1979 · Bally
Future Spa
Known for Inline drop targets, FUTURE top lanes, Fountain of Youth target and Left kickback. Fiery orange-red nebula and starfield, grey and blue planets with rings, white and gold domed space station with tall spire, curved chrome roadway ramp, large curved chrome control console and grid of playing-card suits.
- Year
- 1979
- Maker
- Bally
- Type
- Solid state
- Display
- Alphanumeric
- Players
- 4
Known for
- Target
Inline drop targets
- Lane
FUTURE top lanes
- standup
Fountain of Youth target
- Lane
Left kickback
- Lane
Right horseshoe
- Goal
FUTURE SPA
On the playfield
Bumper 1
- Lower right bumpers
Targets 3
- Inline drop targets
- Final standup standup
- Fountain of Youth target standup
Lanes 3
- FUTURE top lanes
- Left kickback
- Right horseshoe
Post or gate 1
- Left return gate gate
Lights 3
- Yellow arrow light
- Green arrow light
- Spot Letter lights light
On the backglass
Who and what
- woman Brunette, smiling, blue open-front catsuit, blue thigh boots with silver buckles, silver collar, dark helmet/headdress with blue jewels; striding forward, carrying a small dark brown furry animal
- man Moustached, red and cream/gold space suit with wide flared collar, leaning forward with both arms extended
- man Bare-chested tanned muscular man reclining on a striped white/blue/red cushion with red sash, head thrown back, mouth open
- man Bare-chested muscular man with dark hair and chest hair, hands on hips, next to playing-card suit grid
- man In a yellow-orange spacesuit and helmet, hunched over a glowing orange keyboard inside the console
- other Small dark brown furry animal held under the woman's arm
Setting
- Fiery orange-red nebula and starfield
- Grey and blue planets with rings
- White and gold domed space station with tall spire
- Curved chrome roadway ramp
- Large curved chrome control console
- Grid of playing-card suits
Text on it
- Bally
- Future Spa
- TM
- HIGH SCORE
- TO DATE
- 4 Can Play
How it plays
-
Goals 2
- FUTURE SPA
- Super Bonus
Made by
- Design
- George Christian
- Art
- Paul Faris
- Art
- Dave Christensen
Reference
Linked terms
- Inline drop targets also called inline drops also called inline bank
- FUTURE top lanes also called Future lanes
- Fountain of Youth target also called Center standup target
- Right horseshoe also called Candy cane
- Left return gate also called rotating gate
- Lower right bumpers also called 1,000 bumper
- Super Bonus also called 18,000 super bonus also called 36,000 super bonus
Playfield vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Playfield
- cream
- pale tan
- maroon
- red
- turquoise
Fingerprint: Reclining blonde pin-up with arm raised in V across cream-teal waves, maroon diagonal band with five drop targets spelling F-U-N-C-Y, white starburst pop-bumper caps with 1000 WHEN LIT, cream-tan shading on airbrushed skin figures, maroon apron with white pinstripes, bingo-letter theme, five painted women in swimwear
The most memorable feature is the huge reclining pin-up woman painted across the centre of the lower playfield, her arm raised in a V above her head, her body drawn directly onto the cream-and-teal wave background rather than confined to a panel. Second, the maroon diagonal band carrying five separate round drop targets each bearing a single cream letter — F, U, N, C, Y — forming a word across the field. Third, a cluster of white starburst pop-bumper caps with concentric black-and-red rings, one carrying the printed value 1000 WHEN LIT, standing proud of the artwork like white daisies. Fourth, the maroon apron with its symmetric white pinstripe border, cursive maker word repeated at both left and right ends, and the winged-sphere emblem at the upper right. Fifth, the yellow-outlined lid with a small cursive instruction, sitting directly above the COLLECT BONUS lettering in the lower centre.
Setting
- An all-over decorative field rather than a scene: cream and tan ground filled with stylised turquoise and pale-blue curling wave ribbons that sweep from the left edge across the middle to the lower right, with maroon and orange sweeping bands at the top edge. no horizon, no landscape, no sky.
