Scotty
About This Machine
"Scotty," manufactured by Genco in 1936, is an early electro-mechanical (EM) pinball machine notable for its unusually elaborate rule set for the period. By introducing multi-step scoring rules, Scotty pushed beyond the simple bumper-and-hole gameplay typical of many contemporaries.
The gameplay is both challenging and engaging: six balls are released at once for a single nickel. Players must spell "P-U-P" on the playfield a set number of times, shown by a number lit on the backglass, to double their awards. Each time P-U-P is spelled, one of eight Scottish Terrier dogs lights up on the backglass; once the number of lit dogs matches the number shown, awards are doubled. If a player dislikes the number shown, inserting a second nickel changes it (and spots one dog); a third nickel can change it again and spot a second dog. Landing a ball in the top or bottom skill hole automatically scores all the "P" holes, letting players focus only on the "U" holes to light a dog.
Scotty's design is typical of its era, with a nostalgic charm that appeals to collectors. While no designer is documented for the game, its mechanics show real sophistication for a mid-1930s machine, predating the flipper by over a decade yet still offering meaningful player choice and strategy — a fascinating glimpse into the development of the game we know today.
Images (2)
Technical Details
- Notable Features:
- 6 balls for 5 cents. Backglass light animation (puppies light up). The player ins erts one nickel, all six balls are released for play, and a number lights on the backglass. This number represents how many times the player must spell P-U-P on the playfield in order to receive a doubling of awards. Each time P-U-P is spelled, one of a possible eight Scottish Terrier dogs are lit on the backglass. During play, once the number of lit dogs agrees with the lit backglass number, awards are doubled. If the player doesn't like the number that appeared on the backglass, then before any balls are played, inserting a second nickel will change the lit number (hopefully to a lower number) and will spot the player one backglass dog. The player can opt to ins ert a third nickel at this time, to again change the lit backglass number and be spotted a second dog on the backglass. A ball landing in the top or bottom skill hole will score all the "P" holes automatically, allowing the player to aim for only the "U" holes to light a backglass dog.