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How do Pinball Machines Work?
Home » Game Rooms » Pinball Machines » How do Pinball Machines Work?This question contains two sub-questions: first, how do you earn points in a pinball game? And second, what are the mechanics that allow a pinball machine to function?
As for the first question, the basic rule is that pinball machines assign a certain number of points (often in the hundreds or thousands) for each target on its board. Each time your ball hits a specific bumper, or goes over a specific ramp, for example, a certain number of points are added to your total. The more points you get, the farther you move up the high scores, and the more free games you will earn.
The highest pinball scores come from specialized and combination moves. For example, when you hit certain targets in a specific order (or even the same target multiple times in a row), the point value increases exponentially. Also, though each model is different, most pinball machines have much more than target bumpers and ramps—slingshots, spinners, kickers, and rollovers all earn you points. Fortunately, many of the newer games also guide you on earning points, telling you what you need to hit and in what order.
The more complicated issue is how the pinball machine actually works. The playfield is mounted at an angle between six and seven degrees so that the ball will be able to move past obstacles. These obstacles, as well as all of the targets, are mounted onto the playfield and then wired into the main controller board.
This main controller board is located in the backbox. The front of the backbox contains art designs and/or dot matrix animation to attract users to the game, but the rear of the backbox contains the wiring board and ROM chip. More than a half-mile’s worth of wires connect the playing field to the backbox. Whenever a target is hit, a signal travels to the wiring board and your score is instantly adjusted. It’s essentially a small computer.
Finally, in one of the more ingenious pinball inventions, most machines have a tilt sensor that notices when you tilt the machine. Tilting can help you control the ball, but it’s also cheating, so the game will immediately freeze up, and without working flippers, your ball will simply go down the drain.
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