Play Meter
Issue: 1977 November - Vol 3 Num 21 - Page 3
~I.AY
IIlilll
Volume 3/ No. 21
November 1977
••••••••••••••••••••••••
Staff
Publisher and Editor:
Ralph C. Lally II
Managing Editor:
David Pierson
International Editor:
David Snook
Editor, Coin Slot
Technical Editor:
Robin Minnear
Game Doctors
Correspondents :
Roger C. Sharpe
DickWelu
Mary Claire Blakeman
Susan Brenna
J .W . Sedlak
Randy Fromm
Art Direction :
Meyer Alewitz
Staff Cartoonist:
Norm Rockwell
Typography :
Skybird Typography
Circulation Manager:
Debbie Barnes
Advertising Representative :
Ralph C. Lally II
European Representative :
Esmay Leslie
Coin Industry PLA Y METER, No-
vember, 1977. Volume 3, No. 21 .
Copyright 1977 by Skybird Publishing
Company. Full editions of Coin
Industry Play Meter are published
monthly, the first Friday of the
month . The Update news edition is
published monthly, the third Friday of
the month . Publishing offices: 4136
Washington Ave ., P.O. Box 24170,
New Orleans, La . 70184. Tel. 5041
827-0320. Subscription rates: U.S.
and Canada - $25; Europe and Ja-
pan - $45; elsewhere - $50. One or-
der multiple subscription : 2-9, $20
each; 10-24, $17 each ; 25 or more ,
$15 each . Advertising rates available
on request . No part of this magazine
may be reproduced without express
permission . The editors are not
responsible for unsolicited manu-
scripts . Second-class postage paid at
Louisville, Ky., and additional mailing
offices . Postmaster: Send form 3579
to Play Meter, P.O. Box 24170, New
Orleans, La . 70184. European Office :
Play Meter Promotions, 15 . Great
North Rd ., Brookmans Park, AL 9 6
LV, Hertfordshire, England .
IIIID
~I.AY
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
FOWL PLAY .... .... ...... .... ........ .. ... ....... ..... . 18
Bird Brain may not resolve the overwhelming question of
which came first the chicken or the egg, but at least it's a
game that has chances for the operator.
MR. AVERAG E AND HIS OPERATION ... ..... ..... ... ... \ .20
Play Meter's definitive poll finds the answer to questions
such as what is the average free play percentage , etc .
TRANSITION SHOW .... ..... .... ..... ... ... ...... .... ,. 26
The AMOA show is here . In years to come, however, it
may be remembered as the show where solid state finally
came into its own .
AMOA STAGE SHOW .... .......... .... ... .... ... ....... 38
Frankie Avalon , Boots Randolph , Dave and Sugar - this
year' s stage show offers loads of diversified talents .
A BETTER PEOPLETRAP .... ...... ... ... .. .... ... ...... , 42
Chuck E. Cheese has added more than pizzaz to the pizza ,
it's added game rooms.
BOOK REViEW ....... .... . · .. .. ................. ... ... .. 45
The Book is finally on sale and while it may not be this
industry's Bible, it may certainly be its Roots.
WHEN 50/50WON'T 00 .................. .. ..... .. .... .. 54
Ernest W . Fair gives operators some good hints on how to
improve that commission arrangement .
THE EMERGENCE OF GREMLIN ...... ... ...... ... ..... .. 66
They started out as a manufacturer of oceanographic
instruments and now have blossomed into a solid state
force in the industry todav .
WITH THREE YOU GET EGGROLL. ...... ...... .. .. ... ... . 74
Roger C. Sharpe has done it again, another controversial
piece , this time about three-ball versus five -ball .
TRAFFIC AND THE SUPER MALL .... ... .......... .... ... 94
Joe Fucini points out that despite the high monthly costs,
the super mall is well worth the investment.
