Cinema

The Cinema pinball machine, produced by Chicago Coin Machine Manufacturing Company in March 1976, comes from the final years of the electromechanical (EM) era, shortly before solid-state electronics transformed the industry. Designed by Albin Peters, Jerry Koci, and Wendell McAdams, with artwork by Lloyd Rognan, this four-player game carries a show business theme. Interestingly, the original backglass artwork reveals that the game's pre-production name was "Movie Stars," and a two-player version was released as Chicago Coin's 1976 'Hollywood' with different backglass artwork and cabinet colors.

Gameplay on Cinema is engaging and challenging, thanks to its array of features including two flippers, two pop bumpers, and slingshots for added scoring opportunities. Five drop targets and four kick-out holes provide multiple ways to rack up points, while the end-of-ball bonus offers an exciting conclusion to each game. Notably, the machine's maximum displayed score is a respectable 199,990 points per player.

As a late-period electromechanical game with a Hollywood-inspired theme, Cinema remains a fascinating artifact for enthusiasts to discover and play, capturing Chicago Coin near the end of its long run as a pinball manufacturer.