Bally Capersville Pinballspotting

 Capersville Spotted

What a surprise to spot my favorite pinball machine in the 1967 film Le Samouraï directed by Jean-Pierre Melville.

The machine can be seen at the 1:17:30 mark in what appears to be a Café, preceded by a wipe transition from the protagonist's apartment to the Café scene. A jukebox and another pinball machine can be seen in the foreground.

Very good Drama / Film Noir, well recommended.

Capersville is itself inspired by the 1965 Sci-Fi / Film Noir Alphaville.

 

 

Check out my other posts on Bally Capersville

Winning on 1951 Bally Coney Island Bingo

Coney Island is bingo in it's most basic form.

3 card game with extra balls.

This was Bally's second wide release title after Bright Lights.

My strategy playing Coney Island is simple:

When I hit a 3 in line, I bet the won credits to win extra balls. Use the extra balls to hit more winning combinations and repeat.

Here's a look at the strategy p(L)aying out: 113 credits won! 11 credits wagered on extra balls for a total of 124 credits.

 

 

 

 

The game is currently for sale and a game-play demonstration video can be viewed here.

 

United Singapore design features I like

Here are some design and operator features of United Singapore that I really like.

Just to be clear. Some of the following features are standard United (UMC) bingo machine features, others are Singapore specific. United bingo machines are super rare in my part of the world, even by bingo machine standards. The only two I've ever seen in person, I also own: Singapore and a Hawaii parts machine.

So here are the features...

Zero on the 100's wheel of the replay register is blank. That way the player doesn't get digit envy.

Playfield lighting is recessed: Looks extra classy and modern-ish from a mid century point of view.

Ball trap holes are scalloped: This gives the balls a different dynamic as they roll down the playfield while catching the edge of a hole.

1 1/16 inch balls used: Originally these balls would haven been non magnetic, but today it's convenient that standard pinball machine balls can be used as a cheaper option.

 

 

Shooter gauge is back lit: What more can I say! Bellissimo!

Sinkholes Vs. Rollovers:

Call it what you wish: sinkhole, gobble hole, trap hole, thru hole, cellar hole, etc. I like the concept of sinkholes because the player can aim for the feature boosting hole when lit and, when hit, immediately takes the ball out of play to be returned via the usual way to be played again. Compared to a rollover that, when hit, the ball continues it's trajectory to ultimately land somewhere the player might not have intended.

Knock-Off button: That's a pretty standard feature for a 1954 bingo machine, but United's button is a proper chunky metal button. Not some flimsy plastic pinhead button.

Right side access panel: The transformer, fuses and ball-lift mechanism can be easily accessed by way of a side panel. Handy!

Ball trough switches: these switches in a Bally bingo are a PITA to access when they need cleaning or adjustment, but on a United game they're easily accessed by the coin door.

Reflex unit reset button. There's a hidden button accessible via the coin door on the right side for the Coin Machine Operator to reset the reflex unit back to zero position.

Manual Light-A-Name feature step. Again, by way of the coin door, under the playfield's edge, there's a switch for the Coin Machine Operator to manually advance the Light-A-Name to the desired position.

What's your favorite United / Singapore feature?

Bally Surf-Club Vs. United Singapore a comparison of features

I've had Singapore running properly for a few weeks as I write these words. I've owned it for almost 10 years but I never took the time to dial it in after getting it running through a complete play cycle. Heavy play-testing after the release of the gameplay video revealed a few more small problems that were easy fixes. Notably, a few burnt bulbs and a gummed up replay register.

I've owed Surf-Club for about 12 years, it was the second bingo machine I acquired, and so far it's been my favorite bingo machine of that era. I own two actually. I used to drag the second game to pinball events to educate pinball people about bingo machines when I still cared to attend such events.

 

 

Both games were released in 1954. Surf-Club in February and Singapore in October. Both are feature packed. Apart from Surf-Club's Double-Hold feature, which is a second try on the existing HOLD feature, neither game at the time were releasing any new features to the bingo lexicon. They are more like an assemblage of cool features.

I've played hundreds and hundreds of credits on both games and now has come the time to make an honest comparison of the features of United Singapore and Bally Surf-Club.

But first a bit of explanation of what is a bingo machine: 

A bingo machine is a type of gambling machine that was operated form the early 50's up until the 80's. They were the successor of the One Ball Games that were outlawed in 1950 and superseded by video poker machines in the 1980's.

