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  • It’s probably a very rare person who has never played Pac-Man. Even for those who may have missed it in the 1980s, Pac-Man has been re-made on nearly every video game platform since then. Pac-Man even appeared on the front page of Google (as a playable game) on Pac-Man’s 30th anniversary. However, for those few who are unfamiliar with the game, here are the basics. You, the player, control the yellow, circular Pac-Man using either keyboard arrows or a joystick. The goal is to move Pac-Man around the maze-like screen gobbling up all 240 dots before the four ghosts (sometimes called monsters) get you. The four ghosts are all different colors: Blinky (red), Inky (light blue), Pinky (pink), and Clyde (orange). However, they all turn dark blue when Pac-Man eats one of the four power pellets available on each level; the pellets enable Pac-Man to eat the ghosts. Occasionally, fruit will appear on the screen. If Pac-Man gobbles those up then he earns a point bonus, with different fruit worth different values. While all this is happening, Pac-Man makes a wocka-wocka sound that is nearly as memorable as the yellow character himself. When first launched in Japan by Namco in 1980, the game received a lukewarm response, as Space Invaders and other similar games were more popular at the time. However, the game found far more success in North America. Pac-Man’s success in North America took competitors and distributors completely by surprise in 1980. Marketing executives who saw Pac-Man at a trade show prior to release completely overlooked the game (along with the now-classic Defender), while they looked to a racing car game called Rally-X as the game to outdo that year. The appeal of Pac-Man was such that the game caught on immediately with the public; it quickly became far more popular than anything seen in the game industry up to that point. Pac-Man outstripped Asteroids as the best-selling arcade game in North America, grossing over $1 billion in quarters within a decade, by the end of the 1980s, surpassing the revenues grossed by the highest-grossing film “Star Wars”. The player controls Pac-Man through a maze, eating pac-dots (also called pellets). When all pac-dots are eaten, Pac-Man is taken to the next stage. Between some stages one of three intermission animations plays. Four enemies (Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde) roam the maze, trying to catch Pac-Man. If an enemy touches Pac-Man, a life is lost and the Pac-Man itself withers and dies. When all lives have been lost, the game ends. Pac-Man is awarded a single bonus life at 10,000 points by default.
  • Wayne Neyens designed this classic with Roy Parker penning the artwork. 2,700 of these were fabricated. This game has a holdover feature, which holds the monkeys’ positioning on the backglass from game to game. If you’re skillful enough to hit the A, B, C, and D targets, a monkey is advanced up the tree on the backglass. If one monkey makes it to the top, one replay is awarded: two monkeys score two replays, and three monkeys score three replays. Obviously if you pass this game and notice the third monkey nearing the top, feeding the coin slot was a natural for your just reward. Rolling over the 1 – 5 rollovers at the top of the playfield lights the side specials and awards 200 points once you drain the ball. A nice, well balanced game and quite a challenge not to lose your ball in play.
  • Gottlieb Pop-A-Card was another classic ‘70s playfield designed by Ed Krynski with artwork by Gordon Morison. Only 825 of these units were made. The replay version of the game was called Drop–A-Card which, as usual, was a much higher produced machine. The open playfield of this game gives ample room for scoring the three banks of drop targets. To win free balls with this game, you have to either complete the 2, 3, 4, and 5 targets, or the 6, 7, 8, and 9 targets…or the 10, J, Q, K, and Ace targets. The first two options light the wow feature to award free balls during that ball in play. If you hit the 10 thru Ace targets to completion, four rollovers light up to score extra balls. Of course, score is another way to score more balls.
