Sorcerer is a 1985 Pinball game designed by Mark Ritchie and released by Williams Electronics. With the Sorcerer's flashing eyes and numerous taunts, it became the second-best-selling pinball game of the year, and is fondly remembered for its straightforward but challenging gameplay, fast action, and ornate art by Pam Erickson.
The table itself is the named Sorcerer, who is being challenged in a magic duel by the player. Invoke his title to build your magic power, then use it to summon demons, earn extra balls and light the special. But move quickly with the upper flipper, or else the magic will dissipate and leave you powerless. For more points, lock two balls to start multiball, then repeatedly shoot the ramp to build the multiball multiplier up to 5x.
A digital version of this pinball is available in Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection and formerly The Pinball Arcade. The latter game no longer offers it due to the developers, FarSight Studios, no longer having the licenses to all Bally and Williams tables as of July 2018.
Sorcerer demonstrates the following tropes:
- Antagonist Title
- Battle Trophy: Presumably, this is why the Sorcerer wears a set of human skulls on the sash around his waist.
- Evil Sorcerer: Guess who.
- Femme Fatalons
- Flaming Skulls: The Sorcerer prefers flaming dragon skulls.
- Dracolich: Only the skulls and bony claws of the Sorcerer's flaming dragons are visible.
- Glowing Eyes of Doom: The Sorcerer has these on the backglass, which flash along with the game action.
- Robe and Wizard Hat
- Score Multiplier: Not only is there an end-of-ball bonus multiplier (up to 5x), but multiball starts with a 2x playfield multiplier, which can increased to 3x and then 5x by shooting the left ramp.
- Spelling Bonus: Build magical power (and unlock more benefits) by repeatedly spelling S-O-R-C-E-R-E-R.
- Summon Magic: Spelling SORCERER the first time gives an opportunity to summon a demon (and possibly hold the bonus over to the next ball).
- Wizard Duel: The premise of the game.
- Wizard Beard: Worn by both the Sorcerer and the wizard opposing him.
