Year: 1950s
Company: 三葉 (Mitsuba)
This type of smart ball is generally seen in the 1950s, which is why I have designated this machine as being from that decade. I am unsure when exactly this style of smartball machine went out of fashion.
The profile view shows us an area at the top for the player to place balls more near the shooter lane, but also a tray at the bottom for the balls to pay out from. This problem would later be solved by Mitsuba, releasing balls from a backbox that could then rest where the player places them into the shooter lane.
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| スマートボール (smart ball) 優勝 (victory) ヒット (hit) |
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| 三葉工業 (Mitsuba Kogyo) |
I was compelled to write about this model because the images include photographs of these levers at the back:
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| 外 (outside) 內 (inside) 優勝 (victory) ヒット (hit) |
I believe the wires on the left are for a red operator light on the upper-right of the playfield.
I think the Victory and Hit levers allow the operator to give a player those specific rewards, as though they had hit the Victory or Hit holes on the playfield.
I do not know what 外 (outside) and 內 (inside) levers might refer to. Do you have any idea? Please leave me a message! Perhaps they turn on the red light (outside) and center playfield light (inside)?
In the 1955 movie 未成年 (Miseinen / Minor) we can see a very similar table that also has these levers. Given the playfield design similarities, I believe this table is also by Mitsuba.
Doe the time being, both of these tables will link to this article.
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| スマートボール (smart ball) [seen in 未成年] by 三葉 (Mitsuba) [presumed] |
The font and horizontal striping are very similar.
Even though the graphics differ, the playfield layout of nails and holes and lamp appear to be identical.
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