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Video Pinball series
DeveloperHarold Lee[1]
ManufacturerAtari, Inc.
TypeSeries of dedicated home video game consoles
GenerationFirst generation
Release date
DisplayHorizontal orientation, Raster, medium resolution
PredecessorAtari Stunt Cycle
SuccessorAtari 2600

The Video Pinball brand is a series of first-generation single-player dedicated home video game consoles manufactured, released and marketed by Atari, Inc. starting in 1977. Bumper controllers on the sides or a dial on the front are used to control the games depending on the game selected. There are three game types in the first model of the Video Pinball series: Pinball, Basketball, and Breakout.

The first model is based on the single chip 011500-11/C011512-05 ("Pong-on-a-chip") produced by Atari.[2][3]

Gameplay

Video Pinball allows 7 games—4 pinball variations, a basketball game, and two versions of Breakout (Breakout and a variant called Break Away) -- for one to two players. The unit provides digital on-screen scoring, automatic serves, and color graphics.[4]: 26  Video Pinball uses a micro-controller and a small amount of RAM rather than the "Pong on a chip" IC's that had been used in the slew of pong machines Atari Inc. had been releasing. Pinball was played primarily with the side bumper buttons, and Breakout and Basketball with the dial and top buttons.

Models

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There were three different models of Video Pinball released over its lifetime. Atari released both woodgrain and cream colored versions as "Atari Video Pinball". An OEM version whose name was changed to "Pinball Breakaway" was also produced for Sears under the Sears' Tele-Games label.[5]

Atari Video Pinball games console model C-380. Image shows a white plastic case with five buttons and a dial. The buttons are labelled reset, select, option, power and "ball serve".
Atari Video Pinball Model C-380
Sears Pinball Breakaway

Arcade

An arcade video game version, called Video Pinball, was released by Atari in February 1979. It sold a total of 1,505 arcade cabinets.[6]

References

  1. ^ Page 149, Atari Inc: Business is Fun, By Marty Goldberg, Curt Vendel, Publisher: Syzygy Press, 2012, ISBN 9780985597405, ...Atari's solution came by way of a former Standard Microsystems employee named Harold Lee who had joined Atari in late 1973...he began to sketch out the circuits for what would eventually become PONG-on-a-chip, codenamed Darlene.
  2. ^ Winter, David (2013). "David Winter's Pong Rarity List and Price Guide". Pong-Story.com. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  3. ^ Page 154, Atari Inc: Business is Fun, By Marty Goldberg, Curt Vendel, Publisher: Syzygy Press, 2012, ISBN 0985597402, 9780985597405
  4. ^ Kaplan, Deeny, ed. (Winter 1978). "The Video Games". Video (Buyer's Guide). 1 (1). Reese Communications: 17–30. ISSN 0147-8907.
  5. ^ Winter, David. "Atari PONG: The Home Systems". Pong-Story.com. 2013.
  6. ^ Product: Total Build (PDF). Atari Games. 1999.

External links

Atari
Video game consoles (first generation)
Dedicated consoles
Breakout series
Categories