Williams

Heat Wave

Pinside Rating

This game received 27 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 8.624 _/10

8.624

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #4 in the Pinside EM Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 8.751

Artwork: 8.549

Sounds/Music: 3.572

Other Aspects: 8.731

Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 2 of us have rated this game.

8.848

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Found 20 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 20 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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10.000/10

82 days ago

RAS

Raff

Pinside member

North Adelaide

9y 66,550 1,495 19 7

Great game

2 Pinsiders flagged this.

9.675/10

4 months ago

CP

BRONX

Pinside member

Hamilton, ON

3y 42,300 687 36

Williams Heat wave was way ahead of its time, including neat animated backglass temperature thermometer that actually functions and make the game more appealing.... I myself am a big fan of Gottlieb e.m games, but this being a Williams, I'm impressed and right up there with any great gottlieb's of that era if not one of the tops.. I believe Williams had the DC flippers? Very strong responsive flippers for sure. Playfield and backglass art go together and truly a classic. Cabinet art is simple, dull and boring so it scored lower on the report card. Game play is extremely fun, the flipper gap is not as "gappy" as typical 2" flippers of that era, neat idea with that flipper gap saver, so with that, and if you are a good nudger, it won't be a drain monster at all. Moving targets is amazing feature and even more so because it was made in 1964. Game rules start of easy but as you are progressing deeper into rule set, it becomes harder and harder to achieve success, since the more you complete tasks, (usually the easier lit inserts) the more the game takes away(next set of easier inserts) making it totally challenging to achieve blowing the heat wave ribbon to the top!!! So good luck to all!!

I like this game even though it's a 2" flipper game from the 60s. Game lighting is pretty even throughout the playfield.

I updated my rating on Jan28 2024. I still think the cabinet art could of been better, but other than that it's a true keeper. Making its way to my personal favorite! I upgraded heat waves backglass rating, the more I see it, the more I appreciate. The bright sunny colors put a smile on my face, even on the most rainy overcast days.

BRONX edited previous rating on January 29, 2024.

7.737/10

2 years ago

DO

Dono

Pinside+ Frequent

Glenelg, MD

9y 86,050 1,783 12 25

Had this game for many years... super fun, love pf and backglass art. Cabinet art not very inspiring to say the least.

Dono has owned this game in the past.

8.533/10

3 years ago

TOM

marioparty34

Pinside+ Frequent

5y 176K 1,453 123 1

Classic game.

marioparty34 edited previous rating on February 01, 2023.

9.453/10

3 years ago

MYK

undrdog

Pinside+ Addict

4y 99,050 3,215 9

Heat wave is a great machine. It’s got a difficult skill shot up top and moving targets in the lower playfield. What's not to like?

I don’t understand games without a fun skill shot. Get it right and the ball gracefully covers an arch of five lit buttons. Or maybe four of them. It’s a beautiful thing when you can get it. Skill shots like Heat Wave's is what pinball is all about. And moving targets. Did I mention those?

I bought mine as a project because the triangular bumper between the 2” flippers intrigued me. Also, the swinging targets.

There is a set of five pop bumpers in the classic five pattern that is more about making it hard to get back up to the top of the playfield where the button rollovers are, than getting a lot of fun pop bumper action. Especially at only 1 pt each, most of the time.

The rollover buttons and moving targets advance the thermometer to light the specials. Advancing the thermometer also advances the value of the drop target, which is dead center. Hitting both of the moving targets raises the target back up, and that's the big points on this table- from 100 to 500.

Heat Wave is all about ball control- the nudge, the flippers and the skill shot. Even with the bumpers configured on "liberal", it’s a tough game if your goal is to Blow Your Top. But it keeps bringing me back. If the test of a game is that you can’t help but press that credit button yet again, Heat Wave scores 100.

Did I mention moving targets?! Ya gotta love it.

People who find Heat Wave slow or sluggish must not have been playing on a tuned machine. You've got to keep coming back to get the thermometer up to Blow Your Top. It’s addicting.

