Black Knight

The Black Knight, designed by Steve Ritchie and released in November 1980 by Williams Electronics, is a pivotal solid-state pinball machine. It introduced the Magna-Save feature - player-controlled magnets that could stop a ball from draining down an outlane - and the Bonus Ball concept, which awarded the highest-scoring player additional seconds of free play. It was also the first solid-state game with a multi-level playfield, and, according to Steve Ritchie, the first game ever to employ faceted plastic inserts in the playfield. Ritchie's own voice was used in the game.

The Black Knight's playfield is a marvel of design, featuring four flippers, a pop bumper, two slingshots, four 3-bank drop targets, two kick-out holes, and a spinning target across a split-level layout with three ramps and a left horseshoe lane. Magna-Save is available on both sides, and the game offers 2- or 3-ball multiball, raising the bar for pinball complexity and replayability at the time.

The Black Knight's theme is straightforward yet effective, with medieval-inspired artwork by Tony Ramunni dominating the cabinet and backglass. With 13,075 units confirmed produced, it was a major hit for Williams and remains a landmark title in the company's catalog.