Game chronicle: 1942

“Game chronicle” are events, people, and, of course, games that have become part of our life and history. Year 1942: Pinball’s ban, arcade crisis and game hatred.

Pinball and the mafia

At the beginning of 1942, after the numerous claims of the mayor of the New York Fiorello La Guardia, the Bronx court prohibits the machine guns for playing Pinball. The reason for such a solution is the fact that pinbox machines are often installed in places where gambling flourishes. As La Guardia himself notes, “Pinball steals the money from schoolchildren that parents give them for lunch”. And the variations of these devices with the issuance of cash as a win only exacerbate the negative attitude of those in power to this kind of entertainment.

In addition, where there is excitement and money, they will necessarily appear who want to control it. One of these “wishing” is Frank Costello-“Prime Minister of the criminal world” of the United States. At that time, dozens of thousands of slot machines throughout the country work under the control of mafiosi, which gives legal profit to finance the less legitimate enterprises of Costello.

And here is a long -term war with https://sistersitescasino.co.uk/casinos/rainbow-riches-casino/ Pinbole, begun by La Gaardia back in 1934, is crowned with success, which Firallo is incredibly happy. The mayor convenes a press conference at which he symbolically breaks down the pinball apparatus and dumps it into the river. Over the next few weeks, in only one New York, the police will be seized during raids about 3,000 Pinball-Mashin from various cafes, gas stations, pharmacies and other institutions. This baton will be picked up in other cities of the country. This process will greatly strengthen the opinion among the population that Pinball in particular, and arcade machines as a whole, are often connected, if not with crime, then exactly with gambling games.

The legalization of the game will occur only in 1976, when the Pinabolist Roger Sharp with his brilliant demonstration will prove that Pinball requires more skill, not banal luck, therefore it cannot be considered a gambling game.

The decline of arcade machines

Two wars in the USA – world against fascism and local against the mafia, will force producers of arcade machines to significantly reduce the production of new machines. So, in 1942, the list of new products contains only dozens of positions, although before that their number every year has stably exceeded one and a half hundred every year. Almost all of them, as before, will come from Chicago, Illinois, where litigation regarding the legitimacy of arcade machines has become ordinary for manufacturers.

In such a situation where there are fewer old devices in the market, and new ones cannot be reached at all, SULLIVAN-NOLANA Advertising goes to the arena. Its plan is quite simple – buy a “tired” machine, replace worn parts, draw other “backdrops” and sell the game under a new name. But the excitement of such “newlyings” quickly comes to naught, so Sullivan-Nolan, which, by the way,, like many others, are actively calling to buy military bonds, first begin to provide such services to everyone, and later become part of the Bell Products company.

Murder license

To attract more attention to the remaining games, the creators instantly update existing devices for the most “running” topics. Thus, “patriotic” arcade machines appear according to the type “SHOOT YOUR WAY to TOKYO),“ Catch the Japs ”,“ Sink the Japs ”,“ Bombing Bombing ”(Keep Em Bombing – Smack A JAP) And just “kill the Japles” (Kill the Jap).

As for Hitler, they shoot him (Hitler Target), he is poisoned as a rat (Poison this Rat), well, bombs (Bomb Hitler) are trivially discarded him. Those who want to destroy enemies behind the center or two, of course, at least.

This is how 1942 became in a game story. Then there will be a new year and new games, but for now – for now.