Sub•Marine

SubĽMarine, manufactured by Renov' Automatic - Jolux (trading as J. Martina) in Marcoussis and Paris, France, in 1968, is a distinctive French electromechanical pinball machine with an underwater science theme. Notably, it is a conversion of Gottlieb's 1963 title "Gaucho" -- a common practice at the time, in which manufacturers reused existing cabinets and mechanisms under new artwork and playfield designs -- with its playfield layout also resembling J. Martina's own "Khalifa." Its artwork was created by Jean Amiot.

Gameplay-wise, SubĽMarine offers a four-player experience with two flippers, five pop bumpers, two passive bumpers, two slingshots, two stand-up targets, and a swinging target that alternates between left and right positions only when struck by the ball, rather than moving continuously. The machine also features a drop-down cabinet and a right outlane ball-return gate, with scoring capped at a maximum of 1,999 points per player.

Little additional documentation survives about SubĽMarine beyond what collectors have observed on surviving examples, including minor playfield variations between units (differing slingshot plastic artwork, insert styles, and post configurations between the flippers). As a relatively rare piece of 1960s French pinball manufacturing, it offers an interesting look at how European makers adapted and re-skinned American designs for their own markets.