Barracora Pinball Machine

Barracora is a standout early solid-state pinball machine released by Williams in 1981. Known for its innovative rules, flowing layout, and tough-but-fair gameplay, Barracora remains a favorite among players who enjoy precision shooting and risk-reward strategy.

You can play Barracora pinball in Green Bay, Wisconsin at District 82 Pinball Arcade, where this machine is brightly lit, well-maintained, and features a stunning backglass.

Pinball Machine Features

Barracora was ahead of its time and introduced several clever gameplay ideas:

• Classic early solid-state Williams design
• 3-bank and 5-bank drop target sets, both tied directly to multiball
• Each completed drop target bank lights a ball lock
• Different kickout holes are used to lock balls
• Choose between 2-ball multiball or pushing for 3-ball multiball
• No traditional ball save, but locked balls will kick back into play if you drain, effectively acting as one
• Horseshoe lane that can build significant points
• Added spotlights on this machine to improve visibility and highlight the artwork

The rules are deep for the era and still feel fresh today.

Gameplay & Strategy Highlights

Barracora rewards control and planning:

• Complete entire drop target banks to light locks
• Decide whether to start 2-ball multiball safely or risk it for 3-ball
• Use the horseshoe lane to build points
• Protect your bonus — tilting wipes it out completely

The large bonus potential makes clean play just as important as raw scoring.

Gameplay Crash Course

Understanding how the drop targets interact with multiball is the key to success:

• Left and right drop targets must be completed in order
• Completing both banks lights two locks
• Locking both balls enables three-ball multiball

Smart shot order and patience are essential on this machine.

Top Tip from Pintips.net

Complete the left drop targets in order and the right drop targets in order to light two ball locks and start three-ball multiball.

More Tips & Resources

For additional strategy, history, and rule explanations, check out these resources:

• Player discussions and gameplay tips on Pinside
• Production details and machine history on IPDB
• Background and design notes on Wikipedia
• Complete rules and scoring breakdowns
• Find current locations using Pinball Map (Wisconsin listings available)

Barracora is a challenging, rewarding classic that proves early solid-state pinball can still compete with modern games for depth and excitement.