  • Two banks of 5 drop targets, with two kickout holes above the drop targets. Three pop bumpers, no slingshots, and two 3″ flippers. The game play/rules behind Fastdraw is rather interesting, and a bit complicated for an EM pinball. First try and score the three A-B-C rollover targets. This increases the score value of the two kickout holes (1000 points plus another 1000 for each of the scored A-B-C rollovers, for a possible 4000 points max per kickout hole). Each of the three rollovers corresponds to a pop bumper too, so scoring the “A” rollover lights its pop bumper scoring 100 points instead of 10 points. Getting the three A-B-C rollovers also turns on the “extra bonus” light (double bonus for all but the last ball). Last ball gets double bonus by default, and if the A-B-C rollover lanes are scored, triple bonus is awarded. After the A-B-C rollovers are scored, knocking down all 5 of either the right or left drop target banks will also light the corresponding right or left kickout hole for Special. (The center pop bumper alternates the Special between the right and left kickout hole.) Also each drop target knocked down increases the end-of-ball bonus by 1000 points. Finally, knocking down all 10 drop targets makes the game raise the single center black drop target on each of the two drop banks. Now this single drop target is worth 5000 points. If one of the two center black drop targets is down, again that corresponding kickout hole will alternate lit as Special (assuming the A-B-C rollovers have been scored). If both black single drop targets are knocked down, the game resets these two black drop targets again. At the end of ball all targets and features reset, so it’s rinse and repeat for the next ball/player.
  • This April release came in a four-player version, also in the museum called “Royal Flush.” 12,250 games were created in this sizable run of machines. Ed Krynski designed the machine with Gordon Morison penning the artwork for the game. A very popular game in its day, the main ingredient of the play field is the battery of nine drop targets set at an angle. The object here is to complete the drop targets to complete the five card combinations represented on the front play field. Completing a combo illuminates the light in the bonus column of combos and at the end of the ball, a “scan” bonus would score the appropriate number of points to the player currently up. The drop targets reset after each ball unless an extra ball is scored via the free ball gate. A double scan of the bonus lights on the last ball. Another feature to shoot for is the three colored card sequence. These light a special on the kick-out hole.
  • Donkey Kong is an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981. It is an early example of the platform game genre, as the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging and jumping over obstacles. In the game, Jumpman (since renamed Mario) must rescue a damsel in distress, Lady (now named Pauline), from a giant ape named Donkey Kong. The hero and ape later became two of Nintendo’s most popular characters. Donkey Kong is one of the earliest examples of the platform game genre; it is sometimes said to be the first platform game, although it was preceded by Space Panic. In contrast to Space Panic, however, Donkey Kong was the first platform game to feature jumping, introducing the need to jump between gaps and over obstacles or approaching enemies, setting the template for the platform genre. Competitive video gamers and referees stress the game’s high level of difficulty compared to other classic arcade games. Winning the game requires patience and the ability to accurately time Jumpman’s ascent. In addition to presenting the goal of saving the Lady, the game also gives the player a score. Points are awarded for finishing screens; leaping over obstacles; destroying objects with a hammer power-up; collecting items such as hats, parasols, and purses (apparently belonging to the Lady/Pauline); and completing other tasks. The player typically receives three lives with a bonus awarded for the first 7,000 points, although this can be modified via the game’s built in DIP switches. The game is divided into four different one-screen stages. Each represents 25 meters of the structure Donkey Kong has climbed, one stage being 25 meters higher than the previous. The final screen occurs at 100 m. Later ports of the game omit or change the sequence of the screens. The original arcade version includes: Screen 1 (25 m), Jumpman must scale a seven-story construction site made of crooked girders and ladders while jumping over or hammering barrels and oil barrels tossed by Donkey Kong. The hero must also avoid fireballs which generate when barrels run into the oil drum at the bottom of the site. Players routinely call this screen “Barrels”. Screen 2 (50 m), Jumpman must climb a five-story structure of conveyor belts, each of which transports cement pans. The fireballs also make another appearance. This screen is sometimes referred to as the “Factory” or “Pie Factory” due to the resemblance of the cement pans to pies. Screen 3 (75 m), Jumpman rides up and down elevators while avoiding fireballs and bouncing objects, presumably spring weights. The bouncing weights (the hero’s greatest danger in this screen) emerge on the top level and drop near the rightmost elevator. The screen’s common name is “Elevators”. This screen appears as an unlockable stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Screen 4 (100 m), Jumpman must remove the eight rivets which support Donkey Kong. The fireballs remain the primary obstacle. Removing the final rivet causes Donkey Kong to fall and the hero to be reunited with Lady/Pauline. This is the final screen of each level. Players refer to this screen as “Rivets”. The player loses a life if: Jumpman collides with a barrel, fireball, flaming oil barrel, spring weight, cement pan, or Donkey Kong himself Jumpman falls off the structure or through open rivet holes The bonus timer reaches 0. These screens combine to form levels, which become progressively tougher. For example, Donkey Kong begins to hurl barrels faster and sometimes diagonally, and fireballs get speedier. The victory music alternates between levels 1 and 2. The 22nd level is unofficially known as the kill screen, due to an error in the game’s programming that kills Mario after a few seconds, effectively ending the game. With its four unique levels, Donkey Kong was the most complex arcade game at the time of its release, and only the second game to feature multiple levels (the first was Gorf by Midway Games).
