Challenge
Insert a penny to release a ball, which you shoot up the curved track whereupon it spins around the small loop at the top before descending through the pinfield, at which point you try to catch it with the moveable lion's head. A ball caught in the centre wins, allowing you to turn the knob for a check or token. A ball caught in the outer 'Reserve Cups' releases the reserve balls from the pocket, bottom right. These can then be fed to the striker for bonus play by turning the knob, bottom right. Patent GB191406789 |
TW Flory 1914
Clown
British-made example of the very popular Clown game. Handan-Ni appear to have made several variants from around 1915, employing a rather different mechanism to the original German machines. This one operates on the old ha'penny coin. |
Handan-Ni 1915
Clown
Around 1905, newly founded German company Jentzsch & Meerz introduced the Clown game, based upon, and licensed under the patents of British pioneer JG Pessers' ball catching games. It was such a terrific success, British manufacturers returned the compliment by copying it, which they felt free to do after the outbreak of WWI. So did the French. This early British example by Handan Ni is distinguished by, amongst other things, the absence of a rolling ball beneath the clown, a different ball lifting mechanism, and the use of composite (in place of steel) balls. |
Handan-Ni 1915
Conqueror’s Flags
This appears to the earliest version of Handan-Ni's Conqueror's Flags |
Handan-Ni 1920s
Conquerors’ Flags
Insert a half penny in the slot on the top right of the machine. Turn the handle, middle right, to release four balls. Turn the knob, bottom right, to bring a ball to the top of the playfield. As the ball falls through the pins, use the knob, far bottom left, to move the shield and aim to catch it. If successful, the first flag on the right will flip over and cover an enemy flag, thus showing a successful catch, and the ball will be returned to play again. The game can be won using just one of the four balls, as it is returned to play for a successful catch. The aim of the game is to catch any of the four balls five times and cover all enemy flags. If you get as far as the fifth flag, then you use the knob, bottom middle, to turn the final flag (Union Jack) to cover the German flag and a half penny will be returned to the cup at the bottom centre.
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Handan-Ni Unknown date
Crusader
This was a development of Bradley's Challenger column-fill concept which scaled the game down by using balls in place of pennies to fill the columns. |
Bradley 1931
Payramid
This is the first version of Bryans popular and cleverly designed game which surpassed all previous ball catching slot machines thanks to its ease of use, eight balls play, tempting cash payouts and accumulating jackpot. The player must catch at least five balls between the moveable fingers to win the lowest prize (ranging from coin return to 3D). Each subsequent ball caught multiplies the payout and all eight caught adds the jackpot to the winnings. The game gives the tantalizing impression that it could be mastered with practice. |
Bryans 1934
Retreeva
This is the most ingenious of Bryan's ball catching games and one of the most entertaining wall machines made. Unfortunately, it was a little too innovative for the average punter, who couldn't be bothered to read instructions. It's a souped-up version of the more commercially successful Payramid, although the mechanism is remarkably dissimilar. The Payramid gave you eight balls; the Reteeva only five, which pop out from the top of the playfield as you crank the handle on the left. The knob on the right controls the two sets of fingers. The idea is to catch all five balls with the top fingers to win. The prize for winning (set by the operator) could be a free go, your coin back, or a free go and your coin back (with the chance to make a profit by winning again). What lifts the game above its rivals is the chance it offers to retrieve lost balls with the second set of fingers. Balls that are missed by both sets of fingers rest at the bottom, but a ball caught in the lower fingers releases them back into play. This results in extended play and makes winning possible until the last ball is lost. Tactically, it's sometimes necessary to avoid catching the ball at the top in order to recoup lost balls. The operator could alter the odds by adjusting the gap between the fingers. |
Bryans 1946
Trapper
Aim for the top pocket. Failing that, you have to press the correct key, opening one of four traps in an attempt to catch the ball. A voucher is awarded if successful.
Patent GB190913783 |
Ell 1909
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