Symbols
- A yellow-outlined hinged lid or trapdoor in the lower centre with a small cursive instruction on it
- A white winged-sphere emblem printed on the apron at the upper right and on the cabinet side at the right edge
- Three coloured circular multiplier roundels (teal 2x, yellow 4x, orange 6x) in a row left of the lid
- Cream-coloured lamps or roundels reading h at the top left of centre and d at the top right of the target bank
- Red circular arrow or burst medallions in the mid-left field
- Small round cream targets with a face or star motif set in the upper left and upper right areas
Notable shapes
- The apron forms a broad downward chevron point at the centre. the f u n c y target band runs as a shallow diagonal ribbon from mid-left down to the right. turquoise wave curls form a large open spiral in the upper left. a red plastic scoop at the lower right has a sharply pointed nose. the white instruction card is a plain upright rectangle with a slightly irregular top edge, and the price card at the lower left is a rounded-corner rectangle.
Art motifs
- Stylised curling wave ribbons in turquoise and pale blue
- Sweeping maroon and orange bands along the top edge
- Cream halftone dot shading on skin and on the tan shells
- Airbrushed soft gradients inside the pin-up figures
- Heavy black keyline outlines around every printed element
- Sail- or shell-shaped cream and orange forms behind the left figure
Themes
- Bingo letters
- Pin-up / bathing beauty illustration
- Airbrushed beauty art
- Waves and water
- Score-multiplier roundels
- Collect bonus ladder
Text on it
- Bally
- PINBALL
- 50¢ = 1
- X1
- INSTRUCTIONS
- COLLECT
- BONUS
- F
- U
- N
- C
- Y
- POINTS FOR EACH LETTER LIT
- 1000
- WHEN LIT
- 2X
- 4X
- 6X
- Lift Lid
- For
- Good
- 50¢
- PLAY
- DOLLAR
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Other | The largest figure on the field: a reclining blonde woman drawn from the hips up, her head tilted back and her right arm raised in a v above her, wearing a red two-piece swimsuit with bare shoulders, upper arms and midriff. her skin is airbrushed in cream and tan, outlined in black. she is printed directly onto the playfield, partly overlapped by the f u n c y target band. |
| Other | A blonde woman in three-quarter view facing right, head and shoulders above a large pale-tan and orange fan or shell shape, wearing a blue and white top. partly cut off by the left wood rail. |
| Other | A smaller red- or orange-haired woman shown from the chest up, head turned left, bare shoulders, set inside a cream oval panel between the bumper cluster and the right-hand ramp. |
| Other | A larger blonde woman in profile facing left, bare shoulder and upper arm, printed in cream and tan with black outline beside the right-hand starburst bumpers and the maroon target band, partly hidden under the clear plastic ramp. |
A full playfield photographed from above, its glass reflecting window frames, with a cream and tan ground overlaid by teal wave patterns, maroon bands and heavy black keylines. The art is mid-century pin-up illustrative: several painted blonde and red-haired women in swimwear with bare midriffs and bare shoulders, drawn with airbrushed shading and thick outlines. The upper third is a dense mechanical zone of a red-and-cream target bank, starburst pop-bumper caps, chrome rails and a clear-plastic ramp on the right. Across the centre runs a maroon diagonal band of five red round targets lettered F, U, N, C, Y, with a cream caption strip beneath. Lower centre holds a yellow-outlined lid graphic, three coloured multiplier roundels and the printed words COLLECT BONUS. The wooden apron below is maroon with white pinstriping, a cursive maker word at each side, a white price card on the left, a white instruction card on the right and the word PINBALL in large white capitals. Condition appears good: plastics are clear, chrome bright, lettering crisp, with light surface dust and a few faint swirl marks in the clear plastic.
