Wipe Out

Bally's 'Wipe Out' pinball machine, released in 1971, captured the emerging surf culture zeitgeist of the early 1970s, following the massive popularity of surf music and beach movies in the 1960s. The machine's theme capitalized on the growing mainstream interest in surfing and beach lifestyle, particularly on the American coasts.

The game featured vibrant beach-themed artwork with surfers riding waves, tropical imagery, and bold typography characteristic of the early 1970s aesthetic. As an electro-mechanical machine, Wipe Out employed the classic bells, chimes, and mechanical score reels that defined this era of pinball. The playfield likely included traditional elements such as pop bumpers, drop targets, and rollovers, though configured to create wave-like shot patterns that complemented the surfing theme.

Production numbers for Wipe Out were modest by early 1970s standards, as this was during a transitional period for the pinball industry, just before the electronic revolution would transform the sector. The game represents one of the last waves of purely electro-mechanical machines before solid-state technology would begin to dominate the market later in the decade. Today, Wipe Out serves as a collector's piece that exemplifies the artistic and mechanical craftsmanship of the classic EM era, while also documenting how pinball manufacturers incorporated popular culture trends into their themes.