White Sails

White Sails, produced by Bally Manufacturing Corporation in September 1939, is an early electro-mechanical (EM) pinball machine that captures a transitional moment in the medium's development, as manufacturers moved from purely mechanical games toward electrified play. As a Flipperless single-player game, it predates the flipper entirely, relying instead on skillful plunging and nudging to direct the ball.

The machine's gameplay features include its ability to play five balls at once for just 5 cents, making it an accessible and affordable option for players. Fifteen passive bumpers allow players to score without actively engaging with them, adding an element of strategy to the game, and a single gobble hole adds risk to shot selection. Players shoot to light all five sails on the backglass by hitting the yellow bumpers, and shoot to increase their score by hitting the red and blue bumpers.

The design and theme of White Sails are reflective of its time period, with a focus on recreation and leisure activities such as sailing and boating. Unfortunately, little is known about the designer responsible for creating White Sails, leaving us to appreciate its historical significance as an early example of Bally's electro-mechanical output.