A love letter to the game itself — Bally’s Champ is an electromechanical four-player with a delightfully self-referential pinball theme, designed by the prolific Jim Patla with art by the great Christian Marche. With reel scoring and a healthy confirmed run of 4,070, it was a popular machine celebrating the very game it’s part of, with a genuinely varied playfield.
The layout is a well-appointed, engaging spread: two flippers, two pop bumpers, two mushroom bumpers, a pair of slingshots, two standup targets, two messenger balls, a kick-out hole, and a spinning target. That spinning target offers satisfying, high-value shots for a scoring-minded player, while the two messenger balls add a bit of mechanical interest and the two standups give clear objectives to work through. The mix of pop and mushroom bumpers promises a lively, bouncy ball, and the kick-out hole offers a captured-ball award to chase. It’s a varied, well-balanced design that rewards accurate shooting and keeping the ball moving, all in service of the meta pinball-champion theme.
Champ is a fine example of Jim Patla’s dependable design and Marche’s showstopping artwork, pairing a charming, self-aware pinball theme with a satisfying, spinner-and-messenger-ball playfield. Bally was one of the industry’s foundational manufacturers, and the “be a pinball champ” theme is a fun bit of the hobby celebrating itself. For the collector who loves the golden age of EM pinball and the great artists who defined its look, it’s a rewarding find. Rip that spinner, work the messenger balls and standups, and become the champ. Some machines are a warm nod to the game itself, and this Patla-and-Marche classic is one of them. Go for the title and drop a coin.