Campus Queen

Campus Queen, designed by Ted Zale and manufactured by Bally in August 1966, is a solid example of mid-1960s electromechanical pinball. This four-player game, model number 786, had a confirmed production run of 1,125 units. Its inclusion in the Bally catalog reflects the company's commitment to producing a wide range of themes and styles, catering to diverse tastes among players.

Notable features on Campus Queen include its two flippers, three pop bumpers, five mushroom bumpers, and three slingshots — the mushroom bumpers being a signature Ted Zale design element of this era. These choices contribute to a dynamic gameplay experience that rewards quick reflexes, and the machine's three ball return gates add an extra layer of complexity as players navigate the ball through various pathways.

The game's college theme captures the flavor of campus life in the mid-1960s. Campus Queen also has an interesting family tree: the two-player version of this design was Bally's 1965 'Sheba,' a special version was made for Germany, and the layout was later remade with zipper flippers as Bally's 1969 'Gator.' This lineage makes it a nice study piece for anyone interested in how Bally reused and evolved its EM designs.