One of the few of this Era Gottliebs I would purchase, strictly based on Theme as I've never played it. I never see one for sale.

Fun game! Doesn't have an auto plunger so you don't get any ball save or add a ball in multi ball. That's really its biggest drawback, considering it's from '95. Had a lot of fun with it in the time I owned it.

It was my first game! Really like it, and I’ve owned two, but don’t have one at the moment. The code goes deeper than most people know!

Looks like a fun game. The movie isn't that bad.

Looking for someone with a Waterworld who has this ball guide that's missing on mine. I just need to know how long it is? I'm custom making my own so I would like the correct measurements. Thanks a bunch.

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This game is grossly underrated, in my opinion. Nice rule set, hard to complete both paths of the adventure, multiball, good flow. Like others have said, the movie being considered one of the all time bombs did not help, nor did the machine launching months after the movies release. Everyone who gives the machine a try enjoys it.

I did do one small change to the settings, I made sink the Deez obtainable only by completing three in a row on the board, its not in the random awards anymore so you really have to work for the four ball multiball instead of it just being given to you. I am waiting for someone to retheme a Waterworld into a Stranger Things; when the Deez flips you enter The Upside Down and have to get all four kids together to escape. It would be pretty sweet, imho.

If you have not had the chance, check out the extended directors cut as it improves the movie greatly. It is almost like another movie complete with "different" ending.

@glycerin I will try to get that measurement for you tonight.

Here is my small corner of pinball heaven.

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Thanks I appreciate this a bunch. Yeah that ball guide is notoriously known for being missing or broken on all Waterworlds. I know one other guy with the same machine, and his is also missing.

I want a Color DMD! Anybody know if they are planning on making one?

my buddy has one and i like it

not a deep game but a very specific way to play it to get huge scores. cant mess up how you fill out the tic tac toe board.

id buy one if one came up for sale around me for their going rate

I was fortunate enough to get a NOS playfield from Steve Young(PBR). I added a Dennis Hopper figure, made a translite and got an early on laseriffic topper (LED Color changing). I hope they come out with a color DMD for it.

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I second your request for a color DMD. That is an excellent looking Waterworld, talk about tricked out!

The only blemish on mine is there is wear by the flippers where they were misadjusted and wore down the playfield. I wonder how a printed decal for the area would look.

Does anyone have any tips for keeping the two middle drop targets from launching massive airballs? I was thinking about shimming the mechanism from the bottom with a couple washers to rake the targets forward a bit.

Hello all! I recently acquired a Waterworld machine and am pretty sure it is not working correctly. However, hard to be 100% sure since you can score a 2 ball multiball on the skillshot. The machine gives balls out like it is Christmas!!!! Sometimes even before the ball gets out of the initial ramp upon plunging, another ball pops out to the plunger. I thought maybe a switch was out of whack and triggering multiball for hitting the skillshots, however it usually is just Hopper's voice saying, "You get another chance!". Sometimes, it advances the ball play count by 1. Has anyone ran into this with this machine or another Gottlieb System 3? If so, I would appreciate pointing me in the right direction.

Thanks!

You’ll want to start by going into system test and see if there are any bad switches or optos. You get there via having the game on, and opening the coin door. There’s some buttons inside there

Yeah, no. There are certain games that are truly underrated, Waterworld is definitely not one of them. I actually think the movie isn't half bad, maybe even underrated if not bloated (Wasn't it one of the most expensive movies to make?)

With that said, I REALLY wanted to like Waterworld when I bought one, but the game is a total snoozer with not only uninspired rules, but shots that aren't worth shooting for that don't do much. There are layers in the code deep within the game that are interesting, but they don't do a whole hell of a lot and the whole concept of trading dirt is poorly executed. It's right up there with Gilligans Island, it's that bad.

If you love mindless pinball that a drunk must of coded, then maybe Waterworld is for you.

This is the Waterworld club... Not the trash Waterworld thread.

This is a public forum, rookie, and I have a right to share my opinion as well. Don't like it? TS.

Typical Pinside troll.

Say what you want, it's not going to change how lousy the code is

For those who were attempting to help out! I appreciate it! Rookie mistake on my part.....I picked this up at auction and did not even think to check the number of balls in the machine. It had 1 too many and was spitting the extra one out thinking the previous was drained.

Just a moderation comment.

This is a club thread - we tend to moderate those in a "Don't piss on my cornflakes" sort of way.

