As a self-made multi-millionaire and founder of Playboy Magazine, Hugh Hefner became the stuff of legend.  He was renowned for the ever-changing coterie of young women he entertained at the Playboy Mansion and allegedly dated as many as seven of them concurrently.

If Mr Hefner falls foul of today’s more politically correct atmosphere then the same could be said of this 1978 Playboy themed pinball table from Bally, which pre-dates Data East’s 1989 offering on the same theme by some 11 years.

Unlike the Data East table, which featured mostly photographic imagery, Bally’s table showcases the illustrations of Paul Faris, who looks to have thrown himself into the project with as much gusto as Hefner throwing himself into a hot tub! 

The backglass depicts the libidinous old scoundrel himself, flagged by 1976 Playmate Patti McGuire and 1977 Playmate Sondra Theodore. The ’Horny Granny’ who featured in Playboy Magazine’s cartoons also makes a spirited appearance in the background, though it’s safe to say that the nubile young bunnies certainly hold sway. Hard to imagine such a design getting signed off today but the world was a different place back then…

The table gets a resounding ‘thumbs up’ from the pinball forums, with notable praise for Faris’s artwork and the (slightly repetitive) soundtrack. Gameplay is fast and entertaining, and large scores can be accrued by getting into the grotto. This inner sanctum can be accessed by hitting the 5 ‘bunny lights’, which then yields a 30,000 point bonus. 

This example has been fully refurbished and is full working order so why not come down to the showroom for a demo? We can't promise that Hugh Hefner will be on hand to teach you his tricks but we still know how to show you a good time.

Allow us to explain how and why we go to such extreme lengths when repairing and restoring vintage games.

Over the years we are fortunate enough to have gathered together a select few individuals whose enthusiasm for jukeboxes, pinball machines and vintage arcade games ensures that they are never less than 100% committed to the task in hand. They quite simply love breathing new life into old circuitry and want to see as many of these classic pieces preserved for future generations as possible.

Not for them the perfunctory checklists and proverbial ‘tyre kicking’ which pass for an inspection at other dealers but instead an unflinching determination to get to grips with the detail. This usually begins with a thorough strip down of the machine and a forensic examination of the internal workings. They’ll be aware of the particular quirks and foibles of any given piece and instead of just replacing failed parts they’ll always go the extra mile, swapping out components which are likely to fail in the near future. 

An obvious comparison would be between a classic car which remains on show in a garage and one that you can actually enjoy driving. 

Rare though many of these machines are, rarer still are the examples which have been properly restored or can truthfully be said to be in full working order. It goes without saying that when unrestored machines come up for sale online or at auction, they’ll often be priced rather lower than the machines sold by The Games Room Company, and the point we wish to get across above all others is that there’s a reason for this. 

In this business The Games Room Company’s reputation is second to none, and as it’s been hard won over the years it’s something we never take for granted. Every machine that goes off to a customer, be they corporate or private, is a potential advertisement for the business and if we didn’t do our job properly then we wouldn’t have the high number of loyal, returning customers that we do.

We’re justly proud of our One Year Parts and Labour Warranty, which extends to on-site visits so if your machine does require some attention, you won’t necessarily have to endure the pain of separation.

We’ve always recognised that with specialised products such as these the after sales service is just as important as the initial sale. It takes a long time to build a reputation and over the years our commitment has won us not just the loyalty of our clients but also the trust of the last remaining American Jukebox manufacturer, Rockola, who in 2014 appointed us as their Exclusive British dealer.

The Games Room Company is one of the oldest pinball dealers in the country. Our founder, Reginald Waldersmith, played his first pinball game in 1960, and described it without irony as being “flipping excellent”. We’ve been selling pinball machines since 1962, so know a thing or two about our products! Our showroom will gladly assist you on any questions you may have before or after you purchase any Games Room Company equipment.