Pinball Magic is for one or two players, working through a sequence of twelve tables. Each one has several letters on screen, usually in more than one place. Runnig the ball over each letter opens the exit; pass through this to reach the next screen. Completing a screen gives both players a new set of the 5 balls they start the game with. Tables look similar to 1950s designs, with 'mushroom' bumpers, points-based targets. A more electronic feel is added by 'black holes' yielding an extra life, a set of bricks to be cleared on one level, and an integrated 'fruit machine' segment on another.