Pinball

Pinball is an arcade game in which players launch a ball into a glass-covered machine and use flippers to keep it in play while scoring points on targets, bumpers, ramps, and other features.

Pinball is an arcade game where players launch a steel ball onto a sloped playfield and use flippers to keep it in play while scoring points on targets, bumpers, and ramps. It evolved from earlier tabletop games like bagatelle and became a major coin-operated amusement in the 20th century.

What it is

Pinball is played on a glass-covered machine with a sloped playfield. Players control flippers to keep the ball active and hit scoring features such as bumpers, ramps, and targets. The objective is usually to score as many points as possible before the ball is lost, with modern machines offering complex rule sets and themes.

Why it matters

Pinball has a notable cultural and legal history. It was long disputed as a game of skill versus chance, leading to bans in many American cities for decades. A 1976 New York City decision helped overturn that assumption, affirming pinball as a game of skill. Today, it remains a fixture in arcades, bars, and private collections, including in Canada.

Key details

Coin-operated pinball machines emerged in the early 1930s in the United States. Major manufacturers include Bally, Gottlieb, Williams Electronics, and Stern Pinball. The Internet Pinball Machine Database catalogues commercially made machines. In Canada, pinball is part of arcade and bar entertainment, with a niche collector and restoration scene.