Flash is a 1979 pinball game designed by Steve Ritchie and released by Williams
Flash is a 1979 pinball game designed by Steve Ritchie and released by Williams. I have had this machine revitalized with all new bumpers, LED lighting all the boards inside tested and working. This machine is #382740. Not everyone is aware that FLASH is an absolute milestone. If you keep in mind that there also were some licensed versions with other names around the globe it’s quite possible that this is the most successful Pinball machine ever, topping TAF and EIGHT BALL. Test-Models got on their way in October 78, Presentation and start of Serial-Production in February 1979. 1st machine designed by Steve Ritchie for Williams after his first 2 designs for Atari. 1st machine featuring a dynamic Background-sound, increasing in pitch and indicating the player’s skill to anyone. 1st machine using FLASH-Lights, which got their name therefore. 1st machine with newly designed, smooth and much faster Flipper-Lanes. 1st machine with new-style translucent lane-guide-plastics. With 19,505 Units built it’s the most succesful machine under the Williams-Sign and the 3rd most succesful Flipper-Game of all time. There were at least 4 more or less licensed versions around the globe – Zeus, Super-Zeus, Storm and Shock with identical artwork and the same playfield-design, sometimes missing some features. It’s quite possible that if these versions would be added in the production-run FLASH could be the most-produced machine ever, topping Addams Family’s 21,270 units. Williams experimented at an early stage with black, red and blue models. Steve Ritchie originally wanted a strobe-light on the backbox but Williams refused. This idea was realized in another way 7 years later on High-Speed. Another first were the translucent lane-guide-plastics in blue. Some units from the later production-runs were fitted with red ones, and red posts too, likely because Williams couldn’t keep up with the high demand and the blue ones run out of stock. The machines were factory-fitted exclusively with white flippers and white flipper-rubbers instead of the usual red or yellow ones. This different look gave the 3 totally white flippers the appeal of bright lightnings in a dark sky. In the backbox there also originally where 5 flashing GE-455-bulbs behind the 5 “lightning-bundles” LED LIGHTS UPGRADE. It was one of the first designs for pinball-artist Constantino Mitchell. French artist Christian Marche, who designed the artwork for ca. 185 machines since 1965, most of them for Williams, left the USA in 1978 and Constantino was the new guy in town. FLASH had a very long production-run. According to IPDB, 400 test-samples were manufactured from Oct 27 to Dec 18, 1978. Serial-production of 19.105 units started at the end of January 1979. The IPDB shows an end-of-production-date July 30, 1979, but regarding the serial-numbers this date seems rather Incorrect. The very first FLASH serial-numbers are around 335.000 – 339.000. Serial-production started around number 345.000 and covers the area to 359.000. Then there is a gap until 375.000 and the numbers cover the area up to 390.000. The first GORGAR-units also had numbers around 390.000 so it rather seems that FLASH was manufactured until the end of 1979. The date July 30 could mark the end of the first large production-run until #359.000. Steve Ritche told that he asked the management why they stopped production at 19.505 and would not pass the 20.000-unit-mark – they answered “we want to leave the market wanting”. The item “Flash is a 1979 pinball game designed by Steve Ritchie and released by Williams” is in sale since Saturday, September 25, 2021. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Arcade, Jukeboxes & Pinball\Pinball\Machines”. The seller is “kimbkrie-14″ and is located in Anaheim, California. This item can be shipped to United States.
- Brand: Williams
- Modification Description: ALL NEW BUMPERS AND LED LIGHTING
- Year: 1979
- Original/Reproduction: Original
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
- Modified Item: Yes
- California Prop 65 Warning: Flash Pinball Machine
