The Williams Pinball Machine 

Synopsis

As the 1980’s began, pinball had to compete with the growing popularity of video games. The average array of flippers, bumpers and targets were no longer enough to thrill video-loving gamers, so pinball designers began working in new elements to jazz the game up. A great example of this new, high-tech breed of pinball machines arrived with Black Knight, a game put out by Williams in 1980. 

Black Knight was a pinball machine that could hold its own against video games. It benefited from stunning medieval-theme art, complete with a backboard that depicted the title character rearing up with his steed in a menacing manner. The two-level playfield overflowed with dramatic images of knights and dragons that would come to life during the game, thanks to electronically-triggered displays of lights beneath the playfield. These lights would flash on and off in rhythmic patterns when triggered by the actions of the player, giving a dramatic, animated effect to the playfield. 

Black Knight lived up to these awesome graphics by offering an array of cool features in the game itself. There was multi-ball play, which involved the player manoeuvring pinballs into Locks 1 and 2 on the upper playfield. Once this was achieved, the player could release these pinballs by either launching a third ball into an upper level lock or by shooting a pinball into the multi-ball dropout hole on the lower level. Either one of these actions set the locked pinballs free so the player could use them all simultaneously until they slipped between the flippers or out a lane. 

Multi-ball play was the only the beginning of Black Knight’s bonus features. Players could earn extra pinballs by knocking out a bank of drop targets three times, then shooting the ball up the left ramp to the upper playfield. This wasn’t always easy, because the drop targets would pop back up if they weren’t all knocked out in a matter of seconds. The player could rack up further points with the Mystery Score feature, which was triggered by shooting a ball through the left turn lane and then up the centre ramp. Also, players could make the points offered by each bonus increase by putting a pinball through the turnaround to trigger the bonus multiplier. Another feature, the Bonus Ball, allowed the highest scoring player in a multi-player game a few extra seconds of game play. 

But the coolest feature of all in Black Knight had to have been ‘Magna-save’. This referred to two areas over the drain lanes that would become magnetized when a player knocked out a bank of three drop targets. This allowed the player to keep balls from being lost through the drain lanes by hitting one of an additional set of buttons located next to the flipper controls. The ball would then be triggered back into play and earn the player a 10,000-point bonus. 

Black Knight’s combination of eye-catching art and nifty game design made it a big favourite with hardcore pinball fanatics, ensuring it a long life in the arcades. Its long-term popularity also led to a 1989 sequel, Black Knight 2000. The original Black Knight continues to be a favourite with collectors and commands big sums of money whenever it pops up at pinball conventions. For many pinball fans, Black Knight will always be one of the best pinball games ever made. 

The Playfield

The ball is launched into the upper playfield area and feeds the top right flipper or the middle ramp if you miss it. One pop bumpers stands between two drop targets with a small lane around the right drop target that feeds the ball lock behind the left drop target. To the left of the ball lock is sharp loop at the top of the left ramp. The spinner sits at the base of the left ramp.

On the lower level, from the left flipper going clockwise, we have standard looking in/out lanes and a slingshot. Above the in lane is a green circle with a large Electro-magnet below the playfield. Once target requirements are met, a button above the flipper button on the side of the cabinet can turn on "Magna-save" and prevent a ball from going down the out lane. Above that is the left drop target. Then there is the left ramp entrance and spinner. To the right of the ramp is a loop that is mostly hidden by the upper level. This loop entered in the left sends the ball toward the in/out lanes. Entered on the right side sends the ball toward the right flipper.

Next we have the right hand set of drop targets followed by a short lane to a ball pocket the starts multi-ball if a ball is in the ball lock. When the ball is kicked out it can head straight down the middle (SDTM). After that we have two ramps to the upper level. The first arrives between the upper flippers, the second exits above the right upper flipper. Below that we have the Magna-save, in/out lane and slingshot equivalent of the left side followed by the right flipper.

Game Rules

Features

Multi-Ball Scoring!
All scoring is doubled during 2-ball play....tripled during 3-ball play! Multi-ball can be activated 3 ways, making the exclusive score display animation on the back glass come alive!

Timed Drop Targets!
Knock down any drop target and the player has a limited time to knock down the other targets in the same bank or the dropped targets will pop back up! Dropping both banks of targets on either level 3 times lights Extra Ball the first time! Light Extra Ball the second and third time by knocking down all 12 targets! Collecting Extra Ball alternates on both levels.

Maga-Save!
Earn this player-controlled ball saving feature by dropping any bank of targets! Activating the magnets with the special buttons on either side of the cabinet will capture the ball, preventing it from draining through the outlanes, and shoot it back into play, scoring 10,000 points and 5 bonus advances!

Bonus Ball!
The winner of any game with more than 1 player achieves Bonus Ball! After regular play has ended, the winner has from 30 to 99 seconds (operator adjustable) to play unlimited multi-ball! The score earned is added to the regulation play score. Bonus Ball play gives the opportunity to light Special! When all 4 banks of targets are dropped Special lights for replay, another Bonus Ball or 100,000 points.

Timed Features!
In addition to Bonus Ball and Timed Drop Targets, the left and right inside lanes activate timers! When the ball shoots through the left inside lane, the Mystery Time is activated, giving the player 3 seconds to propel the ball up the centre ramp for 20,000 to 99,000 Mystery Points! When the ball shoots through the right inside lane, the player has 3 seconds to shoot through the lit Spinner for 2500 points per spin!

Last Chance!
If you lock up 1 or 2 balls in the upper level while your last ball is in play, you'll light Last Chance in both outside lanes! Drain through either lane and any locked balls are kicked out into play!

Tips from Larry DeMar

Lock 3 balls on the upper playfield (no time limit) for 3 ball multi-ball. Lock 1 ball on the upper playfield, and hit the hole on the lower playfield for 2 ball multi-ball. In each of the multi-ball modes above, all scoring is multiplied by the number of balls on the playfield.

Any time the ball goes down the left flipper return lane (which may be assisted by magna-save), shoot the center ramp for a mystery value (20,000 to 99,000.......Contrary to today's hyper-inflated games, this is a significant award).

Any time the ball goes down the right flipper return lane (which may also be assisted by magna-save), shoot the spinner (if well adjusted, this yields up to 100,000 points).
In multi-ball, (w/ the scoring multipliers), concentrate on making shots 3 & 4 above (Multi-ball jackpots hadn't yet been developed.)

The turn-around on the lower playfield awards bonus multipliers. The drop target banks when completed light a magna-save arrow, and light an arrow in front of the completed bank. Complete all 6 arrows on either level to light the extra ball on the upper level.

If two or more players are in the game, the winner gets a 30 sec. bonus ball. Complete all 4 targets banks (unlimited balls) in the 30 seconds, and the turnaround lights for a special. The turnaround must also be completed in the 30 second period.

Info from Steve Richie

Everything about the design was a headache, except about placement of flippers, flipper return lanes, etc. The biggest problem was ball clearance under the upper playfield, and placement of components so that the ball never struck any of the components hanging below the playfield. It was also a bitch to get ball time down because once the ball went up to the upper playfield, it would not come down in the original design. I believe that many designers have had this idea (2nd playfield).  I'm just a guy who executed it, first!

Desktop Wallpaper

There is a lot of high quality artwork of the Black Knight pinball machine already on the internet. I put together this wallpaper image after seeing a similar image on someone else's web page. 

Click the icon to view the full size image (1024 x 768).  
Right click the full size image and select "Set as Wallpaper".