Spot-on, o-din. After restoring a dozen or so machines spanning the decades, it became quite clear to me how Bally began to take the lead in the early 70's. Backglasses got larger, playfields got DC rectification, the mechs were more robust and easier to service, etc... whereas Gottlieb was content to coast on their wave of previous successes. And boy did it eventually cost them.

If I had to pick a year, I'd say 1974 was the turning point. Gottlieb was still releasing quaint themes ("Out Of Sight/Far Out") while Bally was busy recruiting Norm Clark who was already playing with solid state tech. You can see the shift with Bow & Arrow... the huge backglass, fast gameplay, etc. which set the stage for the early Bally SS classic era (Harlem, Future Spa, Paragon) and then the Class Of '81 peak.

Sadly, '82 was pretty much a disaster with Bally being forced to take wild creative swings in every direction to fend off the video game craze and just couldn't do it except, ironically, by licensing a video game title - Mr. & Ms. Pac Man.

Williams didn't get their SS act together until Space Shuttle. Sure, they were cranking out huge numbers of games in the early days... but the artwork and overall execution was nowhere near as polished as Bally. I cringe every time I see a Flash backglass... geez.

Bally is my favorite manufacturer all things considered. Even after the WMS acquisition the brand still cranked out hits like the Elvira games, Mousin' Around, and Revenge From Mars. Gone but not forgotten *sniff*

Viking = Centaur + Flip Flop + Mata Hari. Pretty cool game. Only drawback is they used the same obnoxious bonus shot alarm as on Space Invaders... and it can't be disabled.

Seawitch #1 for me. Simple rules, lots to shoot at, plays fast, and cool GFX. Doesn't have that scientific calculator-look of many Sterns... can never figure out what to do.

I had an Embryon and LOVE the art and sounds... right out of "Alien" and so many other creepy sci-horror films. I just wish it had better programming to tie the theme and gameplay together because the gameplay is a little slow/rules a bit ambiguous. But I guess that is part of the appeal. Like standing at the control center of a strange laboratory/spaceship and trying to figure out how it all works.

I guess that's why "Old Chicago" is a particularly appropriate theme for Bally!

Harlem Globetrotters

Xenon looks great, but the gameplay is among the weaker games of that period. To me, geometry and rules are the "main thing" in my decision process to keep or sell a game.

I think Harlem Globetrotters, Paragon, EBD, Flash Gordon, Medusa, Fathom, and Embryon are all spectacular. Lots of other good ones too like Elektra and Centaur but they get more tradeoffy in terms of rules/complexity...

Most if not all of the later-generation Bally EM's have rectifiers on the pops (and strong flippers too)... they play just as fast as the SS games in my experience.

Lemme know if that guy ever wants to sell the middle-pop Freedom...

And how! Class of '81!