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Another rare machine stands before you. Although 2,885 units were produced, they were all sent to France as a promotion in a contest to market Canada Dry soda. Designed by Ed Krynski and art by Gordon Morrison, this game was released in the US as a one player, two player and four player version. If you like drop targets this is your game. Fifteen drop targets live in this playfield design! If you’re skillful enough to hit all the upper drop targets, the side extra ball rollovers activate. The same is true if you hit the bottom five drop targets. If, however, you’re skillful enough to complete all fifteen targets, the specials are activated. Score is another way to win. The machines put on location in France provided high-scoring winners with monetary prizes from Canada Dry. I wish they would do this in the united States, especially in Atlantic City. -
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Demolition Man is a Williams pinball machine released in February 1994. It is based on the motion picture of the same name. It is part of WMS’ SuperPin line of widebody games. Sylvester Stallone (John Spartan) and Wesley Snipes (Simon Phoenix) provided custom speech for this game during ADR sessions at Warner Brothers Studios in Los Angeles under the direction of Jon Hey. Hey scored the music of the pinball game in part based upon the movie score by Academy Award winner Elliot Goldenthal, but including new music. Multiball modes This game is centered on multiball modes. The player has to shoot the left ramp when the “freeze” light is lit (lit by the right inlane) to “lock” a ball. When the required amount of locks are made, the player has to shoot the left loop to start multiball. Fortress Multiball (2 balls required) – A normal multiball mode with 3 jackpots and the “Super Jackpot”. 1-4 balls can be shot up. Museum Multiball (3 balls required) – Jackpots everywhere, except the standups. After the “Super Jackpot” the Multiball starts over. 3-6 balls can be shot up. Wasteland Multiball (4 balls required) – Same as “Fortress Multiball”. If not getting the lighting jackpots, the next jackpot will appear and the previous jackpot will stay. 4-8 balls can be shot up. Cryoprison Multiball (5 balls required) – The “Super Jackpot” is lit, from the beginning of the multiball. After getting the “Super Jackpot” it will lit again after hitting an arrow or more. Completing all four multiball modes lights the right ramp for the wizard award, Demolition Jackpot, which is the total amount of all the jackpots collected during the game. The Demolition Jackpot is lost if the ball drains. If you hit all jackpots in a multiball, the “Super Jackpot” light will lit. Getting the ball up to the “Cryo-Claw” whilst, you will get it. The “Super Jackpot” light turns off, if all the balls drain and the Multiball is over, the “Super Jackpot” is lost. -
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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! -
If there was a very pretty game manufactured in the ‘50s, this is it! Hawaiian Beauty was designed by Wayne Neyens with art package by none other than Roy Parker. 900 of these machines were screwed together in the Chicago factory. The game was initially called “Monkey Shine” but was later changed. This game also features the infamous “double” award. If you inset two nickels at the beginning of the game instead of the usual nickel, each won replay would score two games or double the winnings instead of one game. More coins in the coinbox was the hope of the arcade owners. The playfield is interesting in this game. Two blocked gobble holes at the top of the playfield would score 500,000 points and light lower side exit special lanes for replays. Hitting the 1-6 sequence at the top of the playfield would advance the rollovers to score 100,000 points if rolled over. Points as well as score won games. -
This contemporary machine was designed by Keith Johnson and Joe Balcer. The art package was created by Matt Groening’s cartoon team and the voices inherent in the game are from the actors who play the characters on the show. This well-designed game is basically an extension of The Simpsons TV show with all characters accounted for. Opening the garage door allows you to try and lock three balls in the couch to start couch multiball and score a jackpot or super jackpot. The three drop targets on the bottom right must be hit, the ball dropped into the hole behind them…and then repeated once more to start the Itchy and Scratchy multiball. If you’re skillful enough to complete all the modes to the basic game, the spoiler modes kick in. One of these modes reverses the flipper buttons’ function. A very complicated game enhanced by Homer following the ball around the playfield; this game is busy. -
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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. -
Big Brave is a two-player electromechanical machine. 3,450 units were produced. Ed Krynski designed the machine and Gordon Morison was in charge of the artwork. This game was a typical Gottlieb game of the era. It has drop targets, resetting targets, bonus feature, double bonus option, and a special. Making the B I G rollover lights the pop bumpers. Hitting all five drop targets awards 5,000 points. Hitting the last drop target left when the B I G is hit awards a special. The vari-target, as it was called, was an exclusive Gottlieb design. As you hit the target – depending how hard you hit it – would result in bigger point values. It will then reset to be hit again and again. A four-player version of this game, Big Indian, was also produced. -
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June marked the month when Bally let Greg Kmiec and Christian Marche unveil their newest creation to the pinball world. This two-player game awards an extra ball when the A-B-C-D sequence is completed. C and D when completed, award the double bonus. The third flipper in the middle right of the playfield gives the player maximum control to shoot for the Aladdin’s Alley. Hitting the rollover at the top of this shot scores the lit value and then advances the value for the next completed shot. If you’re skillful enough to make it to the 5,000 shot, the next shot scores a special. This special remains lit for the balance of the ball in play. All in all, a typical Bally game of the era. This game was released at the same time as the classic Captain Fantastic Bally machine (that game is in the museum). Captain Fantastic made Bally #1. -
