Vector

The Vector, designed by Greg Kmiec and released in 1982 by Bally Manufacturing Corporation, is a feature-dense addition to the solid-state electronic era of pinball, with a split-level playfield and four ramps that made it visually and mechanically ambitious for its time.

One of the standout features of the Vector is its multiball capability, offering both 2-ball and 3-ball multiball play. The game's playfield digital display provides real-time scoring information, adding an extra layer of interactivity. The Vector also includes four flippers, a pop bumper, two slingshots, five kick-out holes, and three 3-bank drop targets. Notably, Vector was designed by a Bally 'team design' experiment pairing a designer, programmer, artist, and sound/electronics person on a single project — a concept the company tried only briefly, with Vector emerging as one of the games from that short-lived approach.

The Vector's fantasy-sports theme blends elements of otherworldly athletic competition, and its combination of features — the product of that collaborative design process — makes it a standout among early-1980s Bally titles for pinball enthusiasts seeking feature-rich machines from the era.