Naturally I like the prototype version, because it's my favorite EM! I think the luck/skill factors are pretty well balanced, though Zac may have a point with Hot Tip. I need more time to compare those two.
Anyway, Freedom is from Bally's "awesomest era". Big backglasses, DC power, fast gameplay, and pretty good rules too. The regular production version isn't quite as satisfying to me because the shots are more V-shaped than the figure-eight prototype... but still quite enjoyable.
The random wheel awards are superior to Fan-Tas-Tic because a) you don't have to wait for the roulette wheel to finish, b) they aren't insane-good like "triple bonus" and "advance to max", and c) you get the award you line up yourself... it isn't totally random if you're good.
Fan-Tas-Tic is terrible for tournaments but beginners LOVE IT. I think Freedom is a good tourney game too. Feels great to roll it over twice... something I've only done once, and barely at that.
I like it. Bally was surging strong during this period through their 1981 peak.