King Ball

The King Ball is an electro-mechanical pinball machine manufactured by Maquinas Recreativas Sociedad Anonima (Maresa) of Madrid, Spain, officially presented in February 1965 at the La Rotunda hotel in Barcelona. IPDB notes it is a copy of Gottlieb's 1962 'Rack-A-Ball' with different artwork, a common practice for Spanish manufacturers adapting established American designs of the period.

Gameplay on King Ball features two flippers, four pop bumpers, and two slingshots, along with three standup targets. The machine also features a mechanical backbox animation of billiard balls lining up in the backglass, tying into its billiards theme. The maximum displayed score is 1,999 points, and the game plays three distinct bell sounds, with a tilt penalty that ends the game outright.

While information on the machine's designer is scarce, its billiards theme and simple, focused gameplay are representative of Maresa's output during this period. A playfield inscription referencing "Sand dye" and a later date has led to some confusion over the game's original release year, since resolved in favor of the documented 1965 presentation date.