Editing Pinball (section)

{{short description|Arcade entertainment machine}}
{{Other uses}}
[[File:A rebuilt Terminator 2 pinball machine by Wayne Patrick Finn Melbourne Australia. 38.jpg|thumb|''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day (pinball)|Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]'', 1991 [[pinball machine]] designed by [[Steve Ritchie (pinball designer)|Steve Ritchie]]]]
[[File:Niger, Filingué (44), local pinball game.jpg|thumb|A self-made pinball game in [[Niger]]]]

'''Pinball''' games are a family of games in which a ball is propelled into a specially designed table where it bounces off various obstacles, scoring points either en route or when it comes to rest. Historically the board was studded with nails called 'pins' and had hollows or [[pocket]]s which scored points if the ball came to rest in them. Today, pinball is most commonly an [[arcade game]] in which the ball is fired into a specially designed [[Arcade cabinet|cabinet]] known as a '''pinball machine''', hitting various lights, bumpers, ramps, and other targets depending on its design.

The game's object is generally to score as many points as possible by hitting these targets and making various shots with [[#Flippers|flippers]] before the ball is lost. Most pinball machines use one ball per turn, except during special multi-ball phases, and the game ends when the ball(s) from the last turn are lost. The biggest pinball machine manufacturers historically include [[Bally Manufacturing]], [[Gottlieb]], [[Williams Electronics]] and [[Stern Pinball]].

Currently active pinball machine manufacturers include Stern Pinball, [[Jersey Jack Pinball]], American Pinball, [[Chicago Gaming]] Company, Pinball Brothers, Dutch Pinball, Spooky Pinball and Multimorphic, Inc., as well as several smaller boutique manufacturers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alsheimer |first=Colin |title=Who Makes Pinball Machines in 2023? A Guide to All the Pinball Manufacturers Making Modern Pinball Games |url=https://www.kineticist.co/post/who-makes-pinball-machines |website=Kineticist}}</ref>