Pinball

Pinball is the arcade format that predates video games. Coin-operated pinball machines have existed since the early 1930s, and bumpers arrived later that decade. The flipper was invented in 1947 by D. Gottlieb & Co., turning pinball from a luck-based gambling device into a skill game. By the 1980s pinball cabinets were everywhere, and they’re still being manufactured today by Stern and others.

How to play

• Z or Left arrow = left flipper. / or Right arrow = right flipper. Hold the key to keep the flipper up.
• Space (held) charges the plunger. Release to launch. The longer you hold, the harder the launch. During play, Space pauses.
• On a phone, touch the left or right half of the table to flip. While the ball sits on the plunger, touch and hold, then let go to launch.
• The three coloured circles are bumpers worth 100 points. The purple triangles are slingshots worth 50. Each of the six drop targets is worth 250.
• Knock down all six drop targets for a 5,000-point bonus and +1 on your multiplier (up to 5x). Every bumper hit also nudges the multiplier up a little.
• 3 balls per game. Ball drains off the bottom = lose a ball, and your multiplier resets to 1x.
• When all 3 balls drain, game over. Your best score is saved in your browser.

Beginner strategy

• Time the flipper. Hold flipper button until ball contact, then release.
• Aim for repeat bumper hits. Bumpers throw the ball back. Bouncing between centre bumpers scores hundreds.
• Use the slingshots. The purple triangles above the flippers kick falling balls back up the table.
• Control the plunger. A consistent launch makes your opening shot predictable.
• Nudge mentally. Anticipate ball trajectories.

Intermediate strategy

• Bumper combos. Get the ball bouncing between bumpers. Every hit raises the multiplier slightly, so the points grow.
• The “save”. Catch a ball heading down with a precisely-timed flipper.
• Ball control. Stop the ball on the flipper edge for aimed shots.
• Clear the drop targets. The multiplier bonus from a full bank is the biggest score boost on this table, so aim for the green and pink targets.
• Multi-ball strategy. Real pinball has multi-ball events. This table plays one ball at a time, so protect it.

Advanced strategy

• Nudging. Real pinball cabinets allow slight tilt to nudge balls. Too much = tilt warning + lost ball. There’s no nudge in this browser version.
• Modes and missions. Modern pinball has narrative missions with bonus scoring.
• The Wizard’s mode. Top scoring achievement on many machines.
• Top scores (real pinball). Top pinball players score in millions and billions on professional machines.
• Tournament pinball. Pinball has an active competitive scene with championship leagues.

Why digital pinball is hard

The physics is what makes digital pinball feel “right” or “wrong.” Real machines have gravity, ball mass, surface friction, flipper inertia, inelastic collisions. Get any wrong and the game feels arcade-y but not pinball-y. The best digital pinball simulations run their physics many times per frame to capture the feel.

Pinball history

• 1700s — early bagatelles: tabletop precursors.
• 1930s — first commercial pinball.
• 1947 — flipper invented: Gottlieb’s “Humpty Dumpty” introduces flippers.
• 1950s-60s — pinball golden age: arcades nationwide.
• 1970s — solid-state electronics: Bally leads the switch from electromechanical machines. Scoring complexity explodes.
• 1980s-90s — flagship machines: Williams, Bally, Data East compete with story-driven pinball.
• 2010s — revival: Stern Pinball, Jersey Jack lead modern manufacturing.

Common mistakes

• Spamming flippers. Random flipper activation wastes ball control.
• Missing the plunger. Wild plunger throws are unpredictable.
• Not nudging. Slight nudges save balls in real pinball.
• Chasing scores blindly. Bumper hits are good, but clearing the drop targets is worth more.

FAQ

• Q: When was pinball invented? A: 1930s commercial pinball. The modern game began in 1947 with the flipper.
• Q: Is pinball luck or skill? A: Both. Flipper timing and angle control are skills; ball drains can be random.
• Q: What’s a tilt warning? A: Real pinball machines detect excessive nudging. Too many tilts = lost ball.
• Q: Can I make money playing pinball? A: Tournament pinball has prize pools. Most prizes are modest.

For other arcade games, try Breakout, Space Invaders, Asteroids, or Centipede.