Data East Pinball was founded in 1986 as a subsidiary of Data East Corporation, a Japanese video game company known for arcade hits like BurgerTime and Karate Champ. Seeking to expand into the pinball market, Data East purchased the pinball division of Stern Electronics, which had ceased operations in 1985. This acquisition allowed Data East to enter the industry with an established foundation, and they quickly became known for producing licensed-themed pinball machines, capitalizing on popular movies, TV shows, and franchises.

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, Data East Pinball released several successful machines, including Back to the Future (1990), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1991), and Jurassic Park (1993). The company was also one of the first to introduce dot-matrix displays (DMDs) to pinball, enhancing the visual and interactive aspects of gameplay. Data East became a strong competitor to Williams and Bally but faced financial challenges as the pinball industry declined in the mid-1990s. In 1994, the pinball division was sold to Sega, which rebranded it as Sega Pinball, marking the end of Data East’s pinball operations. Despite its short lifespan, Data East Pinball left a lasting impact on the industry with its bold, action-packed themes and innovations in pinball technology.