Topic

The Topic pinball machine, manufactured by Bally in 1941, is a single-player, flipperless electro-mechanical (EM) machine from an early era of commercial pinball, predating the invention of the flipper by several years. Its playfield is stamped as made by Sullivan-Nolan Adv. Co.

As a flipperless machine, Topic's gameplay centers on skillful plunging and shot placement rather than flipper-based control. The playfield features 13 passive bumpers, which the player's plunged ball interacts with as it settles into scoring positions, in keeping with the design conventions of pre-flipper EM pinball.

The design and artwork of Topic are typical of early 1940s EM machines, featuring a straightforward aesthetic. While not much is known about the specific designer or artistic influences behind this machine, it stands as an example of Bally's early pinball output from the years just before the flipper era transformed the game.