Solar Fire

Solar Fire, designed by Barry Oursler and manufactured by Williams Electronics starting in July 1981, is a solid-state electronic (SS) pinball machine with an outer-space, science-fiction theme. By 1981 solid-state technology was well established, but Solar Fire stands out for its inventive mechanical feature set.

A standout aspect of Solar Fire is its unique captive-ball system, known as the "Solar Gun." This feature uses a pulsed electromagnet under the playfield to propel a captive ball repeatedly across a scoring switch for a timed interval, echoing similar "Doodle Bug" mechanisms Williams had used on earlier EM titles. The machine also has four flippers, two slingshots, three kick-out holes, three standup targets, and 3- and 4-bank drop targets. The split-level playfield and Magna-Save feature offer players an immersive experience, while the absence of pop bumpers gives the game a more streamlined layout.

Visually, Solar Fire transports players to a futuristic outer-space setting with artwork by Constantino and Jeanine Mitchell, and sound and software by Ed Suchocki. With 782 units confirmed produced, it is a relatively scarce machine sought after today by collectors interested in Williams' System 7 era.