The objective of these early in line scoring bingo machines is to light a sequence of 3, 4 or 5 consecutive numbers on one of the predetermined lines on the card(s) to win credits.

Won credits are added to the credit register. If enough credits were won, usually 200 or more, the player could have the credits paid out by the place. Some games were 5, 10 or 25 cents per credit.

First coin starts a basic game with basic odds with a spin cycle, a bit like a slot machine for features.
Second coin steps up odds and starts a spin cycle.
Third and subsequent coins starts a spin cycle where you "bet" against the machine. You could win or advance a feature or you could get nothing.

Most features were awarded progressively. At each feature panel, there's a row of arrows that indicate (tease) how close the player is from being awarded a feature. Very crafty, makes the player drop even more coins in the machine. After each spin cycle, a feature could advance, none, one arrow, a few arrows or all the way.

Before shooting the first ball into play, the player could drop an unlimited number of coins for the chance of activating extra features that "improve" chances of winning or getting better odds.

Feature comparison between Surf-Club and Singapore

Odds

Both games have exactly the same odd steps. Eight odds steps ranging from 96 credits for a 5 in line to 300 credits for the same 5 in line.

By odds I mean how many credits the machine will be awarded for a 3, 4 or 5 in line.
Example: The first odds step

96 credits for a 5 in line
14 credits for a 4 in line
4 credits for a 3 in line

 

 

Corners

Both games have the Corners feature.

On Surf-Club, when the feature is lit: lighting all 4 corner numbers scores 200.

 

On Singapore, when lit, 4 corners score as a 5 in line. So depending on what the odds are at it will most likely pay out less than 200, for only the highest odd step is superior to 200.

 

Unless the player is a surgeon with a ball shooter, I always thought the corners feature was near completely useless. The probability of a lay player having the feature lit and landing all 4 corners by mostly chance and a little skill is infinitesimal.

Ball replay

Surf-Club has the Hold and Double Hold feature: When lit, this feature allows the player to dump all the balls in either odd or even numbered pockets after shooting all 5 balls. Double Hold allows to do it a second time. This feature, combined with the super cards and number spotting is awesome.

 

Singapore has the "Return All Balls if No Score is Made" feature that when lit allows the player to replay all 5 balls by pressing the RED button in the top right corner of the coin door. It's the tabula rasa approach. All balls are returned to the ball trough and shooter lane.

 

Super Cards Vs. Special Cards

Surf-Club has two Super Cards that are lit progressively. When super card feature is lit, a three in line scores as a four in line. On Surf-Club left super card is all even numbers, right super card is all odd numbers.

Left and right playfield rollovers when lit,  activate the Super Card of it's respective side.

  

 

Singapore has four special cards, they are lit progressively (in the following order: top left, top right, bottom left and bottom right) or all lit by way of the footrail feature selection button. Two lit numbers on a special card scores as a three in line. Three lit scores as a four in line. Four lit scores as 5 in line.

 

Number Spotting 

To spot a number is to light a number without actually having to land a ball in the corresponding hole.

Singapore has two different number spotting features: the Junk Boat and the Selection Feature

Junk boat

When boat is lit, left and right playfield sinkholes will spot numbers 5, 8 and 15. Note that the sinkholes are double duty. They are also used for the Light-A-Name feature and can be lit for both features at the same time. Both sinkholes return ball to the shooter lane.

 

Selection Feature

See Singapore's Super Selection feature below.

On Surf-Club when feature is lit the player has the choice of spotting 9, 14 or 15. The feature is awarded gradually, first 15 and 14. Then 9 and finally the Super-Line. Player selects the number with the front knob before shooting the 4th ball into play. 15 is the center number of the main card. Very handy. Numbers 14 and 9 are the center numbers of each super card. Also very handy.

Singapore's Super Selection Feature

Number Spotting and Super Selection Feature is the heart of Singapore's feature set. It's difficult to explain it in a non convoluted way.

This feature is awarded in two steps, or if lucky, all at the same time. Once the number spotting feature is lit, more coins or credits can be wagered before shooting first ball into play to light the Super Selection feature and/or more spot number choices.

To be clear when the feature is lit. Player can spot a number AND select a Feature. Very cool.

