Cleopatra

Cleopatra, designed by Ed Krynski with artwork by Gordon Morison, was released by Gottlieb in December 1977 and holds a significant place in the company's history: it was Gottlieb's first solid state game, running on the new System 1 MPU as the manufacturer made its transition away from electromechanical machines. It was even produced in parallel as a 4-player EM version, and a 2-player EM version appeared in 1978 as 'Pyramid' with different backglass art.

The four-player game features two flippers, three pop bumpers, two slingshots, three standup targets, a 5-bank of drop targets, and two kick-out holes, with one standup target cleverly hidden behind the drop targets. Sound is provided by three chimes. Morison's ancient Egypt artwork gives the game its atmosphere of grandeur and mystery.

Cleopatra was a substantial commercial success, with a confirmed 7,300 units produced, roughly split between domestic and export markets. An unusual metal-cabinet version was also trialed -- veteran Gottlieb designer Wayne Neyens recalled it as noisy, hard to assemble, and space-hungry on the assembly floor. As the game that launched Gottlieb into the solid state era, Cleopatra remains a milestone piece for collectors.