
- 81
- Games
- 1948
- First game
Steve Kordek was a pioneering pinball designer whose innovations shaped the modern game as we know it. His most famous contribution was introducing the now-standard two-flipper layout at the bottom of the playfield, first seen in Triple…
Read the full bioGames

Vacation America
2003Chicago Gaming
Contact
19781 rating so farWilliams
Pokerino
1978WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Concept

Big Deal
19773 ratings so farWilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Liberty Bell
1977Williams
Wild Card
1977Williams
Grand Prix
19761 rating so farWilliams
Space Mission / Space Odyssey
19761 rating so farWilliams
Big Ben
1975Williams
Black Gold
1975WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Little Chief
1975WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Concept

Triple Strike
1975WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Concept

Skylab / Spacelab
1974Williams
Star Pool
1974Williams
Tramway
1974Williams
Triple Action / Star Action
19742 ratings so farWilliams
Jubilee / Darling
19731 rating so farWilliams
Honey
19721 rating so farWilliams
Olympic Hockey
1972WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Super Star / Big Star
1972WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Winner
1972WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Zodiac / Planets
1971WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Concept

4 Aces
19701 rating so farWilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Aces & Kings
1970WilliamsAlso Animation, Concept

Gay 90's
1970WilliamsAlso Mechanics

Seven Up / Set Up
19691 rating so farWilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Cabaret
1968Williams
Doozie / Daffie
1968Williams
Hayburners II
1968WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Student Prince
19681 rating so farWilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Beat Time
1967Williams
Derby Day
1967WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Shangri-La
19671 rating so farWilliams
Touchdown / Kickoff
1967WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Casanova
19662 ratings so farWilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Hot Line / Big Strike
1966WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Alpine Club / Ski Club
1965WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Big Chief
1965WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Pot 'O' Gold
1965WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Pretty Baby
1965WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Teacher's Pet
1965WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Heat Wave
19641 rating so farWilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Oh Boy
1964Williams
Palooka
19643 ratings so farWilliams
San Francisco
1964WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Whoopee
1964WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Zig Zag / Wing Ding
1964WilliamsAlso Mechanics, Animation, Concept

Beat the Clock
1963Williams
Big Daddy
1963Williams
Big Deal
1963Williams
El Toro
1963WilliamsAlso Concept

Jumpin' Jack's
1963Williams
Merry Widow
1963WilliamsAlso Concept

Skill Pool
1963Williams
Swing Time
1963Williams
Tom Tom
1963Williams
3 Coins
1962Williams
4 Roses
1962Williams
Coquette
1962Williams
Friendship "7"
19621 rating so farWilliams
Mardi Gras
1962WilliamsAlso Mechanics

Trade Winds
1962Williams
Vagabond
1962WilliamsAlso Mechanics

Valiant
19621 rating so farWilliams
Bo Bo
1961Williams
Caravelle
1961Williams
Double Barrel
19611 rating so farWilliams
Highways
1961Williams
Hollywood
1961Williams
Kismet
1961Williams
Metro
1961Williams
Reserve
1961Williams
Skill-Ball
19612 ratings so farWilliams
Space Ship
19611 rating so farWilliams
Ten Spot
19611 rating so farWilliams
Music Man
1960WilliamsAlso Animation

Flying Aces
1958Genco
Flying Saucers
1950Genco
Mercury / Rocket
1950Genco
Bone Head
1948Genco
Triple Action
1948Genco
About
Steve Kordek was a pioneering pinball designer whose innovations shaped the modern game as we know it. His most famous contribution was introducing the now-standard two-flipper layout at the bottom of the playfield, first seen in Triple Action (1948). This simple yet revolutionary idea transformed pinball from a game of chance into one of skill, fundamentally changing how players interacted with the machine. Over his six-decade career, Kordek designed more than 100 pinball machines and introduced key features like drop targets, multi-ball play, and swinging targets, all of which became industry standards. His influence ensured that pinball evolved into a dynamic, skill-based game that continues to engage players today.
Beyond his mechanical innovations, Kordek was a beloved figure in the pinball community. His colleagues admired his ingenuity, while fans celebrated his lasting contributions to arcade culture. He remained involved in pinball well into his 90s, attending conventions and sharing stories from his remarkable career. Even after his passing at age 100, Kordek’s legacy endures in every pinball machine played today. His intuitive design philosophy—balancing creativity with cost-efficiency—ensured that his ideas would live on, making him one of the most important figures in pinball history.
Worked with
Kineticist Articles
Around pinball
Mentioned in
Page updated April 2026 · Suggest a correction

