Paragon is a Physical Pinball Table released by Bally in 1979. It was designed by Greg Kmiec, and features artwork by Paul Faris.
The game is set in Paragon, a Heroic Fantasy world of muscular Barbarian Heroes, maidens wearing Chainmail Bikinis, lush landscapes, and Everything Trying to Kill You. In his quest for a high score, the player must scale the Golden Cliffs, ride the Waterfall, and fight through the Valley of Demons to the Treasure Chamber beyond. Climb Paragon Tower to reach the saucer above, but beware of the Beast's Lair, where death is but a hair's breath away.
Paragon is noteworthy for being the first widebody ("SuperSize") pinball table from Bally. Most pinball enthusiasts, however, remember it for its incredibly rich and intricate art throughout the game; many believe it to be the most beautiful pinball machine ever made. Fortunately, the appeal is more than skin-deep, as players enjoy the game for its fast and challenging layout.
A digital version was once available as part of FarSight Studios' The Pinball Arcade before their license to all Bally and Williams tables expired on July 1, 2018.
The Paragon pinball demonstrates the following tropes:
- Barbarian Hero: The winged man (presumably our hero) attacking the beast on the backglass.
- Chained to a Rock: The backglass scene shows a rocky canyon where a woman is chained to the spot by a shackle around one ankle.
- Climbing the Cliffs of Insanity: The Golden Cliffs.
- Cool Helmet
- Creator Cameo: The barbarian hero and the woman on the backglass are based on artist Paul Faris and his wife.
- Diamonds in the Buff: The captive woman is wearing a bikini, but there's not much of it. Her neck and arms are more covered than the rest of her is.
- Everything Trying to Kill You
- Game Mod: Paragon was originally designed for four flippers; however, European tables were modified to only use three flippers, to better appeal to the preferences of Italian players.
- Good Wings, Evil Wings: Reversed — the monster has feathery raptor wings, while the hero has batlike wings.
- Heroic Fantasy
- Human Sacrifice: The maiden on the backglass — and just one of many, if the bones scattered around are any evidence. Perhaps a Virgin Sacrifice?
- Hybrid Monster: The lion/eagle/lizard griffon hybrid seen on the backglass and the playfield.
- I Don't Like the Sound of That Place: The Valley of Demons and the Beast's Lair.
- Inevitable Waterfall
- Loincloth
- Mix-and-Match Critters: The gryphon monster has the front part of a lion, the wings and back legs of an eagle, and a snakelike tail.
- Nerves of Steel: The captive woman looks remarkably calm for someone Chained to a Rock and staring death in the face.
- Place of Power: Paragon Tower.
- Rated M for Manly: Rugged hero? Shirtless? Attacking a monster single-handed to save a beautiful woman? It qualifies.
- Spelling Bonus: Spelling P-A-R-A-G-O-N lights the Paragon Tower saucer for a 25,000 point bonus.
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Spiritual Successor: To Bally's 1977 Lost World, which depicts the same Barbarian Hero, scantily-clad princess, and Heroic Fantasy setting. Both feature artwork by Paul Faris. - Stripperiffic: The princess on the backglass is wearing more jewelry than clothing.
- True Blue Femininity: The cloth of the warrior maiden's bikini (what there is of it) is blue.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: Due to being a Winged Humanoid: The unnamed barbarian hero, probably because a shirt would get in the way of his massive green reptilian wings.