  • This wide-body mouthful of a game incorporates not one talking head (like in the game “Funhouse”) but two…and they talk to each other during game play. Williams made around six wide-body machines such as this so as to incorporate more real estate space for playfield action and toys. They went by the moniker of the “Super Pin.” This machine was designed by Pat Lawlor and inked by John Youssi. 6,259 were made. In a nutshell, the object of this machine is to cross the US to achieve the ultimate jackpot round. Each time you hit Ted, the day of the week advances in front of him. When you reach Friday, it’s payday. This starts the three-ball multiball series. The jackpot is achieved when you shoot a ball into sleeping Ted’s mouth! Much mayhem, a vibrating motor, two plunger shots, and a lot of characters pop up to taunt you on your way across the country. Country singer Carlene Carter is the voice of Red.
  • Gottlieb Joker Poker pinball. An interesting design, and only made in a 4 player version (no 2 player, unusual for Gottlieb pinball). One bank of five ace drop targets, one bank of four king drop targets, one bank of three jack targets, one bank of two queen drop targets, and a single ten drop target. Pretty cool pinball design really. Two pop bumpers, one slingshot, two 3″ flippers. They made 820 Gottlieb EM Joker Poker pinballs.
  • Here’s a 1977 Stern ‘Pinball’. This was Stern’s first solid state machine and marked the beginning of a long and interesting history for the company. Designed by Mike Kubin, it’s a fast game that has some wicked out-lanes and very quick ball times. There are no mini-posts above the out-lane guides which make controlling the ball near the out-lanes very difficult. Stingray, the game made by Stern following ‘Pinball’ also lacked these posts, but games made thereafter had the posts which dramatically improve the player’s ability to control the ball and avoid the out-lane. This game has a basic rule-set. Knock down the 5 drop targets twice in one ball to score the special. The saucer on the right side of the playfield awards a somewhat random award and the spinner shot on the left is a very satisfying shot to hit.
  • This roll-up game is a classic which originated in 1909 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is one of the first redemption games ever made, with tickets being awarded as higher and higher scores are achieved. Batteries of these machines were a common staple on every boardwalk down the Jersey Shore. Nowadays, the game is still being made and is popular for all ages. The newest twist with the popularity of these machines is the formation of leagues which, like bowling, compete for trophies and bragging rights. Players go by the name of Ski-diddies, and a recent competition was televised on ESPN . These games are relatively easy to cheat on, by dropping balls in the high-scoring holes. That’s why the nets were incorporated into the design of more contemporary machines to limit this activity.
  • Williams produced this game in October with 7,053 units produced. Norm Clark designed the game and Christian Marche did the art package. This four-player electromechanical game is based on the game tic-tac-toe. Making 3 x’s or 3 o’s in line or diagonally lights the eject holes to award an extra ball and 5,000 points. Making the A and B rollovers lights the center target. Hitting it opens the gate and 1,000 points. A bonus feature is incorporated into the game and this is awarded when the ball drains. Lighting all the squares activates the side rollover lanes to score a replay. Score and matching are also incorporated into the game. A fast playfield design and fun to play.
  • This game is the most complicated solid-state pinball machine for complexity and gadgetry ever made. 15,235 of these were made and design credits go to Pat Lawlor with art by John Youssi. Multiple multi-ball options, magnets, a porcelain power ball a gumball machine and an extra-wide play field are only part of what’s before you. The main object of the game is to complete all the segments of the door in the bottom of the play field. These segments illuminate a light in the door. If by rare chance you complete the feat (you can “buy in” extra balls at the end of your game), all heck breaks loose in the form of a “lost in the zone” ultimate stage in the game. All six balls pop out, every option special, and bonus is lit all at once, and then, as if by magic, the flippers stop working (as this is a timed event) and your bonus is totaled. The battle in the zone magnet-controlled play field and power ball are neat!
