Mad World
About This Machine
Mad World, manufactured by Bally in May 1964 and designed by Ted Zale with art by Art Stenholm, is a two-player electromechanical (EM) pinball machine, one of 2,050 units produced. It features two flippers, three pop bumpers, two mushroom bumpers, and three slingshots, and is likely named for the 1963 comedy film 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.'
The game's standout mechanism is its 'Free Ball Alley.' Hitting either of two designated rollovers when lit opens a Free Ball Gate, sending a ball into a five-position alley while a fresh ball is served to the shooter lane for the same player to continue play. The locked ball advances through the alley's positions as the player hits lit yellow inserts in the mid-playfield, and once it clears the fifth position it is delivered back to the shooter lane as a 'left-over' ball. At that point the player may choose to shoot it into play alongside the ball already in motion — creating an optional two-ball situation — or wait until the first ball drains. Because this second ball is never automatically forced into play, Mad World is not considered a true multiball game in the modern sense, but rather a game equipped with two balls that the player may optionally put into simultaneous play.
Scoring the A-B-C-D rollover sequence lights the outlane Specials on a mystery basis, worth a replay or points depending on operator settings, and the game supports 3 or 5 ball play with a maximum displayed score of 1,999 points per player. Mad World's clever, player-optional take on multi-ball play makes it a distinctive entry in Bally's mid-1960s EM lineup.
Images (67)
Technical Details
- Model Number:
- 744
- Notable Features:
- Flippers (2), Pop bumpers (3), Mushroom bumpers (2), Slingshots (3), Captive ball walker with carry-over feature, player-optional 2-ball multiball if earned. The A-B-C-D sequence is not anything to complete. Scoring A or C rollover when lit causes right outlane Special to light on mystery basis until end of ball in play. Scoring B or D rollover when lit causes left outlane Special to light on mystery basis until end of ball in play. Special when lit scores replay or points (operator adjustable). 3 or 5 ball play. The following information describes the Free Ball Alley operation of this game: This game is factory-equipped with two balls. Two rollovers are designated to open the Free Ball Ga te when lit. The ball in play hitting either of those roll overs when lit opens the upper right-side Free Ball Ga te to the right-side Alley. A ball entering the Alley closes this Gate behind it, disables the two designated lanes from lighting as long as the Alley is occupied, and is locked in the first of five positions inside the Alley while a new ball is served from under the apron to the shooter lane as a replacement ball for the same player to continue playing. The words SHOOT AGAIN illuminate on the backglass to inform the player that this is normal operation. These illuminated words turn off once the player shoots the ball through the gate switch at the top of the ball shooter lane. If the player drains this replacement ball while the other ball is still locked in the Alley, the ball-in-play unit advances (or the player advances if two players) and the locked ball stays put. The locked ball will advance one position in the Alley each time the ball in play (from either player) hits any two of three lit yellow inserts in mid-playfield to make them unlit, two of which are mushroom bumpers and one is a rollover lane, and with each Alley advance the three yellow ins erts all light up again. The locked ball is a carry-over feature from ball-to-ball and player-to-player and, when advanced from the fifth position, scores 100 points and is delivered to the shooter lane, available to the same player whose ball in play freed it, with the words SHOOT AGAIN illuminating on the backglass to inform the player this is normal operation. This of course happens while the player is still playing the ball that freed it. The manufacturer's flyer refers to the Alley as the "Free Ball Alley" while referring to the freed ball itself as a "left-over" ball. The player can choose to shoot this free/left-over ball into play to join the existing ball still in play to create a multiball play, or wait to shoot it after the existing ball in play drains. The words SHOOT AGAIN remain lit on the backglass until the player decides to shoot the freed ball into play. Because the Alley has been made empty, the two designated rollovers once again can light to open the Free Ball Ga te. When a left-over ball is issued, the ball-in-play unit will not advance nor will the game change players until either both balls have drained for the player or one ball has locked itself in the Alley and the other ball has drained. Maximum displayed point score is 1,999 points per player. Sound: 2 bells, knocker Replay wheel maximum: 25 Tile penalty: ends game, per player
Credits
- Designer:
- Ted Zale
- Artist:
- Art Stenholm