Baffle Ball is a pinball machine created on November 19, 1931, by David Gottlieb, founder of the Gottlieb amusement company.
 | |
| Manufacturer | D. Gottlieb & Co. |
|---|---|
| Release date | 1931 |
| Design | David Gottlieb |
| Production run | > 50,000 |
Gameplay
editFor one US cent (equivalent to 20 cents in 2023[1]) players get ten balls. These balls are fired up onto the playfield and fall into pockets and holes. Some ball targets are worth more than others, and players try to fire the ball at just the right speed. Unlike later pinball machines, Baffle Ball does not have flippers. The best target is the Baffle Ball at the top which doubles all points. The game uses no electricity, and all scoring has to be done by hand.
Description
editWhile bagatelle-derived "marble games" had long existed previously, Baffle Ball was the first commercially successful game of its type, being affordable enough for store and tavern owners to quickly recoup the machine's cost. Over 50,000 machines were made, jump-starting the arcade pinball field; it spawned a home version in 1932 called Baffle Ball Senior.[2]
Baffle Ball was responsible for the launch of the company Gottlieb that went on to make pinball machines such as Ace High and Black Hole. The game sat on top of bar counters and the bartender might award prizes for high scores.[3] It is very popular with and sought after by collectors.[3]
Digital version
editThe table was virtually recreated in the pinball simulation video game, Microsoft Pinball Arcade, although adjustments were made to the game rules. Instead of the normal silver balls, colored balls, that correspond to the colors of the targets, are played. Extra points are awarded if the player lands the ball in the target that exactly matches the color of the ball.
See also
edit- Play-Boy - the follow-up game
References
edit- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ Nokia Celebrates 75 Years Of Pinball With New Screenshots For Mile High Pinball from Nokia
- ^ a b "Williams Pinball Machines Woodrail Flipper and Arcade Games 1940s/1950s".
External links
edit- Baffle Ball at the Internet Pinball Database