Negative posts would be accepted to answer a thread "I can get a Waterworld game at a decent price... should I buy it?" (as long as one is not trolling).

But generally not here. (May be "I owned one, but it grew old fast because of XX" or "I had too many technical issues with this game" or "Not my favorite GTB").

Safe haven for Waterworld owners... even YOU deserve one!

NB: for the twisted souls: a "Waterworld haters club" won't be tolerated

I'm not sure I'd call a comment about rules being shallow "piss on my cornflakes". Can't say I've ever really played waterworld but I do look at these club threads to learn more about games. Hearing that waterworld has code that isn't very deep isn't exactly a giant knock against the game.

Waterworld is the second worst gottlieb DMD, only behind r911

I have way more fun playing waterworld than gladiators....it’s all opinion but why be in the waterworld club and be a negative Nancy?

The code is deeper than most give it credit for, but no one wants to put the time in to explore it.

At the top of this page there is a play guide that is excellent as it explains the different modes, the branching storylines and more.

Hello guys.

As I have already said in another thread I am new in pinball. Big fun of the movie and this my first pinball.

However we had to go through a massive repair project. We even found a bee nest behind the title glass.

Before and after pictures bellow.

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Man I wish someone made decals for the common flipper wear on this machine to cover the wear spots.

Agreed. Mine are bare wood. Only unsightly part of the machine. Id pay $20 for that...

Mine has the wear at the flippers too. I have a NOS playfield and will be doing my first playfield swap at some point.

Why is this machine so much worse than seemingly any other machine for flipper wear? Were they shipped from new with 1/2" flipper rubbers or something? The dithering in the colors makes fixing this by hand quite a job.

Any chance we could get you to scan the flipper area in a high rez format before you do the swap? I would like to try and make decals for it.

Yeah. I will try and remember to grab the playfield the next time I go down to my climate controlled storage unit. I already cleared it.

Really Very happy for that guys!!!

I bit it at last

1,629,425,879 high score!!!!!!!!

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Hi all. I just purchased WW. It’s my first pin and was working great until the ball went into the harpoon slot. It shot out once. The second time it fired, but not hard enough to go up the ramp. Now it won’t fire. It keeps saying “fire the harpoon” and finally the screen says call service.
Wondering if I have to replace the solenoid which one to get, where, and how do you install?
Thanks

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Welcome to the club! First off it looks like the wrong coil is installed. However you should check the switch as well. If you look on pinball resource, call or email they can help you get a part(s) however Marco specialties may have them too.

There was a service notice to swap the harpoon coil with the left slingshot coil. Or just get one the same as your sling shots.

That's the wrong coil. Check the switch first. It does not cost much and you can find it anywhere. If this does not work then replace the coil with the original.

Thanks for the feedback. I’ll mess around with the switch first to see if that will work. The 2 contacts on the switch are not touching would that matter?
Can you recommend tools I should have to help me replace these types of parts?

I believe this is the switch you are referring to. Looking at the ones for the flippers this one doesn’t look good.
Looks easy enough to replace so I’ll give it a shot.

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Is that photo showing the switch being closed? It is hard to tell from that angle. I'm not sure that switch should be making contact in the resting position. If it is touching, try bending the outside tab back straight so there is a small gap when the switch is at rest. You can use the shorter thick metal tab to help hold that thinner tab away from the inside contact. Then actuate the switch from the playfield side and make sure the faces make contact. Also take a businees card and put it between the contacts, press on the contacts and pull the card out. That will clean stray gunk off the contacts. I can take a picture of mine tonight if you need more help.

JodyG is right. That switch should be "open" aka not touching with no ball in the harpoon. WHen the ball goes into the harpoon it should close the switch , thus activating the coil to fire.

SiTe - invest in a switch adjustment tool! They are handy dandy!
https://www.pinballlife.com/ultimate-leaf-adjuster-tool.html

Here is what mine looks like.

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Does anyone know the switch and solenoid part # I would need for the harpoon shooter?
A lot of them look alike.
Thanks

Well, I changed out the switch and coil but still no luck with the harpoon. I can rack up several points but it won’t shoot out.
Does anyone have other suggestions on what to do?

I’m posting a picture of the solenoid I got for the harpoon. I went through the single test and this is the only coil not firing. I added a block of wood in the area to keep the ball out until I can figure another solution.

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If you can’t fire the coil in test but other coils work. May be the transistor. You can test via a dmm, and look in the manual to see which transistor.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/how-to-test-a-transistor