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Pinball machine:Bumper Pinball Machine

Bally1936

The Strong National Museum of Play

The Strong National Museum of Play
Rochester , United States

Released in December 1936, Bumper revolutionized pinball games by eliminating pins and holes from the playfield and combining previously novel features into a single game. Bumper featured an electrified scoring bumper that bounced the ball around the playfield, progressive scoring by a rotating disk, and changing backglass lighting by rear projection.

The history of pinball dates back to 18th-century Europe; many similar games gradually evolved from court games--games played with balls upon a playing surface, including bowls and even golf. Table versions, it seems, were inevitable inventions to make these games portable and to bring them indoors. What we recognize as pinball evolved in America during the 20th century. The year 1947 saw the invention of the "flipper," which added a whole new dimension to the game. In the 1960s, smaller and cheaper home versions were commonly available.

Details

  • Title: Pinball machine:Bumper Pinball Machine
  • Creator: Bally
  • Date Created: 1936
  • Location: Chicago, IL
  • Subject Keywords: video game, electronic game, pinball machine, flipperless
  • Type: Arcade Games
  • Medium: wood, metal, glass, paint
  • Object ID: 115.72

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