the alien xeno mech performs the same action as addams familys 'thing' - a magnet that reaches out to retrieve the ball. over 25 years ago bally made more than 20,000 AF with 'things' that worked. HP made less that 200 aliens, many with xenos that malfunctioned. i couldnt understand why people got so excited over the xeno thinking it was something new/different/innovative.

Shout out for The Battlefield on The Shadow

It's huge, unique, and a neat physical version of playing Breakout.

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Also the user controlled ramp diverters were a neat touch. It's an idea that hasn't really been explored to its full potential

are you saying we shouldnt be having to settle for todays castle themed game which includes a razor blade on a string and a frankenstien that peeks over a wall - both of which rarely come into play, and when they do hardly affect/impact game play? for a game that was marketed as having the kitchen sink thrown at it, as the OP says, when it comes to MTI, some games are coming up way short.

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The dagger on the diverters is in the film. The ring is in the film. The film ain't that bad. It is a blend of different 'Shadows' mostly following the story lines of the old radio shows.

I think Hurricane counts with its dual Ferris Wheels and spinning backbox platter. The juggler is also *neat* but it just throws the ball from one cup to another.

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EMs had them, they called them gates

The trick is come up with something that is a new idea. The rocking mini playfield on JJP Pirates looks to be unique. This main issue would be reliability on a pin for the arcade operators. Will there be another Rudy? Most likely answer is no.

If that Time Shock pin becomes a working prototype, that is something I want to see more of. Taking a video pin game and creating a real pin. So far it appears to be a design challenge and a large financial challenge.

Please don't feed the troll.

JJP pirates went overboard (eh?) with the pirate ship. Jam packed, it rocks side to side, not controlled by the player as in indy. It rocks slower and faster based on character selection and where you are in the game. It has two spinners, two flippers, targets and a cannon that shoots the ball into the hole on another ship.
Thats what i call innovation. It should be named the best mini playfield ever.

Pinmation is definitely not asking too much today. I could easily see JJP doing a full fledged talking character on one of their games if they were to do a theme where that makes sense.

- agree with above poster re JJP POTC. Best mini playfield ever, great theme integration as well. (2nd best mini playfield is Shadow)

Other top mechanics working well with the theme:
- circus Voltaire ringmaster
- World Cup soccer goalie
- dialed in hologram
- cages coming up in outlanes of TOTAN (makes me think of the captured princess)
- white water insanity falls ramp from the upper flipper (rarely is a ramp a mechanical toy, but I feel it counts here)
- Houdini trunk shot
- AC/DC cannon
- mist ball on Dracula
- big Lebowski rug, car, and bowling
- Bansai run upper playfield
- cosmic cart racing magnet ramp
- multiple mechs on champion pub

Potc is a great one.

Ship, chest and spinning disc.

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Agree that actually Stern POTC has good mechanics with theme integration too.

And now my vote for worst mechanical theme integration, which I define as an actual attempt at a decent mechanical device but one that has poor theme integration...

X-files file cabinet

Honorable mention to STTNG for having cannons to launch balls with and the Borg ship that shoots them back at you.

I really wish the manufacturers would bring back subways.

There's still some cool subways out there being put in games. Although a smaller subway Ghostbusters premium / LE has one for locking balls from the main ramp. Hobbit has a fairly good size subway that feeds 4 different entrances. The largest subway in a game made in the past 20 years may be the one in JJP's Pirates, technically there's two (mini one in lower right).

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I'm working on a STTNG playfield swap, here's a pic of the new subway plastic with parts reattached. I don't think we will ever see a subway like this again, crazy.

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I don't know if this counts, but I love how the shaker motor goes with the flapping of the dragons wings on GOT. It's a shame I'm thinking about selling it.

Probably a bash toy with no articulation and a couple ramps. (You said “future,” which doesn’t necessarily mean progress).

An inflatable Gloop in JJP Willy Wonka that would come out of the playfield and push the ball, that would be a big first in pinball.

Metallica mop hammers balls in coffin under playfield
Potc ship, trunk spinning compas
Indiana j 4 moving scoop and ark
Aerosmith launches into toybox and elavator
And some more
I think stern isnt doing so bad

Addams Family - motorized bookcase
Fish Tales - fishing reel rotating ball lock and flapping fish topper.
AC/DC - interactive bell (it just swings but its satisfying to hit when you hear the sounds and see the animation)
White Water - Bigfoot diverts ball and head spins.
Twilight Zone - mini PF with magnet flippers, motorized clock
Fireball, etc - Zipper flippers
Bride of Pin*Bot - ball locking rotating face.
Cue Ball Wizard - motorized working cue stick
LotR/GOT - sword ball lock
Water World - tanker ship ball lock
BSD - mist ball
TOTAN - Lamp (not motorized but satisfying to spin when you hear the sounds and see the animation)
Championship Pub - punching bag/boxer

Mechs don't have to be fancy to be fun, just clever and nicely integrated. But as already mentioned, they take time and money to design and they add to BOM and build time. Only competition will improve things.

Honestly the coolest and most Shadow-y thing on the Shadow is the Sanctum Lock, where the ball stops (thanks magnets and optos) dead in its tracks, the wall lowers, then the ball enters the lock lane. So simple but so cool.

PopBumperPete mentions these can be gates.
You can also get the same thing with a kickback.

The Helicopter on R911 proves that not all mechanical things are are great idea in Pinball. It's neat, but I dislike how much it disrupts the game.

Also sticking with Gottlieb-
Loop ramp in Gold wings
Ski Slope elevator in Wipeout
Deez ball lock in Waterworld

Sometimes it's good to revisit old classics in search of new ideas.

Also, imagine making a ball move like this...

I read through this whole thread and am shocked not to see a single mention of the catapult on Houdini. This is a perfect example of a well-integrated mech, and which is cool enough to still be interesting 1 year in. That’s a lot of plays.

I didn't think Houdini was particularly known for his catapults

???

Johnny Mnemonic hand mech

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Things like the Castle in Medival Madness or the Glove in Johnny Mnemonic are perfect examples of perfect mashups of theme integrated toys/ mechs and the main thing Stern is (mostly) lacking (and JJP and AP are pushing but fail to deliver in other things).

MM Castle is not THAT wild thing of a mech (it's way less complicated then JM Hand mech), it's more the combination of things that make it unique.

For me personally Sterns Star Trek comes close, as it has "only" a Vengeance bash toy, but that bash toy (equipped with a rumble function, magnet, backkicker and drop target) makes it a living, breathing enemy you have to fight.