Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Ultra Machine

The Ultra Machine is a battery-operated mechanical toy developed by in 1968 as an indoor , featuring a motorized pitching mechanism that launches lightweight ping-pong balls for users to hit with an included plastic bat. Designed by engineer , it formed part of 's early "Ultra" series of innovative playthings, following the success of the 1966 and preceding other gadgets like the 1969 . Released during 's transition from card manufacturing to toy production in the post-World War II era, the Ultra Machine targeted children and families, emphasizing simple, engaging mechanics powered by a single D-cell to simulate practice at home. Variants such as the 1977 Ultra Machine DX incorporated deluxe features like enhanced durability and additional accessories, while an export version known as the Slugger Mate appeared in limited markets including . The toy's adjustable pitching arm allowed for varying speeds and angles, and it included a set of soft, safe balls to ensure accessibility for young players. Today, reproductions like the Ultra Machine SP are featured in interactive exhibits at the Museum in , highlighting its role in the company's pre-video game history.

Design and Functionality

Mechanism of Operation

The Ultra Machine operates as a battery-powered pitching device that automates the delivery of lightweight plastic balls for indoor batting practice, utilizing a spring-loaded flicking mechanism to simulate pitches at controlled speeds. At its core, a small drives a rotating arm connected to a rotary gear, which repeatedly cycles to sling balls toward the user one at a time. This design, conceived by Nintendo engineer , enables variable trajectories including straight pitches and curves by adjusting the tension and position of the internal spring. Balls are loaded via a side-mounted chute or , where up to a plastic projectiles—similar in size and weight to ping-pong balls—are placed and aligned sequentially by . As the machine activates, the balls roll down the chute one by one, positioning each at the base of the rotating arm for release. This feeding system ensures continuous operation without manual intervention between pitches, accommodating the toy's lightweight balls that vary slightly in shape to influence flight paths. The operational sequence begins with inserting a single 1.5-volt D-cell into the side compartment and switching the device on, which powers the motor to initiate a spin-up lasting a few seconds. The motor then rotates the arm, tensioning a that pulls the arm upward until a release point flings the positioned ball forward; this cycle repeats automatically at intervals determined by the motor's speed, delivering pitches until the empties. is enhanced through adjustable settings: users can reposition the forward or backward to modulate launch speed and angle, preventing excessive velocity suitable only for children and casual play. One D-cell sustains approximately 3,200 pitches, emphasizing the mechanism's efficient, low-power .

Key Components

The Ultra Machine features a lightweight constructed from durable materials to ensure portability and longevity during play. This incorporates a blue loading chute for the balls and a secure compartment for the power source. Central to the is a rubber-coated rotating arm, designed for secure grip on the balls and enhanced safety to prevent slippage or injury, which is powered by an internal equipped with metal gears for consistent reliability. The arm works in conjunction with a metal to propel the balls forward. A retractable bat is included for batting the launched balls, made from the same plastic as the housing to maintain a lightweight profile while providing sufficient rigidity for impact. The is compatible with standard ping-pong balls, though it ships with 12 specialized plastic balls similar in and for optimal . The battery compartment accommodates a single D-cell , enabling extended use without frequent replacements, and is positioned for quick . is prioritized through rounded edges on all exposed parts and the use of non-toxic, child-safe materials that comply with 1960s standards.

Development and Production

Invention Process

joined Nintendo in 1965 as a fresh graduate, initially hired to maintain and repair the company's card manufacturing machines in its factory. His role involved long hours in the machine room, where he observed workers' boredom and began tinkering with simple mechanical devices to alleviate it. The breakthrough came in 1966 with the , an extendable grabbing arm inspired by a wooden prototype Yokoi had built earlier; its massive success, selling over 1.4 million units, prompted Nintendo president to promote Yokoi from maintenance engineer to head a new team focused on . This transition marked Yokoi's shift to full-time invention, leveraging his engineering skills to create low-cost, playful gadgets using everyday and salvaged materials. Building on the Ultra Hand's momentum, Yokoi conceptualized the Ultra Machine as an affordable home batting trainer for children, drawing inspiration from baseball's immense popularity in , where the sport had become a national obsession. He aimed to replicate the excitement of professional pitching practice in a compact, safe format using soft balls, targeting young fans unable to access expensive field equipment. The design was approved following the success of the , positioning the Ultra Machine as the second entry in the emerging Ultra series of mechanical toys. The invention is associated with Japanese patents 954238 and 954259 for the concept, and 303513 for the design.

