It's game over for pinball pioneer
Tilts after 100 years
Steve Kordek, the man widely dubbed as the Godfather of Pinball, has fired his last steely sphere at the ripe age of 100.
While Kordek was credited with developing hundreds of pinball games, it was his implementation of two flippers that cemented his legendary status in the gaming world.
After the 1947 game Humpty Dumpty broke onto the scene with six weak flippers, Kordek started work on a machine that used just two, each powered directly from a mains current.
Triple Action was Kordek's first game with dual flippers
This idea was demoed at a Chicago trade show in 1948. The rest is history, with almost all current pinball tables still based on Kordek's original design.
The innovator also coined the concept of multi-ball play and pop-up targets on tables.
Kordek passed away on 19 February, after failing to respond to persistent nudging. ®
COMMENTS
The game that crossed 3 generations
There aren't many fun and furious arcade games that 3 generations can play happily without confusion or an 18 certificate. Grandpa grew up playing pinball and it's just as exciting for son and even granddaughter to play. There's something about a bare-metal game like this that can't be matched by video games.
failing to respond to persistent nudging...
Many a mis-spent afternoon at the local arcade in my youth, thanks to this man.
R.I.P. Steve.
TILT!
Bonus ball!
Virtual pinball just isn't the same as pounding on buttons relentlessly whilst watching the lights flash and the sound of the ball bouncing off rubber bands and buffers accompanied to a chaotic musical jangling of triggered switches.
A generation lost to time.
May you rest in peace.
I don't think there are any tables around here
Will have to settle for listening to The Who on full volume instead...
