Machine Description

Bally's 'Kickoff' pinball machine, released in 1975, emerged during a golden age of electro-mechanical pinball when sports-themed machines were particularly popular. This football-themed table capitalized on the growing mainstream appeal of professional football in American culture during the 1970s.

The machine featured classic electro-mechanical components and gameplay elements that were characteristic of its era, including pop bumpers, kick-out holes, and drop targets arranged to simulate football plays. The playfield design incorporated football imagery and scoring mechanisms that mimicked actual football scoring, with opportunities for players to score touchdowns, field goals, and extra points.

Kickoff represented Bally's continued commitment to sports-themed pinball machines, following their successful formula of combining familiar sports concepts with pinball mechanics. The table's sound effects were generated by mechanical bells and chimes, typical of the electro-mechanical era, creating an authentic arcade atmosphere that players of the period came to expect.

While production numbers aren't definitively known, Kickoff was manufactured during a period when Bally was one of the dominant forces in pinball manufacturing, producing thousands of units of their popular titles. The machine helped bridge the gap between traditional pinball design and the approaching solid-state era that would begin just a few years later.