The machines use the Turner Pinball's new "PinAccess" app to change the settings of the game and its "PinPay" system for players to pay for games.
The Ninja Eclipse cabinet is unique in that the glass is hinged. It flips up, attached to the back and can be pulled out and detached if necessary along with the apron. The glass release mech is under the front of the machine.
Turner just opened up the pre-order section of its website. The Company is taking $150 non-refundable, non-transferrable deposits now for machines that are expected to ship in "Spring 2024." Ninja Eclipse is priced at $9,777. Production is limited to 100 "First Edition" units.
Below is a bunch of information on the game from Turner's website:
"CABINET FEATURES
Our pinball cabinet redefines the gaming experience. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, we've prioritized accessibility, serviceability, and portability, surpassing all precedents. Every facet of our design exudes ultra-premium quality.
RGB Lighting on Glass Frame*
Removable Glass Frame*
Removable Backbox*
Backless Backglass*
Self-Supporting Removable Playfield*
Skill Adjustable Variable Ball Launch*
Custom Edge Protecting Legs
RGB Start and Launch Buttons
Sleek Slimline Cabinet Design
Premium Sound with 5" Coaxial Speakers
Powerful 6" Subwoofer
PLAYFIELD FEATURES
Our playfield is brimming with dynamic shots and state-of-the-art mechanisms. One standout feature is the exhilarating kickback sequence: from scoop to scoop, leading directly to the upper flipper shot, setting players up for a thrilling assault on Oni Nisshoku's formidable fortress.
Five Custom Scultps
Three Ramps
Three Flippers
Three Ball Physical Lock
Two Smart Drop Targets
Two Spinners
Two Diverters
Two Pop Bumpers
Two VUKs/Scoops
One Spinning Disk
One Outlane Kickback
One Newton Ball
One Magnet
GAMEPLAY FEATURES
Our ruleset is meticulously crafted to cater to both the budding enthusiast and the seasoned pinball veteran. Whether you're just diving into the world of pinball or have years of flippers expertise, our game aims to provide an unmatched experience tailored to every skill level.
Eight Boss Modes
Four Mini-Modes
Eight Skill Trees
One Multiball
Two Wizard Modes
PINACCESS™ ENABLED
All Turner Pinball™ machines are PinAccess™ Enabled. This provides a ton of great features directly from the PinAccess™ app on your mobile device.
Owners can Access and Adjust Machine Settings*
Scan to Login and Store High Scores and Achievements*
Access Global Leaderboards and Community
Use PinPay™ for Instant Electronic Payments*
Set your Mobile Device on the Apron and use
Visit PinAccess.com for more details."
Has anyone at Expo has a chance to play the latest iteration of Ninja Eclipse yet? Does anyone have any more info on the machine? I'd love to find out more.
Below is a link to a sample of the backstory comic for Ninja Eclipse:
Japan, long ago.
It is a time of legend, when mighty lords wage wars of conquest with their samurai armies, and hired ninja assassins strike from the shadows.
In still darker places, supernatural yokai and oni creatures wander the night and look upon the human realm with hungry eyes...
I played it. It shoots pretty well.
Make it a home pin only, cut the price to $5000 and get rid of 2 buttons on the sides (currently 4) and I think it could sell. Add a coin mech option for $500 for operators instead of the NFC payment.
Does anyone think that app will keep running for the next 30 years? You'll have to sell the machine with your iPhone relic circa 2023 to make this work.
To mention the hinged playfield glass, to clarify it is thin plexiglass...at $9777 can't recognize where the value is in its structure. I did enjoy the feature game play.
I’m pulling for new pinball companies. I want Turner to succeed, and it looks like there’s some good ideas here. But it’s hard to see the no-coin-door/proprietary-payment thing as anything other than an attempt to skim money from users/operators down the line. Prediction: they’ll either abandon it, or they won’t sell games. Business level: -5.
Got a chance to play it and talk to a couple people from Turner. The art and animations are really good, looks like Mulan story board art. Main flippers felt good, but the bottom button on both sides felt hard to reach, the third flipper was set to the right lower button. Also the ball launch button is in an awkward spot on the front panel, not where other games such as P3 or Medieval Madness have them. It has a cool shot to the spinner on the left side between the pop and scoop. Not sure if adjustments are needed, but a ball in the right scoop would get sent across the playfield to the left scoop, almost like…