Spottem
About This Machine
The Spottem, manufactured by Bally in February 1939, is a flipperless, single-player EM machine notable for its novel 'spotting' mechanic. First released as a free-play (replay) model, Bally followed in April 1939 with a novelty-play version for sale, both sharing the same core design under model number 324.
The Spottem's gameplay centers on hitting 12 spring bumpers, each of which lights up and illuminates a corresponding number on the backglass; once all twelve numbers are lit, further bumper hits add to a projected score displayed via Bally's projection totalizer. A mechanism beneath the playfield can "spot" (pre-light) two or four numbers at the start of a game, lighting the name SPOTTEM on the backglass, with the randomness of which numbers get spotted adjustable by the operator via posts on a gear wheel. Hitting the 7-bumper releases a ball from the outhole trough back to the player.
The Spottem's design and art are characteristic of late-1930s Bally machines. The cabinet, advertised at 44 inches long and 22 inches wide, is modest by later standards, and no specific theme is documented for the game. Its distinguishing feature remains the operator-adjustable spotting mechanism, an early example of built-in game-to-game variability.
Images (24)
Technical Details
- Model Number:
- 324
- Notable Features:
- 5 balls for 5 cents. Spring bumpers (12). Projection score totalizer. Time clock. The following description was taken from a novelty version game (not free play version, which may be different): At start of game, projected score resets to zero and all playfield bumpers and all numbers on backglass are not lit. A ball hitting an unlit bumper lights it up and also lights its corresponding number on the backglass. Once all twelve numbers are lit, hitting any bumper adds 1 point to the projected score. Each time the 7-bumper is hit, an outhole trough mechanism releases one ball from the tough back to the player to shoot again. The player may be spotted two or four numbers at start of game. When this happens, the name SPOTTEM lights up on the backglass. A mechanism under the playfield controls this feature and steps once at start of each game to occasionally spot both the 4 and the 10, or both the 5 and the 6, or all four numbers. The operator can move posts on its gear wheel to change the randomness of spotting numbers. Cabinet advertised as 44 inches long and 22 inches wide.