Pinball Slangs That You Must Know About

The pinball game machine was first invented in the 1930s, and it was just a game on a wooden board. Since then, it has gone through significant changes. The modern-day pinball game machine is a result of all the technological changes. Despite everything, one thing has remained constant: the love for the classic pinball. Well, apart from it being coin-operated.

It has been a cult favorite since the beginning of the time and continues to make a place for itself in the top list. But if you are someone who has just made classic pinball your newfound love, then this blog is for you. You must feel left out in the gaming center and have a major FOMO among your friends with those pinball game slang. Isn't that right?

We got your back! We have compiled this blog, so you can have all that knowledge of what you have missed out on.

Let's start with the blog!

Backbox

A pinball machine's vertical head holds the backglass and displays the score.

Backglass

The vertical glass panel in the backbox displays the title and artwork for the game.

Bumper targets

They are round, mushroom-shaped targets that are set into the playfield. When the ball is struck, active bumpers kick it away with force. Passive bumpers do not kick the ball but rather disrupt its movement.

Cabinet

The large box that houses the playfield is known as the cabinet in pinball games—also known as the body.

Captive ball

A captive ball is a classic pinball trapped within a small playfield area and can be hit by a free ball but cannot leave the area.

Drop Target

A pressure-sensitive upright rectangle drops below the playfield when struck by a ball. Drop targets are frequently arranged in banks and may need to be hit in tandem or in sequence to score or light special features.

Drain

When the ball is lost, it falls into the drain beneath the flippers. The act of losing a ball is also referred to here.

Flipper

A tapered paddle is typically found in pairs at the bottom of the table and is controlled by buttons on the cabinet's left and right sides. It is the primary means of ball control for the player.

Gobble Hole

A hole in the table that, if the ball falls into it, ends the game or current ball.

House ball

A house ball is a ball that has not scored any points. The name may have come from the idea of the ball returning to the house, similar to a losing hand in a casino card game.

Kick-out Hole

A slight depression in the table that, when the ball falls into it, kicks the ball back into play after either gaining points or changing the game state.

Lane

A lane is any table section wide enough for the ball to pass through. Inlines are located at the bottom of the playfield and connect to the flipper area, whereas outlanes are located at the far ends of the playfield and cause the ball to drain.

Multi-Ball

A mode in which multiple balls are on the playfield at once.

Nudging

Moving the machine just enough to influence the ball without causing it to tilt. Technically, it's cheating.

Panic Flip

A panic flip is when you flip before the ball reaches the flippers.

Pinhead

A pinball fanatic! Well, if you are here, then you are the one!

Plunger

A spring-loaded rod in the bottom right corner of the playfield that, when pulled and released, propels the ball into play.

Playfield

The playfield is the game's main flat surface, where targets, ramps, flippers, and bumpers are arranged. The upper playfield is closest to the backbox, while the lower playfield is closest to the player.

Spinner

A rotating target that spins when a ball rolls beneath it. It is an essential part of a pinball game machine.

Skill Shot

A bonus is given to the player for completing a specific task while launching the ball.

Tilt

Designed to prevent players from shaking the machine too hard, the tilt mechanism ends play for the current ball when activated.

Concluding The Blog

These are the terms we generally hear around those gaming parlors, right?

Not necessarily!

We at Creative Arcades have a massive collection of Arcade games for you to enjoy. You can rent them for your parties or buy them for your gaming den. Get creative with it! We are sure you'll love it!