  • Pro Pool originated in December with 800 units being fabricated. This add-a-ball machine was designed by Ed Krynski with artwork by Gordon Morison. Two replay versions of the game were also made: a two-player version called Big Shot and a four-player version called Hot Shot. Obviously the theme of this game is the game of pool. The playfield is symmetrical and the way to win extra balls is by completing the left and/or right drop target battery. Doing so will lift the left and/or right wow rollovers for this award. The drop targets reset once the sequences are completed. Of course, an operator-adjusted score is another way to score a couple of balls. Back in the ‘70s, multiple balls or replays could be achieved on the game. Today, one free game on a current solid-state game is the common win. Operators have made it harder to achieve free games today as free games yield no income and only result in down time for the machine to earn coins in the till.
  • Gottlieb released the game “Sinbad” in both solid-state and electromechanical formats in June of the year. Designed by Ed Krynski with art by Gordon Morison, there were 12,000 S.S. games and 950 E.M. games made. This machine is the rare two-player version of the game, of which 730 were made. Drop targets are the main theme of this game. Knocking down the single white drop target awards a 2x bonus and lights the white rollover. The three yellow drops were next. If hit, 3x bonus is awarded when the ball drains and the 5,000 rollover lights at the top of the playfield. The four purple drops were next. Making these would award 4x bonus and light the extra ball rollover. Finally, the five red drops; when hit would award 5x bonus (the maximum bonus that could register is 15,000 points times the bonus) as well as light the special rollover. Four flippers allowed for interesting play, also.
  • Donkey Kong Jr. is a 1982 arcade-style platform video game by Nintendo. It first appeared in arcades, and, over the course of the 1980s, was later released for a variety of platforms, most notably the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game’s title is written out as Donkey Kong Junior in the North American arcade version and various ports to non-Nintendo systems. Its eponymous star, Donkey Kong Jr., also called simply Junior[3] or abbreviated as DK Jr.,[4] is trying to rescue his father Donkey Kong, who has been imprisoned. Donkey Kong’s cage is guarded by Mario, in his only appearance as an antagonist in a video game. This game is the sequel to the video game Donkey Kong, which featured Mario as the hero and Junior’s father as the villain. Plot: Mario (known as Jumpman in Donkey Kong) has captured Donkey Kong and placed him in a cage as punishment for kidnapping his girlfriend Pauline.[5] Donkey Kong Jr. must rescue his father from Mario by working his way through a series of stages. Mario attempts to stop DK Jr. by releasing animals and putting obstacles in his way. When DK Jr. succeeds at the final level, Donkey Kong is freed and kicks Mario into the distance, leaving him to an unknown fate. Gameplay Like its predecessor, Donkey Kong, Jr. is an arcade-style platform game. There are a total of four stages, each with a unique theme. DK Jr. can run left and right, jump, and grab vines/chains/ropes to climb higher on the screen. He can slide down faster by holding only one vine, or climb faster by holding two. Enemies include “Snapjaws,” which resemble bear traps with eyes, bird-like creatures called “Nitpickers”, and “Sparks” that roam across the wiring in one of Mario’s hideouts. To pass the first three stages, DK Jr. must reach the key at the top. In the fourth stage, DK Jr. must push six keys into locks near the top of the stage to free Donkey Kong. After a brief cutscene, the player is taken back to the first stage at an increased difficulty. DK Jr. loses a life when he touches any enemy or projectile, falls too great a distance, or falls off the bottom of the screen. Additionally, he loses a life if the timer counts down to zero. The game ends when the player loses all of his or her lives.
