Space Orbit

The 1972 Gottlieb Space Orbit is an Add-A-Ball single-player electromechanical pinball machine with an outer space theme, made for export to Italy. It showcases designer Ed Krynski's work for Gottlieb, with backglass artwork by Gordon Morison that can be compared to Gottlieb's contemporaneous 'Outer Space.'

The game's playfield layout closely resembles Gottlieb's earlier 1970 titles 'Mini Cycle' and 'Polo,' though it lacks the free ball return lane found on those games. Gameplay features two flippers, three pop bumpers, a vari-target, and a kick-out hole, giving players a mix of precision targets and bumper-driven scoring.

With 2,105 confirmed units produced, Space Orbit occupies a modest niche in Gottlieb's early-1970s catalog. Its export-only status and shared design lineage with other Gottlieb titles of the period make it an interesting piece for collectors tracing the company's playfield design history.