Manufacturing Details

The manufacturing of the Ultra Machine commenced in 1967 at Nintendo's primary factory in , , marking the company's expansion into battery-operated toys. This combination of automated and manual processes allowed for efficient scaling from prototypes to . Production costs were kept low through Yokoi's emphasis on simple, cost-effective designs using readily available materials, enabling a competitive price of ¥1,480. The drew from local Japanese manufacturers for the ping-pong-style balls—12 included per set—and standard D-cell batteries, which were bundled as standard inclusions to enhance user accessibility. Quality assurance protocols focused on motor durability and component reliability. Additional checks verified ball with the pitching arm and spring mechanism to minimize jams and ensure safe, consistent performance during operation.

Release and Commercial Performance

Initial Launch

The Ultra Machine debuted in in 1968, marking 's expansion into motorized toys following the success of simpler mechanical products. Released under the "Nintendo Game" label, it was designed by engineer to provide an accessible indoor batting experience, leveraging battery power to pitch soft balls for children to hit. Priced at ¥1,480, the initial set was packaged in a compact box containing the pitching mechanism, a retractable plastic bat, and 12 ping-pong-sized soft balls made of vinyl, emphasizing portability for home use. The packaging featured straightforward graphics highlighting the toy's functionality, without elaborate artwork in the debut version. Nintendo's marketing strategy capitalized on the "Ultra" craze inspired by the hit TV series , positioning the Ultra Machine as an exciting, skill-building gadget for young players to practice batting indoors. Advertisements appeared in periodicals, promoting it as a safe, engaging alternative to outdoor sports amid Japan's urbanizing post-war landscape. Distribution focused on major urban centers, with availability through prominent department stores such as and specialty toy retailers in cities like and , targeting family shoppers during the spring release period.

Sales and Market Reception

The Ultra Machine achieved significant commercial success shortly after its 1968 launch, becoming Nintendo's second million-selling . It sold more than 1 million units in . This performance helped solidify Nintendo's position in the burgeoning toy market, following the earlier success of the . Market reception was generally positive, with the toy praised for its affordability at a retail price of ¥1,480 and its engaging indoor simulation, which appealed to children and families. However, some users noted drawbacks, including dependency on a single D-cell for operation and potential mechanical issues from repeated use. Positive coverage in toy publications highlighted its innovative design, though reviews emphasized its fun factor over long-term durability. The toy's success aligned with Japan's post-war economic boom, known as the "income-doubling plan" era, which spurred on leisure products amid rapid GDP growth from the 1950s to early 1970s. Rising popularity of , fueled by professional leagues and national enthusiasm, further boosted demand, as the Ultra Machine offered an accessible way to practice the sport at home. Word-of-mouth among schoolchildren also played a key role in driving sales through playground demonstrations. By the mid-1970s, sales began to wane due to market saturation after nearly a decade of strong performance, compounded by the industry's shift toward electronic toys—exemplified by Nintendo's own series starting in 1970. This transition led to the discontinuation of the original Ultra Machine model around 1974, with a redesigned , the Ultra Machine , released in 1977 to incorporate updated features.

Variants and International Adaptations

Deluxe Edition

The Ultra Machine Deluxe, also known as the Ultra Machine DX (ウルトラ マシン デラックス), was introduced in 1977 as a redesigned iteration of Nintendo's original 1967 batting toy. This version maintained the core spring-loaded pitching mechanism of the original but incorporated enhancements for improved playability and aesthetics. Key upgrades included a larger overall size, bigger rubber balls measuring 4.5 cm in diameter (compared to the original's 3.8 cm balls), and a lengthened pitching arm to accommodate the increased scale. The design shifted to a more contemporary rounded plastic casing, replacing the angular style of the baseline model. Packaging was also simplified, omitting the plastic inner support tray featured in earlier editions. Priced at ¥2,800, the Deluxe Edition was marketed exclusively in and targeted older children and families through retail catalogues like Kiddy Land's 1977 edition. Multiple box variants were produced over its run, reflecting ongoing availability in the domestic market.

Regional Versions

The Ultra Machine was adapted for international markets under the name Slugger Mate, introduced in the and in 1967, featuring simplified English-language instructions to accommodate non-Japanese users. Marketing campaigns for the Slugger Mate tailored the product to local preferences, prominently featuring references to (MLB) in advertisements to align with American baseball culture and appeal to families familiar with the sport.

