Fun Cruise

Bally's "Fun Cruise," unveiled in January 1966, is a distinctive flipperless electro-mechanical game from designer Ted Zale, produced in a confirmed run of 675 units. Offering three balls per play, it invites players to enjoy a lighthearted cruise-ship theme of happiness, recreation, and travel.

What makes "Fun Cruise" stand out is its playfield hardware: six pop bumpers, eight of Zale's signature mushroom bumpers, a kick-out hole, and two slingshots. There are no flippers on this game — instead, the very powerful slingshots at the bottom of the playfield do the work of keeping the ball alive, giving the game a character all its own.

The game carries some interesting production trivia. The ones-digit of the score is simply a silkscreened "0" — dummy score reel segments would not appear at Bally until 1970's 'King Rex.' An add-a-ball version, 'Gay Cruise,' was produced for the Italian market in 1965, and Bally also released a 'Deluxe Fun Cruise' in 1966. With its low production run and unusual flipperless design, "Fun Cruise" remains an intriguing piece of pinball history for collectors of classic electromechanical games.