1961 Gottlieb Show Boat: (Play and Talk)

Must have played this (4 flipper extravaganza!) game thousands of times. My grandmothers house just a few steps away from our home in (Newark NJ on Garside St)) had a Show Boat in the basement for years back in the early to mid 1960's that my uncle bought for my cousins .Today, I remember thinking what a great feeling it was to go into my grandmothers anytime (never refused) which was daily for a couple of years until my father bought me a pinball machine (Sweet Hearts) of my own for our house.
Now...who would think a Gottlieb single player wedge head with no plastics or sling shot kickers on the playfield would be such a fun and terrific player. I just love the playfield layout with six pop bumpers lined up perfectly for great ball action, especially when the ball slips under the colored wire gates into the pop bumper on the other side. Once a player gets use to this uncommon flipper design, which is just a joy to have on this easy to get the ball back to the top of the playfield area, rewards a player with that sweet six pop bumper arrangement for loads of points when lit and gives a player a chance at going down through the super fast triple side rollovers lanes which score 100 points exiting out onto the flippers for another skilled flipper shot.
There is so much to shoot for in this game and the most important thing to accomplish is getting the ball to go through the colored gates for SPECIAL when lit.
First time a player goes through all four colored gates it advances the center rollover (B) goes from 100 points to 200 points. The 2nd time through the 4 gates lights one SPECIAL, 3rd time through the gates lights two SPECIALS and the 4th time through the gates lights three all SPECIALS. Once all three SPECIALS are lit the center rollover (B) will score a player 200 points plus the three replays for having all three SPECIALS lit, which can amount to consecutive "popping sound" from the knocker assembly.
Now once a player has achieved going through the gates four times the real fun begins because anytime a player goes through the all four colored gates after lighting all three SPECIALS they are awarded another replay every time they do it again. Sounds good doesn't it but there's more. Making A,B and C rollovers a player is awarded 200 points for doing so, plus an extra match number at the end of the game. Yes, that's right two match numbers will appear at the end of the game giving a player a better chance for another replay.
The smaller slim sleek cabinet design is beautiful along with the great artwork on the back glass and playfield make this game outstanding in a line up of Gottlieb wedge heads.
As you might have guessed by now, this is one of my favorite wedge heads to play in my collection because of playability and for sentimental reasons. If any wedge heads lover really gives this game a fair chance to learn how to play and get use to the odd 4 flipper design they will find out what a fantastic and wonderful a player this game is.

[@Jack-g2h3b]

Love the Gottlieb wedge heads, takes me back to a fantastic era, the kings of em's, cheers from Australia to the land of the greatest game ever invented, pinball, take care mate from John

[@viccamppinball]

Hi Jack, It so great to hear you love the Gottlieb wedge heads. I was hoping to meet others that have a passion and love for these great EM pinball machines. Do you have any games? I appreciate you stopping by and commenting. Hope to hear from you again. Yesterday I did some videos of the location and places I played pinball and bingo machines on location growing up in Newark NJ. Be on the look out for them soon!

[@williamcooper2368]

SO beautiful so many COLORS.

[@viccamppinball]

Yes the cabinet, playfield and back glass are gorgeous! Thanks for dropping by and sharing you thoughts and comments. Talk to you next time.

[@MichaelWhitley-n9y]

Nice looking game very good shape.

[@viccamppinball]

My Show Boat has under 15,000 plays and is in fantastic original condition. ( search for my other Show Boat videos where I video the game close up and detailed views) I appreciate you coming by and commenting.

[@calla76759]

Awesome video. I'm glad to get to watch your technique with this unique flipper arrangement. I think I prefer the overhead camera arrangement from the Target Pool video, although I'm sure it's a pain to set up. Amazing that you had easy access to your grandmother's basement as a child, so you could play whenever you wanted. I encourage the same thing with my kids on our pinball machines. It's better than playing video games. I hope you'll continue to make these play/talk videos. I know Sweet Hearts and North Star would be great entries. Perhaps also consider talking through games that have great acquisition stories. I must say that there's nothing like a long drive to get a pinball game you really want. The suspense of not knowing if it'll be any good. Or if someone else will get to it first. The anticipation of negotiating with the seller. The fun of seeing another collection. The loading up, sometimes late at night. Then the victorious drive home, and sometimes the marital negotiations upon returning home...

[@viccamppinball]

Wow! I just love hearing you share your talk here on this channel. It is so nice how you feel about these wonderful machines and what they mean to you ETC. Thanks for the suggestions, I appreciate the feedback. I'm always looking for new ways to engage with my viewers and keep the EM games alive and well into the future. I will try to make more overhead videos where the basement ceiling allows this to take place. Yesterday I did some videos of the locations and places I played pinball and bingo machines on growing up in Newark NJ. I even have a video of the candy store I played many many wedge heads at and my grandmothers house and more. Be on the look out for them soon!

[@viccamppinball]

TALK & PLAY.....Gottlieb Sweet Hearts and Gottlieb North Star video coming out this week. Be on the look out!