-
May was the release month for this game. Designer Ed Krynski and artist Gordon Morison put together the package. Production run was low, at 675 units. This is an add-a-ball game variant, the replay version was called High Hand. The challenging part of this playfield design is trying to lock a ball in the eject hole for extra balls. Four batteries of drop targets in four colors are along the sides of the playfield. Making a completion of a color of drop targets increases the value of the eject and side drains. If all the drop targets are completed, the extra ball features light up. Score is another way to win balls set by the operator. No match units were incorporated into these games as, again, that was considered a form of gambling, i.e. winning a free game.This game was an “add-a-ball” game; the replay version was called 2001. Production run was 490 units. This was the first game to feature the in-line drop targets in a bank of targets. It was designed by Ed Krynski with art by Gordon Morison. A total of 20 drop targets divided into 5 targets per color. Knocking down a full left set of targets or a right set of targets awarded extra balls to be played during your current game (versus free games as the replay version awarded). The targets would reset after each ball. Extra balls were also awarded if certain scores were achieved as set by the operator. Previous high scores could be posted by the arcade on the backglass as a contest to try and beat the high score. This game was near the end of single-player Gottieb games with the smaller flippers. All in all, a classic game requiring accuracy in your shots to gain extra balls!Look no further! If you’re searching for the rarest of the rare, here for your perusal is not one but two examples of this Gottlieb aberration. Supposedly only 125 were made of this game and most were sold overseas. Ed Krynski and Gordon Morison again teamed up to art and design the game. This game represents one of the last electromechanical “wedgehead” games ever built near the shores of Lake Michigan. It’s also a single-player game and one of the last. The object of the game is not really boxing in the true sense but hitting enough targets to advance the central advance display up to the top of the rack. This will ignite the special lights for a free game. The color-coordinated advance inserts on the play field correspond to the light-up features on the play field and, if you advance the light sequence accordingly, those features light up for the brief time the advance mechanism stays on that light. Score is the easiest way to win a replay.Wayne Neyens designed this classic with Roy Parker penning the artwork. 2,700 of these were fabricated. This game has a holdover feature, which holds the monkeys’ positioning on the backglass from game to game. If you’re skillful enough to hit the A, B, C, and D targets, a monkey is advanced up the tree on the backglass. If one monkey makes it to the top, one replay is awarded: two monkeys score two replays, and three monkeys score three replays. Obviously if you pass this game and notice the third monkey nearing the top, feeding the coin slot was a natural for your just reward. Rolling over the 1 – 5 rollovers at the top of the playfield lights the side specials and awards 200 points once you drain the ball. A nice, well balanced game and quite a challenge not to lose your ball in play.Here’s another classic single-player wedgehead. This machine was designed by Jeff Brenner with art scrolled by Gordon Morison. 3,100 units came to fruition as well as an add-a-ball called Royal Pair. This open playfield design allows for a lot of action mandated by flipper shots all the way up the playfield. The object of the game is simple…by completing all the card targets and rollovers, three specials light. Hitting the ace target up top or scoring a lit rollover awards a replay. Another unique feature built into this machine is the random rollover values one may capture. 10, 100 or 1,000 points may be scored by rolling over one of four rollover targets when lit. The shots to the targets must be precise to score from the flipper. The outlanes are unique in design as they are angled. A very interesting variation of a Gottlieb card theme machine.This wide-body solid-state game was a high-production model with 6,800 units produced. The artwork was Gordon Morison’s creation with Ed Krynski penning the playfield. This pre-vocal machine is jam-packed with features. A mini playfield in the upper left consists of drop targets which, when completed correctly, light extra ball and special targets on the main playfield. Hitting a, b, c, and d on the top rollovers lights an extra ball feature on the mini playfield. Hitting the yellow star drop targets advances the multiplier bonus up to a 5x level. Interesting side drain configurations as well as the potential to score the kick-out hole playfield bonus prior to draining a ball is interesting. Five flippers grace the game. All in all, a great package and interesting flow for an early wide-body creation.This Gottlieb game is one of the five in the museum of the “flipper” series from Gottlieb. These games are all add-a-ball games. The layout of this game parallels a future Gottlieb classic by the name of “Buckaroo” (also in the museum). 