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Hardbody is a pinball machine designed by Ward Pemberton and released by Bally in 1987.
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| Manufacturer | Bally |
|---|---|
| Release date | April 1987 |
| System | Bally MPU A084-91786-AH06 (6803) |
| Design | Ward Pemberton |
| Programming | Rehman Merchant |
| Artwork | Greg Freres |
| Sound | Bob Libbe |
| Production run | 2,000 |
Hardbody is named after bodybuilding, featuring a two time winner of Ms. Olympia Rachel McLish in four poses on the backglass showing her physique. It is the first pinball machine to use bodybuilding as a theme. [1] Head of pinball design at Bally, Jim Patla, re-hired Ward Pemberton to design the game; the theme was chosen because the parent company owned Bally Total Fitness. [2]
Using photos on the backglass followed Gottlieb's use of them beginning with Raven in 1985; [3] [4] this is the only Bally machine to use photo art and drawn art. [5] The artist disagreed with using this approach for the backglass, but others at Bally thought it was required to remain competitive. [6]
Four alphanumeric displays are at the bottom of the backbox. [7]
The game uses a "flex save" to allow the ball to use the return lanes to reach the lower flippers. [8]
The layout is almost identical to that of a 1983 Ward Pemberton designed Bally pinball machine called BMX, using a split-level playfield, with each level having two flippers. [9]
The upper level incudes groups of three targets labelled stations 1 and 2, with three in-line drop-targets located above station 2. There is also a loop around station 1. The gap between the upper flippers leads to the lower level. [10]
The lower level includes banks of targets labelled stations 3 and 4. On either side of the machine is a ramp leading to the upper level. The game does not have traditional in- and out-lanes, but has a single lane on each side with a gap in each. [10]
The game can be set for 3 or 5 ball play [7] The game is controlled by a flipper button on either side of the machine, with a flex save button located just below each of these. [8]
The main objective is to complete the four work-out stations by hitting all the targets at each station. Lights are shown just above the lower flippers for completing sets of stations three times. [10] The four stations are arms & shoulders, chest & back, legs, and abdomen. [11]
At the start of a game the flex save feature is triggered automatically with an auto saver, but after that is triggered manually by the player. [7] When triggered a block (also known as a control gate) is raised to prevent the ball from draining out of the return lane. [8] The amount of time a control gate remains raised is dependent on the number of times they are used. [7]
In a review for Play Meter Roger Sharpe awarded the game 2.25/4. The artwork on the playfield was praised, but the flex save feature was criticized, and the machine called a "filler". [10]
A reviewer for The Pinball Trader enjoyed the lighting and sound effects, but found the music to be "simple and monotonous". Overall it was found to be a very enjoyable and fast machine. [12]
Greg Freres declared it to be his "unfavourite game". [13]
