The pinball machine originated in its present form in the early 1930s, but it evolved from an obscure board game invented in the late 18th century called a bagatelle. By the 1940s, pinball had become one of the most popular games in America, and featured regularly in popular culture. In the late 20th century, electronic games largely diminished the appeal of pinball, but machines are still being manufactured and played by a new generation of pinball wizards.
Click through and flip, bump, kick, and spin your way through the history of the pinball.