Lulu
About This Machine
Meet Lulu, a 1954 electro-mechanical pinball machine from Williams Manufacturing Company, designed by company founder Harry Williams with backglass art by George Molentin. Lulu features an ice-skating theme, one of many sports and leisure themes Williams explored during this period.
What sets Lulu apart is its innovative gameplay mechanics. A captive ball on a mini-playfield adds an extra layer of complexity and strategy: when the regular ball leaves the playfield via the H or D outlanes or via the gobble holes, the mini-playfield kicks the captive ball into action (only once per ball in play). Players score points by lighting the numbers 1 through 8 on the playfield in sequence, which light corresponding numbers on the backglass 'clock face.' A lighted spinner behind the clock is activated whenever the mini-playfield ball is kicked into play, spinning continuously until the mini-playfield ball returns to rest; if it stops on a lit number, a replay is awarded.
The playfield is outfitted with impulse flippers, pop bumpers, passive bumpers, slingshots, and gobble holes, and lighting all four outlanes in sequence lights the center target for a carry-over Special. The machine's replay wheel has a maximum of 45 replays. Lulu remains an intriguing and mechanically inventive example of Williams' mid-1950s EM output.
Images (8)
Technical Details
- Theme:
- Sports - Ice Skating
- Model Number:
- 111
- Notable Features:
- Impulse flippers (2), Pop bumpers (2), Passive bumpers (7), Slingshots (2), Gobble holes (2), Standup target (1). Captive ball in midget playfield. Backglass light animation spinner unit. The numbers 1 through 8 on the playfield are lit at start of game and can only be scored (made unlit) in sequence. Scoring a number on the playfield in this manner lights the corresponding number on the backglass "clock face". The mini-playfield kicks the captive ball into action whenever the regular ball in play leaves the playfield via the H or D outlanes, or via the gobble holes. Therefore, only one kick of the captive ball can be earned per ball in play. A lighted spinner behind the backglass clock when at rest points to any one of the eight numbers. This spinner is activated every time the mini-playfield ball is kicked into action. It spins continously once activated and does not stop until the mini-playfield ball returns to rest at its starting point. If the spinning light stops next to any clock number that is lit, a replay is awarded. Lighting 1 through 8 on the playfield lights the two outlanes between the flippers for Special. Lighting all four H-O-L-D outlanes in any sequence lights the center target for Special. It would take four balls to achieve this, therefore only the fifth ball in play could ever hit the center target lit for Special. Once lit, however, it will carry-over from game to game until the Special replay is scored. Replay wheel maximum: 45
Credits
- Designer:
- Harry Williams
- Artist:
- George Molentin