A special place is reserved in gamers' and collectors' hearts for arcade games that pioneered some hitherto unused feature that altered the design of all other cabinets. Such a game was Fireball, released by Bally in 1972 and the red flames painted on the side didn't hold a candle to what was laid out on the playfield.

The predominant artwork on Fireball machines was the fire god (or demon) that hurled flaming pinballs at the player. The fire god appeared on both the backbox and the playfield, reminding everyone that this was one hot pinball machine.

Several innovations awaited players brave enough to take on the fire god. The game featured three-ball play for the first time, something that became standard in later games. There were also "zipper" flippers which were moveable and closed the gap completely. In the middle of the playfield was a raised section for more challenging play, as well as a "whirlwind spinner" that grabbed the ball and flung it in any direction.  Captive balls also provide opportunities for extra points.

Fireball caused quite a stir in the arcade when it was introduced and continues to hold sway with pinball afficionadoes and collectors today.