The History of Pinball Part 1: The Electromechanical Era

[@willowfarmer6550]

My jaw literally hit the floor seeing all of those tables getting destroyed. RIP.

[@interwebpsychiosis]

That one hurt

[@devonboulden2496]

I cheer if it's Space Station or Space Shuttle machines. Some machines are too boring to save. BTW: That was TNT Amusements. I love Todd and his friends. They do lots of videos so whenever I want to walk down memory lane, they have a video for it.

[@bralex2670]

Space shuttle aint too bad. Space station on the other hand, maybe

[@sailingsvzara]

@@bralex2670 Do you know why Todd was throwing machines off the roof?

[@bralex2670]

It's been a while but I think those tables were beyond repair

[@Valmont1978]

I watched this entire 4 part series with my mother in law and we laughed the whole time. Way to go making an extremely informative and entertaining series that for whatever reason is peppered with coyotes and ducks. I instantly shared it on my socials! Absolutely magnificent. I was hoping that you'd spend more time on individual tables through the years. Dr. Dude and his Xcellent Ray is my favorite pinball machine of all time! But there was a lot of story to tell and I know you couldn't spend too much time on an individual table. Keep up the awesome work!

[@bralex2670]

Thanks there were definitely a few tables i could've talked about more. Radical is also a lot fun :)

[@slimbomb]

Pinball FX has that in one of the packs, I turned my tv 90° and have been playing it. It’s awesome

[@Exar_Kun]

This is literally the best documentary in the history of the universe!!

[@BallenvanStaal]

Great video. You obviously did your research and spiced up the sometimes quite dry stories with catchy lighthearted humor. Love it! I even saw a glimpse of one of my own videos in there. What great honour! :)

[@kennethd4958]

How do you only have 2.1K subs?? This documentary is awesome. Funny, entertaining and insanely informative.. perfect blend.

[@tehKJM]

There’s a lot more skillful video producers than you think

[@CaptainFoufeu]

My grandfather fought in World War II and he often told me about the Gottlieb Tank, Bally Dive Bomber and Chicago Coin Battleship. They're the reason America won the war!

[@bralex2670]

Facts we couldnt have made it through without em

[@ChadTheBird]

NOT NEARLY enough subs! This series is dope.

[@Kerlimann]

Aside from the fact that this is the most comprehensive and educational documentary about pinball I've ever come across, I really LOVE the way you tell stories....so entertaining and never a boring moment! This rulez, YOU rule!

[@slimbomb]

I knew the pinball destruction was coming but god that was actually painful. My whole dream is to work with pinball machines, those were beautiful.

[@DEMON_CHILD709]

We have to keep them alive cheers

[@londonpinball]

Thanks for the shout out. This video was very entertaining.

[@gopernoperstrains3160]

I’ve watched through this series a stupid number of times. It was especially entertaining when I was first getting into the hobby. I now have 4 EM’s, 3 of which I restored and the 4th is in progress. I’d love to see a video from this channel talking about your favorite EM machines or additional noteworthy EM’s. Great work.

[@JohnShepherd104]

Looking forward to Part 2! Keep up the good work. I would appreciate a few more moments to see the table designs as we move threw time.

[@bralex2670]

Thanks for the feedback. I get that, but I had to do it this way just to get along at a reasonable pace. There's just so much to cover

[@zamiadams4343]

Absolutely brilliant, I'm a big pinball nut and this was fantastic, thank you!

[@Safalo]

KZbin has been randomly recommending later parts, and now that I finally started watching I'm glad it did. That half hour flew by! Good info and good humor, I'm definitely here to stay and watch everything else you've got

[@bakatono666]

This video is awesome! I watched it twice in a row. Learned a lot and a new respect for the old school pins. Thank you for this!

[@gopernoperstrains3160]

I found this series right when I got introduced to pinball and I’ve watched it so many damn times. I have 6 machines now 0_o I really hope you keep producing videos as these are very informative and fun to watch

[@bralex2670]

I will be back with more content. Just been busy with life stuff

[@IndieArcadeWave]

Amazing video! Thank you for filling in a huge gap of time for me. I didn't know much about the start of the pinball space other than the big players and the bans regarding gambling. On to part 2.

