Take Five, a 1970s solid-state production from Allied Leisure, stands as a curious relic of the cocktail-table era. Designed by the duo of Jack Pearson and Bob Betor, this machine prioritizes the intimate, social atmosphere of a lounge over the sprawling, cinematic layouts that would come to define the later pinball industry. With art by Roland Berrios, the table embraces its recreational theme, offering a compact, horizontal playfield that forces players to engage with the game from a seated position, turning every match into a casual, tabletop challenge.
The mechanical footprint is modest but functional, featuring a classic two-flipper configuration flanked by two slingshots and three pop bumpers. The primary objective revolves around clearing the four-bank of drop targets labeled A through D. Mastering this bank is essential for tournament-minded players, as hitting the full set serves as the engine for your score, granting a 2x bonus multiplier that can be climbed to a maximum of 3x. While the layout is straightforward compared to modern machines, the challenge lies in the rapid-fire nature of the drop targets and the precision required to rack up those multipliers without draining down the side lanes.
As a cocktail unit, Take Five is less about heavy narrative and more about the tactile satisfaction of a quick, competitive round over a drink. It’s a specialized piece of history that trades complex toys for pure, old-school geometry. Whether you are aiming for that 3x bonus or just trying to navigate the standup targets scattered across the board, the game remains a charming testament to a time when pinball was as much a piece of furniture as it was a test of skill.