Cue Ball Wizard

The Cue Ball Wizard, designed by Jon Norris and released in October 1992 by Premier Technology (the trade name for Gottlieb during that period), is a solid-state electronic pinball machine on the Gottlieb System 3 platform, with an approximate production run of 5,700 units. Its billiards theme, mixed with celebrity and fictional elements, gives it a distinctive identity among early-1990s titles.

What makes Cue Ball Wizard special are its features and play mechanics. The machine boasts two flippers, four slingshots, 21 standup targets, two 7-bank drop target arrays, and three kick-out holes, along with 2-ball and 3-ball multiball and two video modes. Most notably, a full-sized captive cue ball sits on the lower playfield, and two elevated standup targets can only be hit by striking that cue ball - a genuinely unusual mechanic. An oscillating captive-ball kicker occupies an elevated mini-playfield, and operators could even remove the cue ball from play as an option.

The artwork and design are also noteworthy. The art package was created by David Moore, Constantino Mitchell, and Jeanine Mitchell, with dot-matrix animation by Rand Paulin. The overall aesthetic is eye-catching and memorable, reflecting the playful spirit of pinball design during this period.