Big Flipper

Big Flipper, manufactured by Chicago Coin Machine Manufacturing Company in 1970, is an interesting piece of electro-mechanical (EM) pinball history. Designed by Jerry Koci, this two-player game takes its name from its most distinctive feature: a pair of 5-inch jumbo flippers, considerably larger than the standard flippers of the day.

Big Flipper's gameplay features include four pop bumpers, two rollunders, a kick-out hole, and a center up-post that Chicago Coin referred to as the Ball Saver. These elements combine for a lively playing experience true to the game's circus/carnival theme. A 4-player version of the same game was released as Chicago Coin's 1970 'Cowboy', with different backglass artwork, and the title should not be confused with Chicago Coin's later 1975 'Super Flipper'.

Relatively little additional information about this machine survives, and even the artist is uncertain: Christian Marche was once credited, but the game does not appear on the list of his works he compiled in 1992. That obscurity only makes Big Flipper more intriguing for enthusiasts seeking lesser-known games from the EM era.