  • Star Trek: The Next Generation is a widebody pinball game, designed by Steve Ritchie and released in November 1993 by Williams Electronics. It was part of WMS’ SuperPin series (see also The Twilight Zone and Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure), and was based on the TV series. It is the only pinball machine that features three separate highscore-lists. Apart from the regular highscore-list and the buy-in-list, it also features a reminiscence to The Machine: Bride of Pin*Bot billionaires club. It is also the third pinball game overall based on the Star Trek franchise, following the 1979 pinball game by Bally, and the 1991 game by Data East (both based on the original series). Launch options When a new ball is launched into the plunger, the player is given one of five launch awards, which is selected when the ball is fired. Unless otherwise noted, the ball is launched through the spiral ramp and into the lock hole (above the pop bumpers). Another ball is popped from the left scoop and onto the left inlanes. Start Mission: Starts lit mission. Flipper Skill Shot: The player has to shoot the ball up the right ramp (the Beta Quadrant) for a random award. Launch Probe: The ball will be loaded into one of the two cannons, located on top of the slings. Shoot the lit target for a random award. If the player misses, Data will say, “The probe has discovered nothing, sir”. Light Lock / Light Holodeck: Lights the ball lock, and the ball gets locked for multiball. When this option is selected twice, “Light Lock” changes to “Light Holodeck”. Warp Factor: Starts the ball at Warp Factor 4. After the player reaches Warp 9, (depending on the ROM version), the award changes to Warp 9.1, up to 9.9 (the player has only a limited amount of time to make either the left circle or Delta ramp for each point), then changes to “Warp Factor 2″. The ball is sent to the pop bumpers. Scoring and Game Modes There are several ways to score points outside of the missions as well as unlocking certain game modes. The following modes are available: Explosive Millions – Shooting the Alpha Quadrant or Beta Quadrant ramps unlocks Explosive Millions. Shooting the same or opposite ramp awards 5 million points, followed by 10 million for another shot, which cumuliates by 10 million every shot. The player has ten seconds to hit the ramp to score or the mode ends. Bonus Multipliers – Hitting all three rollover lanes above the bumpers will increase the bonus multiplier for that ball. The first completion raises it to 2X, and subsequent steps raise it 2X at a time to a maximum of 10X. When the 8X is achieved, the Extra Ball light is lit in the “Start Mission” pocket. When the multiplier is maxed, completing the rollovers again awards 10 million, with the value increasing by 10 million every time afterward Holodeck – The player has two choices. Score 25 million points, or play the “video mode” shuttle cavern. If the player selects the video mode, the player has to go through the caverns in a shuttle, picking up 10 million point cards while avoiding mines and cavern walls. There is an extra ball card somewhere in the caverns, as well as artifact (see below). Reaching the Extra Ball is achieved by alternating Left, Left, Right, Right turns until cavern 7. Depending on how many Extra Balls have already been earned and the games Extra Ball probability configuration it may end up either an Extra Ball or a 10 million point card. Once an Extra Ball has been earned in the Holodeck all subsequent Holodeck runs will not award any Extra Balls, regardless of the path chosen. Collecting the artifact, clearing all caverns, or crashing into a mine or wall immediately ends the video mode scoring the points collected in the mode. A maximum score of 159 million points is possible for a flawless run. At the start of the Holodeck mode, pressing a flipper button along with pulling the launch trigger starts a “Riker’s Poker Night” video mode. Kickback – Shooting the three left yellow targets lights Kickback, which saves the ball from draining from the left outlane. If the game is in tournament mode this must initially be earned. Otherwise the game starts out with the Kickback lit. The Kickback can be recharged unlimited times by hitting the appropriate targets after it had been depleted. Shuttle Ramp – Each shot at the Beta Quadrant Ramp launches a shuttle which a certain number of launched shuttles can reward a player. Rewards could be Light Holodeck, Command Decision, or Extra Balls. Between the ramps are two small targets when hit, adds two times the shuttle to the counter.
  • Big Brave is a two-player electromechanical machine. 3,450 units were produced. Ed Krynski designed the machine and Gordon Morison was in charge of the artwork. This game was a typical Gottlieb game of the era. It has drop targets, resetting targets, bonus feature, double bonus option, and a special. Making the B I G rollover lights the pop bumpers. Hitting all five drop targets awards 5,000 points. Hitting the last drop target left when the B I G is hit awards a special. The vari-target, as it was called, was an exclusive Gottlieb design. As you hit the target – depending how hard you hit it – would result in bigger point values. It will then reset to be hit again and again. A four-player version of this game, Big Indian, was also produced.
