Australia's National Film and Sound Archive has secured a piece of gaming history that few knew existed: Hankin's The Empire Strikes Back, the first licensed Star Wars-branded pinball machine in the world.
The acquisition tells a genuinely unexpected story about how a small manufacturer in Newcastle, New South Wales, managed what major American pinball companies could not. The NFSA acquired five rare Australian-designed pinball machines produced by Newcastle amusement company A. Hankin & Company between 1978 and 1980. But it was one particular machine that secured its place in global arcade lore.
A. Hankin & Company operated in a market dominated by American and European manufacturers. The Australian pinball manufacturer was active from 1978-1980. The company's founder David Hankin launched an ambitious strategy: instead of copying American designs, Hankin created machines celebrating distinctly Australian culture. Titles include Orbit 1, FJ inspired by the Holden FJ and featuring the tune "C'mon Aussie C'mon" and Shark, which references Newcastle's surfing culture. Another machine, Howzat!, celebrates fast bowler Dennis Lillee and features cricket-themed gameplay where players score runs and take wickets.
Then Hankin attempted something audacious. Rather than license an Australian theme, the company approached Lucasfilm to propose a Star Wars machine. The gamble worked. Lucasfilm authorised the use of the Star Wars brand in exchange for a machine for filmmaker George Lucas. No cash payment was required; simply one personal pinball machine.
There were only about 350 games ever produced, and they were released almost exclusively to the Australian market. The rarity underscores how niche the operation was. This wasn't a major commercial venture competing with Williams or Bally; it was a bold local initiative that caught the attention of Lucas during the height of Star Wars merchandise expansion.
The broader context matters. The shift in arcade gaming trends toward video games during the early 1980s contributed to the firm's decision to cease pinball manufacturing. Hankin's brief window closed just as the industry pivoted. Collectors and enthusiasts still prize Hankin's limited catalogue for its robust build quality, culturally resonant themes, and pioneering licensing efforts. Today, surviving machines, especially "The Empire Strikes Back," are highly sought after and serve as rare reminders of Australia's distinct contributions to the wider pinball industry.
The NFSA's decision to preserve these machines reflects a broader recognition that arcade gaming is cultural heritage worth protecting. The archive's documentation of the Hankin machines includes a mini-documentary explaining how a small Australian manufacturer secured one of pinball's most significant licensing coups. The machines will become available for future public display in Canberra.
For Australian technology and cultural history, the story carries particular weight. In an era when most innovations in gaming came from overseas, Hankin proved that regional manufacturers could compete on ingenuity and cultural specificity rather than just scale. It's a reminder that sometimes the most historically significant products emerge not from market dominance, but from niche operators willing to take risks on unexpected collaborations.