# Episode 90 - The Super Card

**Source:** For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast  
**Type:** podcast_episode  
**Published:** 2015-06-09  
**Duration:** 6m 28s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://foramusementonly.libsyn.com/episode-90-the-super-card

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## Analysis

Nick Baldridge discusses the Supercard feature used in early Bally bingo pinball machines—a smaller 3x3 grid that offers easier replay conditions (3-in-a-row instead of 4-in-a-row) but with non-standard numbers, adding strategic depth to gameplay. He examines United's Monaco as a late-era single-scoring bingo game using the Supercard, noting how it appeared dated compared to Bally's more complex triple-scoring contemporaries.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] The Supercard was a 3x3 grid of numbers used in early Bally bingo machines that awarded replays for three-in-a-row instead of four-in-a-row — _Nick Baldridge, host, explaining Supercard mechanics_
- [HIGH] Monaco by United was one of United's last games and used the Supercard feature — _Nick Baldridge discussing Monaco's place in United's catalog_
- [HIGH] The Supercard was typically only seen on single-scoring games, making Monaco a curiosity since it competed against Bally's triple-scoring games — _Nick Baldridge analyzing Monaco's anachronistic design_
- [HIGH] In 1947, flippers were invented by Gottlieb — _Nick Baldridge making historical reference to flipper invention_
- [MEDIUM] Bingo pinball machines are difficult to find in Australia — _Jared Morgan from Blockade Podcast describing Australian market for bingos_

### Notable Quotes

> "The trick is that on the supercard, the numbers selected for that smaller card are not necessarily ones that you would normally shoot for on the main card."
> — **Nick Baldridge**
> _Core explanation of Supercard's strategic design element_

> "I'm slowly working my way through your podcast and I'm really finding the knowledge you're sharing about EMs fascinating."
> — **Jared Morgan**
> _Listener appreciation and validation of show's EM content quality_

> "similar to a situation like in 1947, where games immediately started looking older than they were, based on competitors' features"
> — **Nick Baldridge**
> _Historical analog comparing Monaco's rapid obsolescence to the flipper era transition_

> "We don't see many bingos down here in Australia, at least from what I've seen."
> — **Jared Morgan**
> _Geographic observation about bingo pinball availability in Australia_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Nick Baldridge | person | Host of For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast |
| Jared Morgan | person | Listener and host of Blockade Podcast, writes about Australian pinball experience with bingos and EMs |
| Bally | company | Historical pinball manufacturer producing bingo machines with Supercard feature and triple-scoring games |
| United | company | Historical pinball manufacturer that produced Monaco, one of their last games, featuring Supercard |
| Gottlieb | company | Historical pinball manufacturer credited with inventing flippers in 1947 |
| Monaco | game | United bingo pinball machine using Supercard feature; single-scoring game that appeared dated against Bally competitors |
| Supercard | product | Feature used in early Bally bingo machines; 3x3 grid offering easier replay conditions than main 5x5 card |
| Safecracker | game | Pinball machine referenced by Jared Morgan as powerful risk-reward game played in Australia |
| Zachariah | company | EM pinball machine manufacturer; machines reproduced in app form with physics simulation |
| Pinball Arcade | product | Virtual pinball application featuring EMs and modern machines |
| Magic Squares | game | Bally bingo game popular at the time Monaco was released |
| Blockade Podcast | organization | Podcast hosted by Jared Morgan |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Supercard feature mechanics and strategy, Bingo pinball game design and rule complexity, United's Monaco and its market positioning, Bally vs. United competitive landscape in bingo era
- **Secondary:** Virtual pinball as substitute for physical machines, Pinball availability and collecting in Australia, Historical evolution of pinball features (flippers, triple-scoring)
- **Mentioned:** Risk-reward mechanics in pinball

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.8) — Nick expresses appreciation for listener feedback and enthusiasm for the technical history of bingo pinball features. The discussion is educational and warm in tone. Jared's email is received graciously. No negative criticism or conflict present.

