The Empire Strikes Back

The Empire Strikes Back, manufactured by A. Hankin & Company of Australia in June 1980, holds a special place in pinball history as the first 'Star Wars'-themed pinball machine ever produced, predating the licensed Star Wars games made by other manufacturers. It was designed by David Hankin and is a solid-state, widebody, four-player machine, with roughly 350 units produced.

Gameplay features four flippers, four pop bumpers, two passive bumpers, two slingshots, seven standup targets, two spinning targets, two kick-out holes, a three-bank drop target, and a single drop target - a dense feature set for its era. Its most distinctive design element is the 'infinity' effect created by lights positioned between two sheets of mirrored film around the backboard, paired with a tone that rises in pitch the longer each ball stays in play. The upper playfield draws on the layout of Williams' 1980 'Firepower,' while the lower half echoes Bally's 1980 'Space Invaders.'

The Empire Strikes Back was A. Hankin & Company's final pinball machine; according to David Hankin, the company's pinball production ended due to the rising popularity of video games. First exhibited in November 1980 at a National Amusement Machine Operators Convention in Queensland, Australia, it remains a highly sought-after piece both for its Star Wars license and its status as the last game from its manufacturer.