Built in 1976 by Playmatic, this one captures that whole “fuck yeah ‘Murica” feel of the bicentennial. I’m not sure which is funnier, the giant view of the moon looming over a rocket, or the conestoga wagons riding in from the star field.
Comet
Comet. Williams, 1985, and it looks it. Quasi-photo-realistic people screaming in a washed-out rollercoaster car, and you only realize after a moment of looking that they’re somewhat upside-down, because the fairgrounds are turned 270 degrees and tucked in the top right corner. Also, there are fireworks *below* the rollercoaster car. And an evil toothy grin on the car’s front.
I don’t know where this track goes, but I suspect it is to their doom.
Oh and check out this stuck ball I managed to get while playing. Damn rollercoasters, always stopping in the middle of the track.
Bobby Orr Power Play
Bobby Orr Power Play, 1977. This machine celebrates Bobby Orr, ice hockey, the Chicago Blackhawks, and Canada in general. The centerpiece is Bobby Orr in his Blackhawks uniform scoring a goal against the Toronto Mapleleafs goalie. The Mapleleafs logos emblazon the left side of the backglass and the Blackhawks the right.
Black Jack
Black Jack, Bally, 1977. A detailed and elaborate Jack (like on playing cards) decorates this machine. I own one, so clearly I like it.
Big House
Big House, 1989, a goddamned Gottleib.
This one is jailbreak themed. And that would be fine. But most of the characters drawn in the backglass art are anthropomorphic caricatures of 1950s Hollywood stars from the mob movies of the era. Two have the heads of dogs, one appears to be a cat, one is a rat, all dressed in black and white striped prison uniforms… and there are also a few humans on the glass, all of which look like they’re the “good guys”. It’s very noir-adjacent.