Butterfly

Butterfly, manufactured by the Spanish company Segasa (trading as Sonic) in November 1977, is a four-player electro-mechanical game released just as the industry was shifting to solid-state electronics. Its fantasy theme and 3-chime sound package give it the classic character of the late EM era, while its polyurethane playfield was a distinctive touch.

The object of the game is to knock down the three drop targets - which the manufacturer's flyer amusingly calls "pop-up targets." Each time all three targets are dropped, the playfield's star rollovers are activated in sequence: first B-U-T, then T-E-R, then F-L-Y. When all nine stars are lit, the score climbs quickly. Supporting the central rule are two flippers, two pop bumpers, two slingshots, three standup targets, a kick-out hole, dual left inlanes, and an end-of-ball bonus. In a quirky twist, the match number is the last three digits of the score rather than the usual two.

As a product of Spain's healthy 1970s pinball industry, Butterfly is an interesting find for collectors, showing how European manufacturers like Sonic put their own spin on the electro-mechanical formula in the format's final years.