Turn off that video game for a few moments and let me tell you more about where it all began. As a pinball fan, I enjoy playing vintage games whenever I can find them. Before games were in computers, they were made mechanically. There is something so refreshingly "real" about watching the parts operate like clockwork as you play. The old 1950s pinball sets may not have offered the depth and variation of more recent games, but those wooden rails and manually-operated catapults can get the blood pumping. Here are some great pinball machines from the 1950s made by D. Gottlieb & Company, which had some of the best designs and artwork. Together, these machines exemplify how the game looked back then; they also give us a hint of what it meant to a generation of youngsters (and geezers).
Mystic Marvel
This pinball game was made by Gottlieb in 1954. The company had a history of using card-related themes. This game included a double-award option, which was rare, doubling the number of replays if you began with two quarters. The beautiful design was anchored by a target in the top center. There were card hands on three levels, beginning with the “8” and “9” sets above and the face card flush near the target. If you completed the correct sequence, then the target would activate for a potential reward. It was possible that you could get all three of these in a single game, though difficult.
Ace High
Like Mystic Marvel, this Gottlieb machine had a card theme. The name was similar to Aces High by Bally, but the two were not related (other than by theme). This 1957 game offered bulls-eye and special rewards for hitting a certain number of queens, kings, or aces. There were two gobble holes and two large side bumpers, which did not produce high bounces.
The company that made this game included its slogan on the back plate: “Amusement Pinballs. As American as Baseball and Hot Dogs.” The flippers continued being operable after the game was over. This was the last pinball game to have that capability, since later machines began to turn off the flippers between games. The PSP video game Pinball Hall of Fame: Gottlieb Collection included Ace High as its sole 1950s representative.
Marble Queen
This was another creation of Gottlieb’s Roy Parker. The theme was a club that featured beautiful girls in the latest 1950s swimwear (see video clip below for more on that). The centerpiece looked more like billiard balls than marbles, but the name also referred to the numbered marble bulbs that lit up. When activated, they allowed you to get the ball into the gobble hole in the middle, which spit it out again. Many top players avoided these holes because they altered the game somewhat. If you got all five balls in the gobble hole, you won a replay, and each gobbled ball lit up one of the A, B, C, D slots on the lower half of the table for more scoring opportunities.
Super Jumbo
The Jumbo game featured an elephant and circus theme, named after the 19th Century star of P.T. Barnum’s circus. It was one of the earliest games to have fluorescent bulbs and some scoring pieces that rotated. With the different numbered slot above, the spinning pieces, the mystery scoring target in the center, and the pop bumpers, this was an attractive design with great artwork. However, the negative space towards the bottom was cavernous enough that many balls were lost and there was less element of control with this game than others of its era.
You Can Still Play These Games!
Source: Roanoke Pinball Museum.
If you love pinball (or have never played a real game and would like to try), look online to see if there are any public machines near you. Pinside.com has a list of locations around the world where you can still find a game, though the heaviest clusters by far are in the United States, Western Canada, and Northern Europe (France and the Netherlands seem especially well-represented). https://pinside.com/pinball/map/where-to-play In North America, there is another very good resource that lists public games by location: https://pinballmap.com .
When in Southern California, especially if you are driving from Los Angeles or San Diego to the Palm Springs area, definitely check out the Museum of Pinball in Banning, California. It claims to have the largest group of active games today with around 600 machines you can play. The Silverball Museum in Asbury Park, New Jersey also has a similar number of games available, though I have yet to visit that one. A number of smaller museums exist also in various locations; I can personally recommend the ones in Seattle, Alameda, and Miami, which I have tried. For a list of other pinball “museums” (where you can play a selection of different games on quarter slots or for the price of an entry ticket), please have a look at the list on this page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinball_museum . One of these days, I might have to order my own antique pinball machine!
References:
Silverball Museum (NJ and FL)
Miami Pinball Museum
Pacific Pinball Museum
Pinballbayarea.com
Roanoke Pinball Museum
Pinside.com (with some great info on each of the games)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ace_High_(pinball)
http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1541 (which also has feature pages for each game)
Photos by the author or as credited in the text, except for Ace High photos, which are from www.pinrepair.com. Top photo by the author.
I feel satisfied just looking on this post. This colorful oldies pinball on the picture is very satisfying to the eye. I found playing Pinball on a pc entertaining so I imagine that this is a real pinball where it all get started and that will give all joy of the game. Thanks posting this @donkeypong
@donkeypong, Ten years ago I was huge fan of Pinball gaming and currently totally stop with working. It's very interesting game to me than wars, races indeed games. I played better pinball. But never know when it started or who created. But now I totally updated from those points. Currently for gaming use massive condition indeed laptops and computer. Children and younger can get amazing experience better now. Awesome to watch Gottlieb's Pinball Woodrails Mystic Marvel 1954 video. It show how was play long years ago.
