Coin Slot

Coin Slot Magazine - #047 - 1978 - December [International Arcade Museum]
Eyes (1972). What one may disdain, another may enjoy.
best advice about a Williams game is - play it!
The
David Gottlieb's company has always been a pinball company
first and foremost.
It is unlikely that anybody would give two
hoots about any pinballs were it not for this company and this man.
Humpty Dumpty (1947) began the flipper craze.
Buy this
game but set it up in your bedroom. It doesn't play very well!
The six flippers are on the perimeter of the game and describe
their arc movement on the outer edge of the playf ield.
Joker (1950) shows flippers which are reversed from the norm,
pivoting at the center of the game. This flipper arrangement is by
no means unusual before 1955. Joker is a beautiful game, simple,
yet fun to play. It is on my top ten list.
The years 1953 through 1965 contain a string of ever-evolving
games which are all joys to play. Green Pastures, Wishing Well,
Harbor Lites, Ace High, Rocket Ship, Queen of Diamonds, Dan
cing Dolls, Cover Girl, Slick Chick, Gigi, Buckaroo - the list is
almost endless. There is one game which merits separate mention:
Bank-A-Ball (1965). This game evolved into King of Diamonds
(1967) and Spin-A-Card (1969); all three are a blast! Bank-A-Ball
carried the introduction of flipper return lanes and is possibly the
finest example of the 13 (15)-target game.
The average Gottlieb of 1966-69 is off in quality, compared to
the earlier games.
However, the 1970 Snow Derby ushered in a
renaissance for Gottlieb. This era produced a slew of delightful
games - 2001, 4 Square, Lawman, Drop-A-Card, Outer Space, Fly
ing Carpet, King Kool, Jack-ln-The-Box, High Hand, and Skyjump.
For the first time Gottlieb began producing multi-player games of
interest.
Those built prior to 1970 do not compare favorably
with the contemporary single-players, but the above list of eleven
games contains five multi-player designs.
Humpty Dumpty will probably remain the most sought after
piece.
Fireball is the next most in demand; after that, it's any
body's guess as to popularity. Neither of these games are interes
ting enough to want to play for years on end, though Fireball is
initially deceptively engrossing.
.com
m
:
u
from -muse
d
e
oad .arcade
l
n
Dow //www comments, and criticism from Coin Slot
I invite questions,
tp: not seen every pinball ever made and can still feel
readers. h
I t have
my heart stop upon discovering some previously unknown desig
ner's trick.
know!
If you're offended - or overjoyed - write and let us
© The International Arcade Museum
37
http://www.arcade-museum.com/