Collector Value Est.
$2,000–$3,500
USD · Market estimate
Near-mint / restored. Worn or stored examples sell for 30–60% less.
Williams · 1985
Comet
“It's 1-in-a-million!”
Notable Features
Flippers (2), Pop bumpers (3), Slingshots (2), Standup targets (9), Kick-out holes (2), Drop target (1), Left crossover return lane, Mini-post screw between flippers. The drop target protects a stationary target. Corkscrew ramp in upper left playfield can be qualified to award extra ball and/or Special. The Cycle Jump ramp in upper right playfield can be qualified to award 1 million points. Actual measured weight: 248 lbs (includes legs).
Historical Notes
Designer Barry Oursler told us how this game got named:Comet wasn’t the original name. It was going to be 'Riverview', named after the amusement park that used to be across the river from Williams. After discussions with management and some of our big distributors, I changed the name and used one of the roller coaster names from that park. Comet was a common name for roller coasters, along with Cyclone and Hurricane. I figured I might as well keep the theme going. Oursler also told us that artist Python Anghelo wanted the top rollover inserts to be 1-9-8-6 in recognition of Halley's Comet near-Earth fly-by in 1986. Comet was the first solid-state machine to feature a one million point shot, using Steve Kordek's voice to announce "One Million!". An example of an electro-mechanical game with a million point shot is Williams' 1957 'Arrow Head'. Bill "Pfutz" Pfutzenreuter told us that Brian Dolatowski was the original programmer. Brian finished all the rules, then left Williams for another job. Pfutz inherited the game, fixed a few bugs, and convinced management to give him more time to make the game better by adding more light shows and flasher effects.
Where to Play It
Find Comet on location.
Current addresses, hours, and condition reports from the Pinball Map community.
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