Dennis Lillee’s Howzat!, released by the Australian manufacturer Hankin, stands as a curious widebody artifact from the late seventies. Dedicated to the legendary fast bowler, the game leans heavily into its cricket theme, offering a sprawling playfield that demands a different kind of patience than the typical frantic arcade experience. With a production run limited to just 350 units, it remains a rare find for collectors who appreciate the unique geometry of widebody machines and the idiosyncratic design philosophies prevalent during the dawn of the solid-state era.
The playfield is a dense grid of scoring opportunities, anchored by a configuration of four flippers and an array of drop-target banks—one five-bank and one four-bank—that challenge the player to pick their shots with the precision of a batsman. Navigating the layout requires mastering the roll-under spinners and the strategically placed kick-out hole to maximize scoring potential. While the game lacks the complex ball-locking toys of modern machines, the satisfaction comes from the tactical management of the playfield lanes; lighting all four is essential for building a formidable end-of-ball bonus that can make or break a competitive score.
For those stepping up to the glass, the primary challenge is endurance rather than speed. Because the machine rewards sustained play, seasoned players often emphasize the importance of ball conservation, suggesting that survival until the ten-minute mark is a vital milestone for reaching high-scoring territory. It is a methodical, sports-centric title that captures the spirit of the pitch, requiring a cool head and a steady aim to navigate the wide-open spaces of the playfield without losing control.