after some long phase of testing, I've discovered new features on how the game react once finishing the Wizard mode:

note after the wizard mode is completed:
the first treasure is called "level 1" in the game:
- if you don't win any treasure, you get a message: "LEVEL 1 NO TREASURE TOUGH LUCK KID".
- if you win at least one treasure, you will elevate to one level: you switch to the nb of treasure won which is the level and get this message at the end of the WM: "LEVEL 1 COMPLETED ENTER LEVEL X GOOD LUCK"
-> If on the same game, you restart the wizard mode, you will restart at the exact same level (not previously won) and so on.
note: the game is really hard to complete so it's unlikely that any regular player to go that far
If you win a treasure, you get a highscore entry "Treasure Hunter" among 5 entries possible. You need at least one treasure to set your name.

What's really interesting:
after the wizard mode, the mission game rules are changing a bit:
there are new animations for guwheel modes which is really cool !(see sample below) and missions rules change and are more and more difficult:

after game 1 and next:
Frank:
targets are lit one at the time and appear randomly
Dutch: add 10 spinners to 90 (instead of 80) ...
Trixie: +1 shot (instead of 2) ...
Pat: + 2 loops (5 instead of 3...)
Jimmy: + 20 bumps (50 instead of 30...)
KINGPIN fight: +1 set of KING PIN drop targets each time (2 sets instead of one...)
additional bonus for those mode (including Rocco) are multiply by how many game has been made, so X1, X2 X3..

note1: Vault and Wizard mode are exacly the same with no change
note2: scoring for all other features are exacly the same, even the Gunwheel
note3: all mission final bonus score are the same

I will include those last changes to my code and fit perfectly the game. Those are for really good player IMO but it's a nice addition nevertheless.

kp45 (resized).pngkp46 (resized).png

rules V0.17 updated on post #1 with significant updates

update:
I'm happy to share that I've finally finished to recreate the full original Kingpin code with all modes, sound and animations from the original ROM: It has been a long journey, and I have to recognize that this was harder than I thought and also comparing to the same job I did for the TOTAN.
There are so many hidden things and improvement, done by Capcom's team, which were complicated to implement properly: for instance; the sounds, squelched music everywhere and louder voices, buffering animations... Those are only on Capcom's game not talking about the animations which are synchronized and much more complex to recreate with specific timing between each frames.

For now, the game is only in "ball mode" play, I will add the "time mode" as a next step after I'm done some deep tests on current code which is already playable.

The code is, for now, adapt to be tested on another pin, (no choice, no Kingpin pin available yet for me) but I think migrating the switchs and coils would be an relatively easy task comparing to what's has been already done. I need to see however, what is the best hardware for my current python dev. env like FAST or P-ROC or any other board to control the hardware and some other things codewise..

so .... I will try to share a first gameplay video very soon ou youtube and here.

next steps:
- time mode: the legendary Kingpin "time mode" will be back. It shound't take too long to implement I think.
- setting: I need to finish to implement all the options. I think I've already done around 40% of all of them.
- enhanced version: that's the best part for me. I've planned to "finish" the code of the game (finally !) by completing modes which were never implemented properly, like the "combo" and morever the multiballs and some other things I'll share later, lamp effects and so on.... (some lamps are not used in the proto at all) . This enhanced version will stay 100% genuine and really stay close to the proto, it will be mainly some rules and animations to change among other things to stay in Capcom's style and the closest to what was meant for it to be as a called "finished software".

yes Nick, as crazy as it sounds, it would work on any Totan pin with a FAST or P-ROC board and a CPU. It would be the same as a kit to be installed. On my Totan, I do also have, same as Kingpin, an autolauncher already installed as well to reproduce the same behavior.

On the original hardware, at the minimum, you need the mounted playfield and the WPC driver board from the backbox to wire everything. (WPC CPU and Audio/video are no longer needed)

Interesingly, in the past, some manufacturers like WMS did the equivalent things, such as conversion kits. Other projets were on the other side, keeping the code and changing the layout (that's the same spirit comparing to this project) , like the Aladdin (TOTAN) or medieval castle (MM):

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/aladdin-
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/medieval-castle-20

My ultimate goal on my side is to transfer my code on the real hardware and layout at some point.

as promised:

original sofware ROM:

Thanks Tom ! No, all the asset animations has been reworked manually to fit the higher resolution, (which took quiet an amount of time), and so to fit the 256 x 64 matrix pixels properly: you have 4 times more pixels now than the original display but it stay faithful.
The pixels are shown as round so the higher definition is showing better angle.
The project can also run on a PIN2DMD 256x64, i’ll might take a video at some point. But, i prefer the look of the LCD display.

Thanks Nick and also for the support and help ! You and Tom are the Kingpin’s reference.
This game is really fun, even with another layout … one of the best 90s game. It would have been a great on location, I wonder if it’s not even better than the BBB: the gameplay is really original, voice acting and animation are great. I wish more people could test and play it to be more well known.

Ah ah ah, i think i have an idea. Thanks Tom !

big thanks to TomDK for those amazing stuff, I'll try to make a good use of them !

kp52 (resized).png

kp53 (resized).png

time based mode:
I've started to implement it in the game and all the options.
I wanted to share a quick comment about this mode: I hope to not lose the readers on this, but that's how it is...
The original ROM game shows a gameplay which look to run ok, even if there is some bugs and unfinished mode, it's not too obvious during gameplay.
At the same time, the game has really few lamp shows (if you compare to BBB or Pinball magic) and some lamps are not even used at all.

I've heard a comment in the past saying the ROM was "almost" done, which could be more or less true when watching the game running. Now, for the "time mode", this is another story.
The "time mode" was far from finished and was probably meant to be removed or on the contrary, being on the attention: I don't exactly know if this was due to lack of time or just the will to stop the developpement on this.
I think some people of the Capcom team were already gone when Capcom closed the door.

Basically, the options of the "time mode" are a mess (sorry, no better word in mind) with around 80 options (yes 80...) to set up and activable just for this. There are a significant amount of them either: no purpose at all, either not doing anything.
For instance, you can set up the possibility to win PU after gaining treasures, and one specific option to set how many times it will happen. Winning a treasure in the game is really hard and the use of the option is really not necessary.
Some other propose to stack the PU or limit the moving arrow but don't do anything... knowing you have only 4 inserts for arrows, this options is not really usefull as well.

For almost all of the switchs or actions in the game, you can pretty much set up life (power unit),lit blue arrow or lit a moving blue arrow (from 1 to 5 PU for each) or do nothing.
So... you have more or less 30 (sub)options for each options for each switchs and actions... so imagine this with an arcade owner with several Kingpin to set with the "time mode", you may become crazy with all those variables.

However... there are overall setting to set: "EASY", "NORMAL" and "HARD" but... those are never been implemented properly meaning, there is almost no difference between the 3 and almost all the switchs are not giving any PU in the settings no matter what you choose.
The use of each switch is almost always set to "UNLIMITED" making useless the "use" option for each since other options are never set.
There is also a bug in the option: basically the only way to see the content of a specific set (let's say "EASY" for instance) is the "ADJUST POWER METER" setting, select "EASY" validate, go back and select "CUSTOM"
-> that's the only way to see the content of a set: because only the "CUSTOM" value shows the time mode options and the other are not...

Last but not least, the "time mode" will add 80 options to the "Game" setting, so you will have 110 options to scroll if activated...

Knowing that, I cannot keep the ROM behavior exactly how it was and since it was far from finished, I'll take the challenge to finish this mode and make it fun to play and most of all, balanced comparing to "ball mode".
This mode was really original and a great idea, it deserves a second chance.

yes, as strange as it sounds, after few seconds of play it become really hard to get life and it gives only few more seconds left to play.

Here are some enhancement I've aleary implemented for this "time mode":
- I have created a separate setting directory for the "time mode": it will no longer polute the "general setting" and it will be much more convenient for the user interaction, and also, better to see what settings are "time based" and what are not.
- I have removed some of the settings which felt useless and reduce the number from 80 to 70: it's still a lot but it's still better.
- the "dead" setting are now be implemented in the game

and ...the most important: I have created a new "general set" for this, it will still be "EASY, "NORMAL" and "HARD" but this time with a gain (PU or arrow) for all the switchs and actions.
- I have balanced values with PU/arrows/moving arrows and set limits for swiths/actions which are hit too often to prevent unlimited game.
-> so this time, no more need to spend hours on the settings, the preset will save a lot of time.

I've planned to adjust values with real gameplay if needed with tests: there are still a lot of variables and I'll preset to get the best ratio possible comparing to the "ball game" mode.
Then, I want this time to have the possibility to have a long play with "EASY" mode but to keep a possible challenge for the "HARD" preset to prevent frustration as well for good players.

time mode:
another thing I wanted t share if one of the major issue I see is that if the ball drains, then the "outholes bonus" is started.
I see 2 problems with that:
- first, it is stopping the game play during this time and it last too long
- there is no reason that you get bonus with drain: there is not even a time unit lost by default (there is a setting for this though)

good player will soon figure out that it's more interesting to drain and to let the ball live without trying to save it than keeping a long ball play.

