Pinball
The flipper is the primary control mechanism in pinball machines, a pair of bat-shaped levers that the player uses to strike the ball and keep it in play. Invented in 1947, the flipper transformed pinball from a game of chance into a game of skill, and it remains the defining element of the modern pinball machine.
The flipper was invented by Harry Mabsatt, an engineer at the D. Gottlieb & Co. company, and was first used in the 1947 game Humpty Dumpty.1 Before this, pinball machines were purely mechanical games of chance, where the player would launch a ball and watch it roll down the playfield, with no way to influence its path. The addition of flippers allowed players to actively hit the ball, turning pinball into a game of skill. Mabsatt's design used a solenoid to power the flipper, which was activated by a button on the cabinet's side. This innovation was so successful that it was quickly adopted by other manufacturers, and by the 1950s, flippers were standard on all pinball machines.
Modern flippers are typically made of a plastic or metal bat attached to a shaft that rotates on a bearing. The shaft is connected to a solenoid, which is an electromagnetic coil that, when energized, pulls a plunger to rotate the flipper upward. The flipper is held in its resting position by a return spring. When the player presses the flipper button, the solenoid is energized, and the flipper snaps upward in about 3 milliseconds, striking the ball. The angle of travel is typically around 60 degrees. The flipper's speed and power are determined by the voltage applied to the solenoid and the mechanical advantage of the linkage. Some machines use a 'flipper button' on the side of the cabinet, while others use a button on the playfield itself, but the side button is the most common.
The flipper is the player's primary tool for controlling the ball. Skilled players use a technique called 'flipper control' to aim shots at specific targets, traps, and ramps. One key technique is the 'dead bounce', where the player allows the ball to hit a stationary flipper and bounce off in a controlled direction. Another is the 'flip pass', where the ball is transferred from one flipper to the other by timing the flips. The flipper also enables 'cradle' techniques, where the ball is held stationary on a flipper by gently tapping it, allowing the player to line up a shot. The strategic use of flippers is central to achieving high scores and completing objectives in modern pinball.
Over the decades, flipper designs have evolved. Early flippers were relatively small and weak, but by the 1960s, they became larger and more powerful. In the 1980s, solid-state electronics allowed for more precise control, and some machines introduced 'flipper buttons' that could be pressed harder for a stronger flip. Some machines have three or even four flippers, such as those on the upper playfield or in the middle of the playfield to reach higher areas. There are also 'flipperless' machines, which are rare and considered a novelty. A notable variant is the 'flipper on a stick' used in some early games, but it was quickly replaced by the standard design. The most significant change in recent years is the use of linear flippers, which move in a straight line rather than an arc, but these are not widely adopted.
One lesser-known fact is that the flipper was initially met with skepticism by pinball operators, who feared that players would break the machines. Another is that the first flippers were not mounted at the bottom of the playfield but on the sides, as in Humpty Dumpty, which had six flippers arranged in pairs. The flipper's solenoid is often a high-voltage component, and in some machines, the flipper button is actually a microswitch that triggers a transistor to control the solenoid, rather than directly switching the high current. Additionally, some machines have 'flipper feedback' where the flipper's motion is used to activate switches, adding to the game's complexity. The flipper has also been used in other games, such as pinball-like video games, but its physical incarnation remains iconic.
The flipper is a testament to how a simple mechanical innovation can transform an entire industry, turning a game of chance into a game of skill that has endured for over seven decades.
Help improve the encyclopedia. Reports go straight to the site manager.