BMX

Released by Bally Manufacturing Corporation in January 1983, BMX is a bicycling sports-themed solid-state pinball machine designed by Ward Pemberton with artwork by Greg Freres. Bally produced 406 units of this four-player game as model number 1276, featuring a project date of January 12, 1982. The machine capitalized on the explosive BMX bicycle craze sweeping America during the early 1980s.

The playfield features four flippers, two slingshots, drop targets, standup targets, and a kick-out hole arranged in a distinctive split-level configuration. The machine incorporates a magnet under the upper playfield and innovative extra flipper buttons that allow players to convert outlanes into inlanes. This mechanical sophistication reflected Ballys commitment to engaging gameplay mechanics during the early solid-state era.

BMX holds historical significance beyond its bicycling theme. According to artist Greg Freres, the game initially started out as E.T. (the movie) but they could not secure the license, with Samurai as the preliminary working title before becoming BMX. The machine represents Ballys strategy of adapting to licensing challenges while capturing contemporary youth culture during a period when manufacturers were competing for players attention in the challenging early 1980s arcade market.