New-Yorker

The New-Yorker, manufactured by Thames Mfg. Co. under its TACO trade name, is an electro-mechanical pinball machine converted from an earlier flipperless game -- specifically United's 1948 'Tropicana'. Thames advertised in 1950 for flipperless machines to convert into flippered games, and The New-Yorker appears to be one result of that practice. Its exact release year is not documented, but its city-skyline theme evokes the urban excitement typical of its era.

Gameplay on The New-Yorker is characterized by the standard features of an EM machine: two flippers for precise control, three pop bumpers for explosive shot potential, five passive bumpers for bonus scoring opportunities, eight tower bumpers that challenge players with their timing-dependent interactions, and four kick-out holes to redirect the ball's trajectory.

The New-Yorker's design and art are quintessential of the mid-20th century pinball aesthetic, with bold lines and stylized illustrations of iconic city landmarks. Its backglass displays the manufacturer's "TACO" logo near the upper edge, though some examples instead read "A TACO Conversion" -- a reminder of its origins as a flipper conversion of an older flipperless title. No information is available on the machine's designer, but it remains an intriguing example of the flipper-conversion practice common among smaller manufacturers of the period.