[@thingsiplay]

I'm mildly amused. A very interesting documentation, can't wait to watch the rest of the series. You deserve way more subscribers.

[@a_bloodshotgod]

You seem relatively young, which makes this exhaustive history lesson on pinball the more impressive.

[@TampaTec]

Great job with info, narrating, editing. 👍

[@jcg9998]

Bravo... I wish you'd make more video's. They don't have to be this long and/or you can chop them up into smaller pieces to get more views. Plenty of material to go with. Lots of interesting stories throughout the history of pinball.

[@Fledyew01]

This is insanely interesting to me, you have funny gags and jokes and also give very fun and detailed information, and you make it super simple to understand, thank you for making this, it’s awesome

[@Snowsea-gs4wu]

At 21:45 “until the heat death of the universe”. Now that is settled LOL! Cool video, thanks!

[@SpaceSloth707]

Very nice video! Good humor and jokes, and also educational/informative. Quite cool and interesting to see the evolution of pinball machines.

[@licoricewhip]

This is very informative and entertaining! Great stuff here, Bralex.

[@bralex2670]

Great! I'm glad to hear you liked it! Keep on the lookout for part 2 whenever that comes out. I think the story will get more interesting from there.

[@treyjohnson4035]

Pinball is wonderful, I myself want the Halloween one.based on the movie.. I take it that the one in Rocky 3 might have been a.prop?

[@parkerbohnn]

This is a great video on pinball for pinball historians or any serious pinball player. Most people worked a job but for me I always played pinball at least eight hours a day for the last 50 or 60 years.

[@jayducharme]

Well done! Zaccaria made some of my favorite tables, really challenging to play with some interesting innovations. I wish they had kept going.

[@grouuter]

I'm so amused for these machines. The history is so relevant now.

[@yumemirai4419]

I never thought I'd be interested in this but this was a blast.

[@mhm6]

There’s a pinball movie that came out in 2023. It’s actually an entertaining movie with good humor and plot

[@rexdeanrds]

Amazing, perfect, I only want to see documentaries in this style from now on.

[@cragmaticpope7986]

Usually I hate censoring swears but the use of the Sonic bumper sound.....love it. Good vid. Love the execution, no LCS.

[@enkisson666]

Awesome video. I just got my first pinball machine from a friend and it's actually mentioned here. 1963 Gottlieb Sweet Hearts.😊 Loving it has its small issues but works nonetheless. Thanks.

[@jessierocket3955]

your script and delivery is PERFECTION!! xD loved it!

[@EpikYeti]

You really did a great job making this both informative and entertaining! Great stuff!

[@herbertpocket8855]

Incredible mix of well researched facts and amusing jokes. I had no idea that Microsoft Pinball Arcade had so many important classic tables

[@nickcarter4006]

Video game history is so evergreen on KZbin, but this story is even more interesting. I want to hear some classic pinball voice clips go memetic

[@LoQProductions]

This was a great watch, can’t wait for part 2!

[@luigi_garcia]

Fantastic job! Super interesting and hilarious. Such unique machines Pinballs! I was crazy about them when I was a kid, but they disappeared fast and I never got the chance to savor them. After seeing this, hell, I need to have one! I opened Pandora's Box and there's no turning back. Big thanks man, subscribed!

[@wimkuijpers1342]

Very nice video. My first pinball was a Keeney's Colorama (1963 It was their last game). On this machine I learned how to repair pinballs. Later also learned the digitals and now recreate them virtual with Visual Pinball.

[@zpmc55]

Hey dude! I recently got into the history of pinball, so I stumbled upon your channel. Just want to say that I really enjoy your video style. Whatever it is that you do in life, keep it up!

[@00Mandy00]

I saw a pinball machine used in gambling as late as 1987. This is truly an amazing video.

[@stephenalexander3057]

Really awesome work man! Great commentary, editing, and humor to make a perfectly enjoyable, informative video! Bravo

[@bheasy1]

As a pinball person, I didn't know some of these facts. Great job!

[@wildernessgames]

Junkyard music (although that was a cop of "Money"). Cool vid.

[@gamezilla345]

my brother out here doin' the lord's work

[@ButchMccracken]

Super awesome job. So much research and detail. Love it.

[@michaelbixler87]

Great video! I love the “slapstick”comedy! Very informative and entertaining!

