The theme sucked me in but the gameplay let me down. Space is cool. A Ted Zale game without much Ted Zale-ness is not cool.

Reading thru some of the other ratings, maybe I’m missing something. But Fireball, 4 Million BC, those games would have evaporated all my quarters. This one would not.

Great artwork package and the backglass novelty is pretty cool.

A more open table design but requires a well tuned table for the best experience.

My first 60s and zipper flipper pin I've ever owned. I actually got this to put in an antique mall to draw attention to our booth and only owned it a few months. It was tempting to put this in my regular arcade as it was fun, looks really good, and had a surprising amount of things to do on the playfield. At first glance the game looks really bare, however once you start to notice the rollover buttons, the zipper flippers, and the orbit on the backglass, it really adds a lot of replayability. I also noticed at the time I owned this, not a single one has been sold on pinside, so I suppose this might be the rarest game I've ever owned.

An interesting zipper flipper layout, but what else would you expect from Ted Zale? The scoring strategy of collecting the fuel pods on the different ships and then trying to hit the blast off area for maximum points means you need to shoot all areas of the playfield. This can be difficult to execute and keep the ball in play as you get some side to side ball motion going on some of those angles which can be deadly for out lanes. A fun layout which makes me want to play again and again, the zipper flippers just add to the craziness.

Ted Zale has given us another glimpse into his genius. Read on cadets!

The Pros:
For a game that looks so sparse, there is quite a bit to do. Look at the PF nipple tic-tac rollovers and in combination with the mushrooms, you have a complete spectrum of shots to make across the board. Getting the silver ball to orbit the blast off around the earth is a brilliant example of Mr. Zale bringing the space race through sputnik to our pinball enjoyment. The Super-duper skill shot from the top will keep you nudging all day long. You'd better hit that red mushroom ASAP and stay away from the yellow mushrooms at all costs! Kind of simple, never, never, never easy. The artwork is Jerry Kelly doing his best minimalist angular art package to give the player the illusion that they are floating in the universe. Even the paper airplane graphics on the side of the cab look just right. I love watching the satellite make an orbit around Mama Earth. Find one and play it all day long. Always a challenge, never boring. Sign of a brilliant pinball design.


The Cons:
I don't own one. I am willing to take donations to the pinball cause though.

The Takeaway:
OK guys... here's another reason why this game is genius... I tell you GENIUS! There is no sound on this game... because there is NO SOUND IN OUTER SPACE!

GENIUS!

I bow down to the greatness of the Zale. Come join me and... bow down to the greatness of the Zale!

I said bow damnit!

I know this is a rambling review, but looking into the vaults Jerry Kelly was the man who started the whole cut-paper pointy people look starting with A-Go-Go in 1966. Christian Marche didn't start to point with his people until 1968. Righteous Jerry Kelly!

Great game with enough challenge in it to keep playing it over and over again