The 50s is one of the greatest decades in pinball so your choices are many. I have a few. If you can decide what kind of theme appeals to you most it will help narrow the choices. It would be hard to go wrong with a game like Frontiersman, but I am just as happy with my Rocket, Universe, and Pinky.

I am 17 and Cow Poke/Buckaroo (as you would expect) could not be farther than a theme I would want in my game room but it is a really cool game and what matters is that the theme is done WELL. I had a blast playing it and would definitely consider buying one if the price was right. I played Buckaroo and racking up replays was super fun, so unless you're an add-a-ball guy specifically I would *personally* suggest Buckaroo, the replay variant. Getting the special on that game is super fun. I haven't played Cow Poke though so I am not sure how it compares in terms of how it plays and what's great about it.

Very quick edit after: I suppose you were just using it as an example anyways as it is a 60's title? Meh, maybe it will help somebody else.

Hope this helps!

They are all possibilities if you can find them. There are a few more that stand out as very desirable to me, but some are very hard to find. Best is to see what shows up available and then give it a good look over and see if it appeals to you. So far I haven't met a woodrail I didn't like, and bought what came my way.

So many great titles in this era it would take too long to detail.

If you want a 1957 game, Ace High is one of the best players from the 50's with great art but it is extremely hard to find. Low survival rate as it was played to death as it was also a 'jackpot' specials game.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/50s-gottlieb-best-art-plus-gameplay#post-1795243

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/whats-your-favorite-woodrails-and-why#post-2220484

It's been stated many times here and in other forums, games from '51-'56 are the pinnacle of the EM era just for the fact playfield duplication hardly ever happened, each designed playfield was radically different from the last. Also, 4-5 ways to win was the norm. Along with high scores, a points system and 2-3 other sequences were offered. What I really like on these games is your failure to bid for 1 sequence during the course of a game may find you within easy reach of 1 or 2 others, changing your entire strategy, or, going unnoticed until that special lite all of a sudden appears.

Once Gtb. Majestic appeared in '57, introducing the spin roto, most games afterwards included this feature. I personally don't like it as it takes up too much space both above and below the playfield, making it the centerpiece on just about every game it shows up, (and limiting room for other features). It's like Gottlieb's upper management got to the design team and told them to incorporate the roto into everything because, "We love it!"

While I'd suggest just about any Gtb game from this era, my fave is Wms
Turf Champ. Its a hard game to find, I looked for >10 years, but well
worth the wait.
Steve

I'd like to find one of these. Wish me luck!

SeaWolf.jpg

It would replace my want for one.

OK, but have to mention, not much in '57 by way of non-roto single player games, at least for Gottlieb. There are 2 from that year without the roto, Ace High and World Champ, and both are superb games, but are serious shooter's games, meaning I wouldn't recommend as a lone example in a collection.

Ace High is a little strange at the bottom of the playfield in that there are 4 outlanes and dead slings above the flippers, (ala Flying Carpet), meaning, unless you're an excellent flipper shooter, there's a good chance you'll dislike it. I've heard a lot of guys tell me they "Cut their teeth" on this game and Flying Carpet because of the dead slings and you have several chances of learning how to set up for shots as the ball works its way down, etc. World Champ centers on the bottom of the playfield as you're shooting for 4 targets, 2 on each side of the gobble hole, constantly building up the hole for multiple replays. Very interesting game, but shots have to be accurate or you'll be walking away quickly. The middle drain is rather intrusive, so much that it's become a question whether or not a center save post of some kind was the manufacturer's intention. Both are great games, just are somewhat different from other games of the era.

I have little experience with Williams Woodies. Someone else will have to chime in to help you out there.....

Good luck in your search.........

I've always been interested in that title or a Gusher because of the unique "disappearing" bumper feature.

I had been on a search to find either the Gusher or Sea Wolf for awhile because of the disappearing bumper and other neat artwork. They are hard to find, but I actually saw both at the last Allentown show. The Sea Wolf was not for sale but the Gusher was so a deal was made.

I made a little video of it playing, and as with most of my videos, I give a shout out to Russ for his help with the shopping and tweaking:

https://vimeo.com/130263298

PM me if interested in the game... I'm making room...

PM sent!

Loved the video. Strangely almost looked like a simulation at times on my old slow computer. Great music selection fitting the situation perfectly.

Nice video.

Quicker game than I expected. Looks a lot of fun. Going already?

Great video! Thanks for posting it.

Would love to own this title some day.

Did that "Gusher" keychain come with the game or was it custom made?

Probably from a repro plastics set. I know that repro sets from Pinball Rescue in Australia always come with an extra round piece customized for the game that is used as a key fob.

Ah! It looks very nice.

JR is correct (as always!)

Yes, the custom key chain was one of the gifts that comes when you buy a set of plastics from Pinball Rescue. From what I understand, the Gusher set has been out of stock for awhile and there is no indication of when they will be redone. I also have a key fob from them for the Miss Annabelle and Nags. They do nice work.

Oh, pshaw!

THE Russ Jensen? I thought he passed away?

Probably Russ AKA "cashriprock".

AbsorbingJR.jpg

No, it's Russ at pinrescue.

http://www.pinrescue.com/about.html

Lets put that Gusher on high tap and see if we can squeeze some more oil out.

Make it Gusher! Been a while since I played Sea Wolf but I remember once the ball makes its way down to the bottom half of the playfield, it's almost impossible to send it back up.

Got it! I recently came back to the hobby after a 20 year absence and remembered Russ Jensen from when I bought his pinball troubleshooting guide (can't find it btw... am hoping it's just buried somewhere in storage..) and for a while I thought pinrescue.com was HIS website.

I have looked through pinrescue.com and don't see any plastics for sale?

Easy error to make as similar sounding name! Go to this site....

http://www.pinballrescue.net/

Bally Circus. The woodrail (btw: 1957), not the boring, lame one from the early '70s. NINE ball multiball. Lots of fun. Balls a Poppin too. Same layout. I played the Circus at PHOF so much, I coulda bought it.

No wonder I was confused! I'd buy a set of repro plastics from them JUST for the classy custom game "key fob".

Of course, Russ at PinRescue!

1950 Gottlieb Knock Out is a great one, very playable with the huge gate that comes up in between the flippers until a set score is reached and of course there is the boxing ring a la "rockem sockem robots" style. I have one that I am considering selling for about $1000 under mr pinball price guide. The art work is also intense with everyone fighting except the cigarette girl.

PM sent! I'm close enough to pick it up and I love the cartoons on the game.