Les 10 Cases
About This Machine
Les 10 Cases, a rare pure mechanical pinball machine from an unknown manufacturer, is a fascinating puzzle piece in the history of pinball, dating to the early 1930s. The name "Les 10 Cases" translates to "The 10 Slots," a direct nod to the game's ten scoring lanes.
What sets Les 10 Cases apart from other pinball machines is its approach to gameplay. The upper playfield, consisting only of pins with no pockets, funnels balls down into ten long vertical lanes on the lower half of the playfield. Left to right, the lanes score 50-100-200-500-1000-1500-500-200-100-50 points. If a player shoots too hard, the ball follows the upper ball arch into an eleventh lane on the left side that returns it to the shooter -- rewarding players who can control their shot strength.
The game's instructions are printed on the lower apron below the words "BILLARD FRANCAIS" (French Billiards). While little else is known about this machine or its manufacturer, its ten-lane scoring layout makes it a distinctive example of early French coin-operated pin games.
Technical Details
- Notable Features:
- 0.25 francs for 10 balls. The upper playfield is strictly pins, no pockets, to deliver the balls to any of ten long vertical lanes that comprise the lower half of the playfield. Left to right, the lanes score 50-100-200-500-1000-1500-500-200-100-50. If the player shoots the ball too hard, it will follow the upper ball arch to a left-side 11th lane than returns the ball to the shooter. The name of this game is shown in the upper playfield and again with the instructions printed on the lower apron, below the words "BILLARD FRANÇAIS".