Kicker

The Kicker, designed by Jeff Brenner and manufactured by Gottlieb in 1977, is a piece of pinball history notable for its unusual path to market: it was made exclusively for export to Italy, with 380 units going there and none sold domestically. As one of many electro-mechanical (EM) machines produced during this era, the Kicker showcases the design conventions of its time, on the cusp of the industry's shift toward solid-state technology.

Gameplay on the Kicker is built around flippers, pop bumpers, slingshots, a pair of 5-bank drop targets, dip targets, a standup target, and left and right dual inlanes. The machine's wedge-shaped head gives it a distinctive silhouette. This setup provides players with multiple paths to score points and navigate the ball around the playfield.

The Kicker's sports theme is centered on football, or "futbol"/soccer as it's known globally, fitting for a game destined entirely for the Italian market. It shares its replay-play counterpart, Gottlieb's Abra Ca Dabra, and its cabinet artwork with Gottlieb's Super Soccer. Gottlieb's parent company at the time, Columbia Pictures Industries, may have had some influence on the era's theme choices, though specific details remain unclear.