Playball (Sold)
My latest wedge head addition. The flipper 'plunger' design is interesting, and has confused a number of people so far. For those not familiar with the machine -- there is no plunger. Instead you press the right flipper button to shoot the ball from between the flippers. I still catch myself reaching for the plunger when I start playing the game.
Currently the machine is working, but I still need to give it a good shop job and set it for free play. I did have to have one of the gear levers welded and I have already adjusted the flipper EOS switches which helped dramatically.
I enjoy playing this machine, but personally find it a little too easy. I can normally win 3-5 free games for every game I play (another reason I have not worried too much about free play yet :->.
This has also become baby Andrew's machine -- I can sit him on the glass and he likes to watch the machine. I have tried the same thing with other machines, but he tends to cry. I think it's because of the "plunger" and the fact that I don't have to move my arms from around him while I am playing. About a year later now, and Andrew has taken more of a liking to Cirquis Voltaire, though that is probably since I have been playing that one more. He can also sit up on a stool and watch. If you put him on the glass he just crawls around chasing the ball. While it might be cute, it certainly makes for a hard game.
I sold this machine during the York Show (actually had to drive home). I really did not want to sell it so I added a premium and told the person I was adding the premium but he really wanted the machine and he wanted it that day. I like helping people out and I needed to sell a couple of machines so off it went. I will miss the vari-targets and flipper button plunger for sure -- at least I get to keep the memories of Andrew and I playing together!
Click for a larger view of the photos!
IPDB info for Playball