Spring Break

Spring Break is a solid-state pinball machine from Premier Technology (operating under the Gottlieb trade name), released in April 1987 with a concept by Jeff Walker and design by John Trudeau. Running on the Gottlieb System 80B platform, it is an aquatic-themed, four-player game built for the mid-1980s pinball market.

At its core, Spring Break boasts four flippers, three pop bumpers, three 3-bank drop targets, and four rollunders. What sets it apart is its lack of a manual ball shooter assembly: the ball is launched into play by pressing the right flipper button, instantly starting a multiball mode, an unusual mechanic for its time. With 3,550 confirmed units produced, it saw a solid production run for a Gottlieb title of this era.

The machine's design and artwork are equally noteworthy, featuring a photographic translite created by Don Marshall, with playfield and cabinet art by Larry Day, built around a lighthearted aquatic "Aquatic Fun" theme. Software for the game was written by John Buras. While Spring Break may not be among Trudeau's most famous designs, its flipper-button ball launch and instant multiball make it a distinctive entry in Gottlieb's late-1980s System 80B lineup.