First machine from this manufacturer. First pinball machine from any manufacturer to feature stereo 2.1 channel (stereo plus subwoofer) sound. An example of an earlier game with stereo sound but no subwoofer is Playmatic's 1984 'KZ-26'. Joe Kaminkow explained at the Chicago Expo 2012 that he and Gary Stern made this game using parts from Williams' 1986 'Road Kings' and that it was designed on Thanksgiving Day 1986 (November 27, 1986). We previously listed the Manufacture Date as March, 1987. This game was produced from May 1987 to February 1988. The manufacturer flyer shows a trapezoidal backbox topper with a spinning LED board to create an optical effect during game play. Joe Kaminkow told us that the light itself came in a square black box, approximately 12 by 12 inches (sold as the Lyte Sound Visualizer manufactured by Clyde Industries America Inc.). Data East added a custom trapezoidal housing around it for mounting on the backbox using screws and connected it to the sound board. Joe said the topper was too expensive and was discontinued during the production run of this game. He guessed about 500 of the earliest machines came with this topper. In this listing we link to a video of this topper reacting to the sounds of game play. If anyone has a Laser War with this factory-installed backbox topper (not retro-fitted), please contact us with your photographs.
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