Exciting at first
Then you plunge your second ball
Walk away early

Won't fit in your car
Borrow a friend's pickup truck
What was I thinking

Is that a cueball
Yeah, I think that's a cueball
I am so confused

It is not that big
Put it next to my Total
Recall two-player

Could be my fault, I've been quenching as well my friend.... Lol

Basically I am stating that if someone literally approached me with the following:

1) Quantity (5) $100 bills, cash.
2) An Atari Hercules pinball machine

And that someone made me this offer:

"Why thee sir, tiss five hundred ducketts, please take this monetary contribution to get this huge piece of crap out of my gameroom and you can have it"

My response:

Take your $500 and your lame oversized pinball behemoth and GTFO here

Thank [burp] you for clearing that up. Since you are out west you have a time zones in your favor about now I need to sleep but wish I had 3 more hours to quench bud 4:10 am here now. I would rather have 1:10 am like you!!!! The quenching could continue friend!

Peace and have fun

How would you solder...with one of these?

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how much for total recall? PM sent.

Those are clearly wooden skee-balls in what I assume is the ball trough. I thought it used cue balls from a pool table.

yea, a cue ball is actually heavier and makes the game play crappier. The original is not a cue ball. Plays better with an original.

I beleive the original WAS a cue ball I put a lighter trac ball in one at expo some years ago also there are 2 still operating at arcade in CEDAR POINT still

I was told by numerous people that bought one when they were new that a cue ball is actually heavier than the ball that came with it. The original was more like a powerball, except a lot larger.

It is not as much that it is a "turd" as it is to find replacements part for machine.
It uses a cue ball as a proper ball, if it shipped with something different from the factory, I don't know, because I never saw one NIB, as this was just a few years too young before tech work.

When I owned one, I had to get specially built machines assemblies when something broke like pop bumper assemblies, yokes, and such. That was the real PITA.

As a game it has plenty of value in museums or businesses. Really draws the crowds and makes good money.

It is not always about pure collector value, this game was never meant for that consideration when designed.

It would be interesting for owners to "weigh their balls" (cough cough) and report back ...

I have a non working Herc at home, it'd been in storage for 10 years. I think it has a ball in it, I'll pull it out and weigh it in the weekend when I am home.

rd

Does anyone know how many were made?

Production numbers are unconfirmed, but basic estimates were between 280-400 machines.
The low number came from Mr. Pinball which was released in a price guide over 10+ years ago.
Most collectors estimate somewhere in the 300+ range.

The range stretches to 490 units at the moment.

http://www.ipsnd.net/View.aspx?id=1155

I knew a guy that had 3 of them. That's how I knew about the lighter original ball.

I think you're reading the wrong thing. It says "production unknown". 490 relates to something else.

I had read 220 was the number made.

rd

I am very good in reading:

"Coverage: 490 linear / 490 in 1 clusters 200 wide"

Judging by the serials registered already the production range there can be 490 pieces if there were no gaps in the numbering.

Ah, I see what that means. My apologies. Of course, that would rely on the missing numbers all have being made, so who would know?

I don't know where I read the 220 made ... I thought it was IPDB but they haven't got a number up. I read it just before I bought my Herc a few months back.

In the case of Hercules, I think it'd be easy enough to track the remaining ones down. They aren't something that is easy to hide ... everyone remembers a Hercules.

rd

All I know is the game plays much better with the lighter weight "trackball" ball.

Bringing up this old thread as I'm poking around in my Hercules for various reasons. I think the playfield could be lifted out by two people.....it might be the way to go when trying to fix things underneath. I've got a short in at least one of the GI light strands and trying to trace it on my back is about impossible, especially since the legs were shortened to make the game fit in my basement. Has anyone taken one of these playfields out and was it pretty straight forward? I've also been thinking about adding some extra lighting to the pop bumpers somehow but was wondering if anyone else has done any mods to there game?
Thanks,
John

yes have taken two out very easy to do just need to plan where you are going to set it on

Just an FYI, Hershey Park (Hershey, PA) still has a non working one in their arcade.

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Been thinking about this mod for a loooong time and I came across some LED strips that I had tucked away and thought I'd slap them in the Hercules to see what sorta effect it would have. The blue ball is even illuminated by the lights as it goes by and bounces around the pops. They could be just a little bit brighter but still a cool effect with stuff I just had laying around.
John

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So... is anyone aware of anyone trying to sell one? I am looking for a Hercules project that may be collecting dust....

If you are contemplating selling or know someone who is, please let me know what you have, what you are looking to get for it, and let's make a deal!