Hope to play again and refresh my mind. Thanks you for remind me again interesting Gottlieb machinery game.
PS:- I see now you have 19999 followers. Only one follower needed to reach massive achievement of your steemit journey. Congrats to you Tom.
Haha. Thank you. You sound like a true pinball fan. I seem to get more followers when I donate money to sponsor contests or meetups, if anyone wants my secret. Of course, that's not the main reason I try to help, since I want to introduce more people to Steem. :)
Pinball brings me very nice memories of my childhood, but I am young enough not to have been able to play physically. I remember that with my first computer the Windows 98 pinball game was great, I was competing with my friends to achieve the best score. It hurt a bit when they removed it in the following Windows updates, but now that I just saw your post I want to find a way to download it in Windows 10
But I think that my experience does not compare to mid-century and the 70-80's when you could go with your friends to play in the arcade, it should have been fun.
Yes, aside from a couple of games that were available nearby, I largely learned it from a computer also. It's less nostalgia for me than it is honoring the past. And once I did play these games more in physical form, I learned to appreciate them.
Yep I remember i played that too
Video pinball games are some of those games you get rid of as you start advancing in technology since they get little marketting. But I have to admit it's always exciting whenever you come across one to play. Hitting the ball and struggling to keep it up to avoid it from dropping is a thrilling experience. Though I have to admit I haven't got a chance to try out a physical game like those listed above. They truly are worth a try from the description you've given them. A great history one ought to be part of by playing the game. Ace high looks amusing; the special rewards for hitting a certain number of queens, kings, or aces. I need to know how one achieves that. I've started a pinball game hunt here in the country hope I get one and get to feel the exciting experience your talking about @donkeypong.
Good luck finding one! I know it isn't easy, outside of those places where some pockets of fans have kept the machines alive.
Awesome post!!!
I always wondered why the flippers didn't work on the newer pinball machines. Of course this was around the early 80's when I was playing them. Thanks for the list and where to find some PB's in the states.
This post reminds me of THE WHO'S PINBALL WIZARD.
The one thing that really bothered me about pinball machines was when the owners would raise the back legs to make the balls speed down the slant faster and make the game end quicker. That was a crap move and is the reason why I didn't like wasting money on that game, but when they were set up right, it was an awesome skill game to play.
Raising the legs: You just needed to bring a friend to lift up the front of the machine while you played and throw a couple of schoolbooks down there...TILT! :) There were some great games in the 80s and 90s also. At first, I thought you meant the Dr. Who game, which was a great one, but I'd almost forgotten about the Who (band) song. I'll have to listen to that again. Thanks for the comment.
Oh man, pinball machines are a family favourite! I want to get a few when I get my own place, Addams Family, Doctor Who, and the Gopher one as they are the best childhood memories with how much we played them.
They never get old either, especially when trying to beat high scores!
Great choices! The last "museum" I went to had a Dr. Who machine and I played it for easily 20 minutes.
It was at the hotel my family went to when I was an early teen, I would always check it and the arcade machines for money which sometimes would be there, but played Dr Who everytime I was there.
Thank you for the walk down memory lane!! I have such fond memories of skipping high school, walking with my friends down to the local pool hall, and playing pinball games for hours hahaha How I ever became a high school teacher is sometimes well beyond me :)
My husband Brian, and I, went on an epic road trip for a month across the States a few years ago, and while in Vegas, stopped at Rick's Restorations where he happened to be working on a couple of these beauties (and of course had some in the "museum" portion of his shop. It really is true, they just don't make 'em like they used to :)
Thank you again for this post...so awesome!
That's great. And good point about the restorers; sometimes they have a few games you can play. I've seen some come up in that location search from the pinballmap.com site (which is for North America). Best wishes to you!
Yes, it's like showing off their baby! "Go ahead, give it a whirl" :) The only problem with restorers is that when they see the finished product, they no longer want to sell it :)
Thank you for the well wishes!
Before I never thought that there are no physical pinball machines and I only have seen those at video games which I often cuss because I never won anything from it. @donkeypong These are truly are like art in themselves because of the intricacies on how they are built.
I've never played any of them. I was born only 40 years later :D
Pinball is one of my favorite recreational machines, I remember when they were in fashion, I could not get away from their attractive and excellent models, now in my country you do not see much, I can only play it through the PC. Thank you for bringing these excellent memories @donkeypong
Thanks for the comment. The games are not bad on the computer, but it's like the difference between reading a good book and then seeing someone try to make it into a movie.
Exactly, it's not the same, I just stay in consolation because more I could never see one on these sides XD
You've really educated me today. I've heard of pinball but didn't know how it even looked like. I have seen this game electronically embedded into the application softwares of some windows, like the windows xp and some old versions of windows has this pinball. Tried to play once but didn't even understand.
