Such a strange game...feels very similar to Blackwater for some reason to me. I only played it a couple times at PAPA last year and got double dipped (F@#%ed) on it last league night but I took time to learn it afterwards. Def a fun game and very unique. ENJOY!!!

I've always wanted one of these, they look so cool.

My first game. Ahhh!

I had one. I think all the manuals are stamped preliminary. I'm not familiar with any game/art specific differences if there are any actual prototypes out there.

Can't say about this "hole"...pretty sure there was a cabinet speaker in the one I had. Post some pics of the inside of the cabinet on this please.

Nice score! Pretty sure that upper playfield crossover bridge was clear (yours is brown) on the games I have played.

A lot of manuals from that era were marked like that. Long story short, and I know we'll all be shocked by this, but the code usually wasn't complete when they started shipping, so they had to base the manual on early code with features that might change. Viola, preliminary stamped on the manuals.

I've never seen a clear bridge...and it's not brown, it's gold. The bridge was documented as "The Bridge of Gold" skill shot in the manuals and flyers.

Cool story and fun game! I've got the extra speaker hole too, and can't notice anything different between yours & mine by the pictures. You've got the printed playfield glass too, which is nice.

Mine was a ridiculously cheap rummage sale find that started by overhearing "pinball machine in the basement". It needed an opto fixed in the ball trough, cleaning and a manual. I've had it probably 8 years and it's been super reliable. The upper playfield is hinged so you can get under it for cleaning.

Pretty basic game... Build the collect treasure escape shot, drop the targets to open it for about 20 seconds, and make the shot for big points. Not as easy as it sounds, and that's the fun of it. The multi-ball is worthless other than giving you an extra ball to bat around. Fun jungle sounds and Kids really love the game.

The only other theory I can suggest for the extra hole: An intentional "Bass - Reflex" design, perhaps? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_reflex

Mine also has the extra hole that was cut and blocked out.

Would anyone have a decent left side ramp or the clear center ball guide plastic under the upper playfield. My left ramp is busted and warped making the game unplayable. And the clear plastic ball guide under the upper playfield is busted out from direct ball hits at the start of the turn...

When I had it working, it was a very fun game except for the ball kept getting stuck on the left ramp where it was warped...

Improper storage in the Texas heat before I got it did alot of damage to ramps... Got the game for a very fair price at the auction and plan to hang onto it. I managed to find a better upper playfield ramp already.

-- Shawn

A pinball cab isn't air tight so putting in more holes wouldn't accomplish anything.

Usually when you got a game back then with a preliminary manual, you would also get a mail in card to receive the final manual once it was completed.

I still have cards from games like F14 and Funhouse.

I know it isn't airtight. But it is, for the most part, still a closed box, equipped with a low power amp, a small woofer. You would hear some of the back waves coming out of a second hole in the box, no doubt. When I open the coin door on my games I hear the sound spilling out...dramatically louder. Usually I have to close the coin door, listen again, and readjust the volume.

Any other explanations for the hole? If I saw a picture, might be able to suggest from the dimensions if it was put there for a speaker, perhaps a mistake, a cab intended for another game or something along those lines.

Great story, cool game!
Congrats on the accidental pickup!

Great pick up!!
One of my first games and will always be a favorite. Need to find another.

Pinball cabs are just made of junk.

You always see scraps of other games cut up and used as braces.

You even see things like brick pattern MDF used as bottom panels.

At the time Bally was making EFTLW they had cheapened the cabs up to the point of using particle board instead of plywood and T-molding rather than joinery. If CCC said "hey we've got a bunch of miscut bottom panels, if you allow us to use those, we can save you $1 a cab", I'm sure Bally said that was a great idea.

Not that it really even matters, but I think something like this mixed with a little of what Vid suggested is the most reasonable assumption. Surplus parts from another game and/or a vestige from a design change.

I just can't remember if mine had a hole there or not. I think if it did, I would probably remember it. Cabinet was heavy as hell on that game. It's a strange game - but I thought it fun. Just didn't catch on with the ol' lady so much.

Using crappy MDF doubles the weight over plywood.

That grey shaded area on the left side of the playfield glass does not look familiar. Am I seeing a shadow or something?

Inside my Special Force you can see artwork from atleast one other game where they reused cabinet wood.

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