The National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) of Australia has today announced it has acquired five rare, Australian-designed pinball machines, one of which is the first licensed Star Wars pinball machine in the world.
The machines were produced by Newcastle, New South Wales-based amusement company A. Hankin & Company between 1978 and 1980, and are reportedly the only Australian-designed machines from the golden age of pinball.
While the majority of the machines are inspired by distinctly Australian topics (ranging from the FJ Holden, cricketing icon Dennis Lillee, and surfing through a shiver of great white sharks), Hankin’s The Empire Strikes Back is notable for its status as the world’s first licensed Star Wars machine.
“The concept of making a pinball machine like The Empire Strikes Back was not common at that stage,” explained A. Hankin & Company manager David Hankin in the NFSA’s mini-documentary outlining the story behind the addition of these pinball machines to its collection.
The company approached George Lucas, asking if he would be interested in allowing the company to build a Star Wars-themed machine.
“And the answer, surprisingly, was yes,” continued Hankin.
Use the flippers, Luke.
“We were flabbergasted. Here we are – this pint-sized pinball manufacturer in Australia – competing with manufacturers that were making so many more pinball machines than we were, but he was happy to do it.”
And George Lucas’ payment for the rights to build a Star Wars-themed machine? Simply a personal machine for himself.
The NFSA plans to have the machines available for future public display in Canberra.
The NFSA also has a rapidly growing collection of video games that it is preserving, noting the high percentage classic video games that are risk of being lost forever.
Image: Hankin pinball machine designer David Hankin with the five Australian-designed pinball machines. Photo by Robb Shaw-Velzen.
Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.
