The Simpsons (pinball)
The Simpsons pinball is a 1990 pinball table made by Data East Pinball, based on the Simpsons TV show. It was released in October 1990 and uses the show’s voices, music, and likenesses, with the original cast voicing the characters. Data East produced 5,502 units at its Melrose Park, Illinois factory.
The machine features bumpers that look like nuclear cooling towers and targets themed around the family’s foods, bowling, and other show moments. It includes a Yamaha synthesizer that plays the Simpsons theme and an OKI sound chip for voices, using the real voice actors. It was designed by Joe Kaminkow and Ed Cebula, with artwork by Kevin O’Connor and Margaret Hudson.
The Simpsons pinball was licensed by Fox, with input from Matt Groening and Sam Simon during development. Groening later called the project a fun chance to “design a pinball.” The game also features a three-ball multiball and was praised for its strong theme and presentation.
It won AMOA’s Best Pinball Game of 1990 and is credited with helping revive pinball popularity in the early 1990s. A follow-up, The Simpsons Pinball Party, was released by Stern in 2003.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 10:00 (CET).