Homebrew Pinball Machine Heaven at Expo 2024

The 2024 Pinball Expo was an awesome event, and while I was ecstatic to play all of the newest pinball machines from major manufacturers, there was a collection of unique pins that simply demanded my attention. At this year's Pinball Expo, the homebrew community was out in full, with dozens of different machines to try. These one-of-a-kind pinball machines, created by some of the most passionate folks in the hobby, had me absolutely enthralled. Time and time again, I returned to the homebrew pinball section of the show floor, spending hours flipping on these must-play pins. From moving playfields to augmented reality, the best homebrew pinball machines at Pinball Expo absolutely blew my mind.

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Pokemon Indigo League

When it comes to pinball dream themes, Pokemon sits pretty high on my personal list, so I was particularly excited to play the colorful and nostalgic Pokemon Indigo League homebrew pinball machine. This machine was created by Owen and Luke of Pinsanity, kitted out with a color DMD, full playfield art, and a hefty ruleset. Based on the original Game Boy games, Pokemon Indigo League has you ripping shots to capture and evolve your Pokemon, battling your rival (and Team Rocket), and completing a variety of unique modes. 

The theme integration was truly off the charts, but it was really the game's flow and variety that kept me coming back for more. As an added bonus, there was an extremely helpful poster with a rules flowchart, explaining how to qualify the various modes and multiballs of the game. Pokemon Indigo League was a true highlight of Pinball Expo 2024, and I simply can't wait to play it again.

Tony Hawk's Pro Pinball

Receiving a ton of buzz at the show, Tony Hawk's Pro Pinball was created by Nick Neitzel (aka Flipnik), and made its debut at Pinball Expo 2024. Just like the best-selling video game, this homebrew machine dares you to pull off sick tricks and complete mini-objectives as you careen around the skate-park playfield. 

While the machine offers a nostalgic soundtrack and some cool visuals on its LCD screen, what makes Tony Hawk's Pro Pinball so special is its wild playfield design. Based on the initial “Warehouse” stage from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, there are tons of awesome and inventive shots, including a huge half pipe, the iconic red rail, and even a secret tape to discover. After only a single year of development, Tony Hawk's Pro Pinball has come a very long way, and I wouldn't be surprised if one of the bigger companies picks up this pin for the retail market.

Borderlands 2

When compared to some of the other homebrew pinball machines on display, Borderlands 2 was a bit bare-bones in the code and art department, but it had something that no other machine at Expo 2024 had: a moving playfield. As a big fan of the first-person shooter video game on which it's based, I jumped on the chance to play this labor-of-love pin, created by Brian Doughty. Though most of the game plays like a normal pin, once you activate specific modes, the playfield sinks into the cabinet and starts twisting and turning, making it incredibly tough to control the ball. One mode in particular puts you in control of the playfield's movement, as you must grab a motion controller from the apron, guiding the ball around like a physical version of Marble Madness. This topsy-turvy gameplay was a complete surprise to everyone who experienced it, and marked a spot of true innovation in pinball design.

SAW

SAW is one of my favorite horror film franchises, and although I was lucky enough to play the SAW homebrew pinball machine prior to Expo 2024, this was another pin I kept returning to. Whipped up by Austin Carrigan and a dedicated team of designers, SAW is a modified version of Whirlwind (Williams, 1990), but packed to the gills with cool toys, enjoyable modes, and flashy art. Beyond the theme, my favorite part of SAW is how it takes a very well-known machine and completely changes the flow of play, thanks to an overhauled ruleset that's simple to understand but incredibly deep at the same time. Out of all of the homebrew machines at Expo 2024, I probably played SAW the most, only becoming satisfied once I played every mode and put up a high score.

Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball

Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball has been a long standing favorite in the homebrew community, thanks to its theme integration, eye-popping art, expansive code, and undeniably fast flow. Created by Ryan McQuaid, who went on to become a designer at American Pinball, Sonic Spinball is a truly beautiful game that demands, at minimum, a handful of plays.

As you ping around the playfield, you guide Sonic through multiple stages, collecting coins, power-ups, and speed along the way. For Expo 2024, Ryan coded in a new bonus stage, the “Spirit Halloween” mode, offering a timely addition that made the game all the more enjoyable. With a brilliant sense of speed that encourages spinner rips galore, Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball is absolutely one of the best homebrew pinball machines of all time, let alone Pinball Expo 2024.

Endless Homebrews to Try

With so many things to do at Expo 2024, I was strapped for time throughout the weekend, but there were still tons of other homebrew pinball machines that caught my eye. Although I only got to play most machines for a moment (or in some cases, only watched them being played), I was still wholly impressed by the collection of machines on display. Pinball AR, a system that replicates “Pinball 2000”-era games like Star Wars: Episode 1, had three machines on offer, including Frozen, The Magic Forest, and The Haunted Cruise. All three were interesting enough, but The Haunted Cruise was a standout, with heightened immersion and a spooky theme which I appreciated. Other homebrew pins offered further innovation, like Greek Gods, a machine that had an action button on the front of the cabinet, which you would press with your knee. I was also extremely impressed by Trashland as well, a homebrew that almost felt like a Rube Goldberg machine, with multiple playfields and a truly wild layout.

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Overall, the homebrew pinball machines at Expo 2024 were a massive highlight of the show, and I often found myself meandering toward the homebrew section rather than the booths of the major manufacturers. Without the restrictions of market viability, the creators of these machines are constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation, creating memorable masterpieces in the process. So, the next time you're at a pinball convention and you see a homebrew machine, I highly recommend you try it out. It might just be the best machine you'll play all year.