Hook

Fred Young did voice characterizations on this game. Pictured in this listing is a game with serial number 57648 (falling numerically towards the end of production) and having playfield plastics representing a "6-layer tree" located in the middle of the circular Windcoaster ramp in the upper playfield. Reportedly, most of the games in this production run have only a "2-layer tree". We asked designer Tim Seckel about this and the circular ramp itself. He replies:The original games (I don't recall when it was changed) had a full 6-layer tree as shown in the photos. The tree cast a pretty big shadow on the playfield, so we added two lamps there to help provide light under the tree. So it was generally a dark area that needed some extra light. From what I recall, either from beta testing or player feedback, was that the tree blocked too much of the action in the pop bumpers and top lanes. FYI - regarding the top lanes, the mirrored backglass has three lit inserts that show which lanes are lit since it was difficult to see the lights up there. So at some point we eliminated 4 layers of the tree, which was unfortunate from a aesthetic point of view, but definitely made an improvement in seeing the ball up there. And, yes! the big round ramp is representing Neverland where the Lost Boys would ride these 'sail boards' all around the trees, and Peter would fly, etc. Also pictured in this listing is an unadorned metal bracket on the playfield that seems to serve no purpose other than to take up space. Seckel agrees:It was added to prevent a ball from getting wedged between the wire ramps and under the plastic "wind coaster" ramp. Now, what I don't remember is why there was a hole on the top... whether we added it "just in case" we needed to add a piece of plastic on top, or whether we 're-used' an existing bracket that just happened to be the right size and worked (maybe using up existing stock of something?)... that part I don't recall. But I can confirm it's there to prevent a ball from getting wedged there. Seckel also stated that 'Hook' started out as 'Universal Studios Theme Park':A game that was only in drawing/concept/ideation stage. It never made it very far. Hook opportunity came up and it quickly took on that name and game development. Included in this listing is a prototype game with a polarizing spinning disk behind the backglass meant to provide a visual effect to the Tinker Bell hologram affixed to the backglass. Tim Seckel states the hologram was handmade and guesses that between 25 and 100 games were made with this spinning disk effect. A link in this listing provides a video of this effect. The prototype game shown here has serial number 48243 and was built for export to Belgium. Its prototype ROMs have an original label with date 11/11/1991 and are described as being basically the same as the final production version except some sound effects are missing. We previously listed the Manufacture Date as May-3-1992. This game was produced from Jan-30-1992 to Jun-2-1992.