Lite-A-Card

The Lite-A-Card, manufactured by D. Gottlieb & Company in March 1960, is a two-player electro-mechanical game with a playing card theme. Designed by Wayne Neyens with artwork by Roy Parker, it had a confirmed production run of 850 units under model number 165.

The playfield offers plenty of variety: four flippers, three pop bumpers, two passive bumpers, two slingshots, three gobble holes, two rollover buttons, and a bullseye target. The bullseye target can score up to 150 points, although the flyer incorrectly stated a maximum of 100 points. The maximum displayed score is 1,999 points per player, and the game sounds three bells plus a knocker.

A distinctive feature is the advancing arrow on the backglass: moving it from the Ace to the Deuce awards 1, 2, 3, or 4 replays (operator adjustable), and the arrow's position carries over from game to game. If both players match the lit number at the end of the game, 2 or 10 replays are awarded (also adjustable). With Parker's card-themed artwork and Neyens's layout, the Lite-A-Card is a solid example of Gottlieb's celebrated early-1960s output.