Play Meter

Gottlieb 's ROCK STAR
Gottlieb 's GEMINI
54
And this model , the third of the
Gottlieb games to be looked at this
month , is also a very finely tuned
machine .
PLA YF[ELD : Four lanes off to
right center start the game (red -
white -green -yellow) which has a
color matching technique long asso-
ciated with this manufacturer . An
opening on the left leads to two more
lanes (red and white) while the
middle offers two widely spaced
thumper bumpers and a top right
target (green) . Move down and there
are little openings and alleyways
throughout .
At the left finds a two drop target
bank (red) then a little opening
before another two drop target bank
(white) . Move to the right of center
field and there are two more spaced
double target banks (green and
yellow) with a side rollover lane
(yellow) that leads down to a longer
sized kicker Gottlieb wire lane and
flipper bottom .
ANAL YS[S : The color matching is
a natural here on Gemini as well as
pinball in general , if no other reason
than the fact that the new player to
the game can understand it fairly
easily . It 's the little twists that count.
Get all the drop targets and it's 2X,
with extra bonus points possible
when the star is lit in front of each
target bank- this corresponds to the
various lanes and target where the
colors have to be gotten out. On last
ball play , it's a given 2X, with 3X
possible under the same format .
Lanes and targets all out or down
and the out-lanes become alive ,
offering extra ball and special values .
The shots are good from either
flipper with some nice reverses
coming into play and the little spaces
throughout the board offering access
to still higher pOints on the field as
well as higher points in score . Even
with all of this spacing , the balance is
good for a game board that could
make it as a solid state machine .
Hopefully , the fact that it's a
two-player EM won't mean that
many will pass it by and not look at it
since it's worth more than a glimpse
depending upon the potential loca-
tion for the piece .
GRAPH[CS: Here comes the sun
and two shapely beauties along with
waves of water , faces , and bursts of
color throughout the backglass and
playfield . It's a nice eye-catching
motif that is nicely done and a bright
break from much of what Gottlieb
has offered recently in terms of
artwork .
PLAY: Definitely a five -ball game,
the 100,000 point, 140,000 and
180 ,000 set for Rock Star does
nicely her for e xtra ball areas . With
free play , you might want to jump it
up a bit , although the game may also
give out the play when it's turned
past the 199,990 score .
RAT[NG : 111111
Well , a longer than usual corner
this month to accommodate a whole
slew of recent and upcoming ma-
chines . [n the months to come ,
hopefully all will be well with the
rumors surrounding Atari and their
line of pingames , so that we can tak~
a look at what [ and many others feel
is the company's best to date ,
Superman. Also the newest of the
new from Gottlieb , which looks like it
might take all the softness out of the
talk regarding their recent models;
the next one , which [ have already
played is a beauty for true pinball
lovers . Bally , Williams , and Stern
have some strong pieces on the line
to continue their combined succes-
ses , and there's also a glut of foreign
pin balls that bear a much closer
look - especially a dramatic innova-
tion from Playmatic that could mean
some exciting possibilities in future
design , as well as two very good
pieces from Sonic and assorted
numbers from others across the
ocean .
On the home front, since it's come
to my attention that some peoole are
a bit upset - it is true that I've
designed a game (and plan to do
more in the future for anyone willing
to listen to this lover of pins) .
Sharpshooter from Game Plan will
unveil its western head in the spring
after an initial showing at the A.T.E .
As for my unbiased stance [ have
long tried to take and keep in this
industry , it remains and [ know that
people who know me believe this
and also realize that [ would never
compromise myself or my principles
that [ have always stood for . My
reviews in the future will in no way be
shaded by designs [ will or won 't do.
And to put another question to
rest- [ won 't review any games that [
have had a hand in designing .
Instead , there will be guest reviewers
and comments by anyone willing to
drop me a line regarding any efforts
I've put down on a playfield . But as
far as I'm concerned the ratings and
reviews continue as they always have
along with my deep commitment to
the continued growth , improvement
and understanding of the pinball
business . So with that off my chest ,
and lengthy column behind , as
always [ wish each and everyone of
you the best and, of course , he well
and prosper .
PLAY METER , March,1979