Sega · 1995 · Dot-matrix era (1991 to 1999)

Baywatch

Name: Baywatch
Brand: Sega

Design: Joe Kaminkow, Joe Balcer · Art: Markus Rothkranz, Jeff Busch

Baywatch came from Sega Pinball in February 1995, soon after Sega took over Data East's pinball division in 1994. Joe Kaminkow and Joe Balcer designed it. There's a mini-flipper with a plastic shark fin on top called Shark Flips, a Lock Tower for 5-ball multiball and a trap door on the ramp. Sega sold it as "Bigger than the Rest!", and the display backs that up, a 192x64 dot-matrix with its own 68000 CPU, larger than the standard size. It was also the first game with Sega's Portals menu system and takes up to six players. Markus Rothkranz and Jeff Busch did the art, and it has a topper on the backbox. Check the big display first, because it's the hardest part to fix.

Spec at a glance

Maker: Data East and Sega
Era: Dot-matrix era (1991 to 1999)
Theme: TV licenses
Year: 1995
Players: 6
Made: Sega Pinball, February 1995
Design: Joe Kaminkow and Joe Balcer
Art: Markus Rothkranz and Jeff Busch
System: Data East/Sega Version 3b CPU
Display: 192x64 dot-matrix, driven by its own 68000 CPU
Players: up to 6
Cabinet: backbox topper, 257 lb measured with legs
Also listed as: Sega Baywatch

Bench check

Boards, playfield, toys and the trip home

Boards and batteries: Baywatch runs on the Data East/Sega Version 3b CPU, and Data East boards carry three AA batteries that can leak across the board. A CPU board photo should show a remote holder below the boards and no corrosion.
Display: This is one of four games with the large 192x64 dot-matrix display. It makes its own high voltage on the panel, so repairs are hard, and its usual failure is going blank or resetting the CPU when logic power drops below 5 V. Ask for a video of the display over a few minutes. It should stay lit and the game shouldn't reset.
Playfield: There are four flippers, three regular ones and a game-controlled mini-flipper called Shark Flips with a plastic shark fin on top. Get a straight-down photo and look for worn paint at the flippers, the left outlane kickback and the right dual inlanes.
Toys and mechs: The Baywatch Lock Tower in the upper left locks balls for 5-ball multiball, and there's a trap door on the left plastic ramp. Ask for a video of a ball locking in the tower and the trap door opening. Look at the plastic ramp in the photos for cracks.
Cabinet and art: The game has a backbox topper that's easy to lose. Check it's in the photos. A game without one is missing part of the original look.
Moving it: One measured 257 lb with legs. Take the legs and the topper off for the move, and pack the topper separately.
Parts and code: When a trough opto gives trouble, replace both the transmitter and the receiver. Baywatch was also the first game with Sega's Portals menu system. Ask whether the trough has been serviced.

Should come with it

Backbox topper
Translite
Coin door keys and backbox key
Manual

Check the listing photos against these lists, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing toy, glass or key should come off the price.

What to check

The large 192x64 display is the weak spot, and it usually fails by going blank or resetting the game when the 5 V logic supply sags. CPU battery leakage and trough optos are the other common jobs.

01Batteries: Ask for a photo of the CPU board. The AA batteries should be on a remote holder, with no corrosion.
02Display: Ask for a video of the game left running for a few minutes. The display should stay lit with no resets.
03Shark Flips: Look for the shark fin on the mini-flipper in the photos. It should be there and flip in a game.
04Lock Tower: Ask for a video of a ball locking in the tower. It should hold and release the balls.
05Ramp: Look at the left plastic ramp in the photos. It should be free of cracks and the trap door should open.
06Topper: Check the backbox topper is in the photos. It's easy to lose and hard to replace.
07Trough: Ask whether the game ever shows the wrong ball count. It should find all its balls at the start of a game.

Buying your first one? Red flags in a pinball listing covers the photos and videos to ask for, and the battery corrosion guide shows what leaking batteries do to an old CPU board.