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. -
This wide-body mouthful of a game incorporates not one talking head (like in the game “Funhouse”) but two…and they talk to each other during game play. Williams made around six wide-body machines such as this so as to incorporate more real estate space for playfield action and toys. They went by the moniker of the “Super Pin.” This machine was designed by Pat Lawlor and inked by John Youssi. 6,259 were made. In a nutshell, the object of this machine is to cross the US to achieve the ultimate jackpot round. Each time you hit Ted, the day of the week advances in front of him. When you reach Friday, it’s payday. This starts the three-ball multiball series. The jackpot is achieved when you shoot a ball into sleeping Ted’s mouth! Much mayhem, a vibrating motor, two plunger shots, and a lot of characters pop up to taunt you on your way across the country. Country singer Carlene Carter is the voice of Red. -
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The game before you is extremely rare with only 278 screwed together at the Chicago Gottlieb factory. This one-player electromechanical add-a-ball game was designed by John Osbourne with art by Gordon Morison. A replay version was also designed by the name of Blue Note. The object of this machine is to complete all the notes down the left side of the playfield. Doing so activates the classic “wow” feature which, when hit, awards one free ball. A reset is in your future once your current ball drains. Score is another way to achieve longer play by winning extra balls. The spinner in the middle of the playfield awards big points when 1,000 points is lit; each spin of the target awards 1,000 points plus number of revolutions spun. A nice retro art package completes this rare machine. -
Here is one you do not see every day. This is a Gottlieb Challenger from 1971. Only 110 of these were produced back in the day. How many are still around now … head-to-head pinball game with two players at opposite ends of the playfield, simultaneous soccer like play, can not be played with one player. Each player has flipper buttons which control only those flippers facing the opponent. Ball enters play from between the flippers. Game has 8 flippers and vertically mounted score reels. The playfield actually tilts towards and away from the players, depending on which end served the ball. -
This Williams machine fabricated in 1955 is a strange game that really is more of a toy. A player gets to operate a remote-controlled bulldozer around a big sandbox for 120 seconds using two remote controllers in synthetic gravel. It appears the idea for this machine was to cater to the under-12 market as no rewards, extra time, or extra plays were programmed into the electromechanical boards within the machine. No scoring and no prizes! This machine was often confused with Williams’ Crane (1956) because it has a sign on top of the game that says, “Be a sidewalk engineer.” Ten cents allowed adults a two-minute break to get a quick snack while a child was entertained. I don’t think this would be the case in today’s thinking… -
This game is the pinball rendition of the HBO TV show, The Sopranos, complete with voices of most of the actors in the series. It was designed by George Gomez with the art package created by Kevin O’Conner. The main object of the machine is to advance through the ranks of the mob by advancing your status through playfield rollovers and cracking the safe. Doing so is difficult to achieve to top capo. A multiball feature is also incorporated into the game behind a solo drop target. Video modes must be achieved to complete the placard of events culminating in the completion of your missions. So many pop bumper hits light up the party at the bing in the upper right, which scores a bunch of points. Mastering this machine is tough, but that’s what brings you back to try again. -
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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.
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Official Baseball, Williams #232, 2/60, two players, woodrail with players on the playfield and animated umpire and pitcher, plus a running man unit. Uses 3/4″ balls. Very often the playfield men get broken from the ball play (or the catcher is just plain missing!) A very cool woodrail (maple side rail) baseball arcade game with hole style scoring (opposed to the 1963 and later target scoring scheme), and a very good looking game. Two player game, so competitive play is encouraged. High score is kept, with a default of 15 runs as the minimum high score to beat. Game can be set for one to three innings per game. Game uses a buzzer which sounds between innings and players. Most of the players have lights under their fielding hole. If the light is on, the runner advances if the ball goes in this hole. If the light is out, the field hole is an out. Whether the light is on or off is determined by how many players are currently on base (via the running man unit in the backbox). So hitting to the first basemen’s field hole could get the player an out or a single. Official baseball is easily the best looking of all post-WW2 pitch and bat baseballs. With the metal playfield men and classic design, it’s a handsome game. It is not though the best playing of the Williams pitch and bats. Since it does not have a home-run deck (like most of the other Williams p&b games), it’s not riveting from a game play perspective. But the pitching unit (the umpire hands the ball to the pitcher, and then the pitcher moves forward to pitch the ball). -
This machine is one in a trilogy that Williams produced with an amusement park theme. 9,400 were made with design accolades going to Barry Oursler and art by Python Anghelo. Ronald and Nancy Reagan appear on the backglass. The Comet and Cyclone are two roller coasters from the Coney Island era. If you ride the Comet ramp six times, a million-point shot is possible. The Cyclone ramp in the upper right awards the accumulated jackpot on the backglass if hit three times. Hitting the spook house drop target exposes a gobble hole which spins the backglass wheel for a point award or extra ball. A ferris wheel bonus a shooting gallery bonus and a bonus multiplier shot in the lower left complete this impressive package. “You pay your money, you take your chances” in this classic machine. -