  • Playfield Layout There are two standard flippers and standard return lanes in the usual positions. The inlanes can be lit to start Crane Hurry-up. The outlanes have quite large openings, and each outlane can be lit separately for a “Ball Recycle”. Above the left out/inlanes there is a popper which returns the ball to the left inlane. Most of the shots that take balls under the playfield return the ball here. On the playfield beside this device is a bank of three standup targets with blue lights in the playfield in front of them, which, when completed, lights the left outlane Recycle. Above this there are two ramps with entrance side-by-side. The far left ramp leads to a toilet, which counts the spins the ball takes inside it before falling under the playfield. The inner ramp carries the ball around the back of the playfield toward a VW bus in the back right corner; a diverter can cause the ball to be temporarily held here or to return directly on a habitrail to the right inlane. This ramp also has an open side which allows slow shots to fall through to an area not otherwise accessible, which dribbles down into the hole in front of the dog. Lights in front of these ramps indicate various available shots. In the center of the top of the playfield is this game’s main feature. The “Crane” is a pinball hanging from a chain. The chain hangs from a bar (which is decorated to look like a crane) that goes into the back wall of the game. This ball can be raised or lowered, to allow the pinball to pass under it, or block its path. The bar itself can move side-to-side and up-and-down slightly, in addition to the wild motion the ball has. Around this, arranged in a semicircle, are 2 banks of 3 standup targets with an opening for another shot (which goes around a corner and under the playfield) between them. Above these there is a row of 5 larger “car” standup targets, with no gap. The crane ball can be hit into these higher targets. Several lights in front of the crane ball indicate shots available on the crane ball (by hitting it into the car standups) or in the opening behind it. There doesn’t seem to be a name for this opening (in some mode, I forget which, the game calls it the alley, but the playfield calls the DOG scoop the alley), so I will call it the center shot. Below the right side crane standups there is an up-scoop which usually drops the ball onto the bus ramp’s habitrail to the right inlane, but a diverter can send it to the dog instead. The dog is a decoration just in front of the bus; when the ball goes to him, it falls into a hole in the playfield in front of him, and if the ball was supposed to be there, a video mode starts. Lights in front of the scoop spell out D-O-G. Just to the left of it there is a small standup target, the Toaster Gun target. Below and slightly to the right of the scoop entrance, there is a sinkhole called the Sewer that can be entered from almost any direction. Lights in front of it indicate a variety of awards which can be available here, including Extra Ball and Adventures. The adventures themselves are indicated by a separate row of lights across the playfield, below the lights for the ramps, crane, and scoop. Below the Sewer there is a bank of 3 blue standups; these light the right outlane Recycle and are similar to their counterparts on the other side of the playfield. The plunger (which is a combination manual and autoplunger) shoots the ball through a spinner and into a sinkhole, which, like other holes on this game, takes the ball to the left inlane feed. Junk In the middle of the lower section of the playfield, in addition to lights for “shoot again” and autofire, there is a blueprint with 10 different pieces of junk marked with lights. Some of the pieces combine to make various contraptions. The junk consists of: Hair dryer, toaster, cuckoo clock, television, weathervane, fishbowl, propeller, fan, bathtub, and bicycle wheels. The game begins with the toaster already awarded. The combinations are: • Hair dryer + toaster = toaster gun • television + weathervane = radar • bicycle wheels + bathtub + fan = jalopy • fishbowl + jalopy = submerger • propeller + jalopy = flying machine There is an extra ball awarded for collecting a certain amount of junk, which is on a percentage; on the game I play it’s awarded on the third junk item. Collecting all the junk lets you enter your initials as junk champion at the end of the game. The current junk champion’s initials are shown on Spike’s collar when each dog video mode begins. Helpful hints At various times during the game, an angel appears on the left of the DMD or a devil appears on the right, and they make some comment. Whenever you collect junk, one or both of them appears and advises you what to collect next. (If your first junk item is anything other than the hair dryer, both appear, the angel advising you to get the hair dryer and the devil advising you to get a part for the radar.) One of these also announces each time an invention is completed, or when an adventure starts.