Number Spotting

The number spotting feature when lit starts with the choice of 19, 20, 21 or 22. With the possibility of 16, 10 and 25 if more coins are wagered. 16 is the center of the main card 10 is on the bottom left special card and 25, the bottom right special card, so those last 3 numbers, though seldom awarded, are powerful numbers. Player selects the the number with the front knob before shooting the 4th ball into play, or before 5th ball if the extra time feature is lit.

Super Selection feature

When lit, this feature allows the player to select one of 4 features: Extra Ball, 4 in Line Scores 5 in line, All Special Cards and Advance Score.

 

Selection must be made before shooting 4th ball unless the extra time feature is lit.

 

Player can pre-select a feature at the start of the game and change for another feature at any time before 4th ball.

 

Pre-selected feature is backlit with red bulbs to let the player know what was selected. Feature selection is done by way of the footrail buttons.

 

Feature locks in once 4th ball enters play. Only after this time is the selected feature active.

 

Extra Ball 

 

Pretty straightforward: Awards the first extra ball without having to wager for it after shooting 5 balls into play.

Four in Line scores as Five in Line

Also very straightforward: a 4 in line score will pay as a 5 in line.

This Singapore feature can only be lit by way of the footrail button when the Super selection feature is lit. It cannot be randomly awarded by a normal coin spin cycle.

All Special Cards

Lights all 4 special cards.

Advance Score

Automatically advances payout odds one step.

 

Extra time

When lit, selection of features and numbers can be made until the 5th ball enters play instead of the 4th ball. This gives the player more time to make a final choice on which number to spot and which Feature to select. 

 

 

 Surf-Club has no extra time feature

 

Super Line

On Suff-Club, the Super-Line is part of the spot-number sequence feature when the complete feature is lit. The player can spot a number OR go for the Super-Line.

 

The super line is a separate line from the main card. When this feature is lit the player can select a 3 number sequence by way of the front  rotary knob before shooting the 4th ball.

Possible Super-Line number sequences are as follows:

3 - 16 - 11

16 - 11 - 10

11 - 10 - 20

10 - 20 - 5

Lighting 2 consecutive numbers of the selected sequence scores as a 4 in line and lighting all 3 selected numbers scores as 5 in line. In my opinion this is the weakest part of Surf-Club, that the player has to choose between spotting a number OR the Super-Line where Singapore Gives the player both number spotting and feature selection.

Extra Balls

Both games can be played for extra balls after first shooting 5 balls into play. Up to 3 extra balls.

Extra balls on Surf-Club can be wagered for by way of the yellow button on the coin door.

 

 

Singapore also has a selection feature that when lit can be selected by way of the footrail feature selection button to award the first extra ball automatically.

Light a Name

This Singapore feature has no equivalent in Surf-Club. It's reminiscent of the One Ball era games. And I think it's this feature that makes Singapore a superior game. It has just the right balance of risk, reward, frustration and play-it-again appeal.

When the game is first turned on, or when the game is timed out and/or tilt, the full name S-I-N-G-A-P-O-R-E is lit. Only when the game is coined up does the player see where the lit letters are at. The feature starts out with the letters S-I-N lit. Then when the light-a-name feature is lit. Landing a ball in lit sinkhole lights next letter. The sequence is as such: Center (G) - Left (A) - Right (P) - Center (O) - Left (R) - Right (E). (G) and (O) are the easiest to hit since it's by way of the bottom playfield ball return hole. The lit letters carry over from one game to the next. Last lit letter scores a 5 in line and the feature resets when the game ends and a new game is started.

A great combo or feature stack is getting both the Light-A-Name feature and the all balls returned if no score is made. It basically doubles the chances of hitting the lit sinkhole to light the next letter.

Of course these features a really a distraction. Getting the player to concentrate on the lit sinkhole rather than hitting a 3 or 4 in line.

The longer the player is on the game, the more he is invested in the feature, the more likely he will keep playing to bring the feature to it's conclusion and that sweet 5 in line score.

So? Which game would you rather play? Which is best: Bally's Surf-Club or United's Singapore?

As postscript, I absolutely love Singapore's artwork that evokes tranquility, exoticism and sophistication.

United Singapore (1954) Bingo Machine gameplay

Here's a long play video of my 1954 United Singapore Bingo machine.

It has stunning artwork and an abundance of features.

 

I recently gave it an overhaul in preparation to selling it but after all the work and some play testing I kinda like it. But ultimately the right thing to do would be to sell it to a good home. To be continued...

No! I won't ship the game.

 

 

Here are some additional pictures of Singapore: