Plinko Costume

Ever since I was a kid, I loved The Price Is Right, and especially the game Plinko. It always looked like it was so much fun to play!

I would watch the show during the summer or if I was home sick from school. These days I'll watch it when I'm home sick from work. I was actually home sick in early October, and that was how I got inspired to make this costume.

No offense to Drew Carey, but the Plinko that's in my heart will always be the one from the Bob Barker days, which is the one that I modeled this after (the color scheme and prize amounts).

The main part of the costume is made from 1/4" plywood, which I cut with a jigsaw and then painted by hand. I tried to match the colors as accurately as possible, and used masking tape to keep the lines clean. The pins in the board are machine screws with nylon spacers on them, and they hold up a sheet of acrylic that I drilled holes into.

The lights are controlled by an arduino, and there are switches that the disks land on that activate them. I had a friend show me how to program the arduino, and it's powered by a USB phone charger. I created some fabric straps that are attached on the back so that the whole thing sits on my shoulders like a sandwich board.

Finally, the pucks are made from reflectors, that I glued together and then painted. Oh, and I attached a hotel desk bell on the back that I would ring when the puck landed!


People went nuts for this costume! They said that it brought back memories of their childhood, and I think they really loved the fact that they could actually play Plinko, and that it lit up and made noises just like the real thing. I had a blast wearing it around, and so did everyone I encountered.