Sky Ride

The Genco Manufacturing Company's Sky Ride (July 1933) is a rare, early example of a pure mechanical (non-electric) tabletop/counter pinball game, designed by Harvey Heiss. It took its name from an aerial ride at Chicago's 1933 World's Fair.

In terms of gameplay, Sky Ride features four chromium tracks that route balls to high-scoring holes, introducing players to strategic ball movement and scoring opportunities. Play cost 1 cent or 5 cents, with 10 balls for a nickel, and the walnut cabinet measures a compact 33 1/2 inches long by 16 1/2 inches wide. The game sold for $12.50, with a matching metal stand available for an extra $1.50.

Some surviving examples of Sky Ride include a 'Tilter' mechanism not shown in period advertisements, which may have been a running production addition or an operator-added retrofit part — a similar retrofit tilt device was sold separately for K & F Specialty's 'Whirls Fair.' Little else is documented about the game's original theme or artwork, but its compact tabletop format and World's Fair tie-in make it a distinctive piece of Genco's earliest years.