Electromagnet for an amusement game device

An amusement game, comprising:

• a game cabinet;
• a playfield mounted within the game cabinet;
• a processing device;
• an object which moves across a first surface of the playfield;
• and
• an electromagnet assembly coupled to the processing device and associated with the playfield, the electromagnet assembly comprising:
• a magnet core constructed from a ferromagnetic material;
• a protector element constructed from a non-ferromagnetic material attached to a first end of the magnet core, the protector element encircling the magnet core and arranged relative to the magnet core such that a first surface of the protector element which is exposed on the first surface of the playfield is flush to a surface of the magnet core which is also exposed on the first surface of the playfield;
• and
• a magnet connector assembly disposed around the magnet core for activating the magnet core under control of the processing device of the amusement game;
• wherein the protector element is sized to define an area on the first surface of the playfield that is larger than an area on the first surface of the playfield in which the object may move when the magnet core is activated for the purpose of capturing the object upon the first surface of the playfield.