Fascination Int. Inc.

Fascination International, Inc. was a Texas-based pinball manufacturer founded in 1977 by Joseph Cassioppi, William Thompson, and Eugene Hill that specialized in compact cocktail-style pinball machines and operated primarily from 1977–1979, using solid-state electronics with designs originating from Allied Leisure Industries to create interchangeable playfields, self-diagnostic systems, adjustable legs, and built-in cup holders for bars and restaurants. The company released three commercial cocktail pinball titles—Roy Clark The Entertainer (1977), Circa 1933 (1979), and Eros One (1979)—with an unreleased prototype known as Eros II, all sharing a common compact chassis and differentiated mostly by artwork and rule variations. Despite innovative cocktail-format design and niche appeal, Fascination International struggled with limited market demand for cocktail pinball, reliability concerns, and controversial sales practices that led to legal and financial troubles and the company’s closure by the early 1980s. Today Fascination’s cocktail machines are sought-after collectible novelties among pinball enthusiasts and collectors for their unique compact design and brief but notable place in pinball history, making them relevant for museum exhibits, specialty arcades, and retro-bar installations.