User:Vegantics/SpookyPinballSandbox

Charlie Emery officially founded Spooky Pinball in 2013 in Benton, Wisconsin, but his work with pinball began a few years prior.{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Matt |date=2019-12-13 |title=Indie Pinball Manufacturer Releasing Rick and Morty Game |url=https://www.replaymag.com/indie-pinball-manufacturer-releasing-rick-and-morty-game/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=RePlay Magazine |language=en-US}} In 2010, Emery began a pinball podcast called Spooky Pinball with his wife Kayte and children Morgan and Corwin "Bug". At the time, Emery had been working at a screen printing and decal company in Galena, Illinois for 20 years and wanted to create a podcast about his two interests: "spooky" monster movies and pinball.{{Cite web |last=Glauber |first=Bill |date=2023-03-14 |title=Wisconsin's pinball wizard: Small-town entrepreneur's Spooky Pinball turns an old-school hobby into a thriving business |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2023/03/14/spooky-pinball-turns-an-old-school-hobby-into-a-thriving-business/69899788007/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}} Emery combined his printing skills and pinball experience, working on a project with Bug to create a new custom Godzilla machine built off a 1983 Firepower II machine.{{Cite web |date=2014-04-01 |title=Business Spotlight: Spooky Pinball |url=http://www.bentonwi.us/wp/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/April-Newsletter2013.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629054912/http://www.bentonwi.us/wp/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/April-Newsletter2013.pdf |archive-date=2015-06-29 |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Village of Benton}}{{Cite web |date=2023-10-06 |title=Spooky Pinball, pinball machine manufacturer since 2013 |url=https://pinballmag.fr/en/pinball/pinball-bar-and-arcade-game/pinball-manufacturers/spooky-pinball-pinball-machine-manufacturer-since-2013/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Pinball Mag |language=en-US}} They brought the game to the 2011 Midwest Gaming Classic, where they received positive feedback and met Benjamin "Ben Heck" Heckendorn, who encouraged Emery to expand his hobby into a business. Emery initially worked with his employer to develop direct printing for Ben Heck's custom Lost pinball playfield and later the cabinets{{Cite web |last=Levin |first=Josh |date=2013-01-09 |title=Pinball Is Dying. Can This Man Bring It Back to Life? |url=https://www.slate.com/articles/business/doers/2013/01/jersey_jack_pinball_wizard_of_oz_pinball_is_dying_can_arcade_entrepreneur.2.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Slate Magazine}} of early Jersey Jack Pinball The Wizard of Oz machines.{{Cite web |date=2015-03-29 |title=Texas Pinball Festival 2015: Charlie Emery & Benjamin Heckendorn - The 'Haunted Wisconsin Texas Style' Spooky Pinball Seminar |url=https://www.pinballnews.com/shows/tpf2015/index.html |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Pinball News |quote=43 minute mark}}{{Cite web |date=2013-12-25 |title=The Wizard of Oz: In-Depth Review Part 1 |url=https://www.pinballnews.com/games/wizardofoz/index42.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Pinball News}}

