Ali Baba

Ali Baba, manufactured by Sega Enterprises, Ltd. of Tokyo in 1973, is an electro-mechanical pinball machine that reflects the fantasy and mythological themes popular in pinball design of the era. As a two-player EM game from Sega's 1970s pinball operation, it offers a glimpse of Japanese pinball manufacturing during a period dominated by the American factories.

The machine's layout features two flippers, three pop bumpers, two slingshots, four drop targets, two standup targets, and a kick-out hole. A left side drop lane, a left outlane kickback, a right outlane ball return gate, and an up-post between the flippers give players several ways to save or redirect the ball. Ali Baba's most eye-catching design element is a clear area in the center of the playfield showing an illuminated treasure, a fitting flourish for its Arabian Nights theme. The maximum displayed score is 99,990 points per player, with a replay wheel maximum of 25 and classic bell-and-knocker sounds.

Little is known about the machine's designer, and its date of manufacture was itself once uncertain: it was previously listed as 1975, but a documented example carries an inspection sticker dated 1973. Its Sega pedigree and treasure-themed playfield make it an interesting example of 1970s EM design.