Lucky Fruit

Lucky Fruit, manufactured by Zaccaria of Bologna, Italy in 1975, is a single-player electro-mechanical game from the Italian company's earliest years. Zaccaria, which built pinball machines from 1974 to 1987, would go on to become one of Europe's most significant manufacturers, and Lucky Fruit is an early example of its output, carrying an unusual agriculture-and-happiness theme with artwork by Lorenzo Rimondini.

The gameplay is engaging for a mid-1970s EM, featuring two flippers, two pop bumpers, two slingshots, a 4-bank of drop targets, and four rotating targets, with the operator able to set 3- or 5-ball play. The maximum displayed point score is a lofty 9,999,900 points, the replay wheel tops out at 37, and the sound package consists of three chimes and a knocker.

With its cheerful theme and a target mix that includes both drop targets and rotating targets, Lucky Fruit offers a glimpse into Zaccaria's formative period, before the company made its mark with solid-state designs, and it makes an interesting find for collectors of European electro-mechanical pinball.