Hardbody

The Hardbody pinball machine, designed by Ward Pemberton with artwork by Greg Freres, was manufactured by Bally Wulff of Germany in March 1987 as a German-market version of Bally Midway's 1987 U.S. release of the same name.

Gameplay on Hardbody showcases a feature-rich layout for the era: four flippers, two slingshots, sixteen standup targets, six star rollovers, two flex-save lanes, a 3-bank of drop targets, three separate 3-in-line drop-target banks, and two mechanically raised and lowered ramps — notably, the game has no pop bumpers, a somewhat unusual choice that shifts emphasis toward target shooting and ramp play.

While specific details about Hardbody's theme are not documented here, its technical specifications and shot variety reflect the increasingly elaborate late-1980s solid-state pinball design trend, with the raised/lowered ramps in particular introducing a dynamic playfield element uncommon for the period.