Backglass vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Backglass
- orange
- blue
- red
- silver
Fingerprint: Future Spa logo in chrome with blue-gradient fill, woman in tight blue catsuit carrying small furry brown animal striding forward, moustached man in red space suit behind, reclining bare-chested man, second muscular man at playing-card suit grid, helmeted figure in yellow hunched at glowing orange keyboard within chrome console, scattered chrome-framed score windows
The centre couple striding at the viewer — a smiling woman in a plunging blue catsuit carrying a small furry brown animal, backed by a moustached man in a red space suit. Surrounding them: a reclining bare-chested man on a striped cushion, a second muscular bare-chested man beside a grid of playing-card suits, and a helmeted man in a yellow suit slumped over a glowing orange keyboard inside a giant curved chrome console. The chrome 'Future Spa' logo with blue gradient fill sits top left beside the blue cursive signature. Four chrome-framed score windows with lit orange numerals are scattered across the glass rather than in one row.
Setting
- Fiery orange-red nebula and starfield
- Grey and blue planets with rings
- White and gold domed space station with tall spire
- Curved chrome roadway ramp
- Large curved chrome control console
- Grid of playing-card suits
Symbols
- Playing-card suits (hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades)
- Planets
- Ringed planet
- Domed space station
- Spire
- Curved roadway
- Score windows
- Chrome tubing border
- Small tm symbol
Lettering
- Chunky three-dimensional chrome block letters with blue gradient fill and dark drop shadow for the title; blue cursive brush script signature; red sans-serif small print at bottom left; orange sans-serif at upper right
Themes
- Space
- Futuristic casino
- Science fiction station
- Romance pair
- Chrome and neon
Title on it
- Future spa
Text on it
- Bally
- Future Spa
- TM
- HIGH SCORE
- TO DATE
- 4 Can Play
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Brunette, smiling, blue open-front catsuit, blue thigh boots with silver buckles, silver collar, dark helmet/headdress with blue jewels; striding forward, carrying a small dark brown furry animal |
| Man | Moustached, red and cream/gold space suit with wide flared collar, leaning forward with both arms extended |
| Man | Bare-chested tanned muscular man reclining on a striped white/blue/red cushion with red sash, head thrown back, mouth open |
| Man | Bare-chested muscular man with dark hair and chest hair, hands on hips, next to playing-card suit grid |
| Man | In a yellow-orange spacesuit and helmet, hunched over a glowing orange keyboard inside the console |
| Other | Small dark brown furry animal held under the woman's arm |
| Other | Two tiny walking figures on the curved ramp upper right |
Rectangular backglass in a cream cabinet frame with a chrome tubular border. Upper left: blue cursive 'Bally' over a dark red-orange nebula with grey planets, beside a chunky chrome-and-blue 3D block logo reading 'Future Spa' with a TM. Centre: a smiling brunette woman in a skin-tight blue open-front jumpsuit and blue thigh boots with silver buckles, striding forward and carrying a small dark brown furry animal; directly behind her a moustached man in a red and cream space suit with a wide flared collar leans forward, arms extended. Lower left: a bare-chested tanned man reclining on a white-blue-red striped cushion with a red sash, head thrown back, mouth open; below him a second bare-chested dark-haired man, hands on hips, beside a grid of playing-card suits. Upper right: a white and gold domed space station with a tall spire and ringed planet, plus a curved ramp with two tiny walking figures. Lower right: a curved chrome console showing a helmeted man in a yellow-orange spacesuit hunched over a glowing orange keyboard. Chrome-framed score windows are scattered left, right and bottom. Red text at bottom left reads '4 Can Play'.
Backglass
- black
- orange
- red
- blue
Fingerprint: future spa: Pair of leaping figures at exact center, brunette in royal-blue jumpsuit with gold corset panel, moustached man in red jumpsuit behind her, four chrome-framed rectangular score windows at four corners, nude woman reclining on yellow-teal striped towel pool bottom left, white domed futuristic spa building right
The single most memorable element is a pair of leaping figures at the exact centre - a brunette woman in a skin-tight royal-blue jumpsuit with a gold corset panel, flying out of the artwork with her arm thrown forward, and a moustached man in a red jumpsuit just behind her shoulder. The title Future Spa is rendered in very tall, very thin art-deco block capitals, pale blue over purple-blue, with a solid red block letterform over the U. Four chrome-framed rectangular score windows are arranged symmetrically at the four corners, numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4. A nude woman reclining on a bold yellow-and-teal striped towel in a swimming pool anchors the bottom left. On the right, a white domed futuristic spa building on a green mound with a kidney-shaped pool, and a red-uniformed attendant in a peaked cap in a pod below it.
