Eight Ball Deluxe
 | |
| Manufacturer | Bally |
|---|---|
| Release date | April 1981 |
| System | Bally MPU AS-2518-35 |
| Players | 1-4 |
| Design | George Christian |
| Artwork | Margaret Hudson |
| Production run | 8,250 (1981 version)
2,388 (limited edition) |
Eight Ball Deluxe is a pinball machine designed by George Christian and released by Bally in 1981. The game features a cue sports theme and was produced again in 1982 and 1984. The game is the successor to the 1977 Eight Ball pinball machine.[1]
Design
[edit]The game is a "basic, easy-to-understand game" with open playfield, and uses audio to attract players.[2] The main character shown on the game is a friend of the husband of the artist, Margaret Hudson.[3]
A limited edition was produced in 1982, incorporating excess backboxes produced for Rapid Fire, and using a smaller backglass.[3] A few components were altered for improved longevity and ease of maintenance.[4] A third production run was manufactured in 1984.[5]
Layout and gameplay
[edit]Eight Ball Deluxe has three flippers, including one on the left side of the game. There is a set of seven of drop targets on the right of the playfield, representing the solid billiard balls 1–7, or stripe balls 9-15. After knocking these down, the player can hit the single drop target at the top right of the machine to reveal a saucer representing the eight ball. Behind the set of seven drop-targets are stand up targets that spell out 'Deluxe'. Completing these will light one letter in Deluxe, displayed on the backglass.[1][6] If the player spells the last letter of Deluxe on the backglass, the game awards up to three free games.[7] A lane towards the upper left of the playfield contains four in-line drop-targets which control the bonus multiplier.[6]
Reception
[edit]Roger Sharpe reviewed the machine in Play Meter, rating it at 3.75/4, noting that its theme had always been successful in pinball. The graphics and speech were praised, with good gameplay even with its simple logic.[8] In 1983, Sharpe called the game a "satisfying challenge".[9]
The game was the "sleeper" hit of 1982, much more popular with players than anticipated by Bally.[2]
A review in Pinball Player called it "one of those machines you either love or hate", with rather standard artwork.[10]
Eight Ball Deluxe won the AMOA most played pinball machine award in 1982,[11] and 1984.[12] It won the Play Meter best of '82 pinball award with a third of the vote in that category.[13]
Digital versions
[edit]Eight Ball Deluxe was released in 1993 for MS-DOS and Macintosh, co-developed by Amtex and LittleWing.[14][15]
Eight Ball Deluxe was also available as a licensed table of The Pinball Arcade for PC, iOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and Android from August 2016,[16] until its delisting on June 30, 2018.[17]
Legacy
[edit]A successor Bally game released in 1985 capitalized on the success of Eight Ball Deluxe by using the name Eight Ball Champ.[18]
See also
[edit]- Big Shot - a pool themed 1974 pinball machine by Gottlieb
- Cue Ball Wizard - a cue sports themed 1992 pinball machine by Gottlieb
References
[edit]- 1 2 McFatter, James (May 11, 2023). "Call Your Shots: Learning Bally's Eight Ball Deluxe". www.kineticist.com. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
- 1 2 Flower, Gary; Kurtz, Bill (1988). Pinball. London: Apple Press. p. 89. ISBN 978-1-85076-139-6.
- 1 2 Shalhoub, Michael (2012). The pinball compendium, 1982 to present (Rev. and expanded 2nd ed.). Atglen, Pa: Schiffer Pub. pp. 19–20. ISBN 978-0-7643-4107-6.
- ↑ "Back with a bang". Play Meter. Vol. 8, no. 24. December 15, 1982. p. 205. ISSN 0162-1343.
- ↑ "Bally Midway 'Eight Ball Deluxe'". ipdb.org. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
- 1 2 Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball Compendium 1970-1981. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. p. 194. ISBN 978-0-7643-2074-3.
- ↑ Eight Ball Deluxe (PDF). Bally Mfg. Corporation. 1981. pp. 4A.
- ↑ Sharpe, Roger C. (June 1, 1981). "Critic's corner". Play Meter. Vol. 7, no. 10. pp. 60–62. ISSN 0162-1343.
- ↑ Sharpe, Roger C. (January 1983). "Sir Rogers Arcade". Electronic Games. Vol. 1, no. 11. pp. 88–89. ISSN 0730-6687.
- ↑ "Reviews - Eight Ball Deluxe". Pinball Player. Vol. 5, no. 9. September 1981. p. 10. ISSN 0141-058X.
- ↑ "AMOA ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS". Play Meter. Vol. 8, no. 24. December 15, 1982. p. 28. ISSN 0162-1343.
- ↑ "AMOA Award Winners Announced". The Location. Vol. 20, no. 12. December 1984. p. 27. ISSN 0747-3060.
- ↑ ""BEST OF '82" AWARDS". Play Meter. Vol. 9, no. 9. May 15, 1983. p. 60. ISSN 0162-1343.
- ↑ Poole, Stephen (November–December 1993). "EVER SINCE I WAS A YOUNG BOY, I'VE PLAYED THE SILVER BALL". Game Players PC Entertainment. Vol. 6, no. 6. pp. 36–37. ISSN 1059-2180.
- ↑ Lombardi, Chris (December 1993). "Bumper Crop". Computer Gaming World. No. 113. pp. 110, 112. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
- ↑ Cunningham, James (2016-08-20). "The Pinball Arcade Adds 80s Classic Eight Ball Deluxe". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
- ↑ Lawson, Aurich (2018-05-08). "The Pinball Arcade is losing its classic tables; grab them while you can". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
- ↑ Flower, Gary; Kurtz, Bill (1988). Pinball. London: Apple Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-1-85076-139-6.
External links
[edit]- Eight Ball Deluxe at the Internet Pinball Database
- Eight Ball Deluxe Limited Edition at the Internet Pinball Database
- Eight Ball Deluxe operating instructions