Zig Zag, a 1964 classic from Williams, stands as a masterclass in minimalist design by the legendary Steve Kordek. Wrapped in George Molentin’s vibrant, recreation-themed art, this single-player EM machine captures the simple, addictive joy of mid-century arcade gaming. While it lacks the frantic multi-ball chaos of modern pins, it compensates with a brilliant mechanical backbox animation that serves as the primary hook for the player, rewarding precision shots to the playfield’s kick-out holes.
The gameplay centers on a strategic pursuit of the three saucers scattered across the board. Every time you successfully land a ball in one of these holes, you rack up progress on the backglass display. The game’s true “aha!” moment comes when you manage to collect all nine progress markers; doing so triggers the center saucer to light up permanently, illuminating all saucers simultaneously for a scoring frenzy. With its dual outlanes and trio of pop bumpers, Zig Zag demands steady flipper control, turning every session into a rhythmic dance of aiming, banking, and backglass-watching.