Cyclone

The Cyclone, manufactured by D. Gottlieb & Company in April 1951, is a fine addition to any collection of woodrail-era pinball. Designed by the legendary Wayne Neyens with artwork by prolific Gottlieb artist Roy Parker, it had a confirmed production run of 800 units and reflects Gottlieb's postwar craftsmanship at a time when the company was cementing its reputation for quality single-player games.

The Cyclone's key gameplay features include two flippers, five pop bumpers, five passive bumpers, and a single kick-out hole. Its most distinctive elements are the two kickback lanes - called 'side recovery lanes' in the flyer - which rescue balls headed for the outlanes and fire them back into play, adding an extra layer of drama and second chances to the game.

With its cyclones-and-weather theme rendered by Roy Parker, the Cyclone is a characteristic example of early-1950s Gottlieb design, and a testament to the Neyens-Parker partnership that defined so much of the company's golden-age output.