UK Machine Record
Williams · 1990 · at 2 UK venues.
Whirlwind is one of Pat Lawlor's earlier machines and a brilliant demonstration of how much gameplay can come from a relatively straightforward concept. The storm theme is represented by spinning discs, fans and increasingly aggressive playfield effects.
The game rewards players who can keep the ball moving while progressing through the various storm features. It is considerably less complicated than Twilight Zone or Addams Family, but arguably just as satisfying to play well.
It is a particularly good machine for learning controlled flipper play. The storm isn't random, your shots determine how much trouble you're in.
Written by Silverball
Silverball guide · Whirlwind
Whirlwind's Super Cellar Door has seven awards and it is not random: a spinner beside the Skyway Ramp moves which one you will get. Collect all seven and the door pays them all again plus two million.
Played Whirlwind enough to have an opinion? Write it up.
Strategy tips written by players on PinTips , not by Silverball. Best-voted first.
Shoot the lit standup targets to light lock. Lock 2 balls at or under the ramp. Jackpot is the Million Plus shot lit on the side ramp.
Right inlane lights the right cellar scoop (the yellow one) momentarily for a cellar award
The left ramp spots a target. This a good idea for the NW target which is often death.
The right orbit spinner changes the cellar scoop award. Some awards such as quick multiball and light extra ball can be very valuable.
Shoot cellar scoops for longer games (2 extra balls lit for every 8), start multiballs for more points (Million+ dwarfs all other scoring).
If you have 2 balls locked already, the plates will spin. It's like The Power from Addams Family but without the magnet.
Either cellar scoops will restart multiball. You don't have to hit the blinking one.
Skillshot is plunging the drops, but it's dangerous. Safer to soft plunge to a flipper. If you drain with 0 score it gives your ball back.
Tips belong to the players who wrote them. Read them all, vote, or add your own on PinTips, a Match Play project.
Community tutorials on YouTube, not made by Silverball.
Whirlwind Pinball Tutorial & Gameplay (Williams 1990)Majestic Pinball · 2025 · on YouTube
Whirlwind Pinball TutorialPAPApinball · 2014 · on YouTubeVideos from YouTube, curated from channels we rate. They belong to their creators, who aren’t affiliated with Silverball; links open on YouTube so the view counts for them. A creator who’d rather not be listed can get in touch and we’ll remove it.
How Whirlwind was sold to operators — Williams, 1990. The back is the feature list the manufacturer led with, which is a fair record of what the machine was meant to be famous for.
Flyer scan via the Internet Pinball Database. The artwork is Williams’s.
Nobody we follow has reviewed this one
Same short list of channels as the tutorials. A machine with no review here has not been passed over — it simply hasn’t been covered by anyone we list.
Where a machine sits is Pinball Map’s work, not ours, find Whirlwind near you on their map. Ratings, tips and tournament results here are ours.
