1979 Super Game - スーパーゲーム [alien] by 三葉 (Mituba)

Name: Super Game - スーパーゲーム [alien]

Year: 1979

Company: 三葉 (Mituba)

Super Game is a smart ball medal game  Think of it like an arrangeball, but in smart ball form. You insert a coin and then get 16 balls to reach a goal of 100+ points.

Similar to arrangeball games that typically have an instant payout cup, the green '5' hole immediately pays out 1 coin. If you reach 100 points you can earn your first medal, and I think it pays out another medal for each 10 points beyond that.  (100, 110, 120, etc)

 

Game Machine 1979-05-15
note that the model pictured has a different layout

OCR:

メダル式スマート風営機「スーパーゲーム」が三葉産業から

新型の風俗営業機が昨年暮から発売されている。 いわばメダル式のスマートボールで、機種名「スーパーゲーム」。ブレイフィールドの変化があって「ジェット号」、「アタック号」、「フラッシェ号」の三種が、三葉産業㈱(本社=東京都中野区中野五の三十の二、三八五十三一四一)から発売中である。メダル一枚を投入すると玉が十六個出てきて、 打球により、、の入賞穴に入れるとデジタル表示板に点数が加算される。一ゲーム終了時点で得点が百点を越えるとメダルが一枚、さらに十点きざみで一枚ずつ増えるという計算。従って百十五点だと二枚のメダルが払い出される。ボーナス穴で一枚払出。ただし全部で一ゲームあたり最高十枚の払出しである。
アレンジ、雀球などの指定遊技との併設で効果ある。定価本体のみ十三万五千円。セット定価は十四万三千円。

Machine translation:

Coin-operated Smart Amusement Machine "Super Game" from Mitsuba Sangyo

A new type of entertainment machine has been on sale since the end of last year. It's essentially a coin-operated smart ball game, named "Super Game." Three variations of the Brayfield model—"Jet," "Attack," and "Flash"—are available from Mitsuba Sangyo Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: 5-30-2 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, 3853141). Inserting one coin dispenses 16 balls. Hitting the balls into the designated winning holes adds points to the digital display. At the end of a game, exceeding 100 points results in a payout of one coin, and then one more coin for every 10 points thereafter. Therefore, 115 points would yield two coins. A bonus hole pays out one coin. However, the maximum payout per game is 10 coins in total.

It is effective when used in conjunction with designated games such as Arrange and Mahjong. The retail price for the machine alone is 135,000 yen. The set retail price is 143,000 yen.

It say there are 3 models:

「ジェット号」 Jet

「アタック号」 Attack

「フラッシ 1号」  Flash No. 1

I do not know which layout is which name.  The machine below is the same layout as seen in the article, as shown by moguragumi. (archive)

 

There are also other Super Game models with different backglasses. As with their earlier smart balls, I presume this means this was an entirely different named series.  I am referring to this series as 'alien' in reference to the backbox art, but it's not an official name. Another version has a white rocket leaving a moon in the bottom-right.  The more commonly seen model has a rainbow across a blue sky, with a hot-air balloon.

 

instruction card via moguragumi. (archive)

 OCR: 

=遊戯方法=
メタルを投入すると玉が出てきます。
セーフ穴に入ると、表示された点数がデジタル表示に加算されます。
ボーナス穴に入ると、メタルが1枚出て、点数が加算されます。
ゲーム途中でメタルを投入したり、精算ボタンを押すと無効になります。
ゲーム終了後、得点が100点以上の場合は10点増すごとに、メタルが1枚出てきます。
出てきたメタルで再ゲーム出来ます。
ゲーム終了後、余ったメタルは職員までご返却ください。

Machine translation:

=How to Play=
Insert a metal coin to release a ball.
If the ball lands in the safe hole, the displayed score will be added to the digital display.
If the ball lands in the bonus hole, one metal coin will be released and your score will be added.
Inserting metal coins or pressing the payout button during the game will invalidate the game.
After the game ends, if your score is 100 points or more, one metal coin will be released for every 10 points increase.
You can play the game again with the metal coins you receive.
After the game ends, please return any remaining metal coins to a staff member. 

User satokidisc has fixed one of these units and has let me archive the Super Game photos from their account:

it has a rather short payout tube

you can spot a 7812 manufacture date on the transistor

They also shared 2 videos:

 

1950s スマートボール (smart ball) by 三葉工業 (Mitsuba Kogyo)

Name: スマートボール (smart ball) 
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.

