While it may have only been an inch or two, that small gap between pinball flippers has always proved to be the most infuriating part of engaging in a game of pinball. No matter how skilled a player might be, there was simply no defense against a ball that remained out of reach of both flippers. That is, until a game called Bazaar came on to the market.

Introduced by Bally in 1966, Bazaar offered a solution to the familiar problem of flipper gap when designer Ted Vale unveiled the “zipper flipper.” By hitting a particular bumper, marked with the letter “U,” the two flippers would move towards each other, effectively eliminating the dreaded gap – at least temporarily. Eventually, another game action would trigger them to move apart again, but for an occasional welcome moment, players could play worry-free, knowing that their flippers were providing superior protection. And when that brief reprieve passed, you could always aim for that U-bumper again.

The zipper flipper made Bazaar an instant hit in arcades everywhere and prompted Bally to employ the same technology in a number of other pinball machines, most notably in the highly-popular Fireball game. Today, collectors still give a nod of recognition to the innovative design of Bazaar, a game that gave all players a little more of a fighting chance and changed the way pinball was played forever.