Black Knight

Info About Black Knight

You know that rush when you plunge a ball into a pinball machine and everything just clicks? That’s exactly the vibe The Black Knight brings. Released by Williams back in 1980 and designed by Steve Ritchie, it was one of the first tables to up the ante with two levels of play and that signature magnetic “Magna-Save” feature. Instead of watching the ball drain for yet another tilt out, you could literally zap it back into play with the press of a button—talk about flipping the odds in your favor.

Playing The Black Knight feels like a mini fantasy quest each time you fire up the flippers. You’re sending balls careening around ramped lanes, hunting for the daring Black Knight target and lighting up rollovers for big point bonuses. Land a ball in that upper playfield, and you get a whole new world of challenges—harder shots, tighter timing, and a bigger payoff if you nail it just right. Multiball mode is the real treat, though. Juggling two balls as they ricochet off rails and pop bumpers has a way of turning your heart into a jackhammer.

What’s crazy is how enduring this game has been. Decades on, you still spot it in arcades and private collections alike, with players lining up for that satisfying clang of the bell and the electric buzz when the Magna-Save kicks in. It set trends that pinball designers are still borrowing from today, and it’s proof that a simple yet clever idea—two levels, a haunted knight theme, and a magnetic save—can turn a row of metal and lights into pure magic.