Pinball

Pinball is a coin-operated arcade game in which a player uses spring-loaded flippers to strike a steel ball across a tilted playfield. The goal is to score points by hitting features such as bumpers, targets, and ramps while preventing the ball from draining out of the bottom of the playfield.

Pinball's roots lie in early 20th-century bagatelle-style games. By the 1930s coin-operated machines were common in arcades, and the 1940s through the 1960s saw the rise of electromechanical pinball, with players controlling mechanical relays, solenoids, and score reels. The 1970s brought solid-state electronics and digital scoring, enabling more complex rules and the use of video displays in some machines; since the 1990s, modern machines have featured sophisticated lighting, ramps, and licensed themes.

A typical machine consists of a wooden cabinet, a glass-covered playfield, a backbox with score displays, a plunger and spring for launching the ball, and two or more flippers operated by buttons. The playfield includes bumpers, slingshots, targets, ramps, and sometimes toys or modes. Gameplay emphasizes accuracy, timing, and strategy, including risk-reward decisions and multi-ball modes.

Players start a ball, aim for high-scoring features, and may earn extra balls or bonuses. When the ball drains, the turn ends. Advanced machines may offer modes, skill shots, jackpots, multiball, and lock-ins that trigger multi-ball play.

Pinball has a dedicated competitive scene. Notable machines include The Addams Family, Medieval Madness, and Twilight Zone, which are acclaimed for engineering and imaginative playfields. Digital versions and virtual pinball tables have broadened access, while home and bar settings sustain a robust community.

Maintenance involves regular servicing, including cleaning, rubber replacement, and occasional part replacement; venues range from arcades to bars and dedicated game rooms, where machines are calibrated and leveled for play.