Skateball

Skateball, released by Bally in 1980, emerged during the dawn of both solid-state pinball technology and skateboarding culture in America. The machine cleverly capitalized on the growing skateboarding phenomenon that was transforming from a California surfing offshoot into a nationwide youth movement.

The game's design featured a playfield layout that attempted to capture the flowing feeling of skateboarding, with ramps and banks represented by wire forms and rails. It incorporated multiple upperflippers and a distinctive center channel, allowing players to make 'skating' shots that could traverse across the playfield in smooth arcs. The artwork showcased the period's characteristic style with bold colors and dynamic skater imagery that resonated with the emerging extreme sports aesthetic.

While not one of Bally's bestselling titles of the era, Skateball holds historical significance as one of the earlier attempts to merge pinball with contemporary youth culture and extreme sports. It represents an important transition period in pinball history, as manufacturers were exploring new themes beyond the traditional motifs of earlier decades while simultaneously implementing solid-state electronics that would define the modern era of pinball machines.