1982 Williams VARKON pinball machine

Here's a rarity! A client of mine brought me this horribly-neglected Varkon that he found under a tarp in a barn. Not kidding. It's one of 90 that were produced by Williams in 1982 at the height of the video game era and the low of the pinball era. This was Williams' attempt to capitalize on the success of video games while still producing pinball machines. Considering how few were produced, I'm guessing it wasn't a successful attempt.
Anyway, this machine required all kinds of work. Every single board was a disaster and some parts were missing. I managed to get it all back together and working really well. And wouldn't you know it? It's a really fun game.
At the time that this video was shot, the #3 target light at the top of the frame wasn't working and one of the displays has a segment out. The marquee and bezel were also missing. But I wanted to get a decent video in spite of these things, so here we are.
The rules are fairly basic... hit the 1 through 5 targets to enable the lower playfield. Get it up the ramp to begin play on the lower playfield. Hit the lower targets over and over. Build multipliers by spelling VARKON, etc. The ramp shot is really difficult to hit directly. I found it was easier with a backhand from the left.
Varkon was designed by Tony Kraemer with art by Seamus McLaughlin and sound/software by Bill Pfutzenreuter.
More information about this game can be found here: ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2721

[@Sprikers]

Wow so another Varkon lives! So glad to see another one of the only 90 being found and brought back to the light of day! Insane to think someone had this and kept it in a barn! Wow

[@jppagetoo]

I always will love pinball machines. I grew up with a pinball machine in my home (a 1963 Williams El Toro). I was a pinball freak from the early 70's when I could play until I went off to college in the early 80's. Pinball died while I was in college. Video dominated. I have never seen one of these in person. This is the first I have seen one played. Such a cool game, but in the day it was made... nobody wanted pinball machines.

[@Thalamus4]

I'm just happy to see that you saved another one. Keep it up and thumbs up for you !

[@Foxonian]

I remember back in the day one of the major complaints arcade owners gave about pinball machines was that they took up too much space and didn't make enough $$. It was logical then to make a pinball machine that took up no more room than a video game console and looked like one as well. Williams must have thought so,but sadly it didn't work.

[@xpump876]

Varkon Lives!

[@Riz2336]

What a unique game, I guess it was a fail though for Williams since they made so few of them.

[@brandonsanchez8197]

1:02
That was a close one

[@latinfantom]

Would you ever consider selling this?

[@londonpinball]

It didn't belong to me and the owner is not interested in selling.