1978–1980 · Bally & Taito & Arkon
Playboy
Known for Playboy Grotto, Top Key lanes, Key 5 and Playmate standups. Dark night-sky background with deep brown and black shading, pale stone wall or balustrade running across the lower left, a small pavilion or cabana structure with a peaked roof behind the right shoulder of the central group, dark blue rippling water or pool surface at the left behind the smaller figures and mirrored gold art-deco frame border with geometric corner ornaments.
- Years
- 1978–1980
- Maker
- Bally & Taito & Arkon
- Type
- Solid state
- Display
- Alphanumeric
- Players
- 4
Known for
- Lane
Playboy Grotto
- Lane
Top Key lanes
- standup target
Key 5
- Target
Playmate standups
3 games under this title
On the playfield
On the backglass
Who and what
- man Dark-haired, clean-shaven, tanned, wearing an open pale blue-grey shirt; stands centre behind the women, arms around the shoulders of the brunette and the blonde, looking forward
- woman Brunette with long curled hair, red lace-trimmed nightgown, tanned skin, standing front left of centre, looking forward
- woman Blonde with long straight hair, turquoise two-piece bikini, tanned skin, front right of centre, one hip forward
- woman Smaller figure at mid-left, blonde, red bikini, standing in the water
- woman Smaller figure at mid-left wearing a pale blue swim cap, bare shoulders
- woman Small blonde figure at lower left, head and shoulders only, near the cannon
Setting
- Dark night-sky background with deep brown and black shading
- Pale stone wall or balustrade running across the lower left
- A small pavilion or cabana structure with a peaked roof behind the right shoulder of the central group
- Dark blue rippling water or pool surface at the left behind the smaller figures
- Mirrored gold art-deco frame border with geometric corner ornaments
Text on it
- Bally
- PLAYBOY
- HIGH SCORE TO DATE
- TILT
- BALL IN PLAY
- CREDIT
- CANNON PLAY
- GAME OVER
- 475480
How it plays
-
Awards 1
- Full Grotto
Made by
- Design
- Jim Patla
- Art
- Michele "Mike" Martinelli
- Art
- Paul Faris
Reference
Linked terms
- Playboy Grotto also called Grotto also called Grotto chute also called Grotto gate
- Top Key lanes also called Keys 1-4 also called top lanes
- Key 5 also called Center Key 5 also called Key 5 standup
- Playmate standups also called Playmate targets
Playfield vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Playfield Standard
- red
- gold
- teal
- pink
Fingerprint: Playboy, white rabbit head silhouette centered in black square window, surrounded by diamond of numbered circles 1-9 with 20 in middle, four pop-bumper caps each printed with dark rabbit head, two large pin-up women in gold and green leaning in from opposite sides, huge cursive script logo on mauve apron
A white rabbit head silhouette set inside a black square window at the exact centre of the playfield, surrounded by a diamond of numbered circles 1-9 with 20 in the middle. Four pop-bumper caps on a metal rail across the top, each printed with a dark rabbit head, beneath a big gold rabbit-head emblem in the top arch. Two large pin-up women in gold and green, one brunette one blonde, leaning in from opposite sides of the cream PLAYBOY logo. A huge cursive script logo dominating the mauve lower apron.
