Beetlejuice
Basics
A game by Spooky Pinball produced in 2026 and based upon the Beetlejuice movie from 1988.
Details on design team can be found on pinside at https://pinside.com/pinball/machine/beetlejuice
Playfield Layout
The playfield features a 3-flipper design (two lower, one upper right) with the following major shots, generally reading clockwise from the bottom left:
- Left Outlane / Inlane: Standard arrangement.
- Mode Change Switch: A rebound switch located above the left slingshot and below the left orbit.
- Left Orbit: Feeds the upper playfield; a perfect shot will do a figure-8 through the right side of the Upper Loop
- Left Ramp: Includes a wheel that awards “Spin the Wheel” prizes.
- Spinner: Standard spinner shot; clean shots will go through the pops and into the Juno Scoop; some shots may rattle and feed the pops or the upper playfield.
- Pops: above the L Orbit, L Ramp and Spinner, and below the Upper Playfield.
- Extra Ball target: just below the left entrance to the Upper Loop
- Upper Loop: Loops around the couch; lights locks.
- Juno Scoop: Located in the upper left.
- Now Serving Targets: Located in the upper playfield area under the Couch.
- Couch Lock: Physical ball lock area.
- Upper Flipper: used to hit the upper playfield targets and loops; going underneath it will feed the Center Scoop kickout.
- Polaroid Camera Targets: Center targets; lit by passing through the inlanes.
- Center Scoop: Features 5 inserts (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) in front of it. Used for playfield multipliers
- Sandworm targets and Sandworm: Used by the Sandworm modes
- Right Ramp: Feeds the right flipper when down, when up it is where you lock balls for the Afterlife Multiball
- Handbook Target: Standup target between the Right Ramp and the Right Orbit.
- Right Orbit/Ramp: Converts between a loopable ramp and a deadend vari-target; The shot to begin qualified Beetlejuice modes via holding the ball with a drop target.
- Captive Ball: Right-side target area.
- Mystery Scoop: Where you collect the mystery
- Shooter Lane: feeds the Right Outlane/Inlane
- Right outlane/inlane: can be either (if Ball Save is lit, the Gate stays closed to feed the ball to your flipper; if not, you’re dead)
- Right inlane: Light Camera insert
General Mechanics
Action Button & Magna-Save
A magnet located between and below the flippers can save balls draining down the outlanes or even the center. The Magna-Save is triggered using the Action Button on the lockdown bar.
- Qualification: Qualified at the start of each ball. After using it, you can requalify it by hitting the Handbook Target to spawn the fly on the screen, and then swatting the “undead fly” using the Action button. The Action Button will briefly glow green when ready to successfully swat. Adjustable setting on how many Magna-Saves a player can use throughout the game (Default = Unlimited)
- Mode-Specific Uses: The Action Button is also used strategically in specific modes (e.g., locking shot values, lowering the Sandworm, or collecting Super Jackpots).
Playfield Multipliers (Returning Souls)
Hit the pop bumpers to spawn “Lost Souls.” Return these souls (via specific lit shots) to activate and increase the brief Playfield Multiplier.
Skill Shots
- Standard Skill Shot: Time your ball Launch when a point value is lit to feed the ball to the right flipper. If you miss the timing, the ball will drain through the Right Outlane gate, but thankfully the magnet will automatically catch it and toss it up between your flippers without consuming your Magna-Save.
- Super Skill Shot: After a successful Skill Shot, then quickly shoot the combo of lit Left Ramp, Right Ramp, and Spinner.
Beetlejuice Modes
There are several core story modes.
Qualifying and Starting
- Qualify: Shoot the purple-lit shots (indicated by Beetlejuice’s face inserts) three times to light the Mode Start. Cannot be qualified or started during a multiball or a Juno Mode.
- Change / Lock: Hit the Mode Change Switch to change it. If a purple mode is blinking, press the Launch Button to lock it in so it cannot be changed by the sling (inserts will turn white).
- Start: Shoot the Right Orbit.
The Modes
- As Seen on TV: Shoot 7 easy shots, then hit the captive ball to stop Lydia and score jackpots. Action Button: Hold the button to maintain the current shot value.
- Grave Dig: Shoot 3 scoop shots, then the headstone, the ramps, and finally the right orbit shot.
- Day-O Dinner Party: A timed mode where the machine takes control of the flippers. Shoot lit shots to stay alive and add balls. Hitting pops, slings, the couch, sandworm, and Beetlejuice increases a multiplier. When the timer runs out, the flippers die and you keep playing your ball.
- Head Shrink: Accumulate switch hits, distract the Sandworm, shoot a jackpot, and then repeat the sequence.
