Centigrade 37

The Centigrade 37, designed by Allen Edwall with art by Gordon Morison, was manufactured by Gottlieb in August 1977, near the end of the electro-mechanical era as EM machines were giving way to their solid-state counterparts. With a confirmed production run of just 1,721 units, this single-player game is an appealing addition to any serious pinball collection.

At first glance, the machine's fantasy-science fiction theme appears straightforward, but closer inspection reveals a detailed playfield. Two flippers, three pop bumpers, two standup targets, a 4-bank of drop targets, and a kick-out hole offer classic EM gameplay. The backbox features a mechanical animation in which a thermometer advances as playfield targets are hit -- a fitting gimmick, since 37 degrees Centigrade is the normal temperature of the human body. The right side of the playfield features parallel lanes of serial rollovers, and an open-elbow right inlane allows the ball to pass between the inlane and outlane in either direction.

The Centigrade 37 has some distinctive design traits, including its wedge head and a complete absence of slingshots. A maximum displayed point score of 199,990 points gives players plenty of room to chase high scores on this late-era Gottlieb EM.