Capitole
About This Machine
Meet Capitole, a rare and enigmatic pure mechanical pinball machine that has piqued the interest of collectors and historians alike. Unfortunately, its manufacturer and exact year of production remain unknown, shrouding it in mystery. However, its unique design and gameplay mechanics make it an intriguing addition to any pinball enthusiast's knowledge.
One of the most distinctive features of Capitole is its irregularly-shaped playfield, featuring a five-sided area with nine gobble holes that serve as the sole scoring mechanism. The ball shooter pivots to allow players to manipulate shots off different points at the top of the playfield, creating an air of unpredictability and challenge. Once a ball falls into one of the gobble holes, it reappears in one of the corresponding scoring lanes below, where its point value is recorded until the end of the game.
While we know little about Capitole's design or art, its sheer uniqueness makes it an object of fascination for pinball enthusiasts. The machine's compact rectangular cabinet and felt-covered playfield exude a sense of simplicity and elegance, hinting at a bygone era when pinball machines were more about gameplay than flashy visuals. Its place in the history of pinball remains a mystery, but one thing is certain: Capitole is an elusive gem that continues to captivate those who seek it out.
Technical Details
- Notable Features:
- This coin-operated pin table has a rectangular cabinet. The playfield scoring area for the balls that are shot into play is a five-sided area restricted to what would be the upper half of a conventional rectangular playfield. This area is covered in felt, with nothing on it for the ball to score except nine gobble holes, a horizontal row of five holes above a horizontal row of four. The ball shooter pivots to allow the player to rebound a shot ball off of different points at the top of this irregularly-shaped playfield in hopes to direct the ball towards these holes. Any ball that misses the holes are returned to the shooter lane for replay. Once a ball falls in any of these nine holes, it reappears in one of nine corresponding scoring lanes that comprise the lower half of the playfield and it remains there until the end of the game. When all balls have fallen through the holes to the scoring lanes, the player adds up the point values assigned to each lane where balls have landed, for a total score.