Thanks for the comment. I'm glad you learned something new about the past. These games are fun on the computer also.
This is awesome! I loved playing pinball machines at the arcade growing up! Granted, I fell for Pac-Man and Donkey Kong & Frogger too lol! I really loved the original pinball machine! The Roanoke museum is only about 180 miles from me, I will have to try to check it out one day! ;-)
That's great! You're fortunate to have had that experience. I'd like to try out the Roanoke one also someday.
God I loved those games, I was also addicted to Stargate, Defender, Tempest, Tron, Berzerk, Galaxy, Centipede and Millipede, oh of course Ms. Pac Man, Joust, Q*bert, OH MAN I MISS THESE GAMES!!!!
I know there was more but I can't remember the names. Outrun was the one I loved about driving in the countryside as well as other backgrounds. Wow, thanks for the memories.
I like the one with the girls using bikinis and as I wrote that I realized what you meant at the beginning with the youngsters a
nd geezers comment lol.
Those are some very well kept pinball machines for having been made in the mid 50s!
Somewhere out there in the world there might by an old pinball machine with a donkey motif waiting for you to purchase it 😎
I have always wanted to play out of curiosity, but I will not be able to do it because living in Venezuela is the Metro of Genco with those 17 passive bell bumpers (the passive bumpers were probably the first great revolution in pinball design).
Hello, great regards @donkeypong. Excellent publication, you remind me of those times when I used to go to play the places that had game machines like these, and of course I am not from those 1950s that there were those that you show us, but I speak to you as In 2000, he used to play these similar games, just as the "Pacman" game, which was on a machine as well as large buttons and a lever, was fashionable. Currently we still see some game machines like that, but we are many and those that are still are more updated, at least here in Venezuela it has been like that. Now more modern video games like playstation are seen. xbox, etc. I have also played pinball many times and it really is a super fun game, that once you play you want to continue playing. I liked that we told them the story of this game since 1950, practically with your post we moved to those years. Thank you for informing me about this, because to be honest I did not know where or how many years I had this pinball game. Thanks, I hope you're good at it. Greetings from Venezuela
Oh yes, I certainly remember playing an arcade Pacman game also. Those were lots of fun!
That's right, I never got tired of playing Pacman, it was a visually game and when you played the first game, you wanted to play more and more. Without a doubt it was a spectacular game, now it still exists but it is not seen very often in the gaming rooms as before. Thank you for your support @donkeypong, I would like to invite you to my blog to observe a post I published about about 2 recipes to make bread at home, the two recipes are very easy and quick to prepare, crusty and tasty bread. I hope you can see my post, like I hope you like it and someday you can prepare your own bread at home, I really feel very excited if someone as important as you see a post mine. Thanks, again.
I remember I once had a sort of Pinball Arcade game on my computer and Play Station console. Never had experience of the ones with wooden rails. I did not quite understand so much about it so it was really tasking for me. I had a neighbor then that enjoyed it more than me, the owner. It always made my controller vibrate. That kind of scared me everytime.
Ah yes, the vibration. On some of the real machines, you can tilt also, though you run the risk of the whole thing falling over on you. :)
If i am not mistaken, the first game in a desktop or pc is the pin ball? together with solitaire and minesweeper.
And other low tech free stuff, perhaps. :)
The pinball game was the only game that would install on the family p.c when i was much like 10 years old, i played it till 17 lol, the game never really got me tired with its twist and turns, all i basically had to do was nudge and hit the bumb so the balls will go higher. However i didnt know it came with these beautiful women backgrounds
This will be a heck of a sight, will surely do if i ever come over there
Maybe owning a machine wont be such a bad idea
My worry about owning an old machine is the repair and maintenance...
Wow, this is some good walking down the memory lane. I actually never had the opportunity to play pin ball. But I could remember when I was young, my mum played it a lot. Though on the computer.
I played this game so much on my old computer as a kid... Awesome stuff
Of course, not the same feeling as the real thing, but... You know😁
I loved playing pinball on my computer...
It's a shame if you are a pinball lover and are born late...I really do envy oldies for that...and your post made me envy them more.
God I would love to have a real mechanical feeling of a pinball machine...Computer gaming lacks the feel of arcade....
Wow pinball. One of the oldest games in a computer. I remember when I used to sneak into our computer lab just to play it
ufff I can not remember when it was the last time I played pinball, this tradition of playing machine games was lost, due to the modern video games that have appeared over the years, and to be more specific the teenagers prefer a game of playstation 4 and play "call of dusty", instead of playing pinball or another machine game.
This was a great retro report @donkeypong that reminds us of our adolescence.
I enjoyed playing this so much as a kid.
But, it seems like it kind of died out.
I can't remember when last time I saw something like this.
It seems like this arcade games were replaced PlayStation/PC/xbox, etc.
I feel so nostalgic looking at this.
