Spirit of 76

Spirit of '76 is a nostalgic gem from Gottlieb's December 1975 lineup, offering a quintessential American history-themed experience. Designed by Ed Krynski with artwork by Gordon Morison, it introduced a larger, taller Gottlieb coin door than previous games, which in turn required a deeper cabinet and shorter front legs.

Gameplay-wise, Spirit of '76 boasts two flippers, three pop bumpers, five star rollovers, and two four-bank drop targets, notably without slingshots. The dual in-lanes and half-moon credit window add to its charm, while the end-of-ball bonus provides a climax to each game. Sound is provided by three chimes and a knocker.

With 10,569 confirmed units produced, Spirit of '76 was a substantial commercial success for Gottlieb - according to company lore, Wayne Neyens correctly predicted a production run of 10,000 games to Gottlieb president Judd Weinberg, who personally delivered him the 10,000th unit off the line. A 2-player version was released as Pioneer, and a special add-a-ball 2-player version, New York, celebrated New York State's 1976 repeal of its long-standing pinball ban.