Continental

The Continental is an electro-mechanical bingo machine from Bally Manufacturing Corporation, designed by Don Hooker. Per Bally's own numerical list of machines, it's actually a reworking of Bally's 1975 'Miss Universe' with a new backglass, along with extra units mounted in the backbox, additional wiring, and an extra connector from the lower cabinet. Two examples are reportedly known today, one of which carries a cabinet stamped with serial "MU1013", a leftover reference to its origin as the thirteenth Miss Universe unit off that production line.

Gameplay centers on 18 trap holes along with the Magic Card and Magic Spot features characteristic of Bally's bingo-style machines, which add layers of bonus scoring beyond simply landing balls in holes. As a 1-player release with model number 1156, it occupies a narrow niche within Bally's larger bingo machine catalog.

It's worth noting this Model 1156 "Continental" should not be confused with Bally's unrelated 1980 solid-state bingo game of the same name, which has a different backglass and 25 holes rather than 18. Given its origins as a modified Miss Universe cabinet, the electro-mechanical Continental is a curious footnote in Bally's bingo-machine history rather than an entirely original design.