Might even look for a place where I can play this again.
in 2013-2015, new pinball developers are now starting to enter into the pinball machine
"arena" and challenge the "old guard" maker Stern Pinball. with new and very exciting innovations,
from embedded LCD Monitors and Backboards to multi-colored LED playfield lighting, and one of
the most promising new players to hit the scene this year (with products) is Jersey Jack Pinball,
with the introduction of their radically designed "new-age" pinball machine called "Wizard Of OZ"
ohhhh, great post!
It reminds me so much on my youth, I was a big fan of pinball gambling, hehehe
A song came in my thoughts, too, a very old song, hehehe:
Have a great day
Tom
resteemed is a must for this post!
pinball was one of the closest to my heart when i was young, i used to spend much time playing it, i used to have a lot of fun you made me steep back to the days ago when playing on this wonderful machine was able to made me forget about everything, thank you for bringing these amazing memories thank you
It really was a good information about pinball game and its history shows you well through which we got to know about back story of this pinball game.We have been seeing this game for every life, but the stories behind it were not known. This post really has received many information about this game. Thank @donkeypong for sharing this post with us.
With the evolution of the ages evolved games but keep the old games reminiscent of the past and in childhood
Really a very wonderful article you have done well a successful person
I wish you all the best
I’m a huge lover of games but unfortunately I haven’t been opportuned to play any of this games , not in reality lol. Play station console are the revolutionary games of our time but this games are quite interesting
your post always best dear.. The one thing that really bothered me about pinball machines was when the owners would raise the back legs to make the balls speed down the slant faster and make the game end quicker. That was a crap move and is the reason why I didn't like wasting money on that game, but when they were set up right, it was an awesome skill game to play. the special rewards for hitting a certain number of queens, kings, or aces. I need to know how one achieves that. I've started a pinball game hunt here in the country hope I get one and get to feel the exciting experience your talking about.... I really loved the original pinball machine! The Roanoke museum is only about 180 miles from me, I will have to try to check it out one day..thanks to sharing for your best post..dear my best friend..@donkeypong..very well done...best of luck of your great work..
Pinball brings me exceptionally pleasant recollections of my youth, yet I am sufficiently youthful not to have possessed the capacity to play physically. I recall that with my first PC the Windows 98 pinball game was extraordinary, I was rivaling my companions to accomplish the best score. It hurt a bit when they expelled it in the accompanying Windows refreshes.
Really beautiful article.
I have known about pinball however didn't know how it even resembled. I have seen this diversion electronically inserted into the application virtual products of a few windows, similar to the windows xp and some old forms of windows has this pinball.
I learned about this game that I played on this computer today. Playing on the computer actually differs from the game. Thanks for writing about this game.
I'm not a fan of pinball but I liked your post, it has good info. The only pinball that I played was that of windows xp to which I spent a lot of time when there was nothing to do, they were nice times, thanks for reminding me :)
first time i am hearing about this game thanks for sharing its history keep it up leanr a new thing from your psot
I cherished playing pinball machines at the arcade growing up! Without a doubt, I succumbed to Pac-Man and Donkey Kong and Frogger excessively lol! I extremely adored the first pinball machine.
It truly was a decent data about pinball game and its history demonstrates you well through which we became acquainted with about back story of this pinball game.We have been seeing this diversion for each life, yet the stories behind it were not known. This post truly has gotten numerous data about this amusement
@donkeypong owao what a writing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this game is unique and interesting i think this game is like a slot because the shape of the table is almost the same as the slot game.
thank you :)
You made me remember Mystic Marvel, though, I only watch, haven't played it. Lol! Seeing it just made me reminisce.
I guess I'll try the pinside website you mentioned. I miss games...
so sweet games
Woow, you remembered me of Pinball, I completely forgot...I was playing this many times and everything would go easy when the ball was up but when it falled down, I always failed. And I watched virtuosos right on the place, they would hit the ball down there sooo many times...
Then a Computer game went out and I played this also... A magical world of Pin Ball...😄😄😄
Time flies... This game reminds me of my childhood but now, with the evolution of graphics, the likes of playstation and Nintendo have made this game look hogwash to us
Feeling nostalgia
These was what we had back in the days before the Tech age, now everything is digital and all games on Android , it was fun playing these games then at "poll head" Maryland, missed it but glad we now have digital games.
You just remind me of Arcades, missed those too @donkeypong
Waooo @donkeypong you really hit the far back As 1950 pinball game, that was so on its type during the era. Like you where there then. History can never be left behind. Thanks dear for sharing
I haven't even think of coming to the world talk less of knowing the game but with explanations I can try it
Marble queen looks amazing! I love pinball machine art and playing them as well!
i would say I missed a lot of things while growing up, do you know I didn't know about this game of pin ball till now , and I guess finding it will be the next step now .. thanks for bringing this to my doorstep @donkeypong