VIPER NIGHT DRIVIN - SEGA 1998 1100 made only.
Internet Pinball Data Base link
http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?any=VIPER&searchtype=quick#4359Why I purchased the machine.
I purchased a Viper Night Drivin because I liked the fact that its the only pinball machine ever made with "Glow Balls" and "Blacklight" fluro lights that change the look of the entire playfield. I also liked the shape of the headbox, and also liked the upgrades that Sega had done to the machine.
When u look inside the headbox or under the playfield of this machine, you can see that there are less computer boards than on previous 1990's DMD machines, and the usage of hardware has been streamlined on these Sega models. The unique headbox shape first appeared on another Sega title, being the "Lost World Jurassic Park" title, which was released in June 1996. Known as the "Showcase" release, the model also was nicknamed the "Concave" model by many insiders working at Sega.
Gameplay
The machine plays very fast because of the glow balls which are lighter than the std silver balls. The balls are steel balls covered in a Dulux special glow paint.
In fact the balls weigh just 65 grams compared to a std ball which weighs 80 grams. The lighter balls allow for alot of fly balls which is fun and multiball on this game is exceptionally fast. The game has two ball locks that house 2 x racoons above them. After shooting various shots and placing a ball into each of the ball locks, you then get multiball. With 2 x ramps to shoot, 2 x orbits, and various targets, the game is fast, and very straight forward. The audio is the winner on this game. The game incorporates a radio shock jock from the USA called "Mancow" who apparently is a popular morning breakfast show host. During gameplay, various people call into the radio station to talk about cars, hitchhikers and various car related stuff.
The idea of shooting the 2 x ball locks which house the 2 x racoons, is that it simulates you running them over in your V10 Viper car, therefore making roadkill which the speech refers to. The racoons bounce up n down very fast and make alot of noise like the aliens do on AFM. During gameplay, there are various missions, which include a drag race using the flipper buttons on a video mode drag race. The machine features 3 x ramps (2 x up, and 1 x return ramp) which flow very fast, plus a wireform.
Other missions incl -Slashs Snake Pit, Pedal to the metal, Lights Out, Hitchhikers, Invitational, Drag Race. Audio on the game features Slash from Guns n Roses, with some great electric guitar being played. One of the other great features of the Audio, is clear and classic V10 Viper engine noises of the car being revved up and driven fast. The audio cranked on this machine is exceptional.
The other hidden treat, is that the adult speech rom comes with the machine, in its software which can be turned on or off for the European market. It features a young lady (who features prominently on the playfield art) in the back seat of the Viper V10 having sex, and having it loudly. Again, a unique feature for a DMD pinball.
The other notable feature of the Viper Night Drivin Pinball machine is the use of the 3 x large "Blacklights" that come on during multiball. When this occurs, all other lights on the machine go out, including the inserts and general illumnination, leaving a black n white effect on the entire playfield. This is a great feature because the game literally goes black n white only, allowing the 4 x glowballs to glow in the dark, but it leaves the gameplay a complete and different look n feel of any machine u have ever played. It is literally like someone has placed you into a black n white world. This makes the Viper game feel like it has two differnt playfields in one. Its not until all the colour lights come back on at the end of multiball do u realise what a neat visual trick it plays on your visual senses. The playfield aslo features a large mountain which u can shoot the ball under, which simulates driving thru a tunnel and mountain range. Other gameplay features driving all over the USA on the dotmatrix display.
Cost of a Viper Night Drivin game is/are between $4000 and $5500 for a exceptional model. You dont see them for sale very often as most people keep them and rarely part with them. If a game comes without the glow balls, it can reduce the purchase price by $1000. Glowballs are as rare as hens teeth, and rarely become for sale. I purchased the only NOS set i have known of in the past 5 years from a collector in the USA, and paid $1000 for the set, and only just outbid my nearest rival. I have a spare set and will keep them for the future. Overall, Viper Night drivin is a fun and entertaining game which is rare, and eye candy for those who like car pinball themes. Quite a few spares are avail for this game incl all ramps, and even playfields. Viper balls are not avail and havent been since shortly after the game was released. In fact, alot of operators threw them away so maintaining them and keeping them clean was not worried about. Its a shame really, cause half of the Vipers today probably dont have the balls which is why they get huge prices on ebay, if ever sold. One shrewd seller auctioned off 4 x balls on individual ebay auctions, driving the prices right up for several people bidding for them, one ball at a time.
If you ever get the chance to play one, or pop past and have a game on mine, I think u will thoroughly enjoy the uniqueness of Viper. I have incl a photo of the glow balls I have below, which I also placed on the I.P.D.B. The set featured is brand new and never used. Balls in the Viper games can get dirty if the machine isnt cleaned, but most cleaning products like Jiff make them like new again. A dirty set in a game look more like dirty birds eggs cause they get black spots all over them.lol A neat looking ball. You can also choose "std balls" in the software settings which adjust power to the flipper coils. Playing the game without the glow balls is still fine, but u lose the visual eye candy of 4 glow balls flying around under the blacklights. Even silver balls under the blacklights look very different, almost a disco on silver balls.
I will take a few photos of my game and add it to this review, together with a video of the game being played. Thanks for reading.
