Ali-Baba

Ali-Baba, designed by Harry Mabs and manufactured by D. Gottlieb & Company in June 1948, is an early example of flipper-era electro-mechanical pinball design. Arriving within the first year after flippers were introduced to the game, this machine, with a confirmed production run of 1,700 units, helped establish the gameplay mechanics that would define pinball for decades. Its significance lies not only in its technical place in history but also in its fantasy theme, drawn from Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, one of the folk tales of The Book of One Thousand and One Nights.

Priced at five balls for five cents, the game features six flippers, six passive bumpers, two kick-out holes, and a rollover button, all combining to create a dynamic experience for its time. Players navigate the ball through the playfield, using the generous complement of flippers to control its trajectory.

The artwork is by Roy Parker, Gottlieb's celebrated backglass artist of the era, whose work brought the game's Arabian Nights theme to life. Little else is documented about the machine's design process, but it is clear that Mabs' early flipper games aimed to transport players into fantastical worlds of magic and adventure.