How many types of pinball machine are there?

Answer 1

Well, I'm not really sure what you mean by types, but I'll give it a try. First there is the modern digital pinball machine, these are the ones you usually see in arcades they are run by computers and generally have complex rules and different toys on the playfield. Then there are the earlier digital or solid state machines. These were popular in the 80s and very late 70's they are run by computers but generally they aren't very complicated and don't have many toys on the playfield, most don't even have a ramp. Then, going back further, there are the Electro-mechanical machines which were run by relays and switches, these were from the 70's and before. They generally don't have many rules and no separate modes to play, just hit the ball around and get points, they may have a few things to do but are generally quite simple. Going back even further (and sort-of a side branch) is bingo machines, these look like pinball machines but the playfield is a bunch of holes and you shoot 5 balls (normally) which go into the different holes and you try to get 3 in a row on the backglass, normally this would award free plays. A different type completely is the Baseball machines, these look like pinball machines but they are based around baseball and you normally use a button to swing a bat at the ball when it is fired down at it, thus giving you runs and so-forth. I'm sure there are other kinds I'm not thinking of, but this is the main groups.