Playmec Flippers

Playmec Flippers was a small Italian pinball manufacturer founded in the mid-1970s in San Lazzaro di Savena, near Bologna, by entrepreneur Pino Dal Bagno. Operating briefly around 1975, Playmec sought to address the burgeoning demand for electro-mechanical pinball machines in Italy at a time when many regional companies were experimenting with both original and rebranded designs. Despite its modest profile, the company stands out in Italian pinball history for having produced a few unique titles that combined local design and imported artistic elements.

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Playmec’s most notable release was Speed Rush (1975), a single-player electro-mechanical game reflecting the popular wedgehead style then prevalent, and featuring artwork by Gottlieb artist Gordon Morison. The design incorporated pop bumpers, drop targets, and a five-captive-ball mechanism, intended to emulate the more sophisticated U.S.-manufactured pinball experience. The company also created a rare solid-state adaptation of Gottlieb’s Tiger (1975), rebranded as El Tigre (1977) for the Italian market. Although the company closed operations by the late 1970s, likely due to limited commercial success and the rising competition from both larger global manufacturers and video arcades, its machines remain a notable curiosity among collectors and historians, illustrating the energy and ingenuity of the Italian pinball scene in that era.