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Breakshot according to the IPD (With some minor additions from me):
Breakshot is a great game, simplistic in its design and yet a very playable and interesting game. It was built by Capcom as a part of what was to be their "Capcom Classics" series. The premise was simple, make great games but make them cheaper to buy/operate. It was sort-of like a step back into the past for pinball, while utilizing all of the newer technology that made the current machines of the time more reliable. This game was designed to be similar to an Electro-Mechanical. It even uses simulated digital chime noises! The board-set this game is designed around was a reduced set to save on production expense. The solenoid driver board and CPU board are combined into one physical board, effectively reducing the number of boards needed in the machine. Not only did they save money on the boards, but the toys were less-advanced but still fun! They also reduced the size of the pinball cabinet while still maintaining the standard full-size machine look. What is unfortunate is that we never got to see any more from the "Capcom Classics" line, as this was the one-and-only. Personally, I believe that Flipper Football could have easily also been one of the "Capcom Classics", but it was built around their standard board-set instead. One big drawback of this board-set is the higher cost of the combo-board if you need a spare, or replacement. It's also got quite a few more connections going to the main board than other machines, which makes removal more difficult. The problem with having all of the connections on this board is that the board also contains some of the most commonly-replaced items in pinball boards. You can be almost sure that somewhere in the lifetime of the machine, this board will have to be removed for work. At least the designer's hearts were in the right place. This game also features a very cool-look to its artwork. Another step back, or maybe a look-back, into the history of pinball. Cartoon-y artwork, and a preference for the female form were commonplace in the 50's and 60's pinball machines. This one replicates that look perfectly, while still bringing it forward enough in style to make it look modern. Not only do the sound-effects mimic that of pinball-yesteryear, but the dot matrix looks like the old score-reels when it is displaying the player's score. All-in-all, Capcom really put together an incredibly nifty, and ultimately collectable machine. This game is fully shopped in the pictures. It didn't take long to clean and work on, because it is a more simplistic playfield layout. No ramps to re-inter-twine, no big assemblies to figure out how to put together. I did want to get this playfield clear-coated to rejuvenate the shine it should have, but I didn't have the opportunity. I got the chance to take some detailed pictures of this machine for inclusion into a popular (upcoming) pinball book, so I decided to (temporarily?) scrap the idea of the clear-coat so I could get the game back together in time to meet the deadline for taking the pictures for the book. The playfield isn't destroyed, but it could definitely look better. It's dull in spots, not as shiny and crisp as it should look, clear-coating would have helped this. Maybe one of these days I'll take it all back apart and get it clear-coated. Here are some pictures of my machine. I will eventually get better pictures (without playfield glass), but for now, here's what pictures I have of this machine.
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