S. Joăo

The S. Joăo pinball machine stands as a rare and enigmatic relic from Irmacor, a Portuguese manufacturer with limited documentation of their output. Its electro-mechanical design, characteristic of early pinball machines, hints at its age but fails to narrow down an exact production date. It has been reported — though not yet confirmed — that this 4-player game is actually a conversion of Playmatic's 1977 two-player 'Carnival,' modified by Irmacor to work around strict Portuguese import laws on gambling-adjacent devices at the time. This makes the S. Joăo an intriguing specimen for historians and collectors, whose significance lies in its rarity and mystery rather than any celebrated theme or iconic features.

What sets the S. Joăo apart from other EM pinball machines is its generous use of flippers (three) and pop bumpers (two), along with two slingshots that add a dynamic element to gameplay. These features suggest lively play, but without access to original instructions or player feedback, the finer details of the ruleset remain speculative.

Little is documented about the artwork or design process behind this machine, and no confirmed images exist to verify its conversion origins. Its name honors Porto's Festa de Săo Joăo (Festival of Saint John), an annual street festival. Despite the lack of concrete information, the S. Joăo's uniqueness and rarity make it a captivating addition to any serious pinball collection or museum exhibit.