Skylab

Skylab, designed by Steve Kordek with art by Christian Marche, is a 1974 electro-mechanical pinball machine from Williams Electronics with a space-exploration theme, named for the American Skylab space station launched in 1973.

One of the most distinctive features of Skylab is its use of five captive balls, which allow players to score points by looping them into play. The looping captured-ball feature awards a Special when all five balls are on the lit side, significantly contributing to the game's replay value. End-of-ball bonuses and the option to choose between three- or five-ball play further round out the gameplay, and the machine can also be configured for Add-A-Ball or Novelty Play via a backbox option plug.

With 3,651 confirmed units produced and a maximum displayed score of 199,990 points, Skylab ties its theme directly to the real space station that had captured public attention the year before its release, making it a fitting artifact of mid-1970s space-age enthusiasm for pinball collectors.