A.G. Soccer-Ball

The A.G. Soccer-Ball is a distinctive head-to-head pinball machine released in October 1991. Designed by Jerry Armstrong and Michael Gottlieb from a concept by Alvin Gottlieb, it features an unusual "Designated Scoring" system, which awards playfield scoring to the player whose flipper last made contact with the ball, adding a strategic layer to head-to-head gameplay.

The machine's piece de resistance is simultaneous two-player competition: players stand at opposite ends of the playfield, each controlling only the flippers facing their opponent. The patented "switch-flippers" make this possible - each flipper carries a wireform switch that closes when the ball hits it, and in single-player games the opponent's flippers even "auto-flip" the ball back toward the player. The A.G. Soccer-Ball also boasts an impressive array of features, including six ball kickers, eight standup targets, four spinning targets, two 3-bank drop target banks, and multiball - with no pop bumpers, slingshots, or outlanes at all.

The soccer theme, with artwork by Tim Elliott, makes it an eye-catching addition to any collection. Manufactured by Alvin G. and Company, a short-lived firm (1991-1994) founded by Alvin Gottlieb, only 500 units were produced, and an export version with the same soccer theme was released in 1992 as A.G. Football. This unique combination of innovative gameplay and rarity has earned it a devoted following among pinball enthusiasts.