Hit or Miss

The Pacific Amusement Manufacturing Company's 1935 creation, Hit or Miss, is an early example of an electro-mechanical (EM) pinball machine, and it holds a special place in PAMCO's history as the first of five miniature games the company advertised collectively as the "Quintuplets" — a name chosen to capitalize on the fame of the Dionne quintuplets born the year before. The Hit or Miss is also notable for its unusual construction, built from solid rosewood and featuring chrome components on the playfield, all in a compact cabinet of roughly 14 by 25 inches designed for locations where a full-size game would not fit.

Gameplay features a unique strategy where players must first load up the two vertical Alley-Ways with trapped balls. A ball then shot through the designated "Hit" lane triggers the green light and pivots both ball-stops, releasing all trapped balls to the 1000-point scoring hole. Conversely, a ball passing through the "Miss" lane illuminates the red light and instead routes the trapped balls to the outhole at the bottom of the playfield. The game runs on a 6-volt battery, making it an intriguing example of early pinball technology.

The Hit or Miss lacks a defined theme, which was not uncommon for pinball games from this era. The game could be operated on legs as a pin table or with the legs detached as a counter game. The designer is not definitively known, though pinball pioneer Harry Williams once recalled that Bon MacDougall may have been responsible for the Quintuplet games. Its innovative design and mechanical features make it an attractive addition to any serious pinball collection.