Setting
- Ornate gold and red arch banner
- Art-deco geometric stripe patterns in teal and cream
- Painted playfield art on bare wood
Symbols
- Rabbit head logo
- Bow-tie shape framing the centre
- Numbered circles 1-9
- 20 multiplier medallion
- Diamonds
- Gold birds
- Arrows
- Starburst motifs
Notable shapes
- Black square window with white rabbit head at dead centre
- Diamond arrangement of numbered circles around the centre square
- Large gold arch banner across the top
- Triangular standup target banks flanking the centre
- Triangular slingshots under the inlanes
Art motifs
- Art-deco chevrons and stripes
- Glittering gold ornament
- Curving ribbon banner
- Pin-up illustration
Themes
- Rabbit head logo
- Pin-up women
- Nightclub lounge
- 1970s licensed art
Title on it
- Playboy
Text on it
- PLAYBOY
- Bally
- 20
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 1
- 2
- SAME PLAYER SHOOTS AGAIN
- COLLECT
- BONUS
- 300
- 500
- INSTRUCTIONS
- 3 BALLS PER GAME
- 1 REPLAY FOR EACH SCORE OF 30,000 POINTS
- 1 REPLAY FOR EACH SCORE OF 56,000 POINTS
- CONTEST
- BOTTOM
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Brunette, gold and ochre strappy outfit, leaning in from the left of the central logo, painted pin-up style |
| Woman | Blonde, green top, leaning in from the right of the central logo, painted pin-up style |
| Woman | Painted full-length figure standing on the top of the playfield left of centre, flesh-toned outfit |
| Woman | Painted full-length figure standing on the top of the playfield right of centre, flesh-toned outfit |
| Animal | White rabbit head silhouette logo in the black centre square |
| Animal | Large gold rabbit head emblem in the top arch |
| Animal | Four dark rabbit-head pop-bumper caps |
| Animal | Two small gold birds in the top left and top right corners of the arch |
| Other | Small gold silhouetted female figure decals on the left and right inlane plastics |
Pinball playfield shot through glass; red, gold, teal and pink dominate. A broad gold-and-red arch banner spans the top with ornate gold serif lettering, two small gold birds in the corners and a big gold rabbit head emblem at its centre. Below, four pop-bumper caps printed with dark rabbit heads sit on a metal rail, flanked by two painted women in flesh-toned outfits standing on the raised upper deck. Mid-playfield two large pin-up women lean in from opposite sides of a diamond: a brunette in a gold and ochre strappy outfit on the left, a blonde in a green top on the right. Cream block letters spelling PLAYBOY run across the middle. Beneath them a black square inset holds a white rabbit head silhouette, ringed by circles numbered 1 to 9 with 20 in the centre; PLAYBOY repeats in a white bar and SAME PLAYER SHOOTS AGAIN in an orange panel. Two red-tipped flippers sit below with COLLECT and BONUS lettering. The mauve apron carries a huge cursive script logo, a round cream ball knob on the left, INSTRUCTIONS and PLAYBOY cards either side, and 3 BALLS PER GAME on the right.
Playfield Oba-Oba
- pink
- turquoise
- cream
- orange
Fingerprint: Two identical cartoon island women in beaded necklaces and grass skirts dancing center, large stern bearded man portrait below in cream-and-gold diamond, three pop bumpers as ruffled white-and-red rosette discs, turquoise-and-cream chevron stripes with RECOLHE BOLA text, Portuguese script indicates Brazilian origin, pink arched ramps, small portrait medallions at corners, tropical dance carnival theme, hot-pink salmon colors
The centre of the playfield carries a big printed portrait of a scowling bearded man with a heavy brow, framed by a cream-and-gold diamond with numbered inserts. Two identical cartoon island women in grass skirts and beaded necklaces stand side by side mid-field, one with arms thrown wide. Three pop bumpers at the top are printed as ruffled white-and-red paper-rosette discs, an unusual decorative treatment. The whole lower third is striped turquoise-and-cream chevrons with 'RECOLHE BOLA' painted between the flippers. Portuguese text ('MESMO JOGADOR NOVAMENTE', 'NÃO COLOQUE FICHAS COM A LUZ ACESA') confirms a Brazilian-market machine.
Setting
- Tropical village of pink stilt houses and hut platforms at the top
- Palm fronds and green jungle foliage on the left side
- Pink and orange painted sky/wall behind the figures
- Turquoise-and-cream striped apron at the bottom
Symbols
- Three ruffled disc pop bumpers
- Scoring inserts with numerals 2 5 6 9
- Small red round target insert
- Yellow diamond-shaped lane inserts
- Flipped playing-card suits in the corner plastics
- Red ball at the base of the centre portrait
- White rubber flippers
Notable shapes
- Large diamond-shaped centre portrait panel with a crown-like burst of inserts above it
- Turquoise five-petal fan or flower shapes above the portrait
- Four-leaf clover target bank
- Triangular plastic lanes with concave concave edges flanking the centre
