Bell Ringer

The Bell Ringer is a peculiar yet fascinating oddity from Gottlieb's redemption-game lineup. Released by Premier Technology (trading as Gottlieb) in December 1990, it's a flipperless, circus/carnival-themed machine built purely around skill-shot ball placement rather than traditional flipper play — only around 160 units were made, making it a rare find today.

Gameplay on Bell Ringer revolves around shooting the ball and watching it circle before dropping into one of several holes; hitting the center hole triggers the launch of a captive ball at a playfield bell. This mechanic is both simple and captivating, requiring players to anticipate the trajectory of the ball and aim accordingly. The machine's lack of flippers or bumpers adds an air of unpredictability, making each shot feel like a gamble.

The Bell Ringer's design and theme lean fully into circus/carnival nostalgia, playing circus-style music and talking in attract mode with lines like "Hey kids, step right up." It uses two 20-digit alpha-numeric blue Futaba displays for scoring. Little is known about the game's individual designer credits, but Bell Ringer remains an intriguing curiosity among Gottlieb's late electronic-era output, particularly for collectors interested in redemption and novelty machines.