### Signals

- **[historical_signal]** Deep technical breakdown of Supercard feature in early Bally bingo machines and its strategic implications (confidence: high) — Nick Baldridge's detailed explanation of 3x3 grid mechanics, replay conditions, and number selection strategy
- **[historical_signal]** Analysis of competitive dynamics between United and Bally in bingo era, with Monaco appearing dated due to single-scoring vs. triple-scoring arms race (confidence: high) — Discussion comparing Monaco's features to Bally's more complex rule sets and moving numbers features
- **[collector_signal]** Report of bingo pinball scarcity in Australian collector market; Zachariah machines noted as present in some collections (confidence: medium) — Jared Morgan: 'We don't see many bingos down here in Australia' and mention of Zachariah collectors
- **[technology_signal]** Zachariah EM machines being reproduced in app form with positive physics simulation; Pinball Arcade as viable substitute for physical machines due to cost and space constraints (confidence: high) — Discussion of Zachariah app physics quality and use of Pinball Arcade for players without space/funds for physical machines
- **[content_signal]** Positive listener feedback on EM and bingo content quality; international audience (Australia) expressing learning value (confidence: high) — Jared Morgan's email praising Nick's EM knowledge and sharing Australian pinball context
- **[design_philosophy]** Historical shift from single-scoring to triple-scoring and additional features (moving numbers) as competitive feature arms race in bingo pinball era (confidence: high) — Nick's analysis of Monaco's design anachronism compared to Bally's contemporaneous games

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## Transcript

 what's that sound it's for amusement only the em and bingo pinball podcast welcome back to for amusement only this is Nicholas Baldridge before i get started today i wanted to take a moment and thank jared morgan from the blockade podcast who took the time to write me and let me know he was enjoying the show and also provide some of his experience in Australia with bingos and EM machines. He writes, I'm slowly working my way through your podcast and I'm really finding the knowledge you're sharing about EMs fascinating. I'm definitely a guy of the post-EM era, but learning how you play bingo pins and the rush you get kind of reminds me of when I was playing Safecracker when it was first released. I pumped dollar after dollar in Australia into that thing to collect the tokens. I still have them as well as a reminder of how powerful a risk-reward game can be. Further, he says, We don't see many bingos down here in Australia, at least from what I've seen. I do know some collectors that have some Zachariah pinball machines, though, and there are a few collectors that have EMs in their collection. So thank you, Jared. I really enjoy your podcast as well. For those who don know I enjoy virtual pinball as well because I have neither the money nor the space to house every machine that I enjoy because I enjoy most of them So the pinball arcade is a good substitute for some of the modern machines and there are a few EMs in there as well. We also talked briefly about the Zachariah app, because Zachariah's EMs are being reproduced in that app as well. and the actual physics and gameplay on that application are very nice. It's quite impressive. But regardless, Jared, thank you very much for your emails, and I appreciate you taking the time to write to me about Australia. I find that very interesting that bingos are hard to find, Although, I've got to say, since I never knew about them before, I didn't really ever see one either. So it could just be a matter of finding the right collector, but thank you very much. For today's topic, I wanted to talk about a feature which was used in the early days of Ballybingos called the Supercard. Now the supercard on games that had it was a smaller 3x3 grid of numbers so instead of the typical 5x5 of the main bingo card there were one or more super cards which would light either randomly or progressively with more money And these super cards would award you the replays for four in a row for only three in a row. The trick is that on the supercard, the numbers selected for that smaller card are not necessarily ones that you would normally shoot for on the main card. So on the main card, you have a 5x5 grid. It's a lot easier to get a three-in-a-row hit than it is on the supercard with a 3x3 grid. so when you have the super card lit depending on how your first ball or two go you may want to start shooting for the numbers on the super card if you do so you're almost guaranteed not to make a hit on the main card in rare instances you may but it adds an interesting element of play, similar to the corners feature, which I'll be going into at a later time, on six-card bingos. One of United's last games, Monaco, uses the supercard. This is a bit of a curiosity because the supercard was typically only seen on games with single scoring That means that there was only one set of advancing odds and there were no separate colors in which to score Bally at the time had started producing triple scoring which means there were red, yellow, and green odds, which would all step separately. So when Monaco came out, it was competing against these Bally games, which had much more complex rule sets than single-deck scoring. Ballet games also at the time would have moving numbers features and so forth. Monaco did not. So similar to a situation like in 1947, where games immediately started looking older than they were, based on competitors' features. In 1947, of course, flippers were invented by Gottlieb. this Monaco put out by United would look fairly dated in comparison with the Bally bingo games, which were coming out at the time. Magic Squares were popular at the time that Monaco came out in the Bally world. So, that's all for tonight. Thank you very much for joining me. My name again is Nick Baldrige. You can reach me at foramusementonlypodcast at gmail.com. And you can listen to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, via RSS, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on our website, which is foramusementonly.libsyn.com. Thanks very much for listening, and I'll talk to you next time.

_(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 74e54647-4862-44cd-a176-8647fc7696fd*