  • Move a paddle back and forth at the bottom of the screen to rebound a ball back into a brick wall, knocking bricks out one by one. There are three separate games: double — same as Breakout, knock down bricks and when they are all gone a new wall forms cavity — two other balls are inside the wall, when they have an escape route you can hit them as well progressive — as the wall is destroyed, new bricks are added and the entire wall shifts down toward your paddle. The sound effects are just simple beeps. This video game is a typical late ’70s machine which has been reproduced in many variations as well as downloaded apps on smartphones today. No complicated rules here, which is why it was so popular in its glory days. You control the horizontal paddle at the bottom of the playfield and, through the use of the spin controller, try to prevent losing the “ball” below the paddle. By aiming at the bricks, you try to hit all of them and then “break through” to the next layer of bricks. This accomplishment is rewarded with a period of high scoring and ricocheting video bounces of the “ball” until it escapes the brick layer and comes into your paddle again. These brick layers then start to drop toward your paddle. By the way, the TV is black and white!
  • Mata Hari was released in April of the year and designed by Jim Patla with artwork accolades going to Dave Christiansen. 16,200 of these machines were produced in the new solid-state format (as seen in the museum) as well as bunch of electromechanical machines (170, to be exact) to keep the non-computer savvy operators happy and buying machines they knew how to fix. This machine before you is one of the finest examples of this ultra-rare mechanical format. Like the solid-state version, the center kickout hole scores 3,000 points and each successful shot in the hole advances the bonus multiplier. The A and B skill shots advance the horizontal sequence of increasing values in the center of the playfield. 50,000 points are awarded when a battery of drop targets is hit. If both batteries are knocked down, the drop targets reset and hitting all again awards the replay. Score is another replay option.
  • Crystal Castles has nine levels with four castles each, and a tenth level which features a single castle — the clearing of which ends the game. Each of the 37 trimetric-projected castles consists of a maze of hallways filled with gems and bonus objects, and also includes stairs, elevators and tunnels that the player can use as shortcuts. The three-letter initials of the player with the highest score are used to form the first level’s castle structure. When all gems in a castle have been collected, the player moves on to the next castle. The player can also skip some castles and acquire additional lives and points by using secret warps activated by making Bentley Bear jump at special locations. A trackball and “jump” button are used for controlling Bentley Bear’s motions. Gems are collected by simply walking over them, and a bonus is given upon collection of the last gem. While collecting gems, there are a number of enemies that try to stop Bentley and/or collect the gems for themselves. With two exceptions, if touched by the enemies he will lose one of his lives. Any gems collected by the enemies also result in a lower obtainable score for that screen. Likewise, if the last available gem is collected by the enemy, the player also loses the last gem bonus. Enemies can be avoided by use of the maze and its constructs, or by making Bentley jump over opponents with the jump button, in some cases also allowing him to stun them. Some types of enemies will track Bentley’s movements in certain ways, while others move at random. If Bentley is touched, he “cries out” in a distinctive manner with the use of a cartoonish word balloons. If 3 or more lives remain, he says “BYE!”; if 2 lives still remain, the quotation is “OH NO!”; if 1 life is left, it is “OUCH!”; and finally, for the last lost life (which ends the game), he says “#?!”, so as to imitate an obscenity. At the beginning of every maze, gems are worth 1 point each; this value increases by 1 for every gem Bentley picks up, to a maximum of 99. Each maze also randomly includes a hat or honey pot, which serve the dual purpose of awarding points and providing Bentley with the ability to defeat specific enemies. The hat is worth 500 points and will make Bentley invulnerable for a few seconds and allow him to eliminate Berthilda the witch, who appears in the last maze of each level. The honey pot is worth 1,000 points, and picking it up can delay the landing of a swarm of bees. Other villains present in the game include: “Nasty Trees” which become more ornery as levels progress, a ghost that will usually appear in the Hidden Spiral levels, dancing skeletons, “Gem Eaters” who Bentley Bear can defeat if he catches them while eating a gem, and also the devilish “Crystal Balls” creatures that in later levels tend to follow Bentley Bear persistently as he collects gems. The Nasty Trees and Crystal Balls can also pick up gems. Crystal Castles contains two notable easter eggs. Jumping 100 times or more in the southeast corner of level 1?1 and clearing the maze of all gems will make ATARI appear on level 1?2.[2] On level 5?4, if the player kills Berthilda and goes to the corner of the area where she was and jumps, “FXL” will appear in the southeast corner of the screen. These are the initials for Franz X. Lanzinger, a designer of Crystal Castles.
