Hit-A-Card

Hit-A-Card, designed by Ed Krynski and manufactured by D. Gottlieb & Company in March 1967, is an add-a-ball electromechanical game with an interesting backstory: it is the same game as Gottlieb's 1967 'Solitaire', with only artwork changes made for the Italian market. Export variants like this were a regular part of Gottlieb's business in the 1960s, and Hit-A-Card (model 240A) saw a confirmed production run of 1,600 units.

Gameplay on Hit-A-Card is engaging and challenging, with two flippers allowing players to control the ball as they navigate the card-themed playfield. Three pop bumpers keep the action lively, while the standout feature is the carousel roto-target assembly — a rotating bank of targets that was a signature Gottlieb mechanism of the era, adding an element of timing and strategy to every shot. As an add-a-ball game, it rewarded skilled play with extra balls rather than free games, a format designed to satisfy jurisdictions where replay awards were restricted.

Visually, Hit-A-Card carries the classic mid-1960s Gottlieb look, with artwork by Art Stenholm built around its cards-and-gambling theme. One period footnote: it was not uncommon for local operators to modify games like this for 5-digit scoring, most often by adding a fake trailing '0', though some installed a real counter. As an Italian-market twin of Solitaire from the celebrated Krynski era, Hit-A-Card is an appealing piece of Gottlieb history for collectors and players alike.