Aztec

The Aztec, designed by Gordon Horlick and manufactured by Williams Electronics in 1976, is a notable addition to the world of electro-mechanical pinball machines. As one of the many historical-themed games from this era, Aztec pairs solid gameplay with Mesoamerican-inspired artwork; the backglass art appears to have been inspired by drawings found in the book National Geographic on Indians of the Americas, first printed in 1955.

In terms of gameplay, Aztec features two flippers, three DC pop bumpers, and two slingshots, which were standard fare for EM machines at the time. A spinning target adds an extra layer of challenge as players navigate the ball through the machine's various paths, while six stand-up targets, an upper right kickback lane, and an end-of-ball bonus contribute to its scoring potential.

Far from obscure, Aztec had a confirmed production run of 10,150 units, built in two runs between February and November of 1976, with more than half of the quantity produced for export. The designer credit itself has an interesting history: former Williams designer Barry Oursler confirmed Gordon Horlick as the designer by checking the initials listed on the game's schematic, where the designer is traditionally listed first. Aztec remains a fine example of mid-1970s Williams EM design.