Derby Daze

Derby Daze, manufactured by Sega Pinball in 1997, is a solid-state electronic pinball machine that embodies the spirit of horse racing -- and one of the rarest machines in the Sega Pinball catalog, with IPDB records confirming that only one unit was ever produced.

One of the most distinctive features of Derby Daze is its 192x64 dot matrix display mounted under the playfield window, which shows the horse race in real-time. This use of technology allows players to track their progress and stay engaged with the game's narrative. The machine also boasts eight pop bumpers and two flippers -- including extra-long flippers first introduced on Data East's 1990 King Kong -- providing a dynamic experience for players.

Derby Daze is essentially the same underlying game as Sega's Roach Racers, released the same year, but with a horse-racing theme in place of Roach Racers' insect-themed redemption spin. No information is available on an individual designer for the concept, though Frank Suareo handled mechanics and Brian Rudolph and Orin Day wrote the software. Despite its extreme rarity, Derby Daze remains an interesting footnote in Sega Pinball's history.