| Industry | Interactive entertainment |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 2011 |
| Founder | Jack Guarnieri |
| Headquarters | Elk Grove Village, Illinois, U.S. |
| Products | Pinball |
| Owner | Jack Guarnieri |
| Website | www |
Jersey Jack Pinball, Inc. is an American pinball machine manufacturing company that was established in 2011. The first table released by the company, The Wizard of Oz, appeared in 2013.
History
Jersey Jack Pinball was founded in January 2011 by industry veteran Jack Guarnieri. Starting in 1975, he serviced electromechanical pinball tables for a living, and he created the website PinballSales.com in 1999. Guarnieri hired designer Joe Balcer and programmer Keith Johnson to work on the first machines.
In 2013, the company released its first pinball machine, The Wizard of Oz. They spent $2 million in startup and development and sold the machines for $7,000 each. Guarnieri's goal was to produce a high-quality pinball machine regardless of cost, and attract a larger female pinball audience than other manufacturers. The Wizard of Oz's release caught the attention of Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, who reached out to the company about collaborating on a pinball machine.
Jersey Jack's machines have been used in donations by Project Pinball Charity in 2015, 2016, and 2019.
In 2020, Jersey Jack relocated their manufacturing operations from their original location in Lakewood, New Jersey to Elk Grove Village, Illinois where their design team was already based. The first machine produced at its new location was Guns N' Roses. As of 2023 the company had over 100 employees.
In September, 2024, the company announced that their next machine would be adapted from the Avatar franchise.
Game development
Jersey Jack games have introduced several notable features over the years, including LCD screens, LED lighting, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, and camera integration. The Wizard of Oz featured a 26-inch LCD monitor in the backglass. Dialed In! featured a camera integrated into the game's backbox to facilitate selfie photography and Bluetooth capability.
Games
| Year | Title | Designer | Comments | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | The Wizard of Oz | Joe Balcer | ||
| 2016 | The Hobbit | Joe Balcer | ||
| 2017 | Dialed In! | Pat Lawlor | ||
| 2018 | Pirates of the Caribbean | Eric Meunier | ||
| 2019 | Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory | Pat Lawlor | ||
| 2020 | Guns N' Roses | Eric Meunier Saul Hudson |
||
| 2022 | Toy Story 4 | Pat Lawlor | Lawlor’s last game | |
| 2023 | The Godfather 50 years | Eric Meunier | ||
| 2023 | Elton John | Steve Ritchie | ||
| 2024 | Avatar: The Battle for Pandora | Mark Seiden |
References
- ^ Bradford, Harry (27 June 2013). "Jersey Jack Pinball CEO Explains How He's Making The Beloved Arcade Game Cool Again (VIDEO)". HuffPost. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
- ^ a b Levin, Josh (2013-01-09). "Pinball Is Dying. Can This Man Bring It Back to Life?". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ a b Fry, Erika (2013-02-22). "It's not game over for pinball". Fortune. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ a b c Elejalde-Ruiz, Alexia (2020-10-07). "Why Guns N' Roses' Slash is in Elk Grove Village, playing pinball". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "Impact – The Project Pinball Charity". Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "Jersey Jack Pinball Relocates Manufacturing Operations" (Press release). Chicago, IL: Jersey Jack Pinball, Inc. PRNewswire. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ Winick, Erin (2023-10-16). "The Arcade Classic That Tilted Digital". Engineering.com. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ a b Harding, Matt (2024-09-12). "The Battle for Pandora is Here! Meet Avatar, Jersey Jack's Latest Pinball". RePlay Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ Barnas, Tom (2022-08-30). "A behind-the-scenes look at a Chicago pinball factory". WGN-TV. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "New Pinball Machine is a Game Changer for the Industry: We're Not in Kansas Anymore" (Press release). Lakewood, NJ: Jersey Jack Pinball, Inc. PRNewswire. 2013-05-21. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ Louis, Justin (12 April 2016). "Jersey Jack Drops A Bomb About Their Next Pinball Game [Video]". Wobm.com. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
- ^ "Jersey Jack Pinball Unveils The Pat Lawlor Game: Dialed In!". Arcadeheroes.com. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
- ^ "Pinball News: Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory reveal'". www.pinballnews.com. 13 April 2019.
- ^ "Pat Lawlor: Pinball designer". Pinball Mag. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ Seigh, Steve (14 June 2022). "Toy Story 4 pinball announced by Jersey Jack Pinball company". www.joblo.com. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ Pelletier, Ashley (2023-10-25). "Elton John Is Being Immortalized in Pinball Form". The Pop Insider. Retrieved 2024-04-16.