In 2012, Emery opted to leave his job and start his own pinball manufacturing company. With $35,000 in savings and a loan from the Benton State Bank, Emery leased an 1,800 square foot room in the Benton Business Incubator in 2013.{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Barry |date=2014-10-12 |title=Spooky Pinball makes its mark in a tiny town |url=https://madison.com/business/spooky-pinball-makes-its-mark-in-a-tiny-town/article_ea6f0383-212f-5cab-9ab6-f0e5c367a0d2.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250306170737/https://madison.com/business/spooky-pinball-makes-its-mark-in-a-tiny-town/article_ea6f0383-212f-5cab-9ab6-f0e5c367a0d2.html |archive-date=2025-03-06 |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Wisconsin State Journal}} The company's printing equipment served a second role, allowing Spooky to also operate as a commercial sign shop and Kayte Emery came on as the first employee.{{Cite web |last=Elliott |first=Tim |date=2024-10-31 |title=“Spooky Pinball” in Benton scares up big business from all over the world |url=https://www.wmtv15news.com/2024/10/31/spooky-pinball-benton-scares-up-big-business-all-over-world/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=WMTV15 |language=en}} The first design that Emery began working on was called Pinball Zombies From Beyond the Grave.{{Cite web |last=Greatwich |first=John |title=Pinball Profiles: Charlie Emery |url=https://pinballnews.com/learn/pinballprofiles/charlie.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Pinball News}} However, their first machine released was America's Most Haunted in 2014. Ben Heck had begun designing a game, originally called Ghost Squad, in 2012 but did not have the facilities to produce a run of machines.{{Cite web |last=Heckendorn |first=Benjamin J |title=America’s Most Haunted – Making Of |url=https://www.benheck.com/americas-most-haunted-making-of/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Benjamin J Heckendorn |language=en-US}} With feedback from Dennis Nordmann, Heck built a prototype and coded the rules of the game. The electronics were created by Parker Dillmann from the Houston business MacroFab while pinball components came from Chicago-based Pinball Life and plastic components were 3D printed. Their first run of America's Most Haunted was 150 units, which took almost two years to sell.{{Cite journal |last=Banfi |first=Ryan |date=2022-11-01 |title=Toward a Study of Pinball |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15554120211058315?icid=int.sj-abstract.citing-articles.16 |journal=Games and Culture |language=en |volume=17 |issue=7-8 |pages=931–953 |doi=10.1177/15554120211058315 |issn=1555-4120}} The first machine ever made was purchased by the Benton State Bank for the local Lawrence Pub and Eatery while the first game ever sold was bought by Joe Newhart from PinballSTAR Amusements.

Spooky Pinball's second effort was Rob Zombie's Spookshow International, released in early 2016. Emery revisited his Pinball Zombies From Beyond the Grave draft and adapted it to create the game.{{Cite web |date=2015-12-11 |title=Rob Zombie's Spookshow International |url=https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2015/12/11/rob-zombies-spookshow-international/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Pinball News |language=en-GB}} It included ten songs licensed from Zombie and his wife, Sheri Moon Zombie and Sid Haig provided voices for the game.{{Cite web |date=2015-12-16 |title=Spooky Pinballs Rob Zombie Flipper Game Ships In February |url=https://www.vendingtimes.com/news/spooky-pinballs-rob-zombie-flipper-game-ships-in-february/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Vending Times |language=en}} A run of 300 units was announced, which sold out before production began. That same year, Spooky also released Domino's Spectacular Pinball Adventure. Adam Gacek, Vice President and General Counsel at Domino's approached the company about building a themed game to raise funds for their charity, the Domino's Partner Foundation. Gacek helped with the design, which incorporated The Noid, and the first of 150 units was revealed at Domino's World Wide Rally in Las Vegas.{{Cite web |last=Baetens |first=Melody |title=The Noid is back in Domino's Pizza commercials |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/dining/2021/04/26/noid-back-dothe-noid-is-back-in-dominos-pizza-commercialsminos-pizza-commercials/7381460002/ |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=The Detroit News |language=en-US}} That year, they company also expanded to a separate building.{{Cite web |last=Barnes |first=Kayla |date=2016-07-15 |title=Spooky Pinball of Benton scaring up popularity |url=https://www.swnews4u.com/local/business/spooky-pinball-of-benton-scaring-up-popularity/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=www.swnews4u.com}}

2017 saw the release of three pinball machines, Alice Cooper's Nightmare Castle, Total Nuclear Annihilation, and The Jetsons.

interview about Alice Cooper{{Cite web |title=Interview with Ben Heck: Leaving Spooky, Alice Cooper’s Nightmare Castle Preview, What is Next for Ben Heck {{!}} Kineticist |url=https://www.kineticist.com/post/interview-with-ben-heck |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=www.kineticist.com |language=en}}

- As of 2024, 40 person staff{{Cite web |last=Nieland |first=Grace |date=2023-01-14 |title=With industry 'booming,' SW Wisconsin pinball company to double building space |url=https://www.telegraphherald.com/news/public_announcements/article_52b04bfc-92a6-11ed-acac-5fec0a0a6b76.html |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=TelegraphHerald.com |language=en}} Morgan is CFO, Bug is creative director.

