Charm

The 1940 Bally "Charm" is a flipperless electro-mechanical pinball machine from the years just before World War II, when manufacturers competed with clever pricing gimmicks and light-up playfields. Sold new for $114.50 and switchable between free-play and novelty operation, it reflects the pioneering spirit and experimentation that characterized the early days of pinball.

A key aspect of "Charm" lies in its gameplay mechanics. Players get five balls for a nickel, with 15 illuminated spring bumpers providing an array of targets. One notable feature is the availability of unlimited buy-backs at 5 cents per ball, allowing players to keep feeding a promising game: play ends when all 15 numbers are lit or when all five balls are played, whichever occurs first. This setup provided a level of flexibility and replayability that helped keep coins dropping.

A small trivia point for the detail-minded: in Bally's own game sheet, the spring bumpers are referred to as "spiral bumpers." The designer of the game is not recorded, but as model number 379 in Bally's prolific pre-war lineup, Charm offers a pleasant glimpse into the flipperless era of pinball.