The man in charge at that time appears to be Lee Goldboss, not Leo, as stated in the John Trudeau interview.
42
Cash Box/June 21, 1980
IVMCHIN
‘Lizard
‘Tora, Tora’
LAS VEGAS — More than 125 people
representing prominent distributors and
operators within the coin machine industry
attended Game Plan’s lavish product show-
ing June 6-8 at The Dunes Hotel in Las
Vegas. The two-year-old Chicago-based
manufacturer debuted its “Tora Tora"
video and “Lizard” pinball game, and
representatives from the slot machine
community were given a chance to view the
company’s new microprocessor slot,
“Money Machine.”
Game Plan hosted the weekend that
featured a welcoming cocktail party (June
6), an all-day showing and buffet (June 7)
and a farewell brunch (June 8). Game
Plan/AES executives Lee Goldboss, Wen-
dell McAdams and Ken Anderson were
also on hand to answer questions about the
new amusement games.
“There have been several rumors in the
industry that Game Plan was going out of
the pinball manufacturing business," said
Anderson, Game Plan's marketing
manager, “But there’s never any reason to
denounce a rumor verbally. You have to
show people. And that’s what we've done
by holding this showing.”
Anderson went on to say that he was very
(continued on page 44)
Game Plan Hosts Distributor Meet In Vegas
(continued from page 43)
pleased with the attendance, as the com-
pany sent out 60 invitations ten days prior to
the event, and more than 75% of the
manufacturer’s distributors were represen-
ted at the Las Vegas showing. “We didn't
want to hold the showing on such short
notice,” said Anderson, “but we felt it was
mandatory. With the flipper market bad the
way it is, the first thing people think when
you slow down on pins is that you are going
out of business. We're a publicly owned
company, so we certainly have the
resources, but we also like this business
and plan to stay.”
Game Plan's latest entry into the pinball
market is “Lizard,” which is currently being
sample shipped to distributors throughout
the country. The game features an in-
novative sound theme that includes a drum
beat and simulations of a breathing lizard,
rocks falling into water and pterodactyl
screams. The game, which features the
backglass motif of a gigantic lizard attack-
ing a voluptuous cave woman, is also
heightened by an action-packed playfield
that consists of a spinner target, a kick out
hole on top, a 50,000 point bonus target on
the left hand side, four drop targets halfway
up the game, and three drop targets on top.
"We've also put extra power into the sling
shot and flippers on ‘Lizard,’ ” explained
Anderson, “and the sound system and well-
laid-out playfield make it high scoring and
exciting.”
Game Plan also bowed its new “Tora
Tora” video at the event. The black and
white color overiayed game has an air-sea
battle theme.
In “Tora Tora,” the player must fire the
guns from his fleet of ships at' the
squadrons of airplanes that are descending
and dropping bombs. The squadrons come
down in series of two, three and four air-
planes at a time. Once a squadron has been
shot down, a new squadron assembles.
There are four different sequences featur-
ing four fleets and four squadrons in all.
However, if the squadron hits all of the
ships, the game is over. Each successive
sequence becomes increasingly more dif-
ficult. In addition, the game also features a
random kamikaze plane that dive bombs
on the fleets.
“We feel that 'Tora Tora' represents a
new image for video in that it doesn't have a
space theme.” said Anderson. He also ex-
plained that the game is in black & white
with color overlays, and that although it
wasn't ready for the Vegas showing, it
would eventually be put out in color.
Anderson also mentioned the
enthusiastic turn out for the showing
proved the young manufacturer is
respected by its distributors, and that they
had a lot of confidence in the new product.
“When you get this many distributors in one
place with ten days notice, you can't help
but be encouraged," Anderson added.
Reno, NV
