Mr. Chips

Mr. Chips, manufactured by Genco Manufacturing Company in August 1939, is a flipperless electro-mechanical pinball machine from the years just before the flipper's invention transformed the industry. Its gameplay reflects the free-game, skill-scoring conventions typical of pre-flipper machines from Genco and its contemporaries.

The gameplay features of Mr. Chips center on its 16 scoring bumpers, which allow players to rack up points quickly. One of the most notable aspects is the 'free game' system, which rewards players with additional games when specific conditions are met, including lighting nine lights on the backboard or rolling a ball through the No. 8 channel while it's illuminated. Additionally, players can earn extra free games for achieving a high score.

Mr. Chips' name likely nods to James Hilton's popular novel Good-bye, Mr. Chips, which had recently been adapted into a hit 1939 film. As a flipperless EM machine from Genco's catalog, Mr. Chips offers a glimpse into pinball just before the flipper era began, when free-game rewards rather than flipper-based skill were the primary draw.