Random Thoughts & Pictures
This machine didn't actually belong to me. But I like making webpages, so here it is. WHO dunnit was yet another game I got to enjoy thanks to my bargain-conscious pinball friend who never let his own lack of space get in the way of a good deal. The game arrived in my basement on Friday, June 14, 2024 and departed on XX, XX XX, 20XX.
This WHO dunnit was in excelent condition. It came from Rockwell Home Amusements and subsequently spent several decades in a private home with little apparent use or UV exposure. All the colors were bright. The playfield was near perfect aside from a hint of Clue insert wear. None of the ramps, mechanisms or playfield parts were broken, chipped or cracked. The boards were clean with no battery corrosion. The game pretty much worked straight away, needing only some lamps and switch adjustments. It did have a dead GI string at the top of the insert panel thanks to some toasty GI connectors.
Cabinet detail.
Cabinet detail.
Cabinet detail.
Rockville Home Amusments key chain and decal.
Translite detail.
Only a tiny hint of wear at the Clue inserts.
Roulette detail.
Phone detail.
A ball's view toward the elevator.
All components were matched (SN 53344100181) except for the dot matrix controller board and the dot matrix display/driver board, which appear to be from a Star Trek: TNG (SN 53323269692).
Inside the backbox.
WHO dunnit is a 1995 WPC-S machine. That made it my first hands-on gameroom experience with anything more modern than a system 11.
I did previously have some time on this title back in the mid-2000s thanks to a Fairfax FSPA league at the infamous dive-bar known as John's Place. Two decades later, my WHO dunnit league stats were still out there on the Internet...
My WHO dunnit league stats.
Below are some pictures from John's Place. I remember WHO dunnit being in the far back corner there with the rest of the pins.
John's Place; the restaurant/billiards/pinball side.
John's Place; the bar side.
From the outside.
End of the line.
The only thing I've ever won.
If you've looked around, you may have noticed that Barry Ousler is my favored game designer. But, WHO dunnit never really caught my imagination. It doesn't have the goofy, whimsical sort of theme I like. I'm not a board game person, I never played Clue and I'm not into mysteries or puzzles. The rules and the story don't lend themselves well to pinball. From a tech point of view, I had grown comfortable with my system 11 collection and I didn't have much interest in exploring the intricacies of WPC.
On the other hand, it was a refreshingly rare treat to get my hands on a game that hadn't yet been molested by a pinhead. No puke LEDs; no shit mods; no hack "restos" - just an above average original-condition game that looked and played as it was intended to look and play. Future owners will hopefully keep it that way.
Shown above is the two-side promotional flyer for WHO dunnit. Click image for larger picture.
Shown above is the two-page article from AB Magazine for WHO dunnit. Click image for larger picture.
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