[@michaelbixler87]

You had me with the civil war joke!

[@pfredflyer]

Loving the series man! Educational and funny

[@OGKend]

I cried when they destroyed the pinball tables😢

[@colinmurphy2127]

A great 4 part history of pinball. I still have to rate funhouse as my all-time favourite, closely followed by theatre of magic. I can remember in the mid to late 70’s an amusement arcade in Mablethorpe in the UK still had the old bingo pinball tables and also some jigsaw pinball tables (possibly Rockola), the arcade also had a quick draw game where you faced off against a six foot tall talking cowboy opponent for the princely sum of 2p

[@frauenhm]

These videos are so much fun! Nice job on all the history and entertaining presentation.

[@screwthenet]

I have researched hte history of games, pub games, arcade games, slot machines and vending machines, and I LOVE IT ALL! THe older the better. This video was a long time coming and I have not seen the like anywhere else on youtube from what I can remember ( One or two channels might have a similar vid idk). BUT SUBBED! ^

[@bralex2670]

Thanks :) I'd love to look into the history behind other old arcade games (like the one's you mentioned)

[@screwthenet]

There are videos here and there to help, like this dude in vegas that collects very old boardwalk arcade machines from the 1960s and earlier. Hes got punching machines, old proto "pinball" I think, and shooting gallery lil machines, etc. Old slot machines from the 19th century and vending machiens pop up here and there on youtube, so check those out too. Super cool stuff, and eveyrthing goes back to old lawn games and pub games from europe. There was even supposedly a "vending" machine for "holy" water at an ancient greek or roman shrine 2000+ years ago lol So they say :P@@bralex2670

[@jerrymcsendee]

I expected something informative but dry. Informative, detailed, well-researched, indeed; but you're f'ing hi-larious dude. Not just pithy, but a real and consistent style of humor.

[@Cameroo]

Man. I really loved this series. Thank you for all your hard work on it!

[@KNWIII]

"Jesus Christ, that's a lot of sisters!" 🤣😆🤣😆 Fantastic video. Thanks!

[@cyperus4589]

Omg i actually shed a tear for those poor machines being tossed off the roof... Like for real that's just heartbreaking

[@bralex2670]

Oh don't worry. Those particular machines were from TNTamusements and were beyond repair.

[@RandoManFPV]

16:25 i think part of the reason they disliked point reels at the time was because people like the challenge/progression of trying to climb the point system tower, like seeing each light get lit surely was a big feature for players. Also people standing across the arcade could easily see the lights on your machine and know you were doing really good! The lights would stand out so well you could immediately look across an arcade and know who was on a roll!

[@rickpontificates3406]

Gottlieb made some innovative pinballs, but Williams left them in the dust. P.S. good choice using Medieval Madness high score theme

[@notchism]

Legit video- informative and dope voice over… props

[@Bryan-qe5xt]

Very good. Looking forward to part 2!

[@Faxie83]

I love your humor.

[@solidghost4525]

The golden age of pinball is coming back folks. You can smell it.

[@S.J.C._Entertainment]

“It’s that smelly kind of smell”

[@strykerking]

This is so good, can't wait to watch the rest of the series. Great work.

[@viccamppinball]

Fantastic video! Such an important and informative EM video. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and passion.

[@ExpressoMechanicTV]

Fascinating. Very well researched and entertainingly presented.

[@CyberUrza]

I really love this series of videos. They are informative (and funny).

[@CaptNRetro]

this is fantastic, welcome to the club of youtubing pinball historians!

[@fenomozo9108]

In my country, Colombia, those bingo machines are refered as Pinball and are everywhere. There are like 4 o 5 actual Pinball Machines in my town (Bogotá). Is really sad. Great video, by the way.

[@Gortman1]

Genco didnt totally dissappear but was absorbed into the vompany that became Chicago coin.

[@jessyjava]

This video rocks thanks for making this!

[@jackcan]

love your presentation style, thanks so much for sharing! fascinating stuff

[@hillbilly4895]

Kid, your script and narration are really good. Boomer-centric subject matter is a plus...till all the boomers die. Only 2500 sub's? Yeah, you're better than that.

[@casedistorted]

Fantastic video! Def make more, and y'know.. turn into that huge youtube channel

[@huey222]

Kudos on this accomplishment!