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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 developed with the Beatles craze of the day in mind, as you can see the caricatures of the Fab Four incorporated into the art of the machine. The production run of this two-player game was 2,802 units. Designed by the legendary Steve Kordek with art by Jerry Kelley, the object of the game is to complete all four quadrants of the clock image by hitting the 3,6,9 and 12 quadrants. Doing so advances the bonus system of scoring, lights extra ball features and one special feature. An interesting part of the game design was the stepped target in the middle of the play field. Hitting this target would score the target value currently displayed and the target advances 90 degrees to the next target. Each new ball resets the clock to zero completed parts. The operator had the ability to adjust the points needed for free games, the number of score levels, if a special awarded a free game or an extra ball, and the option of three- or five-ball play. -
This machine is based on the ’30s radio series then turned into a movie. Design accolades go to Brian Eddy with art scripted by Doug Watson. 4,247 of these machines were made. The interesting feature in this machine is the elevated upper-left playfield. This playfield is gained access to once the drop target is hit. Once this challenge is complete, another shot to this ramp shoots the ball upstairs to this feature. Pressing the flipper buttons moves the paddle left or right. The kicker is activated by an optic sensor automatically to hit all the targets if your aim is sure. This game also has a thrust magnet which grabs the ball in action and shoots it up the playfield into the next feature. No pop bumpers are on the playfield, which is a rare event. Another first incorporated into this playfield are two ramp diverters which are player adjustable. Completing the six scenes of the story award you with the final battle sequence of good against evil. -
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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. -
This Norm Clark and Christian Marsche creation was also produced in an add-a-ball version called Love Bug as well as a four-player version called Dipsy Doodle. This symmetrical playfield design has a captive ball under the playfield which, when activated, rolls over a switch to score a bonus batch of points based on the value of the button when the feature is lit. The top kickout hole randomly selects bonus features to make the game more intriguing. A popup post between the flippers prevents ball drain down the middle of the playfield, but this post may be retracted just at the wrong time if the down-post targets are hit. An extra ball may be achieved if the center target is lit. This target also activates the “doodlebug” under the playfield. Finally, a free ball gate is incorporated into the machine if the appropriate combination of pop bumpers and rollovers are made. A fast-paced game that was popular in its day. -
This massive baseball “pitch and bat” game is considered one of the best baseball games of its era. One or two players could play this behemoth at once, with each player alternating for three innings of play for a nickel or dime. The pitcher may randomly press one of three pitch buttons to pick a weak-to-strong pitch to the batter. The open play field allows one to try and score a home run in one of three bleachers. If you can achieve getting a homer in all three bleachers during your three outs, 30 extra runs are awarded. Then, of course, the ultimate tag of the ball would land the ball in the super home run hole, a rare achievement. This would also award 30 extra runs. Another unique feature of United baseball machines is the scoring of three singles if the ball drops in front of the ramps. These games are also notorious for having a slew of “out” holes. Batter up! -
Wow! What a light show! The machine before you represents the first offering from the fledgling company of Jersey Jack Pinball of Lakewood, N.J. A pinball of any production hasn’t been made in the state for decades. This machine was created as a centerpiece of technology to show the arcade world what a contemporary machine can contain in one package. Stern, the only other U.S. maker of pinball, has always streamlined the process of pinball manufacturing and kept the number of pinball “toys” on a machine to a minimum to make their machines less expensive. Since this machine came out, Stern now offers three models of their newer machines: a stripped basic unit, an average machine contents wise and a tricked-out collectable unit to compete with the likes of Jersey Jack. Look at this machine! Mike Balcer designed the playfield; Jerry Vandersteldt, Greg Freres and Matt Riesterer penned the artwork. 1,000 units are already spoken for and both a special edition (the one here) and a standard edition are planned. Five flippers, five magnets, color changing LEDs, a 26-inch LED monitor, shaker motor, ball lift, spinning house toy, crystal ball projector, rising witch and wide-body package are only some of the innovations seen here. -
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This solid-state game was very popular when it was released and has a lot of smooth shots to complete. It was designed by Jim Patla with artwork by Paul Faris. Production run was 18,250 units. This pre-speaking pinball has Hugh Hefner on its backglass with Bunny Sondra Theodore posing. At the top of the game are four rollover lanes, which advance when hit to a special and advance the bonuses and grotto award. Hitting the five Bunny targets also advance a feature to win extra balls and specials. A unique kickback lane advances with every entrance into it. A five-pack of drop targets also advance certain features on the game. If 20,000 points are made on the bonus system, this point count is carried over to all remaining balls and then some. The nicest shot on the game is going up the right side from the flipper and looping the ball into the grotto. The sound originates from the old TV show “Playboy After Dark.” -
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.