  • Kasco Manufacturing Company produced about eight machines of various themes in their productive commercial life. This machine is the most popular of the games they made. This shoot’em up game awards a free play if a score of 80 is made. The game board is elaborate for its day and looks 3-D. Blacklight, holograms, and mechanical chain link drives are all synchronized at different speeds (the faster the ninja moves, the more potential points you can earn if you hit one). Hitting a ninja produces a flash of light and points. Audio enhances your experience. Lighting colored artwork from behind a mirror creates the animation effect seen in this game. There’s only eight molded targets in the game, but it appears a lot more are present due to the computer’s timing of their action. Give it a shot!
  • This one or two player upright video game is not just one dedicated game like Pac-Man or Missle Command. Through the use of modules or packs installed in the machine, more games could be added to its itinerary of playable classics. Early video games had full circuit boards within the machine as well as dedicated transformers and controls. Nowadays, emulators have taken over the arcade and home markets, allowing thousands of games in the footprint of one machine. Pinball machines have also been emulated in this formats. These games are finding themselves more and more in the home market for obvious reasons: you can have 100 of your favorite machines to come home to in one solo unit–and you own the keys!
  • Gottlieb produced a few baseball-themed games, but Williams Manufacturing was the king of these types of games. This game, designed by Ed Krynski with art by Gordon Morison, had a run of 775 units. This is the add-a-ball version of this game, so it is rarer. The replay version is called Grand Slam. This game has eject holes which activate the roto-target, a Gottlieb exclusive device, which stops and a man is lit on a corresponding base to the eject hole on the baseball diamond. The rollover button lights when the bases are loaded. This scores 1,000 points whenever the bases are loaded. Runs and score are the ways to win free balls with this game.
  • This game was a breakthru game for Williams in January. It was designed by Steve Ritchie with art by Constantino Mitchell. Flash was the first game to have a continous background sound during play and the crescendo of the sound sped up as you advanced thru the game. This is also the first game to use “flash lamps”, which are higher voltage lights that really make a presence when they light. The first thing you notice on this non-speaking game is, when you shoot the ball from the plunger, the ball travels diagonally across the playfield and ends at the top of the playfield from left to right. The top rollovers consist of 4 numbers. If you hit 1-3, you get a double bonus; all four made gives a triple bonus. 19,505 games were made, a big production run. This game also has the advance bonus eject hole, drop targets, and, of course, the bright “flash” show when activated. This game was a main staple in arcades of the ’80s.
  • 10,350 of these machines made it through the doors of Bally in 1978. Designed by the great Jim Patla and art package by Kevin O’Conner, this early wide body machine is a perfect match for the pinball trade as well as this museum. Even though it was made prior to vocalization in pinball machines, the sounds of the machine draw one in to play its features. All the technology of the 70s is present here with drop targets, loop shots, advancing bonus features and a novel kick back kicker between the flippers which, once achieved, brings the ball back into play instead of draining. Completing the spelling of “Silverball Mania” advances the bonus features. If you complete this feat three times in a game, a built in carrier feature advances on the backglass and awards an operator-adjustable reward, classically three free games. A great playfield flow was designed into the game with two “back to the top” shots enticing players along.
  • 12,716 of these Mark Ritchie-designed games were produced in wide-body format. This machine has a lot of the action associated with the first three Indiana Jones adventures produced by Lucas and Spielberg and is rated in the top 10 machines of the ‘90s. Four multiball modes grace this machine as well as a ton of video clips designed by Brian Eddy. Twelve different scenes from the movies are represented. Completing these scenes awards a six-ball multiball sequence. A three-ball multiball sequence may be had by hitting the center drop targets and popping a ball into the drop hole behind them. The path of adventure is lit by hitting the letters in the word “adventure.” Doing so opens the path up the right ramp to the tilt-a-matic playfield in the upper left. The object here is to use the flipper buttons to guide the ball to glory.