スマートボール (smart ball)
優勝 (victory)
ヒット (hit)

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:

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.

スマートボール (smart ball) [seen in 未成年] by 三葉 (Mitsuba) [presumed]

See more images from the smart ball parlor!  exploring the arcade in 未成年 / Miseinen / Minor (1955)

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.

1965 エレキボール (Electric Ball) by カトウ (Kato) & 日本自動販売機 (Nihon Jidô Hanbaiki)

Name: エレキボール (Electric Ball)
Year: 1965
Company: カトウ (Kato) & 日本自動販売機 (Nihon Jidô Hanbaiki)

Electric Ball is a smartball-style game.  It was the 2nd machine released by Kato, after Carnival.

Amusement Journal 2015-11

Transcription:

次に作ったのが「エレキボール」。これがヒットした。同機はスマートボールを電気式にしたようなゲーム機で、盤面上のターゲットをボールが通過するとそのターゲットが点灯、横並びに四つ点灯させれば再プレイできるという内容だった。ビルボードのデザインは、近所に住む女子美術大卒のご婦人に依頼した。製作には栄子氏も駆り出された。「周りの模様は自分で考え、色を塗ったりテープを貼ったり色々しましたよ」。まさに家内制手工業の世界である。

Machine translation:

The next thing I made was an "electric ball." This was a hit. The device was a game machine that resembled an electric smart ball, and when the ball passed through a target on the board, that target would light up, and if you lit up four in a row, you could play again. The design of the billboard was commissioned to a woman who lived in the neighborhood and graduated from Joshibi University of Fine Arts. Eiko was also brought in to help with the production. She said, ``I came up with the pattern around it myself, and did a lot of things like coloring and pasting tape.'' It is truly a world of cottage craftsmanship.

Archive.org has a backup of Kato's old website, which does not have much information the 1960s and 1970s, but does include this note about Electric Ball:

from the archived Kato website

Transcription:

1964年/創菜~
創業(昭和39年)時から、さまざまなゲーム機を開発し世に送り出してきましたが、最初の記念すべきヒット機は、2年目に発売した「エレキボール」でした。同機は、ほ(ぼ5000台を生産し販売いたしました。 

Machine translation:

Since our founding (1964), we have developed and released a variety of game machines, but our first memorable hit machine was the ``Electric Ball'' released in our second year. Approximately 5,000 units of this machine were produced and sold.

With this, I will be saying that Electric Ball is from 1965.

@Area51_zek shared this beautiful flyer:

Electric Ball appears in the 1969 machine directory.

entry in 1969 machine directory

I believe this to be the later version.  What I presume to be the earlier version has the red line lower on the chassis, and has rectangles along the side.  The 1969 directory version shows the angled lines on the side, the red line above the rectangles on the front, and a larger marquee.

The above photo combines two source images, which I'll share in better resolution:

Based on Sonar Attack being present, the colour photo is probably 1968 or 1969 and the B&W photo shared in Amusement Journal is the original design.  The 1969 machine directory image matches the colour photo.  

Electric Ball in an arcade lineup, from the Taito 40th Anniversary book.  Unknown year.

In the 1972 machine directory the game is listed as by Nihon Jidô Hanbaiki.

1972 machine directory

There is an entry for Nihon Jidô Hanbaiki that lists Electric Game, perhaps they're referring to Electric Ball? 

Otherwise, electric ball does not appear in the company info there.  Likewise in the 1973 machine directory, Electric Ball is not listed amongst the company profiles.  We do see it in the index as by 日本自動販売機 (Nihon Jidô Hanbaiki).

1973 machine directory

My suspicion is that  Nihon Jidô Hanbaiki was the company that sold the game and that Kato built it.

~1967 Home Run - ホームランゲーム by 日本展望娯楽社 (Nihon Tenbo)

Name: Home Run - ホームランゲーム
Year: ~1967
Company: 日本展望娯楽社 (Nihon Tenbo)

We can see Home Run in two different videos, both found by TOO_yoshikawa.

ザ・ガードマン (The Guard Man) episode 118 大泥棒一家
There are two copies of Home Run on the left.  This is from 1967.

Detail:

This next screenshot is from 喜劇 初詣列車 (Kigeki hatsumoude resha, 1968)

shared by TOO_yoshikawa

We can finally see the colours of Home Run!

I took some more screenshots:

It is blurry, but it's the best we've got so far!

Entry from the 1969 machine directory: