- credit
- Robert Quinn — Software
- credit
- Steve Kirk — Design
- credit
- Robert Quinn — Art
- credit
- Jorge Obregon — Art
- credit
- Jorge Obregon — Dots/Animation
- gameplay_feature
- Spinning Targets
- gameplay_feature
- Solitary Drop Targets
- gameplay_feature
- Flippers ×2
- gameplay_feature
- 4-Bank Drop Targets ×2
- gameplay_feature
- Passive Bumpers
- gameplay_feature
- Pop Bumpers
- gameplay_feature
- 3-Bank Drop Targets ×2
- gameplay_feature
- Skill Shot
- gameplay_feature
- 3-Ball Multiball
- gameplay_feature
- Rollunders
- gameplay_feature
- Kick-Out Holes
- gameplay_feature
- Horseshoe Lanes
- ipdb.corporate_entity_name
- Stern Electronics, Incorporated
- ipdb_id
- 1678
- ipdb.image_urls
- ["https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/Overall_view.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/Playfield.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/Playfield2.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/1678f1.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/1678f2.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-2.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-6.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-4.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-7.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-14.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-16.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-15.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-13.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-10.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-8.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-11.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-17.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-12.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-3.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-9.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-19.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-20.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-1.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-5.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/1678/image-18.jpg"]
- ipdb.manufacturer_trade_name
- Stern
- ipdb.model_number
- 125
- ipdb.notable_features
- Flippers (2), Pop bumper (1), Passive bumper (1), 4-bank drop targets (2), 3-bank drop targets (2), Solitary drop target (1), Spinning target (1), Horseshoe lane (1), Kick-out hole (1), Rollunder (1). Multiball (3-ball). Mini-post screw between flippers. Plunger skill shot hitting white target directly under rebound rubber maximizes spinner value to 2,500 points per spin.
- ipdb.notes
- 03/06/23 We received a submission correcting some information presented here from someone who was involved with this game but who did not leave us any contact information. Please email us or submit again to include your email address so we can confirm our understanding of the corrections that you provided.
After over 60 software revisions 'Nine Ball' still did not work properly on location. Reportedly, proper adjustment of ball lock switches can remedy this (if using Rev. 60).
We've had reports of machines found with both M-100 and M-200 MPU boards controlling them; the manual shows M-200 MPU boards.
The artist's inspiration for the wizard design on the backglass and playfield came from a design on a T-shirt, one of which can be seen in Roger Sharpe's 1977 book Pinball! on page 13.
Stern programmer Alan McNeil told us that the mini-post screw between the flippers was known as a Kirk Post (for designer Steve Kirk).
The games pictured in this listing (except for the flyer game) have a sticker on the lower apron identifying this game as "selected for tournament play". Designer Steve Kirk was founder and president of the Pinball Association of America, organizing major tournaments since the 1970s. Reportedly, these stickers, his idea, were installed on each apron in the production run. The backglass carries the silkscreened words "Tournament Pinball".
Duncan Brown told us that Steve Kirk explained to him that he placed his personal design number on the backglass of every one of his games (in the order in which they were designed). Here are the ones we know:
Stars has SK-1 on the jet wing.
Nine Ball has SK-3 on the wizard�s cap.
Meteor has SK-5 on one of the rockets.
Pinstar's Gamatron has SK-9 on a launching rocket.
The prototype game, Ramp Warrior, has SK-13 on the truck's license plate while the production game, Truck Stop, shows this license plate laying crumpled in the street.
We don't know what games belonged to SK-2, -4, -6, -7, -8, -10, -11, and SK-12.
Manufacturer data for Nine Ball:
Production Start Date: 12/17/80
Production End Date: 4/6/81
Quantity produced: 2279
The schematic PDF in our Files Section contains a Lamp Driver schematic clearly marked "NINE BALL" but the component description it contains is for Stern's "Flight 2000" game that preceded it. If anyone has the correct manufacturer's Lamp Driver schematic for Nine Ball, please contact us with it.
- ipdb_rating
- 7.2
- month
- 12
- player_count
- 4
- production_quantity
- 2279
- system
- stern-mpu-200
- technology_generation
- solid-state
- theme
- Billiards
- year
- 1980