Williams’ High Speed, released in 1986, is one of the most influential pinball machines ever made — the police-chase landmark from Steve Ritchie that, legend has it, was inspired by the designer’s own real-life speeding ticket. More than just a hit, it helped define the modern template: an integrated, story-driven ruleset where the whole game builds toward a single dramatic goal, complete with flashing lights and a siren-soaked soundtrack that made it feel like an event.

The scoring is a high-octane chase. You complete the green, yellow, and red standups to light multiball on the ramp — a feature so iconic that its sequel was literally named The Getaway. Before plunging, the smart move is to bump the plunger and let the tachometer lights settle, then fire up the ramp to spot a target. Two lit Freeways light all the spinners for a steady 1,000 per spin, which really adds up during multiball after the jackpot is scored, and five ramp shots on a single ball max out the bonus.

There’s clever, low-risk strategy throughout, from using the ramp and right eject to safely spot standups to alley-passing the inlane to relight the kickback. Fast, loud, and genuinely historic, High Speed is the machine that pointed pinball toward its future — a Ritchie classic whose influence echoes through nearly every story-driven game that followed.