Origins of Plinko – How a Simple Game Gained Global Fame 

The modern online Plinko we know today originated in the iconic American TV show The Price Is Right, but its popularity has spread far beyond the show itself. Plinko’s charming simplicity and engaging gameplay have captured global interest, and the game is now one of the most popular forms of online entertainment.  

However, Plinko’s roots run much deeper than The Price Is Right. Similar games existed long before, and while Plinko didn’t directly evolve from them, its creators undoubtedly drew a lot of inspiration from them. Although it’s fair to assume that pinball-like games could have existed since time untold, documented examples date back to the 18th century.  

The European “Japanese” Billiard Game

Probably the earliest form of a pinball game was the Billiard Japonaise, which appeared in Western Europe in the 1700s. It was a slightly inclined table with multiple rows of pins and several prize slots nested between them. The player would launch a ball from the bottom of the table using a spring and then watch it bounce off the pins in the hopes it would land in a prize slot—surprisingly similar to the way we play the modern Plinko. 

Even though its name literally translates to Japanese billiard, it had nothing to do with Japan. It was invented in Western Europe, but since the Far East was shrouded in a veil of fairytalish mystery at the time, such a name was chosen in order to enhance the game’s appeal. 

An American Game Makes Its Way to Japan

Fast-forward to the 20th century. In the 1920s, a children’s pinball game called the Corinth Game started gaining popularity in the US. Similarly to the Billard Japonais, children would launch a ball using a spring, which would then pass a series of pins, pegs, and other obstacles in an attempt to land in specific prize slots.  

Just like Sudoku, which originated in Europe but became famous in Japan, the Corinth Game soon made its way to Nagoya, where it rapidly gained popularity as an adult pastime. First transcribed as Korinto Gemu (コリントゲーム, korinto gēmu), it was quickly renamed to Pachinko, after the onomatopoeic “pachi-pachi” sound it made.  

Unlike the children’s Corinth Game, which handed out candies, the Japanese adult version offered more valuable rewards. Pachinko’s popularity skyrocketed in the post-WW2 years, and it remains a widespread form of entertainment in Japan to this day.  

The Price Is Right Introduces Plinko

On January 3rd, 1983, the popular American game show The Price Is Right introduced Plinko. Executive producer Frank Wayne, the creative mind behind the game, likely never imagined the level of fame his creation would one day achieve. Much like Pachinko, the name Plinko was onomatopoeic and inspired by the satisfying “plink-plink” sound the disc made as it bounced off the pegs. 

The new game offered contestants a chance to win up to $25,000, which was the largest prize ever offered on the show at the time. It was played on a rectangular board with an open top that allowed players to choose where to drop the ball. Unlike the modern online Plinko, the prize layout at the bottom was different. Instead of having the highest rewards on the edges, the original version placed the top prize in the center, flanked by “no prize” slots on both sides. 

Over the following decades, Plinko’s popularity soared beyond all expectations. It became one of The Price Is Right’s most iconic and beloved games, if not the most beloved of all. In 2013, to celebrate its 30th anniversary, the show even dedicated an entire episode solely to Plinko. 

Plinko Makes Its Way into Online Gaming

Considering that online gaming began in the late 1990s, it’s surprising that Plinko didn’t make its online debut all the way until 2021. However, once it appeared as an online game, its popularity soared once again, just as it did back in the 1980s on The Price Is Right. Though this time, its fame has become global.  

The subsequent online Plinko games released in 2023 and 2024 expanded on the original concept and pushed the boundaries of what we think of as Plinko. While they kept the core game mechanics, they introduced enhanced visuals, soundtracks, and new gameplay elements like multipliers, relaunch pads, and even bonus rounds. Still, the simple, classic Plinko remains a global favorite. Its charming simplicity, paired with the thrill of unpredictability, creates a highly engaging gameplay that ensures Plinko will remain one of the most popular forms of online entertainment for the foreseeable future.