Band Wagon

Band Wagon, designed by Ted Zale and released in March 1965 by Bally Manufacturing Corporation, is a four-player electro-mechanical pinball machine with a festive circus and carnival theme. A confirmed 1,840 units were produced, and a German-language version was also made for export to Germany.

In terms of gameplay, Band Wagon offers a playfield characteristic of Zale's Bally designs: two flippers, three pop bumpers, four of Bally's distinctive mushroom bumpers, three slingshots, and three rollover buttons, plus ball return gates on the upper right and the right outlane. The game could be set for 3-ball or 5-ball play, with a maximum displayed score of 9,999 points per player. The tilt penalty is severe - game over for that player - so nudging carried real risk. Two bells and a knocker provide the sound.

With its cheerful carnival theme and classic mid-1960s Bally feature set, Band Wagon is an appealing example of Ted Zale's work during Bally's electro-mechanical heyday.