Multimorphic has released two new P3 pinball titles based on novels: Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl and Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game. Both machines are available now and adapt their source material through distinct rules, characters and mechanical features.
Dungeon Crawler Carl: from LitRPG series to pinball
Ender’s Game has been around since 1985, with a film adaptation released in 2013. Dungeon Crawler Carl began as a 2020 novel by Matt Dinniman and has since grown into a series of eight books, with a television adaptation also planned.
The story follows Coast Guard veteran Carl and Princess Donut, his ex-girlfriend’s prize-winning cat, after an alien invasion destroys the world’s structures. The survivors are forced into a lethal, dungeon-based intergalactic reality show, where progressing through video-game-style levels is only part of the challenge. Monsters, magic, dangerous creatures and an audience demanding entertainment complete the premise.
That combination of televised violence, dungeon exploration and game-like progression makes the property a natural fit for an amusement machine. Its tone can be compared loosely with the frantic survival action of Smash TV crossed with the fantasy systems of Dungeons & Dragons.
Multimorphic’s Dungeon Crawler Carl machine
Multimorphic has previously developed licensed games such as Weird Al’s Museum of Natural Hilarity and Portal, taking on themes that larger pinball manufacturers have not pursued. These two releases are particularly unusual because both originate primarily from novels rather than major film franchises.
The company’s P3 platform uses a playfield whose lower three-quarters are presented on an LCD display. Owners can also change the game by installing different playfield kits. A P3 machine costs more initially than a conventional pinball table, but additional kits are considerably less expensive than purchasing another complete machine, which can make the system more practical for collectors who want multiple themes.
In Dungeon Crawler Carl, players take the role of Carl alongside Princess Donut. The objectives include fighting enemies, using spells, increasing the audience rating, forming alliances and surviving long enough to pursue vengeance.
The playfield is built around a substantial collection of interactive elements:
- A motorised 360-degree, double-level disc places interactive features directly in front of the flippers.
- The disc area includes a target bank, kickback, moving shot paths and a cannon that the player can load and control.
- A six-ball Mana stack provides multiple ball-release options.
- A bashable Mongo cage uses a magnetic ball lock.
- Sling-lock ball stops are fitted to each in-lane.
- Princess Donut is represented by a sculpt with illuminated LED eyes.
- A jump ramp uses magnetic catch-and-fling action.
This is also the first P3 title to use hand-sculpted 3D artwork and illuminated features by award-winning artist Davey Price of Stumblor Pinball. The machine includes a circular, mechanical upper playfield with its own target bank, creating a distinctive visual element above the LCD display.
The Dungeon Crawler Carl trailer demonstrates the machine’s features. Further information and ordering details are available on Multimorphic’s here.
Ender’s Game brings Battle School to P3
Ender’s Game was announced alongside Dungeon Crawler Carl. The two games share the P3 platform and some core playfield architecture, but they are not identical tables. Their upper sections are tailored to each licence, while the unusual circular disc mechanism is reused.
The game draws heavily on the Battle School training and strategic conflict of the first novel. Players control Andrew “Ender” Wiggin, a six-year-old prodigy whose progress is shaped by the tension between the compassion associated with his sister Valentine and the aggression represented by his brother Peter.
Its progression follows Ender’s development through Battle School. Players build alliances, confront rivals, improve their abilities through training and take part in battles before moving on to Command School and its final simulation. Success leads to Ender becoming fleet commander, although the story’s familiar revelations mean that appearances cannot always be trusted.
The upper deck contains a large, two-sided captive-ball balance mechanism. Up to six balls can be loaded into it and shifted from one side to the other, allowing players to adjust the machine’s compassion and aggression levels.
The Ender’s Game trailer and additional information can be found on Multimorphic’s game page.
Why novel-based pinball is an interesting move
While more people than ever are eschewing reading in favour of audiobooks or short-form feeds, novels continue to influence popular culture. Film adaptations often introduce stories to wider audiences, but pinball licences have generally focused on the best-known screen versions rather than the books themselves.
That makes these releases an intriguing experiment. Readers may arrive with a stronger understanding of the characters, settings and story progression, potentially giving them a useful entry point into pinball’s famously complex rules. For newcomers, a table can otherwise appear to be an overwhelming mix of lights, sounds, artwork and moving toys, with little obvious explanation of what to do next.
The commercial outlook is less certain. A P3 machine starts at more than $12,000 after shipping and tax, and Multimorphic puts limited emphasis on the location-based amusement market. The company does not attend IAAPA or Amusement Expo and does not sell through distributors such as Betson, AVS, Shaffer or PrimeTime. Its distribution network is focused on collectors, as outlined on its distribution partners page.
That collector focus reflects the wider position of pinball in the current arcade industry. Most sales are made to home owners, while location earnings can be distorted by particularly successful venues. For a typical arcade or family entertainment centre, the cost and uncertain performance of a pinball machine can make the decision harder than adding a conventional video game.
For Australian collectors comparing formats, RETROCADE’s virtual pinball machines offer another way to approach the hobby, while the arcade machine buying guide can help with planning a home setup. Our wider arcade news and gaming blog covers more developments across the industry.
Between the two new releases, Dungeon Crawler Carl stands out for its unusually elaborate mechanical design, while Ender’s Game uses its balance mechanism to translate a central theme from the novel into play. Both show how licensed pinball can reach beyond the usual film and comic-book properties.
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