Apollo 13

The Apollo 13 pinball machine, designed by Joe Kaminkow and Joe Balcer for Sega Pinball, is a standout in the company's catalog of high-energy games. Released in October 1995, it holds the record for the largest multiball of any pinball machine, launching an astonishing 13 balls onto the playfield at once -- a feat that continues to captivate enthusiasts with its sheer scale.

The gameplay features a ramp, spinning target, standup targets, and a rotating moon mechanism that uses an electromagnet to grab balls and carry them up to the playfield glass before dropping them beneath the playfield. A shaker motor inside the cabinet creates earthquake-like effects, and an up-post between the flippers prevents drains during the first 30 seconds of the 13-ball multiball. The game requires non-magnetizable balls to function properly, due to its electromagnet-based mechanisms.

The Apollo 13 machine's design brings the real-life space disaster theme to life through artwork by Jeff Busch and Marc Raneses. Sega Pinball was active from 1994 to 1999 and produced a range of titles during that period; Apollo 13 stands out among them for its innovative, record-setting multiball feature and immersive mechanical effects.