I will no longer keep the outhole bonus during time mode unless there is no time left (I will keep the option in the setting) and the ball will be relaunched like a ball save right after with, at lease, time unit loss.
That is the same principle as "safe Craker" time based mode and it's much better this way.

Also, in Safe Craker, the time left is not "started" till at least one switch is hit: I think it's a good idea to reuse for this mode as well.

There is also something intriguing:
"Safe Cracker" which was meant to open a "Vault", corrupt police... ( was released in March 1996 so during the Kingpin dev phase (till dec 1996) maybe, it could have been an inspiration.
Same goes for "Pinbal Magic" released in oct 1995 after TOM which was from april 1995: really closed time frame.
Nevertheless, I think Kingpin and Pinball Magic are superior games than the 2 others but maybe the competition was hard at this time between the 2 brands.

I've finish to implement the time mode logic: animations, sound, timer, specific rules...
All the 70 ich time mode options have been implemented (finally after 30ich year, never lose hope !)

At the same time, I've continued the cleaning of all the settings and and the ergonomy and separated what was dealing with "ball mode" and "time mode" and it's much better now.

So the basic game is there !

next step is to finish to implement the other "general" and "game options" which will require some time and then I will start the enhancement part and continue the testing.

one word regarding the "2.0" or extension part:
-> the time spent on the "time mode" make me realize that current Kingpin ROM was at a really early stage: when you see at the same time, flaws, mode not finished, lamp not used and a significant amount of settings not implemented at all, it justified the "early stage".

Maybe, there have been significant layoff at the end of Capcom and the team reduction justified the last state.

After a lot of thoughts, I don't think I can still talk about a "2.0" (this one is generic now ) or "extension" and a choice between "orignal" and "extented" don't make any sense with Kingpin because the original code was far from finished.

So I want now to finish the code, period. Getting the software expected, which should have been done and not adding any extra special stuff other that what was planned and expected such as for instance which come in my mind:
- unfinished animations
- finish the multiballs implementations
- finish the combo feature
- add the special combo...
- add the missing sounds and frames from the ROM... (how cool is that?)

and most of all, having a real balanced "time mode" fun ! as it was expected

Now that I control all the code, I have the opportunity to perform all this.

I guess you mean the ROM, yes you need to go to the "balls per game" option.

In my code, I intend to be able to select the 2 by pressing both flippers during 2/3s at start to not have to scroll the options.

thanks, so you press both flippers during attract mode for 2s, it will switch between the 2 game modes:

kp55 (resized).png

quick update:

- I have now the switch "game mode" implemented to the game.
->for the remaining:
- I have now 120 options implemented: all the "game" related to the gameplay and all the one related to the "timed game" are completed.
-> I think it's nice to have all those remaining original ROM options finally implemented to the game and I can't wait to test them with real gameplay.

what's left: I still need to finish to implement the options from the "machine standard", maybe implement the coin and credit (would be cool !) and continue the tests.

update:
I am now done with the standard options implementation, so all the options combined represent around 150 changes in total which give a lot of freedom I think.

- note about the special:
since we could say there are 2 "quests" of modes in Kingpin: the "gunwheel" and the "mobster missions", (a little bit like the Cactus Canyon with the "ranks" and "mssions")
-> I've "plugged" the special feature to 2 events: finishing the gunwheel with the "arm race" mode and defeating the "Kingpin".
-> You can define what's the special award will give you in the option: main of the time, default is extra ball but it can be also new credits or even points or even a combinaison of those.

Same goes for the 2 other awards you can get in the game: "replay" and "charmed life", one is triggered with points and the other with drop targets.
-> This gives the a lot of possibilities to configure the replayability of the game.

Capcom backbox cabinet is a bit shorter in width than the regular cabinet WMS for instance, so I've found a good LCD display to match the format of the original screen which was 4 : 1 for it.

Here is a screenshot, it's a bit larger by around 6cm (2,5 inchs) and it's a perfect fit for it:
kp56 (resized).png

I've finished implementing the "coinage" part: it was not that easy to implement: big thanks to the MPF, I reused some logic from there and it was a big help!

-> I think it's nice to have a sofware operator ready and to be able to use "coins" to start a game.
It should be adjustable and work for US, Euro, and UK.
-> pricing tiers is also available to add credit bonus for defined steps.

All my pins at home can be started with coins, so it's a cool feature and something which migh please friends at home !
kp57 (resized).png