8.487/10

3 years ago

TKM

Daditude

Pinside Moderator

Rockwall, TX

5y 266K 10,113 23 271 1

Just an all-around fun game. Deservedly a top EM of all-time. Interesting theme, bright colors, good lighting, fun rules and shots, and the rising thermometer in the BG put this one over the top!

Daditude currently owns this game.

9.072/10

3 years ago

JJB

jbovenzi

Pinside+ Addict

Sparks, NV

8y 112K 1,381 34

One of the top EMs and it should be. Heat Wave's thermometer (repeated again in another great EM) is the immediate draw for everyone. Then people start to play and understand the fun.

Swinging targets add to the game as well as its wide open areas. Simple "reverse" wedgehead from Williams.

Clever artwork and good theme.

(I forgot: it makes an "ironic" appearance in John Carpenter's The Thing! Should add extra points for that! :) )

9.190/10

4 years ago

BAW

Bankshot

Pinside member

6y 37,050 7 12 18

This one really surprised me. I was drawn in by the backglass animation and the cool look of the reverse wedge head. Properly tuned, the ball really flies on the lower playfield. Pretty difficult skill shot to hit all the rollovers up top followed by five pop bumpers that change value as the thermometer climbs. Raising the thermometer gets harder the better you do as rollover lights go out and no longer raise the temp. I have a lot of games under my belt and getting the thermometer to “blow your top” is very hard, let alone getting the center target special. This really has that “one more game” appeal.

Bankshot edited previous rating on May 15, 2020.
Bankshot currently owns this game.

6.488/10

6 years ago

B13

Bribo13

Pinside member

Ortonville, MI

12y 70,550 411 24 69

not Williams best effort. the two swing targets are kind of cool. but the game lacks much other than that to shoot at. Cool art work on the play field, back glass is nothing great . Fun for a few games , maybe even a few weeks, but not a keeper.

6.541/10

6 years ago

???

classicszone

Inactive member

Unknown

6y 13,000 2 7

I like the targets and the back glass. Game seems sluggish when you play it. It does not make me feel like playing over and over. Not my favorite.

9.245/10

6 years ago

???

Vintage-Pinball

Pinside+ Frequent

Linton

11y 61,550 746 28 10

This is one of my most favourite Williams EM. I've always liked this one and it took ages for me to finally find a decent one. There's little to not like about this one, good flow of the ball, the target feature and of course the thermometer in the backglass really sets this one apart from the others.

Vintage-Pinball edited previous rating on March 08, 2018.

9.482/10

6 years ago

CML

MaxAsh

Pinball Tycoon

8y 74,100 1,283 10

Heat Wave's most prominent feature is probably it's backbox "toy" or mechanic, which is a thermometer that rises as the game is played and certain scoring achieved (similar to Centigrade 37). The fact that it predates C37 by over a decade (Heat Wave 1964) is a telling sign of what it achieved in an earlier era.

The overall theme is perfect for the title. You have the hot sun glaring at you from the playfield, overheated characters on the plastics and backglass, colors and style that just flow well with the overall game. It just has such a nice look to it, and the array of colors is not jarring because the tone is just right.

Gameplay is progressively harder as the game goes forward, something less common with many early titles. Your goal is to raise the thermometer by hitting lit targets, which increases your overall bonus scoring shot value. What's great about the game design is that as you raise the thermometer, LESS targets are lit with each level you achieve. Each time the thermometer rises to a new status, lights/targets go out, making it harder and harder to reach the top (Blow Your Top). A lot of games have repetitive designs, so hitting the same shot over and over and make scoring too easy. Heat Wave successfully takes that away, as it makes sure you need to vary your shots a little to get where you want to go.

And as if that wasn't enough, the flipper area had to be unique too. Rather than a standard set of flippers with a gap, you're given the widely space flipper design with a center, triangular posted playfield object. It doesn't score, and doesn't sling, it's just there to redirect the ball. You can use it for shot angles, ball saves, or any number of things (keeping that rubber fresh is important!) It can be a nudger's dream or nightmare, depending on how you learn to use it.

