Bally Royal

The Bally Royal, produced by Bally Manufacturing Corporation in February 1939, is an example of the flipperless electro-mechanical (EM) pinball machines that dominated the game's early years. At a time when pinball was still a young industry, Bally was releasing a steady stream of titles, and the Bally Royal was part of that prolific output.

Gameplay revolves around five balls launched for a cost of just five cents. A total of twelve spring bumpers are placed throughout the playfield, giving players scoring opportunities as each ball ricochets its way down. With no flippers - which would not appear in pinball until 1947 - play depended on plunger skill and careful nudging.

The Bally Royal carries a knighthood and medieval theme, an evocative choice for the period. The machine's designer is not documented, but the game stands as a representative example of Bally's late-1930s flipperless designs.