The Goonies

The Goonies pinball machine has become a topic of considerable interest within the pinball community, with over 1000 mentions placing it among the most discussed potential pinball themes. The Goonies is a 1985 adventure comedy film directed by Richard Donner and produced by Steven Spielberg that follows a group of kids from Astoria, Oregon who discover an old treasure map and embark on an adventure to find the legendary pirate One-Eyed Willy's lost fortune while trying to save their homes from foreclosure. The film has maintained strong cultural significance across multiple generations, becoming a beloved classic that exemplifies 1980s family adventure cinema with its themes of friendship, loyalty, and childhood wonder. Its memorable characters, quotable dialogue, and iconic scenes have kept it relevant in popular culture for nearly four decades. Pinball enthusiasts have been actively discussing The Goonies as a potential pinball machine theme, with community speculation focusing on how well the property would translate to the medium. Discussion has centered on the wealth of gameplay possibilities the film offers, with fans proposing modes such as a Truffle Shuffle multiball, a limited-flip Organ of Death mode where players must escape before the floor disappears, build-your-gadget awards based on the character Data's inventions, a Rocky Road mode to unchain Sloth, and a water slide mode with roving shots to navigate to the pirate ship. The film's adventure structure naturally lends itself to progressive gameplay where players could recreate the kids' journey through booby-trapped caves toward the treasure. A Goonies pinball machine would offer rich opportunities for visual and audio design that could appeal to both nostalgic players and newcomers. The property provides distinct visual themes including the pirate ship Inferno, skeleton organ, water slides, and treasure-filled caverns that could translate into compelling playfield toys and artwork. Character opportunities range from the diverse group of kids to memorable figures like Sloth and the Fratelli crime family, offering potential for sculpted figures and callouts. The film's iconic musical score by Dave Grusin, including the Cyndi Lauper theme song "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough," combined with memorable dialogue like "Hey you guys!" and "Goonies never say die," would provide a strong audio package that could enhance gameplay and reinforce the nostalgic appeal that makes this property resonate with pinball collectors.