- Charades: White shots reveal colors. Shoot 3 matching pairs. The final shot is a hurry-up.
- Beetle Snake: Complete 3 pop bumper hits, 30 spinner spins, and 3 ramp shots.
- ‘Til Death: Shoot blue shots to gather witnesses. The spinner increases your multiplier, and the right ramp increases the shot value. Hit the drop target or right orbit 4 times to interrupt the ceremony.
- Otho’s Seance: Shoot the Handbook target on the right to start the seance. Shoot the resulting green shots, and then shoot the Handbook target again to finish.
Juno & The Waiting Room
This mini-progression focuses on the upper part of the playfield and the Juno Scoop.
- Take a Number: Shoot the Juno Scoop.
- Advance Counter: Shoot the Couch targets to advance the number counter.
- Now Serving: Shoot the Now Serving targets in the upper playfield.
- Currently two Juno Modes
- Scare the Deetz: Shoot mauve shots to attempt a scare. White shots add time to the mode, while red shots reduce time. Shoot the Juno scoop for the final hurry-up.
- Ghosts in the Sheets: Shoot orange shots to haunt Charles and Delia. Shoot a scoop to avoid being photographed. Awards Camera Jackpots after a certain duration.
Sandworm Mechanics
Hitting the three Sandworm wall targets starts a Sandworm Battle. Each Battle has a different way to lower the wall and position the Worm’s mouth for a shot. Shoot into the mouth to deal damage to the Worm; deplete its health bar to defeat it. Defeating enough Sandworms will light an Extra Ball.
- Battles: Specific sandworm modes are labeled Gut Punch and Sharp Shooter
- Walk With Rhythm: Rapidly press the Action Button to lower the Sandworm during this specific mode.
- Sandworm Multiball: Shoot orange shots, find the door, and then shoot red shots. Eventually shoot the Worm for Super Jackpots.
Multiballs
Afterlife Couch / Now Serving Multiball
- Qualifying: Shoot the Upper Loop (from either direction) around the couch to light the “knock” inserts, which light locks. Shoot Right Ramp to Lock 3 balls on the couch to start.
- Gameplay: Shoot green shots for Jackpots. Hitting the Knock loop builds jackpot values. Re-lock a ball on the couch to light Super Jackpot at the Spinner/Juno Scoop.
Strange and Unusual Multiball
- Qualifying: Pass through the inlanes to light the center camera targets. Hit each camera target once to start this 2-ball multiball.
- Gameplay: Shoot Ramps to collect jackpots. Complete sets of flashing Camera targets to add-a-ball.
It’s Showtime Multiball
- Qualifying: Shoot yellow shots to spell S-H-O-W-T-I-M-E. Yellow shots are ONLY available when you’ve qualified but not yet started a Beetlejuice Mode. Start the multiball at the Right Orbit.
- Gameplay: At the start, press the Action Button (or say “Beetlejuice” three times). Carousel shots qualify the “Strength Test” Super Jackpot.
- Progression: Shoot 3 (+1) jackpots, then shoot the Right Orbit/Deadend to lock a ball. Hit the Right Orbit Drop Target to ricochet the locked ball into the vari-target for a Super Jackpot, the first of which will Add-a-Ball.
Singing in the Stairwell
- Qualifying: Likely a mini-wizard mode reached after playing a set number of modes?
- Gameplay: A multiball with built-in Add-a-Balls. The Super Jackpot is located at the Juno Scoop, but you must press the Action Button to collect it.
Mini-Features & Scoring
Wheel Awards
Repeatedly shooting the Left Ramp qualifies/lights the Wheel. Shooting it when the spins the Wheel on the screen, and awards a prize from the Wheel. You can stop the Wheel using the Action Button:
| Award | Description |
|---|---|
| Super Pops | 5x pop bumper value |
| Super Ramps | 5x ramp value |
| Super Spinner | 5x spinner value |
| Super Worm | 5x Sandworm value |
| Extra Ball | Lights an Extra Ball |
| Points | 5M, 25K, 50K points |
| You Lose | Nothing! |
Mystery Awards
Hitting the coffin qualifies Mystery Awards. Collect them at the Right Scoop.
| Award | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Lite Lock | Advances Multiball progression |
| Points | Small (5M), Big (15M), Jumbo (50M) |
| Advance Now Serving | Adds +2 or +4 to the counter |
| Lite Ball Save | 15-second save timer |
| Shooting Gallery | Starts a video mode (press action button to shoot and press flippers to steer) |
TBD
(Note: These sections need further exploration to fully flesh out the rulesheet).
- Inferno Room / Dante’s Inferno: Likely a multi-level wizard mode progression.
- Scare-o-meter: Exact function to be determined (likely a secondary pacing metric tied to scares).