bagatelle

Bagatelle is a historic tabletop game played on a small, inclined rectangular table. The surface contains pins or pegs that deflect balls as they roll toward a series of pockets or scoring holes near the far end. Players strike balls with a cue or plunger, aiming to hit high-value targets and accumulate points within a set number of turns.

Origin and naming: The term comes from the French bagatelle, meaning trifling or light amusement. The game likely originated in 18th‑century France among aristocrats and was designed as an elegant indoor pastime. It spread to Britain and elsewhere in Europe, influencing later mechanical amusements and the development of early pinball.

Design and play: Tables angled toward one end employ a lattice of pins that divert balls as they descend. Scoring depends on the hole or zone into which a ball settles; different tables have various schemes. Early versions used cues to strike the ball, while later variants adopted a spring plunger that launches the ball, foreshadowing pinball. The game can be played solo or with two players.

Legacy: Bagatelle was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries and is regarded as an ancestor of pinball and related tabletop games. Today it survives in museum collections and in replicas, serving as an example of early mechanical recreational design. The word bagatelle also remains a French term for a trifling matter.