Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball

There are certain books I've come across in life that resonate with me on a whole different level than the rest - and this is one of them.This little gem is a true homage to the game of Pinball, and touches on the complete history of this wonderful game, from it's inception to it's current place in our pantheon of great games.One might think that a history book about a particular kind of game can be boring, but it's far from that. The author's superior narrative skills, combined with the all-too-perfect artwork make this a history book that I'll come back to again and again.The book covers the history, hardware, art, technology and design of Pinball. It even includes a complete pinball glossary and mini playing lesson.Enough cannot be said about the artwork, which not only ably illustrates all the details of the writing, but does so using drawings of ACTUAL machines, and long-time pinball players will instantly recognize their favorite tables, no doubt drawing wide grins. I know I smiled many times while reading this, and I can't think of a stronger validation of a book's value.The author's knowledge of the hobby and industry shines through, especially towards the end, when discussing the current state of the industry, and what has caused it's recent rise in popularity. I won't spoil the details, but as someone that looks and plays the part of the very people and activities he posits, I think his reasoning is 100% spot on.I can't recommend this book enough - thank you to the author for his keen insights, lovely artwork and clever, fun, and informative writing.EdYT Channel: Digital Victory

Awesome gift for the pinball enthusiasts in your life. All history books should read like a comic book. Definitely educational but fun, too!!

Jon Chad has once again brought his signature hyper detailed, fine line, art style to create a retelling of the history of pinball from its origins in ancient Greece to it's current place in the homes of collectors and barcades around the world.As a graphic artist, Jon Chad is able to bring his background for storytelling and ability to convey emotion into the fold to make this more than just a history book. Historical moments are punctuated by character feedback - getting excited about the introduction of flippers, or why a game like Ballyhoo was so popular during the Great Depression, the drama behind the creation of Pinball 2000 and what it meant for Bally to put everything on the line to take this big risk at that point in the lifecycle of arcades and videogaming. Chad (with assistance by Luke Healy) floods each page with vibrant color and excitement to convey his enthusiasm for the game, but also to bring a piece of that kinetic energy of what playing pinball is really like to the printed page.'Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball' is an easily digestible history book, while also just being a fun graphic novel to enjoy while learning new things about a hobby that was nearly lost to the sands of time on several occasions. A must for fans of video games, gaming, graphic novels, comics, American history, mechanical history, or anyone that enjoyed the 'Where's Waldo' artstyle and wants to get lost in the beautiful detailed illustrations that adorn each page. I can't say enough good things about this book. Easily among the best books in the gaming genre.

Great book, lots of info! And a fun read.

I recently bought an AtGames Legends Pinball machine to relive my old arcade days as a teenager where I spent a considerable time playing pinball. As part of my reliving my pinball youth I purchased this book in order to learn more about the history of pinball, something that I have an interest in nowadays, which did not interest me so much in my youth.This book is a nice pictorial history of pinball, written in a comic book like fashion. This book is easy to read and quite enjoyable, and in comparison to other histories that I have now read about pinball, is quite on point. So if you are looking for a nice easy to read, comic book style history of pinball, this book fits the bill.

This is a good history of arcade's most favorite coin-op machines, but while the book is sorted by year and publisher of the various games that came out in the years listed on the cover, I would have liked to have seen a more organized manner of presenting the various titles. I am reminded of video game anthologies that feature a more stylized format; game title, year, publisher, game modes and so forth; the various pinball titles are described in a paragraphic format and are hard to follow. Still, the best pinball catalog I've seen thus far, so it earns those 4 stars.

It's just like a game of pinball on a vintage 80s machine! Colorful. Thrilling. Deep enough, but not too deep to make it a chore. Satisfying, but over much too quick leaving me wanting to come back for more (I'm not a very good player). A great gift for the pinball lover (or anyone who likes games for that matter).

This is a gorgeous book with a unique look at the psychology and appeal of Pinball. I have loved Pinball for most of my life, but this book helped me see new angles on the why of it. I figured I would flip through a few pages when I ordered it, but once I had it in my hands I couldn’t put it down.