Legacy and Media Appearances

Cultural and Historical Significance

The Ultra Machine played a pivotal role in 's transition from traditional playing cards to innovative toys, forming part of the acclaimed Ultra series developed by engineer in the late 1960s. This series, beginning with the blockbuster in 1966—which sold over 1.2 million units and generated substantial revenue—enabled to invest in further toy development and establish its Research & Development 1 division, laying the groundwork for the company's eventual pivot to and video game consoles in the 1970s. The Ultra Machine itself, released in 1967, became another commercial hit, contributing to the financial stability that allowed to weather economic challenges and innovate in . As one of the earliest battery-operated home sports simulators, the Ultra Machine influenced the broader toy industry by demonstrating the viability of mechanical pitching devices for indoor practice. This highlighted Nintendo's emphasis on blending play with , setting a for interactive, tech-enhanced that combined with skill-building in a compact format suitable for home use. In the context of Japan's post-war economic miracle of the —a period of rapid industrialization and consumer goods expansion following the 1964 Tokyo Olympics—the Ultra Machine symbolized the era's optimism and technological optimism, offering urban families an accessible way to engage in sports amid growing city populations and limited outdoor spaces. By enabling indoor batting practice with soft projectiles, it promoted physical exercise for children in densely populated areas, aligning with the societal shift toward modern, space-efficient leisure activities during this time of unprecedented . Today, the Ultra Machine receives modern recognition through its inclusion in the Museum in , , which opened on October 2, 2024, featuring restored interactive versions in the Ultra Machine SP exhibit where visitors can experience pitching and batting in a dedicated room setup. This display underscores the toy's enduring legacy as a bridge between Nintendo's analog past and its digital future, allowing new generations to appreciate its historical ingenuity.

Representations in Video Games

The Ultra Machine first appeared in video games as a boss microgame in WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! (2003) for , where players control a batter attempting to hit a series of rapidly launched balls from the machine, requiring six to eight successful hits depending on difficulty level to advance. In this pixel-art depiction, the machine launches lightweight balls mimicking its original 1967 toy , with making a brief as the batter. A variant appears in WarioWare: Smooth Moves (2006) for , reimagined as a standard microgame rather than a boss stage, utilizing motion controls to swing at incoming pitches in a similar batting simulation. Later, Animal Crossing: New Leaf (2012) for features the Ultra Machine as a collectible furniture item obtainable during the Fireworks Festival event via Redd's pop ticket exchange, complete with an interactive animation that activates to launch small balls when interacted with. Additional references include character designs in Rusty's Real Deal Baseball (2013) for , where many batters and pitchers sport heads shaped like the Ultra Machine, serving as a thematic nod to vintage Nintendo toys within the game's arcade-style minigames. The device's form also visually inspired the Bomb Launcher special weapon in Splatoon 2 (2017) for , a projectile-firing tool that echoes the machine's ball-launching mechanism, with bombs replacing baseballs in multiplayer ink battles. Depictions of the Ultra Machine in these games have evolved from simple 2D pixel sprites in early titles like WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! to more detailed 3D models in later releases such as Animal Crossing: New Leaf and , often functioning as nostalgic celebrating Nintendo's pre-video game hardware legacy.