Setting
- Abstract streaked light background of orange, crimson, magenta and violet rays on black
- Futuristic domed white spa building on a landscaped green mound
- Kidney-shaped outdoor swimming pool with metal ladder
- Indoor pool scene bottom left with blue water
- Blue-walled chamber or cabin containing a helmeted man
Symbols
- Four chrome-framed rectangular score windows numbered 1 to 4
- Two small blank rectangular display windows mid-right
- Chrome tube border frame with rounded corner caps and metal pipework
- Flying saucer-like white domed roofs
- Green landscaped mound with shrubs
- Swimming pool ladder
- Striped beach towel
- Planet-like spheres and streaks of light
Lettering
- Very tall, narrow, thin art-deco sans-serif capitals with inline stripe detail; future in pale blue, spa in purple-blue with a light drop shadow, a solid red block form over the u of future; a pale blue cursive script manufacturer name to the left of the title; simple thin sans-serif numerals inside the chrome score-window frames
Themes
- Space age futurism
- Time-travel or portal sci-fi
- Leisure spa resort
- Swimming pool
- Swimsuit
- Pinball score display
Title on it
- Future spa
Text on it
- Future
- Spa
- Bally
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Central leaping figure, young adult, light skin, long dark brown hair flying back, hoop earrings, royal-blue skin-tight jumpsuit with deep-plunging neckline and a gold-brown corset panel over the torso, gold bracelets, brown belt, left arm thrust forward and down, right leg kicked back with a white boot |
| Man | Leaping just behind and right of her, young to middle-aged, light skin, brown hair and moustache, bright red jumpsuit open at the chest with a dark red-brown shoulder harness, smiling, one arm bent up |
| Woman | Bottom left, nude, tan/light skin with blonde or platinum hair, reclining on her back on a boldly striped yellow, white and teal towel, left arm raised above her head, legs bent, in blue pool water |
| Man | Bottom left-centre, bare-chested muscular man with a dark helmet or cap, light skin, standing waist-up in a blue-walled chamber with a vertical panel of lights behind him |
| Man | Mid right, small background figure in a red uniform standing on the grass beside the domed building |
| Man | Lower right, man in a red uniform with a peaked cap and dark visor, crouched or kneeling inside a red-and-white pod or capsule with a curved frame |
A horizontally oriented airbrushed sci-fi backglass with a black background shot through with orange, crimson and violet light streaks. Two large cut-out score windows with chrome frames and black interiors are stacked at the top left and top right, marked 1 and 2, with matching ones at the bottom left and right marked 3 and 4, plus two small blank rectangular windows mid-right. The title Future Spa sits top left of centre in tall thin block capitals, F U T U R E in pale blue with a red block over the T, S P A below in purple-blue with a light blue drop shadow, beside a pale blue cursive manufacturer script. Two young adults dominate the centre, leaping towards the viewer: a woman with long dark brown hair, hoop earrings, a blue jumpsuit with a deep-plunging neckline, a gold-brown corset panel, gold bracelets and a brown belt, one arm outstretched; beside and behind her a man with a moustache in a red jumpsuit, open at the chest, and a red-brown harness strap. Bottom left, a nude tan-skinned woman reclines on a yellow, white and teal striped towel in a pool of blue water, one arm raised. Behind her, a bare-chested muscular man in a helmet stands in a blue chamber. Right of centre, a white domed futuristic building on a landscaped mound, with a red-clad figure near it, a small swimming pool with a ladder, and below that a red-uniformed man in a peaked cap crouched inside a pod-like structure. The art is glossy, airbrushed fantasy realism with vivid, slightly garish 1980s palette.