Just Pins @ YEGPIN 2018

Almost a year ago the Team got to be part of a most amazing event, the Edmonton Pinball & Arcade Show, aka YEGPIN. An entire day was spent roaming the venue and recording all the action for an article published recently. In that piece (link below), it was about the people, the play and the goings on, and out of it came some amazing photos capturing the fun and frivolity of it all. In this article we slow down and just look at some of the pins that were found at the event. There was over a hundred and some – lost count – and so it’d be impossible for all to appear, but here’s a good sampling. Let’s get down to business.

But a quick diversion, that link mentioned: YEGPIN 2018 – it was incredible!

1) A Gottlieb Buccaneer, a single player game from 1976 with around thirty six hundred made. It’s a legendary “wedgehead” (all single player games). These are highly sought after and are well regarded in reliability, serviceability and playability. Two or four player games from that maker used a traditional squared corner backbox.

2) The US was traditionally the biggest producer of pinballs (interestingly, most makers were from Chicago) but here’s an example from Europe, InterFlip’s Dragon made in Spain. This one’s from 1977 and is a late model “Electromechanical”. Soon all games would go electronic in scoring. InterFlip only made a few games before going out of business. Han Solo looks on approvingly.

3) Under the dome, a Super Chexx Hockey. It plays much like those table-top rod-hockey games we all had as a kid. Say it with me…”He shoots…HE SCORES!”

1) A legendary “wedgehead”.

4) Always a good idea to have several sets of keys in case one is lost. Here’s one gone MIA. We turned them in.

2) Made in Spain.

5) This is a Gottlieb Buck Rogers from 1980 with some seventy four hundred made. This firm was one of the last to make the transition to “solid state” circuits for game play and scoring. I guess their electronic games, in terms of reliability, we’re not as good at their “EM” models. This is a “movie/TV show” tie in, aka a “licensed” theme, which was still a fairly new thing when this one was produced. Now it’s the norm in the industry. In addition to a theatrical release, Buck Rogers was a TV show of the era and didn’t last long. Chewbacca’s not impressed.

6) This is a Bally “Hardbody” from 1987 with some two thousand made. It uses a photograph backglass (or translite/translight) instead of art. That’s Ms Olympia Rachel McLish rocking that ’80s hair. Bally was one of he big three and soon after this game merged with rival Williams, who continued to use the Bally name on some machines. Bally in the 1970s and early 1980s put out some amazing games, but by the time Hardbody was made they had lost their way.

7) Alien Poker is a William’s game from 1980 with some six thousand made. It’s an early “talking” machine which then was still a novelty. Always remember the line “Big jackpot. Big winner. Big deal.” done in an alien voice. Card themes were a pinball go-to in the era this machine was made.

8) Another early licensed theme, Dolly Parton from 1979, from maker Bally with just over seven thousand, three hundred made. Bally of the era was know for their rather raunchy artwork and depiction of ladies with exaggerated frontal assets. With Dolly doing it was not needed.

9) Some pinballs get rethemed. For this one, it’s “The Donald”. More about it in a bit.

10) While we spent most of the time, some fourteen hours at YEGPIN 2018, roaming about and photographing the action, but once in a while we got to play. All games were on free-play. Here Connie takes on that Trump game. In back a “red-shirt”, a roaming pinball technician.

11) And speaking of technicians, the senior member, Gary Makota, doing it since the 1970s and a specialist in fixing up older machines. Here he works on a Gottlieb Atlantis Wedgehead, from 1975 with some twenty two hundred made. Given how complex pinballs are it’s not odd for them to “go down” and a team of techs was get busy attending them. Beside is a Bally (while under Williams control) Game Show from 1990 with some twenty five hundred made. Always enjoyed that game.

12) A Bally Mystic from 1980 with a production run of just shy of four thousand. The early 1970s into about 1981, so the late “EM”/early “SS” eras, were a boom period for pinball. Then it all fell apart. By 1982/1983 the game was dead. But it’d bounce back, as it’s done many time before and since. In back a Gottlieb Surf ‘n’ Safari from 1991 with about two thousand made. By this era Gottlieb was an also-ran and would close some five years later. Williams/Bally would follow in a few years.

13) Bally Embryon, a “widebody” from 1981 with some twenty two hundred made. Widebodies allowed more targets to be incorporated but tended to slow down the game. Still, this one played well (IMO) and was a favourite of teen Chris. That artwork! Beside a Williams Space Odyssey – we’ll take a look at it later.

14) Gary works on a most stubborn problem and while stumped here, he’d soon track down the issue. It was so elusive, no other tech wanted to touch it, but Gary jumped right in.

15) RollerGames, named after a short lived TV show, from maker Williams, circa 1990, with five thousand made. The mid to late 1980s to the mid-1990s were another boom period. “Go for the wall!”