- Crescent-shaped red cutout below the portrait
Art motifs
- Tropical dancers
- Palm trees
- Stilt houses
- Chevron stripes
- Feathered headdress and fringing
- Beaded jewellery
Themes
- Tropical
- Island
- Carnival
- Village
- Dance
- South american
- Brazilian
Title on it
- Oba oba
Text on it
- OBA
- OBA OBA
- MESMO JOGADOR NOVAMENTE
- RECOLHE BOLA
- 500
- 2000
- 8000
- 100
- NÃO
- COLOQUE
- FICHAS
- COM A LUZ
- ACESA
- FLIPPER BUTTONS
- VERDE
- MANT
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Left-hand centre figure: tan-skinned cartoon woman with short curly black hair, broad open smile, beaded necklace, grass/fringe skirt, arms flung out to the left, standing in a dancing pose |
| Woman | Right-hand centre figure: near-identical tan-skinned cartoon woman with black curly hair, smiling, beaded necklace and fringed skirt, holding a long pole or spear upright |
| Man | Large central portrait: stern man with tan skin, thick black hair, heavy dark unibrow and full beard/moustache, wearing a shirt, framed in a cream-and-gold diamond panel |
| Man | Small portrait medallion top-left corner: pale-skinned man with dark hair in profile against black |
| Man | Small portrait medallion top-right corner: pale-skinned man with dark hair against black |
| Man | Printed male figure in the upper-left playfield area near the 500-1000 insert, tan, standing |
| Woman | Printed woman in a bikini/shorts standing right of the top-centre pop bumpers, tan skin, near the right ramp entrance |
| Woman | Printed dancing figure inside the left orange/pink triangular plastic |
| Woman | Printed dancing figure inside the right orange/pink triangular plastic |
A full rectangular pinball playfield, viewed top-down through scratched, glare-streaked glass. The palette is hot pink, salmon, turquoise and cream with mustard-yellow trim. Two identical cartoon women dominate the middle: tan-skinned, dark-haired, smiling, in beaded necklaces and fringed skirts, one with arms outstretched left and one holding a pole on the right. Below them sits a large printed portrait panel of a stern bearded man with heavy dark eyebrows, ringed by numbered scoring inserts, with the title 'OBA OBA' in blue block letters on a white band and 'MESMO JOGADOR NOVAMENTE' beneath it. At the top are three pop bumpers printed as white-and-red rimsmed discs with faces inside, flanked by pink arched ramps and two small portrait medallions of pale men at the top corners. Turquoise chevron stripes fill the lower apron area, where 'RECOLHE BOLA' is painted in white, flanked by two white rubber flippers. Orange and pink triangular plastics with printed dancers sit left and right, and a yellow warning sticker is pasted bottom-left.
Backglass vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Backglass Standard
- brown
- cream
- magenta
- turquoise
Fingerprint: Playboy: dark-haired man in pale shirt standing behind and between three women with arms around two, brunette in red lace nightgown at left, blonde in turquoise bikini at right, butler in bow tie carrying tray with ice bucket and cocktail glass at far right, cannon feature at lower left.
A cluster of five people in swimwear and a nightgown posed tightly together, with a dark-haired man behind them with his arms wrapped around two of the women, the nearest woman in a red lace gown on his left and a blonde in a turquoise bikini on his right. Four identical score windows arranged two above and two below the central scene, all reading the same 475480 pattern. A wheeled cannon with a long barrel at the lower left, labelled CANNON PLAY. Magenta corner tiles each carrying a white rabbit head, plus a large rabbit-head logo tile at the top right. A butler in a bow tie at the right holding a tray with an ice bucket and a tall cocktail glass.
Setting
- Dark night-sky background with deep brown and black shading
- Pale stone wall or balustrade running across the lower left
- A small pavilion or cabana structure with a peaked roof behind the right shoulder of the central group
- Dark blue rippling water or pool surface at the left behind the smaller figures
- Mirrored gold art-deco frame border with geometric corner ornaments
Symbols
- Rabbit head in white on magenta squares (one large top right, four small in the corners)
- Wheeled field cannon with long barrel at lower left
- Cocktail in a stemmed goblet and ice bucket on the butler's tray
- Rectangular four-window score display with white numerals
- Red banner strips for high score to date and game over
Lettering
- The main title is very large cream block capitals with a heavy black drop shadow and thin gold outline. the maker's mark at top left is a flowing script in blue with a red underline flourish. secondary text is small plain condensed sans-serif capitals in cream on a red banner, and cannon play appears in outlined cream capitals at lower left.