Heat Wave gets a big thumbs up in my mind, especially when you consider its era and design.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

7.265/10

7 years ago

RHO

spiroagnew

Inactive member

11y 121K 982 161

One of the best, if not the best, Williams reverse wedgeheads out there. Fun to shoot but tough to complete the thermometer. The playfield is filled with danger; from the swinging targets, to the centre standup, to the massive flipper gaps. Getting the hang of ball movement off of the centre drain island is critical to success. Gottlieb is the darling of 1960s game collectors, but Heat Wave drives home that there are gems to be found from other manufacturers from the time period.

8.181/10

7 years ago

DRL

QuietEarp

Pinside member

Stroudsburg, PA

11y 87,300 708 9 26

I love this game! It is a great EM. Gotta get the heat level up!

QuietEarp has this game on the wishlist.

9.209/10

7 years ago

MMT

Xerico

Pinside Moderator

Rockwall, TX

11y 148K 3,604 14

Williams Heat Wave is a great game that flies under the radar. It has that "one more game" quality that separates it from a lot of other EMs.

The backglass is stellar, as is the animated thermometer. The two inch flippers really force a player to use nudging and slaps to help keep the ball in play.

The biggest surprise most people have after playing a Heat Wave is that it is not incredibly popular by EM standards. If you ever have the chance to play one, I highly recommend it.

Xerico has owned this game in the past.

9.023/10

8 years ago

TAR

pinwiztom

Pinside member

Salem, OR

11y 116K 8,935 311 18

This is a great players game, with the lower PF having a drop target and 2 swinging targets to shoot for that can add up points fast once the bonus is built up by raising the notches on the thermometer.
With each new temperature zone achieved the ability to increase the thermometer gets harder, but then one also gets more pop bumpers lit for higher score potential. One key is to nudge the ball to rollover the arc of rollover buttons to increase the temperature ribbon on the thermometer. The colors and artwork are grand on this machine.
Probably my current favorite WMS reverse wedgehead.

pinwiztom currently owns this game.

7.021/10

9 years ago

CWE

Zorgar

Inactive member

Göttingen

9y 16,250 43

The heat is on and it gets hotter while playing. Usually only on the backglass. The flippers are wide but they have a big post in the middle that will bounce you some balls on them. The theme was picked up later by C37.

Zorgar edited previous rating on October 08, 2014.

8.569/10

9 years ago

AJA

Drano

Pinside member

Mississauga, ON

12y 110K 3,840 14 60

I got to play one of these for the first time in Allentown last year and was very pleasantly surprised. Although I love EMs, I rarely enjoy anything pre 70's with 2" flippers.
The theme and backbox thermometer animation immediately grabbed me beacuse of my love of Gottlieb's Centigrade 37. I loved the moving targets and the difficulty of gaining ball control to actually hit them.
This game makes you work for every point and it was a blast to play. I just found a local example and bought it. It'll sit right next to my C37 as a fitting compliment.

Drano currently owns this game.

8.446/10

10 years ago

ZUL

Caucasian2Step

Evil McBooty

12y 163K 1,454 51 1011

Heat Wave is one of those games where things are not what you'd normally expect from game play, and it plays great.

The Pros:
A centered drop target and two swinging targets mean that you always have something so shoot for from widely spaced eeety beeety fleeepers. 5 pops at the top keep the action fresh and if you can plunge/nudge a perfect arc over the 5 rollovers, you are playing like a pin-champ! The temperature rises as the game progresses and the Steinholm art package is spot on. Gramps clicking his heels for the bitty showing a good deal of "calf" reminds you this is all in good fun.

The Cons:
Finding on in good shape can constitute a pin-grail quest of epic proportions. Junior is way too greedy with his ice cream.

The Takeaway:
The flipper arrangement takes a bit to get used to, but once you get the hang of this game, you are in for a great time.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

7.901/10

10 years ago

GM

BallyWizard

Inactive member

London

10y 34,150 2 24 98

This is a very challenging game. Looks so simple I thought when I recently played it at The Pinball Parlour Museum in Ramsgate Kent. Well, it's not! Those moving targets aren't easy to hit, it plays fast and smooth and it's very hard. I thought it was great and will hunt one down.

1

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