In one embodiment there is provided an arcade machine having a plurality of different achievable objects, a plurality of different reward cards, each reward card associated with one of the achievable objects and capable of being dispensed by a card dispenser in response to the achieving of its associated achievable object, and wherein at least one reward card is dispensed by the card dispenser during or after game play upon at least one of the achievable objects being achieved, and wherein a different reward card is dispensed depending on the achievable object that is achieved. In one embodiment, a networked redemption system is associated with the game and the game further enables connectivity with social media and/or other publishing avenues for communicating information about the player and/or game play.

A display signal associated with a pinball machine display is received. The display signal is interpreted. A network message is transmitted via a network interface based at least in part on the interpretation of the display signal.

A network message is received via a network interface. A maintenance signal associated with the network message is submitted via a communication interface, wherein the communication interface is coupled to a pinball machine coin door panel driver board.

In one embodiment there is provided a pinball game comprising a play field having a plurality of different achievable objects, a plurality of different reward cards, each reward card associated with one of the achievable objects and capable of being dispensed by a card dispenser in response to the achieving of its associated achievable object, and wherein at least one reward card is dispensed by the card dispenser during or after game play upon at least one of the achievable objects being achieved, and wherein a different reward card is dispensed depending on the achievable object that is achieved. In one embodiment, a networked redemption system is associated with the game and the game further enables connectivity with social media and/or other publishing avenues for communicating information about the player and/or game play.

An amusement game has a game cabinet, an inclined playfield mounted within the game cabinet, where the playfield defines a game play area having one or more elements to be interacted with by a ball and a ball launching alley from which the ball is moved onto the game play area, and a ball launching device having a ball striking element for launching the ball from the ball launching alley onto the game play area of the playfield. A ball launching guide assembly is disposed within the ball launching alley and is arranged to provide a separation between the ball and a surface of the ball launching alley of the playfield in an area of the ball launching alley that is at least positioned adjacent to the ball launching device.

A brushless motor includes: a rotor including a magnet with polarization directions arranged so as to be alternatingly inverted along a circumferential direction centered about a rotation shaft, the rotor being attached to a housing so as to be capable of rotating with the rotation shaft serving as the center of rotation; a stator including multiple coils arranged along the circumferential direction centered about the rotation shaft of the rotor so as to oppose the magnet, the stator causing the rotor to rotate due to interaction between a magnetic field generated by the magnet and magnetic fields generated by the coils due to current flowing in the coils; at least one rotation angle sensor that detects the rotation angle of the rotor; and a protection portion provided at a location farther from the rotation shaft than each rotation angle sensor and formed by a grounded conductor.

The subject matter of this application pertains to illuminated legs for pinball machines. The legs have cut outs such as text and graphics. Lights on the inner surface of the leg illuminate the cut out sections. Lights may be housed within a payload which is inserted into the leg. The lights are connected to a power source and a controller and may be synced to other lights on the pinball machine.

An amusement device includes an interactive target and projector feature. The device has a cabinet housing a plurality of game input devices and game output devices and a playfield housed within the cabinet. The playfield has a top surface and a lower surface, and the upper surface is configured to allow movement of a ball, such as a pinball thereupon. A projector is operably mounted to the top surface of the playfield and the projector is configured to project an image upon a projection surface of at least one of the game input devices or game output devices located above the top surface.

A later generation display device may be connected to the video output port of an older electronic device which utilized an earlier generation display such as a dot matrix display. The early generation display is replaced with the later generation display. The display device includes software which receives graphic data through the video output port and identifies which frame is currently being streamed. The display device matches the frame being streamed to a stored graphic frame having a higher resolution and/or color. The matched frame is delivered to the later generation device so that the user can experience a higher quality visual effect by retrofitting the older electronic device with the later generation display.

Pinball machines are described. A method includes detecting an event during a game played at least in part over a surface of a playfield in a pinball machine. The playfield has first and second playfield portions. In response to the event, a playfield reducer located between the first and second portions is electronically activated in a manner sufficient to prevent a pinball from traveling between the first and second playfield portions. A pinball machine includes a playfield reducer that is operable to be in and transition between first and second positions during normal gameplay. When the playfield reducer is in the first position, the pinball is capable of rolling into and out of a portion of the playfield surface, and when the playfield reducer is in the second position, the playfield reducer prevents the pinball from accessing or from leaving the portion of the playfield surface.

An apparatus for controlling an amusement device includes a plurality of targets of a playfield of the amusement device, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive an indication that a first target of the plurality of targets is hit during a first player turn. The processor is further configured to send, based on the indication, a signal to a moveable component of the playfield to unlock access to a second target of the plurality of targets during the first player turn. The processor is further configured to determine that the first player turn has ended. The processor is further configured to keep the second target unlocked during a second player turn.