Tic-Tac-Toe

Tic-Tac-Toe, produced by Williams in 1959 and designed by Harry Williams with artwork by George Molentin, is a single-player electromechanical (EM) machine themed around beach, sailing, and tic-tac-toe imagery. With five balls per game, players navigate the playfield using two flippers, a pop bumper, six passive bumpers, and four slingshots.

The machine's features include four rollover buttons, two gobble holes, and two standup targets, giving players several ways to route the ball and score. A backglass animation of a tic-tac-toe board tracks progress, complemented by sound effects from a single bell and a knocker.

Little is documented about the historical context or notable ownership of this particular machine, but its playful theme and Williams pedigree make it an interesting piece of late-1950s pinball history. One surviving example features a backglass marked "MADE IN IRELAND," made of actual glass rather than plastic — possibly an early attempt to address shipping breakage on games exported to Europe.