Broadway

The 1932 Broadway from Broadway Novelty Co. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is a Pure Mechanical (PM) conversion kit dated to September 1932, predating the flipper era by 15 years (flippers were not introduced until 1947). Rather than a complete machine, the kit consists of a playfield, an under-panel, and reward prize cards meant to be installed into an existing, unspecified cabinet.

The playfield is compact, advertised at 30 inches long by 15 1/2 inches wide. Without flippers, gameplay of the era relied on skillful plunging and gravity to route the ball toward scoring holes or targets; specific rules for Broadway are not documented.

As an early example of a mechanical conversion kit rather than a purpose-built cabinet game, Broadway offers a glimpse into how operators refreshed existing equipment during the early 1930s. Its theatrical, American-places theme evokes the entertainment culture of the period, though no further details about its art or design are available.