References

  1. [1]
    Exhibits | Nintendo Museum
    Ultra Machine SP. This is a reproduction of the original Ultra Machine, a pitching machine made for indoor use, released in 1968. Use the ...
  2. [2]
    Giant Controllers and Gaming History at Kyoto's Nintendo Museum
    Sep 25, 2024 · The Nintendo Museum in Kyoto shares the history of the company from its 1889 founding to the present day, through product exhibits and interactive gaming ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  3. [3]
    Mechanical toy:Ultra Machine DX - Nintendo - Google Arts & Culture
    In 1966, designer Gunpei Yokoi, then a maintenance engineer, created the Ultra Hand after being inspired by a mechanical extending arm used in hanafuda ...
  4. [4]
    Nintendo Ultra Machine (ウルトラ マシン, 1967-1974) - beforemario
    Mar 27, 2011 · The Ultra Machine contains a small electro motor that drives a rotating arm, slinging the balls one at a time at the player. The player returns ...
  5. [5]
    Ultra Machine - Kyoto Report - Wikidot
    Gunpei Yokoi, Production Credits N/A, Platform Misc. The Ultra Machine was the first battery-operated toy developed by Nintendo. The mechanism contains a ...
  6. [6]
    Nintendo Ultra Machine (ウルトラ マシン)
    Jan 6, 2019 · It's an automatic baseball pitching machine. It of course comes semi-assembled so as to fit in the box, the packable design and packaging layout is ...
  7. [7]
    Nintendo Ultra Machine - instructions - beforemario
    Jun 12, 2012 · The Ultra Machine runs on a single D (UM-1) cell, and the instructions claims that one battery is good for 3200 pitches (「乾電池1本で3200投球」) ...Missing: mechanism | Show results with:mechanism
  8. [8]
    How Gunpei Yokoi Reinvented Nintendo - VICE
    Nov 12, 2020 · The Ultra Hand was inspired by a doohickey he'd built out of wood around the same time. Now, with access to the company machine shop, he could ...Missing: mechanism | Show results with:mechanism
  9. [9]
    The Nintendo Collection So Large It Became a Museum - Tofugu
    Feb 28, 2017 · The company was in danger of going bankrupt, so they started selling toys like Ultra Hand and Ultra Machine. Some of them were successful ...
  10. [10]
    Nintendo Ultra Machine DX (ウルトラ マシン デラックス, 1977)
    Apr 10, 2011 · In 1967 Nintendo released the Ultra Machine. This baseball ball pitching toy would remain a good seller for many years.<|control11|><|separator|>
  11. [11]
    Nintendo toys in 1977 Kiddy Land catalogue - beforemario
    Sep 15, 2024 · On page 21 we spot the first Nintendo item, the Ultra Machine Deluxe baseball pitching machine. The original Ultra Machine was released in ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  12. [12]
    Nintendo Slugger Mate (1967?) - beforemario
    Apr 16, 2011 · The Nintendo Slugger Mate (re-branded Ultra Machine) · 1967 - first small steps by Nintendo in becoming a global household name · Nintendo Slugger ...
  13. [13]
    Episode 3 - Nintendo Ultra Machine or Slugger Mate - 1968 - YouTube
    Dec 1, 2020 · Slugger Mate or Ultra Machine (as it was known in Japan) was an early Nintendo toy from 1967 that would go on to become Gunpei Yokoi's ...
  14. [14]
    Postscript: The Man Behind Nintendo | The New Yorker
    Sep 20, 2013 · In the mid-nineteen-sixties, Yamauchi charged Gunpei Yokoi, a ... More creative toys followed: the Ultra Machine, a mechanical ball ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  15. [15]
    Nintendo I (1889-1989) - by Kyle Westaway - Acquired Briefing
    Aug 21, 2025 · Gunpei Yokoi's Ultra Hand (1970) sold 1.2 million units, cementing Nintendo's toy focus. Ventures like bowling alleys and light gun ranges led ...
  16. [16]
    Generation Nintendo - The Digital Antiquarian
    Apr 1, 2016 · The company's modern history, however, begins in 1949, when Hiroshi Yamauchi, latest scion of the family-owned business, took over as president.
  17. [17]
    From Playing Cards to 'Super Mario Bros.,' Here's Nintendo's History
    Mar 18, 2019 · In the '70s, it started selling electronic toys like its popular Beam Guns. ... In its first month of sales in 1996, Nintendo sold 500,000 ...Missing: Ultra revenue 1970s<|separator|>
  18. [18]
    Japanese Tin Toys: A Craze That Rebuilt Post-War Japan
    Sep 20, 2023 · These motors enabled the toys to run for a much longer time, allowing the engineers to increase the complexity and variety of the movements and ...
  19. [19]
    The museum Nintendo never expected to make opens in Kyoto - NPR
    Oct 2, 2024 · Nintendo shows off Mario, Zelda, and 135 years of history in a new Kyoto museum. October 2, 20249:30 AM ET.
  20. [20]
    Nintendo Museum Review: Thoroughly Magical - Forbes
    Sep 25, 2024 · I was recently invited to tour the new Nintendo Museum before it opened to the public, and it was a thoroughly magical experience.Missing: reception | Show results with:reception
  21. [21]
    Ultra Machine - Super Mario Wiki
    Aug 17, 2025 · Ultra Machine is 9-Volt's boss microgame from WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!. Mario appears as a cameo at both the beginning and end.Gameplay · Naming
  22. [22]
    Ultra Machine | Nintendo | Fandom
    The Ultra Machine is a device created by Nintendo and Gunpei Yokoi that is part of the lucrative Ultra franchise that also consists of the Ultra Hand and Ultra ...
  23. [23]
    Ultra Machine | Mario Wiki - Fandom
    Ultra Machine is 9-Volt's boss microgame in WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! and WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$! The player has to hit enough baseballs ...
  24. [24]
    Bomb Launcher - Inkipedia, the Splatoon wiki
    Oct 4, 2025 · The Bomb Launcher is designed after the Ultra Machine, a batting toy made by Nintendo in 1967. This is likely referenced in their Japanese ...