Combat

Combat, produced by Zaccaria in September 1977, is an electro-mechanical (EM) pinball machine that captures the company's mechanical pinball craftsmanship just before its shift toward solid-state technology (a solid-state prototype of Combat was also built the same year).

Combat's gameplay revolves around strategic use of its two flippers to navigate a 5-bank of drop targets and a spinning target, while three pop bumpers add an element of unpredictability. The machine features an open-elbow inlane design, allowing the ball to transition between inlane and outlane, creating opportunities for complex shot combinations. A kick-out hole and upper-right kickback lane add further depth to gameplay.

Artistically, Combat's backglass includes light animation depicting an exploding battleship when the drop targets are hit, and reaching a high-score threshold triggers a distinctive biri-biri sound effect. With art by Lorenzo Rimondini, the four-player machine's combat theme and 1970s aesthetic make it a notable entry in Zaccaria's early lineup, and an interesting example of the EM-to-solid-state transition period.