1,550 of these machines were manufactured. Wayne Neyens designed the game and Roy Parker established the art package. Fifteen targets on the roto-target are present and spinning the roto would bring up new numbers to complete. If you are skillful enough to sequence four numbers in a row, an extra ball is awarded. The bull’s-eye target awards an extra ball also. Each time an extra ball is awarded, the backglass animation activates. The cowboy shoots at the targets, which causes them to spin. No match feature here and tilting the game forfeits the ball in play as well as a future ball in play.This game by Gottlieb is a very challenging design. It was invented by Ed Krynski and artwork was drawn by Gordon Morrison. This game has 10 drop targets lined up the left side of the playfield. If one target is hit, one scores 500 points. If, however, you’re skillful enough to hit a blue and white target at the same time, 5,000 points are awarded. Completing the sequence 1-9 lights the special at the bottom left rollover as well as lights the drop targets to score a special if all the targets are dropped. The player had to be wary when trying to freeze the ball on the right flipper, as one could lose the ball up the right guide rail (which has an opening in it the size of a ball). This playfield design was used a few times by Gottlieb, as it was a successful design (games like Gottlieb 300, for example, a bowling themed game). Scoring games by core were another option.September was the month for the introduction of this game. Both solid-state and mechanical versions were produced (9,950 versus 550 units, respectively). Ed Krynski designed the machine with art by Gordon Morison. A roto-target was incorporated into the upper right of the game, a Gottlieb exclusive. Hitting the A-B-C rollovers lights up the extra ball target and increases the value of the roto-targets as well as the drop target values. Knocking down all the drop targets increases the bonus multiplier value. The second time this feat is completed lights the special roto-target value. This game also features a bonus advance bank which increases to 20,000 points and a two to five times bonus multiplier feature. Score is the other way to win games.Wayne Neyens and Roy Parker again teamed up to create this pretty late-‘50s pin with an animated backglass. 950 units were made. The playfield has two gobble holes, which award 100,000 points for each rollover completed. If all six rollovers are made, a replay is awarded and the gobble holes are special holes. The main feature of the game is advancing the lightning ball backglass spelling. Each time you make the three colors on the playfield via rebound rubber or rollovers, the unit advances one step. If you are skillful enough to complete the lightning ball spellout, a replay is awarded, and each time you make the three colors to advance the letter, another replay is added. It’s not an easy task to complete. There’s always beating the game by scoring or matching. This game was somewhat retro as it has backglass light scoring, since Gottlieb already used reel scoring.Gottlieb hatched this add-a-ball machine from the skunkworks in April of the year, designed by Ed Krynski and artwork by Gordon Morison. This single-player machine has a bowling theme and only 715 units were produced at that time. The replay version of the game was called King Pin and many more of these machines were produced. The theme of this game is the drop target completion. By carefully aiming the four inherent flippers on board the playfield, one must try to complete the horizontal row of targets. Doing so will reset the targets and the wow feature activates, giving you a shot at the accomplishment of winning extra balls. Score is another way to pop free balls. The ten drop targets are not so easy to complete and the wow feature advances when you roll over the star rollover. This game is challenging, but a beginner can have ample fun with the machine.This pinball had a run of 1750 units. Designed by Ed Krynski with artwork by Art Stenholm, this 2 player four flipper game has no specials. The object of the game is to score a lot of points by advancing the yellow and red multipliers up to 100x where up to 500 points could be hit. Hitting the 100x level resets the hit column back to 1x. Extra balls are awarded if the roto spin target is hit when the star is in position. The use of the four flippers in the game makes one feels that the machine has two