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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.
