Space Riders, released by Atari in 1978, stands as a bold, widebody experiment from an era when the company was pushing the boundaries of what a pinball playfield could physically accommodate. Designed by Gary Slater with the unmistakable electronic fingerprints of Eugene Jarvis—who handled both the sound and software—this machine leans heavily into a surreal, futuristic aesthetic. Eschewing the conventional themes of the time, the game presents a bizarre intersection of interstellar travel and high-speed motorcycle fantasy, brought to life through the distinct artistic vision of Gjalt Vanderwyk and George Opperman.
The sprawling widebody playfield is a dense, sprawling landscape that demands precision over brute force. Unlike standard tables, the layout utilizes three solitary drop targets and a pair of spinning targets that serve as the primary obstacles for your ball’s trajectory. The game’s kinetic energy is driven by a unique configuration of two pop bumpers and two kick-out holes, which frequently disrupt the flow, forcing players to navigate their way through seven star rollovers. Perhaps most intriguing is the inclusion of three “messenger balls,” a feature that adds an unpredictable, multi-ball-adjacent chaos to the wide, expansive surface, requiring a tactical approach to avoid draining down the center.
For those looking to master this Atari oddity, the key lies in managing the wide-open real estate. Because of the sheer width of the playfield, the standard “cradle and shoot” approach is often less effective than aggressive, predictive nudging to keep the ball away from the vulnerable outlanes. With its Alphanumeric display and the experimental, synth-heavy soundscape characteristic of Jarvis’s early work, Space Riders is a fascinating time capsule. It remains a must-play for collectors who appreciate the “more is more” philosophy of the late seventies, offering a unique, sprawling challenge that feels as much like an arcade video game as it does a traditional pinball experience.