playfields in one. The new design pop bumpers, and auto ball lift are in early use here as well as the ball count meter. A challenging game that’s hard to beat!!!Gottlieb Joker Poker pinball. An interesting design, and only made in a 4 player version (no 2 player, unusual for Gottlieb pinball). One bank of five ace drop targets, one bank of four king drop targets, one bank of three jack targets, one bank of two queen drop targets, and a single ten drop target. Pretty cool pinball design really. Two pop bumpers, one slingshot, two 3″ flippers. They made 820 Gottlieb EM Joker Poker pinballs.This game scores as the #10 most desirable game of the ’70s. It came out in August, designed by Ed Krynski and Allen Edwell with artwork by Gordon Morrison. Backbox animation is included in the game. A giant thermometer advances when drop targets are hit and by rolling over the rollovers. If the thermometer is advanced to the top, the special lights on the eject hole. A, B, C and D rollovers, if hit, advances the thermometer 5 advances. If a player completes all the letters, he gets 5,000 points in the eject hole. A double bonus feature is present also. All in all, a very fast-paced game. Artists, as a general rule, didn’t help design playfields. They were given the game mechanically more or less completed and had to invent the graphics and theme on their own.November marks the month of this game’s release. Design was one of Ed Krynski’s and art package was penned by Gordon Morison. This game had an add-a-ball version called Gold Strike as well as a re-released solid-state version. Gottlieb also duplicated this game design in Target Alpha (in the museum) and Canada Dry. 2,875 units were produced. If you like drop targets, this is your game. A battery of 10 drop targets are in the top of the playfield and a battery of 5 on the right mid-center. Four flippers are present for aiming at your foe. If you’re skillful enough to complete all the targets, a replay is awarded, 5,000 points are added, and a special lights up to score a replay if hit. If you drain your ball, the targets reset. An advancing light under the drop targets awards 5,000 points instead of the usual 500 points if you hit the drop target when it’s up and appropriately lit. Rollovers score 5,000 points when lit. Score awards replays also as well as matching.October was the birthdate for this machine. It was designed by Ed Krynski with artwork by Art Stenholm. Low production run of 550 units. This is an add-a-ball game, the replay version being called Sing Along. This game was a variation on a classic Gottlieb game Kings and Queens, in that it contains the four side-by-side kickout holes made popular in 1965. Here, the object of the game is to complete four same-colored numbers vertically in a row to randomly cause the kickout hole to light to score an extra ball if you land in the hole when it’s lit. If you didn’t win a ball, each light in the column would award 10 points. If you have most of the lights lit, a run at the kickout holes awards a lot of points in a hurry which, in this game, also awards extra balls. One center target is also incorporated into the game, awarding 100 points when hit and lights the pop bumpers for higher scoring.Gottlieb released the game “Sinbad” in both solid-state and electromechanical formats in June of the year. Designed by Ed Krynski with art by Gordon Morison, there were 12,000 S.S. games and 950 E.M. games made. This machine is the rare two-player version of the game, of which 730 were made. Drop targets are the main theme of this game. Knocking down the single white drop target awards a 2x bonus and lights the white rollover. The three yellow drops were next. If hit, 3x bonus is awarded when the ball drains and the 5,000 rollover lights at the top of the playfield. The four purple drops were next. Making these would award 4x bonus and light the extra ball rollover. Finally, the five red drops; when hit would award 5x bonus (the maximum bonus that could register is 15,000 points times the bonus) as well as light the special rollover. Four flippers allowed for interesting play, also.
-
May was the release month for this game. Designer Ed Krynski and artist Gordon Morison put together the package. Production run was low, at 675 units. This is an add-a-ball game variant, the replay version was called High Hand. The challenging part of this playfield design is trying to lock a ball in the eject hole for extra balls. Four batteries of drop targets in four colors are along the sides of the playfield. Making a completion of a color of drop targets increases the value of the eject and side drains. If all the drop targets are completed, the extra ball features light up. Score is another way to win balls set by the operator. No match units were incorporated into these games as, again, that was considered a form of gambling, i.e. winning a free game.