Themes
- Pin-up
- Rabbit-head logo
- Nightclub
- Swimsuit
- Cannon feature
- Score reels
Title on it
- Playboy
Text on it
- Bally
- PLAYBOY
- HIGH SCORE TO DATE
- TILT
- BALL IN PLAY
- CREDIT
- CANNON PLAY
- GAME OVER
- 475480
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Man | Dark-haired, clean-shaven, tanned, wearing an open pale blue-grey shirt; stands centre behind the women, arms around the shoulders of the brunette and the blonde, looking forward |
| Woman | Brunette with long curled hair, red lace-trimmed nightgown, tanned skin, standing front left of centre, looking forward |
| Woman | Blonde with long straight hair, turquoise two-piece bikini, tanned skin, front right of centre, one hip forward |
| Woman | Smaller figure at mid-left, blonde, red bikini, standing in the water |
| Woman | Smaller figure at mid-left wearing a pale blue swim cap, bare shoulders |
| Woman | Small blonde figure at lower left, head and shoulders only, near the cannon |
| Other | Butler in black tailcoat and bow tie at the right, carrying a tray with a blue ice bucket and a tall pale cocktail glass in a goblet |
A rectangular electro-mechanical backglass in a wide cream-and-gold frame, with a dark brown-black night background. Across the top a blue-and-red script logo sits left of the main title, the words PLAYBOY in huge cream block capitals with a black drop shadow and gold keyline, filling nearly the full width. A magenta square bearing a white rabbit head sits at the top right, and matching smaller magenta rabbit-head tiles sit in all four corners. Four rectangular score windows with white numerals on black show 475480 style readings, two upper and two lower. The centre artwork is a painted pin-up scene: a dark-haired man in a pale shirt stands behind and between three women, his arms around two of them. Closest left, a brunette in a red lace nightgown; closest right, a blonde in a turquoise bikini; behind them two more women in swimwear, one in a red bikini and one with a blue swim cap. At the right a butler in a black jacket and bow tie carries a tray with a blue ice bucket and a tall cocktail glass. At lower left a small cannon on a wheeled carriage sits beside the words CANNON PLAY. Red banner strips read HIGH SCORE TO DATE at the top and GAME OVER along the bottom. Illumination bulbs and coloured plastic reflect across the glass.
Backglass Oba-Oba
- pink
- red
- cream
- blue
Fingerprint: obd obd, three showgirls in red-orange beaded bikinis and plumed headdresses—one laughing with arm raised, one on stool—dominating right half, stacked lowercase tan title obd over obd, photograph of revue scene with deep blue-tiled stage
Three nearly identical showgirls in red-orange beaded bikinis with towering plumed headdresses, one laughing with an arm thrown up and one perched on a stool, dominating the right half of the glass. A stacked lowercase double wordmark, obd over obd, in fat rounded tan letters at the top right. Four red-digit score windows down the left, each headed by a numbered round medallion 1 to 4, the topmost glowing 037939. A Portuguese slogan plate at the bottom, 1 A 4 PODEM COMPETIR JUNTOS.
Setting
- Revue stage with a deep blue tiled floor
- Pink and mauve backdrop with a diagonal railing and a wall lamp
- Cast shadows on pale floorboards
Symbols
- Four numbered medallions numbered 1 to 4
- Scrollwork flourishes on the display window frames
- Wall lamp
- Drum kit
- Plumed headdresses
- Stepped geometric border
Lettering
- Lowercase stacked wordmark in fat rounded sans-serif tan letters with a dark outline; small block capitals on tab-shaped plates at the top left; gold serif capitals on the bottom slogan plate
Themes
- Revue
- Stage show
- Showgirls
- Four player
- Portuguese text
- Competition
Title on it
- Obd obd
Text on it
- FIM DE JOGO
- TILT
- NOVO
- RECORDE
- obd
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 037939
- 1 A 4 PODEM
- COMPETIR JUNTOS
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Front left, tall plumed headdress, red-orange beaded bikini top and briefs with white fur trim, left hand on hip, right arm bent behind her head, dark hair, smiling at the viewer |
| Woman | Front right, black hair, red-orange beaded bikini, right arm flung up over her head laughing, left hand on hip, one leg crossed in front of the other |
| Woman | Seated far right on a stool, red bikini, plumed headdress, legs extended toward the viewer, holding a long thin prop |
| Man | Behind the two front women, moustached, pale cream suit with dark lapels, dark hair, standing upright |
| Woman | Mid-left background, red bikini and feathered headdress, both arms raised |
| Woman | Mid-centre background, tall cylindrical feathered headdress, red bikini, black boots |
| Woman | Far right background, large white feathered headdress, red bikini |
| Other | Small painted drummer at the far left edge with a drum and cymbal |
A photographed backglass, slightly worn, framed by a cream-and-pink border of stepped geometric rectangles. Top left, four small tab-shaped labels in a row read FIM DE JOGO, TILT, NOVO and RECORDE, alternating pale pink and olive-gold. Dominating the upper right is a stacked lowercase wordmark, obd above obd, in fat rounded tan letters with a dark outline. Down the left half run four cream-framed display windows with scrollwork shoulders: three wide red numeric windows plus a small one at the top, each preceded by a round medallion badge coloured red, blue, red and olive carrying the numerals 1, 2, 3 and 4. The upper red window is lit and reads 037939 in glowing pink-red digits; the lower windows show only faint unlit segments. At the bottom, two small windows each show a single red U-shaped unlit segment, flanking a gold two-line slogan, 1 A 4 PODEM / COMPETIR JUNTOS. The right two-thirds is a painted revue scene on a deep blue-tiled stage: three large women in red-orange and black beaded bikini costumes with plumed headdresses, one hand on hip, one with an arm flung up laughing, one seated on a stool, plus a moustached man in a pale suit behind them and several further dancers in feathered headdresses receding into the pink background. Cast shadows fall across the floorboards.