Find one on eBay

We haven’t been through this game’s listings yet. Search eBay and run every listing through the checklist above. Ask for a video of a full game, a photo of the CPU board and photos of the playfield in good light, and ask what’s been replaced. Pass on any seller who won’t answer.

Search “Sega Baywatch pinball” on eBay ↗eBay search

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Maker

Era

Theme

Read

Baywatch

Design: Joe Kaminkow, Joe Balcer · Art: Markus Rothkranz, Jeff Busch

Spec at a glance

Maker

Data East and Sega

Era

Dot-matrix era (1991 to 1999)

Theme

TV licenses

Year

1995

Players

Made

Sega Pinball, February 1995

Design

Joe Kaminkow and Joe Balcer

Art

Markus Rothkranz and Jeff Busch

System

Data East/Sega Version 3b CPU

Display

192x64 dot-matrix, driven by its own 68000 CPU

Players

up to 6

Cabinet

backbox topper, 257 lb measured with legs

Also listed as

Sega Baywatch

Boards, playfield, toys and the trip home

Boards and batteries

Baywatch runs on the Data East/Sega Version 3b CPU, and Data East boards carry three AA batteries that can leak across the board. A CPU board photo should show a remote holder below the boards and no corrosion.

Display

This is one of four games with the large 192x64 dot-matrix display. It makes its own high voltage on the panel, so repairs are hard, and its usual failure is going blank or resetting the CPU when logic power drops below 5 V. Ask for a video of the display over a few minutes. It should stay lit and the game shouldn't reset.

Playfield

There are four flippers, three regular ones and a game-controlled mini-flipper called Shark Flips with a plastic shark fin on top. Get a straight-down photo and look for worn paint at the flippers, the left outlane kickback and the right dual inlanes.

Toys and mechs

The Baywatch Lock Tower in the upper left locks balls for 5-ball multiball, and there's a trap door on the left plastic ramp. Ask for a video of a ball locking in the tower and the trap door opening. Look at the plastic ramp in the photos for cracks.

Cabinet and art

The game has a backbox topper that's easy to lose. Check it's in the photos. A game without one is missing part of the original look.

Moving it

One measured 257 lb with legs. Take the legs and the topper off for the move, and pack the topper separately.

Parts and code

When a trough opto gives trouble, replace both the transmitter and the receiver. Baywatch was also the first game with Sega's Portals menu system. Ask whether the trough has been serviced.

Should come with it

Backbox topper

Translite

Coin door keys and backbox key

Manual

Check the listing photos against these lists, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing toy, glass or key should come off the price.

What to check

The large 192x64 display is the weak spot, and it usually fails by going blank or resetting the game when the 5 V logic supply sags. CPU battery leakage and trough optos are the other common jobs.

01Batteries: Ask for a photo of the CPU board. The AA batteries should be on a remote holder, with no corrosion.

02Display: Ask for a video of the game left running for a few minutes. The display should stay lit with no resets.

03Shark Flips: Look for the shark fin on the mini-flipper in the photos. It should be there and flip in a game.

04Lock Tower: Ask for a video of a ball locking in the tower. It should hold and release the balls.

05Ramp: Look at the left plastic ramp in the photos. It should be free of cracks and the trap door should open.

06Topper: Check the backbox topper is in the photos. It's easy to lose and hard to replace.

07Trough: Ask whether the game ever shows the wrong ball count. It should find all its balls at the start of a game.

Buying your first one? Red flags in a pinball listing covers the photos and videos to ask for, and the battery corrosion guide shows what leaking batteries do to an old CPU board.

Find one on eBay

Baywatch

Spec at a glance

Boards, playfield, toys and the trip home

What to check

Find one on eBay

Compare with

Jurassic Park

Star Wars

The Simpsons

White Water

Keep exploring

Baywatch

Spec at a glance

Boards, playfield, toys and the trip home

What to check

Find one on eBay

Compare with

Jurassic Park

Star Wars

The Simpsons

White Water

Keep exploring