Pinball Glossary
Pinball terminology for beginners and advanced players.
7 of 63 terms
Advanced Techniques
Bangback — An illegal move where hitting the front of the cabinet pops a draining ball back up between the flippers.
Machine Parts
Outlane — Outer lanes on each side that lead directly to the drain.
Saves & Nudging
Center Drain — When the ball goes straight down between both flippers.
Drain — When a ball falls off the playfield through any outlet.
Slap Save — Nudging the machine while flipping to extend reach and save a draining ball.
Scoring & Game Concepts
Ball Save — A brief grace period after launch where a drained ball is returned for free.
End-of-ball Bonus — Points awarded when a ball drains, based on achievements during that turn.