Backglass Sexy Girl
- red
- white
- black
- blue
Fingerprint: sexy girl, single large kneeling blonde woman bare-breasted open white gold blouse red-striped brief center, big red parachute orange-white striped panels spreading like wings behind, SEXY GIRL white block capitals red arrow through X black starfield top, green-bordered star portrait heads both edges, pin-up women corners green-striped columns
A single large kneeling blonde woman, bare-breasted in an open white and gold blouse with a red-striped brief, legs splayed toward the viewer, dominating the centre. She is backed by a big red parachute with orange-and-white striped panels spreading like wings. The title SEXY GIRL runs across the top in huge white block capitals with a red arrow through the X, over a black starfield. Green-bordered star shapes down both edges hold portrait heads of women with red, blonde and dark hair. Two seated pin-up women occupy the top left and top right corners above green-striped columns.
Setting
- Black starfield with scattered white four-pointed star sparkles
- Large red parachute canopy with orange-and-white striped panels
- Solid blue triangular field below the parachute
- Green and yellow concentric arch bands behind the top title
- Green-striped classical column bases in the top corners
Symbols
- Large red parachute canopy
- Four-pointed white star sparkles on black
- Green-bordered five-pointed star frames
- Red arrow motif through the title letter x
- Fluted column bases
- Red ribbon-like swirl below the seated corner figures
- White rectangular display windows with black frames
Lettering
- Huge white sans-serif block capitals with heavy black outline and red drop shading, slightly arched across the top, the x containing a red arrow shape
Themes
- Pin-up
- Airline or flight attendant
- Parachute
- Space and starfield
- Playfield-transferred display windows
- Adult novelty
Title on it
- Sexy girl
Text on it
- SEXY GIRL
- AUTOMATON A.M.
- 1 TO 4 CAN PLAY
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Central kneeling blonde woman, hair swept up and tousled, blue eyes, red lips, gold chain necklace, gold bracelets, open white blouse with yellow-gold patterned trim, bare breasts, red-and-white striped brief, legs splayed with the right knee forward, looking directly at the viewer |
| Woman | Top-left corner seated pin-up woman with long brown hair, wearing red high heels, seated on a green-striped column base, facing right |
| Woman | Top-right corner seated pin-up woman with long brown hair, wearing red high heels, seated on a green-striped column base, facing left |
| Woman | Left side, upper green-bordered star: portrait head of a red-haired woman with pale skin, red lips |
| Woman | Left side, lower green-bordered star: portrait head of a blonde woman |
| Woman | Right side, upper green-bordered star: portrait head of a woman with dark brown hair and heavy eye makeup |
| Woman | Right side, lower green-bordered star: portrait head of a woman with brown hair |
A painted pinball backglass dominated by one large kneeling blonde woman in the centre, facing the viewer. She wears an open white blouse with yellow-gold trim and a red-and-white striped thong/brief, bare-breasted, with a gold chain around her neck and bracelets; her legs are splayed and her right knee rests on the lower edge. Behind her is a large red parachute canopy with orange-and-white striped panels fanning out symmetrically from the top, and a blue triangular field beneath. Across the top, in huge white block capitals with black and red shading, the title reads SEXY GIRL, set against a black starfield with white four-pointed sparkles. Flanking the top corners are two seated pin-up women, one in each corner, on green-striped column bases. Down the left and right edges are green-bordered five-pointed star panels, each containing portraits of women's heads with differently coloured hair. Several plain white rectangular windows with black frames are set into the artwork for score or instruction displays. Small red and yellow print appears at the bottom centre.