Spooky Pinball LLC

Spooky Pinball, founded by Charlie Emery in Benton, Wisconsin, on February 1, 2013, emerged as a niche pinball manufacturer during a period when only a handful of companies remained active in the industry. The company’s roots can be traced to Emery’s enthusiasm for horror-themed entertainment and his initial ventures building custom projects with designer Ben Heckendorn. Spooky Pinball’s limited-run release strategy and direct-to-consumer sales model quickly garnered attention, as evidenced by the success of its first commercial machine, America’s Most Haunted (2014). The horror-themed Rob Zombie’s Spookshow International (2016) and the 1980s-inspired Total Nuclear Annihilation (2017) further established Spooky’s reputation for combining cult-pop aesthetics with a boutique production approach. Spooky Pinball also took on contract manufacturing, building titles such as Domino’s Spectacular Pinball Adventure (2016) and The Jetsons (2017) for outside clients.

​

By 2018, Spooky Pinball had expanded its workforce and engaged in high-profile collaborations, most notably with rock musician Alice Cooper for the Alice Cooper’s Nightmare Castle pinball machine. The company’s popularity soared after the release of Rick and Morty in early 2020, selling out a production run of 750 units within hours. Its subsequent dual-themed strategy produced simultaneously developed machines like Halloween (2021) and Ultraman (2021), showcasing Spooky’s flexibility in attracting diverse fan bases. More recent licensed releases include Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (2022), indicative of Spooky’s increasing range and production scale. As of 2025, Spooky Pinball continues to operate as a family-led enterprise, upholding its emphasis on direct engagement with collectors, horror-inspired themes, and creative partnerships that sustain its status as a prominent boutique manufacturer in the modern pinball revival.