[@tnpatriot7468]

Good video....looking forward to parts 2 and 3

[@jimmyhuesandthehouserocker1069]

Bally at one time was big in bowlers, I'm not an authority but I'd say around the 1940's 'n 50's. Bally made some beautiful walnut and chrome, ball bowlers and if only I had enough space I'd guarantee you I'd have one by now. They had about a 12 foot lane and a black weighted rubber ball the size of a coconut. I knew a certain Betty Jastatt who had one in her basement 'n my passion was to play it and I did some repair work on it, too. The electro-mechanical engineering in how it was 6 players and it kept regulation bowling score was incredible, it was truly an electro-mechanical computer. Around 1982, I wrote to Bally and they send me a wiring schematic for free

[@tonerotonero1375]

Beautiful. I bet the customer will be happy. I never heard about this shaker. Interesting..

[@Gortman1]

Your inage for fireball was actally a home unit called fire ball it was possibly made by bally or licensed

[@TiltingT]

Great video! Really enjoyed it.. cant wait fir part 2... Solid State!

[@JIm-w1b]

Keeney, what you don't remember, was a big name in bowlers from about the late 40's to the early 60's. Bally and Williams both made bowlers. Bally bowlers were beautiful scaled-down bowling alleys 12 feet long, with 6 players, replete with walnut hardwood and chrome castings and I would pay $10,000 to have one today. Scaled-down bowling commonly found in big-city bars, was once a genuine sport that many people took seriously and even had tournaments. The balls were about the size of coconuts and the pins around a foot high. The genius electromechanical system kept regulation score.

[@lukewarmloser]

I like this video because i decided to learn about pinball machines right now

[@gravebeast9752]

This is the most early KZbin video I have seen in a long time

[@EpicStatues]

Great doc, congrats!

[@jimmyhuesandthehouserocker1069]

those colored lights on Beamlight were actually horse capsules, for medicine

[@HerrBerzerk]

Great Video you made there!

[@Notester82]

WOW, this is such a dope overview of pinball so far, can't believe this is just part 1! :D It was neat to see how some of the things that are common in pinball today got their start in the past and some of the history (like the ban + destruction of pinball tables and people being opposed to rolling score counters) is wild, whew. Also love some of the pinball tables you featured, I have a thing for minimalist/abstract art and interesting game mechanics (i.e. Williams' "OXO", one that I played a bit of prior to watching), so I took a liking to stuffs like Gottlieb's "Super Score", Rally's "Schuss", and Gottlieb's "Skipper". As I type this comment, I feel the urge to just binge the rest of the series, heh! ;u; Will pace myself instead, but I'm looking forward to watching the rest of this series!

[@bralex2670]

Rally tables hit different >:)

[@Notester82]

They really do, it seems! "Flower's Child" especially, they went out with a bright, colorful bang. 💙

[@RadioactivFly]

23:28 I was expecting a limerick lmao

[@Kevscancave]

Great Job! Very interesting 👍😎👍

[@acidgougewaltz]

i have a fairly good knowledge about pinball history and manufacturers, but i must say, there's a bit in here even i didn't know.

[@TheGameGuruTv]

If you havent, try Pinball FX 22 VR, Pinball in VR is truely amazing, next level! Lovely video btw

[@affableshadow]

Thank you for this!

[@jimmyhuesandthehouserocker1069]

The backglass on Big Deal features the Beatles, sitting around a card table, and I don't why this game isn't the famous classic you'd think it would be. You'd think everybody would want it

[@frkol]

Great! Waiting for the next part.. :-)

[@crudemocha248]

Amazing videos, very funny and informative

[@skeven0]

this was a fun an quirky retrospective, i really enjoyed it! good job also what were the pins that were trown of the roof, it was a sad sight tbh

[@lukewarmloser]

This is good video i like the editing its funny

[@dcocz3908]

8:55 That pile of games, all they need is a shop, a few new bulbs and rubbers and they'll be back in action

[@cubingclip8073]

super under rated

[@hendrir]

Gottlieb wanted to call the game flipper. In Dutch we actually call a pinball machine a 'flipperkast' over here in the Netherlands, where 'kast' is a cupboard.

[@Seemsayin]

Dude... you're funny. Great video.