Sorry, but Bally Built 100 Bow and Arrow pins with a CPU in it before Spirit of '76.
But the boards were located under the playfield instead of the backbox (but basically the same hardware theyused in the other early CP driven games). But if I recall, the Flicker prototype (with electronics from Nutting)predated Bow and Arrow.

Bally's Strange Science (1987) had a neon light on top of the back box.

"First playfield display? Spirit, 1982"

Wrong! Black Hole 1981.

I believe the first Solid State pin to have a pop-up post was Williams Contact (1978).

First official movie license ( I may be wrong but,) Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

(correct me if I'm wrong...)

First automated ramp: Mars God of War (1981)

... and not most of the Gottlieb system 80 pins that had them in the back box?

Wrong. Viking had this feature months before Flash Gordon came out.

Medusa: 1981. Remember "Time your shot. Light Gorgons"?

Here's my answers/additions/corrections:

First backbox topper? Space Shuttle 1984

Should have caught this one earlier. 1979 Atari Hercules. Came with a topper saying "Play the worlds largest pinball game".

pinball_hercules_atari_1979_3.JPG

All Williams pins with electronic sound had an audible tilt warning, but Centaur probably is the first with a visible on on the back glass.

Black Hole had a cork screw that lowered the ball to the lower playfeild.

probably wrong on this but ...
First sequel game (I.E. II Deluxe etc) Eightball Deluxe

... to wich I replied:

Which I will correct, because I played one again last week: Fireball (1972).
Top of the play-feild, shoot too hard, ball goes out near the left bumper, too soft, goes out near the right bumper, but if you're careful, ball rolls down the incline over a 1000 pt. roll-over, or get it right, and go over three roll-overs on the other side for 3000 points!

Banzai Run 1988.

Comet Ramp: It just goes from the center of the playfeild and drops the ball off in front of the shooter lane gate. Hardly a toy.

We have a winner! You sir win one internet!

First Comic book license pin: Superman (3/1979)

First (and only one of few) pinball machine that says in a voice how many balls per game in power up:
Eight-Ball Deluxe

Limiting list to Solid State pins is lame. To many features pre date Digital electronics on pins, and there's a few year span where there were SS and EM versions of games. Were flippers introduced on the first SS pin? No. They've been around since 1947. Skill shots, Pop Bumpers, 6 digit scoring? they've been around since before SS pins.

Again: Banzai Run 1988.

Still lame.

Based on what? You Include Wizard as the first license theme (BTW an EM!) and disqualify Hercules for "First to use non metal balls". Seems like the results are being skewed.

Flight 2000. Add the 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X multipliers and get 15X

Just occurred to me today:

First vocal prompt (instruction): Xenon (Try the Tube Shot!)

Alien Poker (Williams 1980) five target bank (or later Jungle Lord "Double Trouble" bank).

Devils Dare (Gottlieb 1981)

"MANUAL" Kick Save as in player has to activate it via a button. Still Devils Dare.

Weren't there about a dozen Bow and Arrows done a SS before Freedom?

Just caught this. Although also not a game that made production, Williams Thunderball had no manual plunger two years before Goin' Nuts and if EM's were included I believe Williams 1972 Winner would be the first, or at least one of the earliest.

Embryon 6/81 (the Flip-save feature)
From IPDB:
" ... It was also the only game from this company to use their trademarked "Flipsave" ball saving feature - a small vertical flipper located in the right outlane used by players to flip draining balls back into the return lane."

This was also a feature on Williams Winner.