Coinman of the Month ...................... ..... .... ... . 8
Operating .... .. ... ..... .. ...................... ........ 14
Music Charts ...... .......... ..... ... ... .. ........ ... ... 47
Distributing .... ... .. ... ....... .... ..... .... .. ... ... .. .. 56
Critic's Corner .... ...... ... ........ ....... ..... .... ..... 58
New Products .... .. .. ...... .... ..... .. .. .. .... .... ..... 68
Manufacturing .... ... .. .. ... ..... .... ........... ... .... 76
Technical Topics .. ....... .. ...... .... .... ...... ... .. ... 84
International News ... ....... ..... ... ..... .... .. ... .... . 96
Classified ...... ......... ... ............ ...... .. ...... .. 97
MEMBER
IIlilll
Volume 3/ No. 21
November 1977
••••••••••••••••••••••••
Staff
Publisher and Editor:
Ralph C. Lally II
Managing Editor:
David Pierson
International Editor:
David Snook
Editor, Coin Slot
Technical Editor:
Robin Minnear
Game Doctors
Correspondents :
Roger C. Sharpe
DickWelu
Mary Claire Blakeman
Susan Brenna
J .W . Sedlak
Randy Fromm
Art Direction :
Meyer Alewitz
Staff Cartoonist:
Norm Rockwell
Typography :
Skybird Typography
Circulation Manager:
Debbie Barnes
Advertising Representative :
Ralph C. Lally II
European Representative :
Esmay Leslie
Coin Industry PLA Y METER, No-
vember, 1977. Volume 3, No. 21 .
Copyright 1977 by Skybird Publishing
Company. Full editions of Coin
Industry Play Meter are published
monthly, the first Friday of the
month . The Update news edition is
published monthly, the third Friday of
the month . Publishing offices: 4136
Washington Ave ., P.O. Box 24170,
New Orleans, La . 70184. Tel. 5041
827-0320. Subscription rates: U.S.
and Canada - $25; Europe and Ja-
pan - $45; elsewhere - $50. One or-
der multiple subscription : 2-9, $20
each; 10-24, $17 each ; 25 or more ,
$15 each . Advertising rates available
on request . No part of this magazine
may be reproduced without express
permission . The editors are not
responsible for unsolicited manu-
scripts . Second-class postage paid at
Louisville, Ky., and additional mailing
offices . Postmaster: Send form 3579
to Play Meter, P.O. Box 24170, New
Orleans, La . 70184. European Office :
Play Meter Promotions, 15 . Great
North Rd ., Brookmans Park, AL 9 6
LV, Hertfordshire, England .
IIIID
~I.AY
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
FOWL PLAY .... .... ...... .... ........ .. ... ....... ..... . 18
Bird Brain may not resolve the overwhelming question of
which came first the chicken or the egg, but at least it's a
game that has chances for the operator.
MR. AVERAG E AND HIS OPERATION ... ..... ..... ... ... \ .20
Play Meter's definitive poll finds the answer to questions
such as what is the average free play percentage , etc .
TRANSITION SHOW .... ..... .... ..... ... ... ...... .... ,. 26
The AMOA show is here . In years to come, however, it
may be remembered as the show where solid state finally
came into its own .
AMOA STAGE SHOW .... .......... .... ... .... ... ....... 38
Frankie Avalon , Boots Randolph , Dave and Sugar - this
year' s stage show offers loads of diversified talents .
A BETTER PEOPLETRAP .... ...... ... ... .. .... ... ...... , 42
Chuck E. Cheese has added more than pizzaz to the pizza ,
it's added game rooms.
BOOK REViEW ....... .... . · .. .. ................. ... ... .. 45
The Book is finally on sale and while it may not be this
industry's Bible, it may certainly be its Roots.
WHEN 50/50WON'T 00 .................. .. ..... .. .... .. 54
Ernest W . Fair gives operators some good hints on how to
improve that commission arrangement .
THE EMERGENCE OF GREMLIN ...... ... ...... ... ..... .. 66
They started out as a manufacturer of oceanographic
instruments and now have blossomed into a solid state
force in the industry todav .
WITH THREE YOU GET EGGROLL. ...... ...... .. .. ... ... . 74
Roger C. Sharpe has done it again, another controversial
piece , this time about three-ball versus five -ball .
TRAFFIC AND THE SUPER MALL .... ... .......... .... ... 94
Joe Fucini points out that despite the high monthly costs,
the super mall is well worth the investment.
Coinman of the Month ...................... ..... .... ... . 8
Operating .... .. ... ..... .. ...................... ........ 14
Music Charts ...... .......... ..... ... ... .. ........ ... ... 47
Distributing .... ... .. ... ....... .... ..... .... .. ... ... .. .. 56
Critic's Corner .... ...... ... ........ ....... ..... .... ..... 58
New Products .... .. .. ...... .... ..... .. .. .. .... .... ..... 68
Manufacturing .... ... .. .. ... ..... .... ........... ... .... 76
Technical Topics .. ....... .. ...... .... .... ...... ... .. ... 84
International News ... ....... ..... ... ..... .... .. ... .... . 96
Classified ...... ......... ... ............ ...... .. ...... .. 97
MEMBER
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).