Rare pinball history surfaces: australia unearths first licensed star wars machine

Published on 12/03/2026 09:43 in entertainment • Daniel Offner

Australia's National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) has acquired a remarkable collection of five vintage pinball machines, including a piece of gaming history: the world's first officially licensed Star Wars pinball game.

A hankin innovation: from fj holdens to galactic empires

Manufactured by Newcastle-based A. Hankin & Company between 1978 and 1980, these machines represent a unique chapter in pinball's golden age. Reportedly the only Australian-designed examples from that era, the collection showcases a distinctly local sensibility. While several machines draw inspiration from Australian icons – the FJ Holden car, cricketer Dennis Lillee, and surfing culture complete with sharks – the Empire Strikes Back machine holds particular significance.

David Hankin, manager of A. Hankin & Company, revealed the surprisingly collaborative genesis of the Star Wars machine in an NFSA mini-documentary. The company proactively approached George Lucas, seeking permission to translate his cinematic universe into a pinball experience. “And the answer, surprisingly, was yes,” Hankin stated. This willingness to embrace the nascent video game phenomenon from a small Australian manufacturer is a testament to Lucas's visionary approach.

Lucas’s fee for the rights? A personal machine for himself. The NFSA plans to make these rare artifacts accessible to the public in Canberra. The acquisition underscores the growing importance of preserving gaming history, as the NFSA actively expands its collection of video games facing potential obsolescence. The machines offer a tangible link to a period when pinball manufacturers, often dwarfed by larger competitors, dared to dream big – and collaborate with a burgeoning film empire.

The acquisition is more than just adding machines to a collection; it's safeguarding a piece of cultural history. The Empire Strikes Back pinball machine stands as a testament to the unexpected intersections of art, commerce, and popular culture.