16) From artists Dirty Donnie Gillies, stuff for a silent auction. He often does pinball themed work and team BIGDoer got to meet him some years back. (see: Pinball Art)

3) The good ol’ Hockey Game.

17) Chicago Coin’s Hollywood from 1976 (quantity unknown). This firm lagged behind in sales when compared to juggernauts Gottlieb/Williams/Bally and always seemed less fun to play, and often downright clunky, with rather uninspired art and themes. My opinion of course. Still, the firm gets little respect over all. Later they became the company Stern, first incarnation.

18) On the game Buccaneer, interesting and colourful art. Gottlieb’s tended to be more fanciful than other makers of the era.

19) If he had his way he’d appear on every coin and bill in the US.

20) This was once a Williams Millionaire (1987, thirty five hundred made) rethemed to be Donald Trump’s Millionaire with new artwork and rules, but keeping the old layout. The fellow behind it points and speaks of it’s creation. Donald looks on smugly.

21) A scene on a Gottlieb Count-Down, from 1979 with almost ten thousand made. That’s be a pretty good sized production run. Overdeveloped girls are a recurring theme in pinball, even on family friendly Gottliebs. There was a rare very late model “EM” variant made.

22) A customization on what must be a karate themed pinball (and there’s a few). Stupid us, we failed to record what machine it was.

23) A giveaway premium at the Edmonton Pinball Show, a Ms Pac Man candy that sits here today on the desk at BIGDoer HQ.

24) The bigger the balls, the bigger the winner. Here’s some “trophies” for those in the YEGPIN tournament.

25) From the Golden Age of Video Games this Ms Pac Man from 1982. One hundred and fifteen thousand of them were produced, by Midway Industries (then owned by Bally) making it one of the most popular arcade games of all time – in comparison a production run of 15-20k pinballs was big news. Billions of quarters have passed through these machines with many still going strong. The Pac Man franchise is still with us and so iconic as to be ingrained into us. Ms Pac Man was an unauthorized sequel not approved by the owners of the Pac Man Trademark, Namco Japan. There was a good number of old school vids at YEGPIN 2018, but we didn’t photograph many. We’re died in the wool pinheads.

26) Should you find yourself needing some balls.

27) A Williams Aztec from 1976 with just over ten thousand made. Indigenous peoples were a popular theme up until the 1970s but today would be seen as disrespectful and insensitive. Always found this one frustrating to play – it was a “drain monster”.

28) We couldn’t shoot many playfield bits account glass reflection. Here we get to go inside one under repair. Those round targets are called “stand ups”. This games if from the 1969, making it one of the oldest here, and is a Williams Suspense with about two thousand made.

29-30) Mechanical parts and a maze of wires, the not often seen inner workings of an EM game.

31) A spinner on a customized AC/DC games (Stern, 2010s). A spinner if hit dead on and strong it will award many points.

32) Things score better “when lit”. As player’s it’s what we love to see. This is that Williams Suspense seen earlier. Playfield shows wear.

4) Not a good thing to lose.

33) Swords of Fury from Williams, 1988 with some twenty seven hundred made. At the start of a game, it’s be a loud and raucous “Challenge me!”. Great game play on this one.

34) Skateball is from 1980, from Bally, with just over four thousand made. This one was in the “tournament” line. Boogie Van spotted!

35) Also from Bally, and a widebody Paragon, from 1979 with just over nine thousand made. Beside it and two years newer, Bally’s Fireball II, with twenty three hundred made.

36) He’s a legend, the Black Knight. Here’s a BK2K machine from 1989 (Williams, with about fifty three hundred made). Earlier there was a 1980 era Black Knight edition and recently announced at Stern Pinball (the largest maker today) a new game in that franchise soon to be on sale. Eagerly awaiting this one. The Black Knight is one of the most iconic themes ever. Many games here, as you can see, are for sale.

37) Bally Centaur from 1981 with some thirty seven hundred made. Bally always had the most cutting edge (and sometimes controversial) art. There was such a cool factor about this machine, that it became one of the favourites of your author back when. The five ball multi-ball was something. A couple years later they “remade” the game. Most pinballs are done in one production run, although in the last decade or so it’s not odd for there to be follow up runs should demand be there.

38) Left to right, Gottlieb’s Star Race Widebody (1980, and a rare one with under nine hundred made), a Gottlieb Black Hole (1981 with about eighty seven hundred made), Swords of Fury seen earlier, and a Stern Ghostbusters (2016, quantity made unknown). Black Hole had a lower level playfield sloped away from the from the front – imagine playing in a mirror. Hated that game! Star Race had the sloooowest gameplay ever. Notice the newer games have a steeper slope to the glass and that’s account all the ramps and toys.

39) Bally Night Rider, a trucker themed game from 1976-1977 with over eleven thousand made in a mix of “EM” and “SS” versions. This was a transition period. Remember what we said about Bally and boobs? They were obsessed with them in the era. Russ Meyer approves.

40) A Creature from the Black Lagoon, Bally (while owned by Williams) 1992 with about seven thousand eight hundred made. The “topper” is a later customization. There’s a 1950s schlock-fest 3D movie of the same title of which the pinball is loosely based.

41) Another Bally, this Xenon from 1980, with eleven thousand made. Dare we say it’s the most sexiest of pinballs, with many naked or near naked ladies (in alien form), who in true Bally fashion are extreme in chest, that can be seen in the art. And sound effects are similarly adult in nature – you have to hear them to understand. Loved this machine and could rack up huge scores and many free plays.

42) Another early licensed theme, based on the daredevil Evel Knievel, famous for jumping things with is motorcycle. This ones’ from 1977 and saw a big run of fourteen thousand “SS” versions and a small run of “EM” units amounting to about a hundred and fifty. The firm, a year or two later, made a home edition pinball, simpler in design and with no coin box, with the same theme and similar art. Bally had some big sellers in this period.

43) The Getaway, High Speed Two, Williams 1992, with just over thirteen thousand made. Obsessed with this machine and it truly had fast gameplay which you author so loves. This games was an early one with a “DMD” display that could show words, number of simple graphics, replacing the traditional alphanumeric scoring. The original High Speed dates from 1986 and had a different playfield and was equally fun. Mick and Bride of Pinbot look on.

44) A Jungle Princess backglass, a later model “EM” from 1977 (Gottlieb, sixteen hundred made). Gottlieb would often do two runs of a machine, same in layout, general theme and with somewhat different art, some two player games and others four. Jungle Princess is the two player version, with Jungle Queen being the four. A two player game would sell for less appealing to some “budget minded” operators.

5) Based on a movie/TV show of the era.

45) A Bally Future Spa (widebody) from 1979 with sixty four hundred made. Seems folks in the years to come dig that ’70s vibe. The dude’s rocking that old school porn star look and of course, it’s an emphasis on boobies. Yup, it’s a Bally.

6) This “Hardbody”.

46) Star Race seen earlier. It’s a biggie and even wider than most other widebodies. Played this machine when new and hated it. Played it here and hated it. Funny how that is.

47) And lastly, a Williams Space Odyssey from 1976, with some four thousand three hundred made. In addition they produced almost twelve thousand Space Mission versions, which only differed in the number of players, so four instead of Odyssey’s two. Artwork for both looks to be the same. These machines commemorate the Apollo–Soyuz Project of a year earlier where the US and Soviets, typically hated enemies, hooked up in outer space in the spirit of “détente” and cooperated on something. And while relations improved in the decades to follow that event, the two sides now hate each other again. What a surprise.

48) Wait, there is no 48. We’re done. What a flood of memories! YEGPIN 2018 was an amazing event, sadly which we can’t attend this year, but we’ll shoot for next. If you’d like to go, here’s a link: YEGPIN Edmonton Pinball & Arcade Show, but hurry it’s happening soon.

The other Edmonton Pinball & Arcade Show piece…
YEGPIN 2018.

More pinball…
Gottlieb’s Mustang – getting some TLC.
Golden Arrow – another sick one.
Pinball Art – some of it’s raunchy.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date: May, 2018.
Location: Alberta Aviation Museum, Edmonton.
Article references and thanks: YEGPIN Edmonton Pinball & Arcade Show 2018, Internet Pinball Database.

7) “Big jackpot. Big winner. Big deal.”

8) Big voice. Big hair. Big…nevermind.

9) Build the wall!

10) Taking a break to play.

11) They can be temperamental things.

12) From maker “Bally”.

13) Embyon’s a “widebody” pinball.

14) Stumped…but not for long.

15) A short lived TV show.

16) From the mind of “Dirty Donny”.

17) A maker that gets little respect.

18) Pinball art is always colourful & interesting.

19) The man, the legend, the coin.

20) A former “Williams Millionaire”.

21) 4…3…2…1!

22) Mr Miyagi?

23) Sits on the desk at BIGDoer HQ.

24) For competition winners.

25) Billions of quarters later & still going strong.

26) Look for the the 8 Ball.

27) Some 10000 made.

28) Up close and without the glass.

29) A peek inside the “backbox”.

30) Wires going everywhere.

31) The cleaner the shot, the better the points.

32) Things are always better “when lit”.

33) “Challenge me!”

34) From 1980.

35) Another wide one.

36) The famed “Black Knight”.

37) Centaur was the best!

38) It’s gaudy…and it’s wonderful.

39) “10-4 good buddy!”

40) A custom topper.

41) Can a pinball be sexy?

42) A most famous daredevil.

43) A “High Speed” game.

44) She’s royalty.

45) And later they’re off to the disco.

46) Outer space themes are a staple.

47) For a brief moment the US & Soviets cooperated.