Thriller

The Chicago Coin Machine Manufacturing Company's 1936 Thriller pinball machine is an early example of electro-mechanical (EM) pinball, from a period when manufacturers were beginning to add electrified scoring and switching mechanisms to mechanical playfields. This era marked an important turning point for the industry, as manufacturers experimented with new technologies that would eventually give rise to modern pinball.

Thriller's gameplay reflects its time period: since flippers were not invented until 1947, play centers on a plunger-launched ball interacting with targets and switches on the playfield, with objectives such as scoring points via specific shots. The machine's ruleset was likely simple by modern standards, but its early adoption of electro-mechanical components paved the way for more complex and interactive gameplay in future machines.

Despite a lack of information on the machine's design, art, or theme, its rarity and age make it an exceptional find for collectors and enthusiasts. Little is known about its designer or notable aspects of its production run, but as one of Chicago Coin's early EM pinball machines, it holds real historical value as a tangible link to the industry's formative years.