My second EM, also picked this one up for free. It was a dirty dirty machine. My first 4 player EM and I was pretty out of my depths on this one. Had it running for a while, but ultimately passed it along to another local pinhead who would take better care of it. I think the artwork on it is great both on the backglass and the playfield. I am not aware of anything unique about it game play wise that makes it a keeper, I think there is a level of rarity to the EM one vs the SS version and I had the EM one, but I don't really keep up on that side of things. There are a number of EM's I like the look of that I'd love to have in the game room one day before I chase down another Cleopatra, but I still think it is a good looking and fun playing game.

Great transition EM.

The drop target value is 1,000-5,000 depending on how many rollovers you’ve hit.

Tight shots to get the ball back up top.

The drop targets are a challenge to complete without a drain.

Drops reset when you drain with the Extra Ball lit.

Plays like lightning.

Great artwork and a challenging layout. Had mine since 2013. Bury me in it.

I bought this 30 years ago as a machine that had been on route then used for parts etc. Cut my teeth on repair and troubleshooting on it. As far as the rating, this machine was a blast! Family and friends used to play this for hours, super engaging where you didn't want to stop. I had to sell mine years ago due to a move, but if you have a chance to buy one, don't hesitate. I keep looking but haven't found one yet. EDIT: I did find and buy a solid state version, but it's just not the same, the cadence of the score motor and reels contribute to the overall game IMHO. What can I say, my first pin holds a special place in my heart ;)

Another really interesting and unique theme with underrated gameplay. Buy it before people find out about it and raise the price!

Same basic review I gave the Cleopatra SS machine, with a slightly lower mark for the EM backglass which hinders the art, grouping the reels in the top right corner. Simple little game with great shots.

Where Cleopatra really shines is it's artwork. The backglass in particular is stunning, and flanked with four large electromechanical score reel units, this game doesn't mess around. The playfield is a little less stunning, perhaps even a little dull, with light green and yellow dominating the color scheme.

Perhaps the best feature of the game is it's main gameplay strategy. The player must match colors on the bonus unit by rolling over corresponding rollovers and hitting the drop targets. There is a significant amount of risk/reward strategy--the most valuable targets are not only the hardest to hit, but also the most dangerous, but the player MUST hit both targets of the same color to score the bonus value, otherwise, no score is awarded. The way the bonus is "scanned" at the end of each ball is really neat. Very reminiscent of games like Royal Flush.

My only gripe come from the symmetry of the playfield layout. It'd have been nice to have some asymmetry to make the game a little more diverse, and shots back up to the top rollovers are often stifled by a poorly placed post. Still, the game is mostly fair, and very fun, especially when playing against others.

I had the opportunity to play this machine at the Pinball Expo Sydney Nov 2014. I guess the game name conjures the image of greatness. Whether the machine lives up to this image is another thing. Good design & great appeal with gameplay that is interesting but in my view not a keeper. But late 70s Gottlieb EMs are an engineering masterpiece for the era.