- Ben Heck doing coding 2022{{Cite web |last=Jason |date=2022-07-13 |title=Ben Heck to Begin Coding Spooky Pinball’s Next Next Game This Week |url=https://www.knapparcade.org/post/spooky-pinball-bringing-ben-heck-back-to-code-next-game |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Knapp Arcade |language=en}}

- Machine awards{{Cite web |last=Roznik |first=Sharon |title=Pinball wizards are on rise in Wisconsin as the iconic game makes a comeback |url=https://www.fdlreporter.com/story/news/2021/10/05/pinball-sees-resurgence-wisconsin-and-beyond/8255830002/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=The Reporter |language=en-US}}

- Located in Benton, Wisconsin. Have a warehouse with assembly line.

- 26 3D printers to create parts Also had laser cutting unit and sign shop for printing decals.

- As of 2024, constructing a 12,000 square foot building across from current facility to expand. Aim to complete in 2025 and use existing building for storage.

- Games take 18 months to develop.

- Estimate that it takes them about 40 hours to build a machine, assembly line style. Makes and sells more that 1,000 units each year, costing roughly $10,000. Other estimate is 20 hours to build.

- Works with studios for licensing agreements.

- Machines available in three versions{{Cite web |last=Weintraub |first=Steven |date=2021-07-05 |title=The ‘Halloween’ Pinball Is a Love Letter to John Carpenter’s Movie |url=https://collider.com/halloween-pinball-price-specs-images-john-carpenter-jason-edmiston/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=Collider |language=en}}

- Some machines same build with different themes (Halloween and Ultraman)

- in 2024 made just under 2,000 machines{{Cite web |last=Jason |first=Knapp |date=2022-07-31 |title=Happy Birthday to George Jetson! A Look at the Rare Jetsons Pinball Machine |url=https://www.knapparcade.org/post/happy-birthday-to-george-jetson-a-look-at-the-rare-jetsons-pinball-machine |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=Knapp Arcade |language=en}}

- As of 2023, machines retail between $7.7 and $9.8k

- "The only things not made in Benton are the electronics, which are designed and engineered by Parker Dillmann from MacroFab in Houston and Ben Heckendorn"

- "Common pinball parts come from Pinball Life in Chicago but all the unique pieces, all the cabinets, everything else is engineered in house. Emery’s daughter Morgan, who is only 16, makes all the wiring harnesses."

- Production run numbers

"Experienced designer Nordman will even lend a hand in designing PinHeck, the software under which the new manufacturer’s first pinball machines will run" (manufactured in TX).

- Introduced family mode with Rob Zombie

-"catering to customers who want machines in their homes."

-"Scott Danesi’s Total Nuclear Annihilation,"{{Cite web |title=Charlie Emery Pinball Machine Maker (Design) |url=https://www.kineticist.com/pinball-people/charlie-emery |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=www.kineticist.com |language=en}}

"innovative features, such as the PinHeck system and co-op gameplay modes,"

Other sources: https://www.jsonline.com/picture-gallery/news/local/wisconsin/2023/03/13/spooky-pinball-thriving-business-giving-throwback-game-21st-century-makeover/11465993002/, https://web.archive.org/web/20250306170737/https://madison.com/business/spooky-pinball-makes-its-mark-in-a-tiny-town/article_ea6f0383-212f-5cab-9ab6-f0e5c367a0d2.html,

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.spookypinball.com/ Company website]

Categories:

:Category:Pinball manufacturers

:Category:Manufacturing companies established in 2016

:Category:American companies established in 2016

:Category:Electronics companies established in 2016

:Category:Privately held companies based in Wisconsin

:Category:Manufacturing companies based in Wisconsin