Four Corners

The 1952 Williams Four Corners pinball machine is an interesting hybrid from the electro-mechanical era. Designed by pinball pioneer Harry Williams with artwork by George Molentin, it combines elements of a bingo machine with flipper pinball, making it a unique entry in the Williams catalog.

Key gameplay features include five balls for just 5 cents, two flippers that let players control the ball's trajectory, two pop bumpers, and seven passive bumpers. Most distinctive are the sixteen trap holes scattered across the playfield, a hallmark of the bingo-style games that were hugely popular in the early 1950s. Landing balls in the right holes is the heart of the challenge, blending the luck-driven appeal of bingo machines with the skill-based control of flipper pinball.

With its automobile and travel theme and its unusual bingo-pinball crossover design, Four Corners stands as a snapshot of a moment when manufacturers were experimenting with how much player skill and how much chance a coin-op game should offer, making it an interesting artifact for pinball enthusiasts.