One on One Basketball
About This Machine
One on One Basketball was a prototype cocktail-table pinball machine designed by Jon Norris for Premier Technology (Gottlieb) in 1996, but it was never placed into production -- Gottlieb/Premier closed in July 1996 before the game could be released. Designer Jon Norris said he designed the game in late 1995, and only a handful of prototypes were built in early 1996, with at least one later sold at Premier's liquidation auction.
The most distinctive aspect of One on One Basketball is its dual-playfield design, where two identical, narrow playfields face opposite directions under a large transparent dome. Each playfield has two flippers and an elevated, oscillating basketball hoop and backboard, with a ramp in between. Although the two players sit at opposite ends of the cabinet facing each other, the game is not classified as head-to-head play since each player has their own separate playfield and ball. In a 1-player game, a replay is earned for beating the replay score or the Champion; in a 2-player game, players compete for the highest score, with a replay awarded to the winner. Lights flash and crowd sound effects play when a basket is made.
Only a few prototypes of One on One Basketball are known to exist today in private hands, making it a rare and unusual curiosity from Gottlieb's final years -- a game that never reached the market but showcased an inventive dual-playfield concept unlike anything else in pinball.
Images (16)
Technical Details
- Theme:
- Sports - Basketball
- MPU:
- Gottlieb System 3
- Notable Features:
- 25 cents per player. Flippers (4). Timed play. Two separate, narrow, and identical playfields are positioned side-by-side and facing in opposite directions from each other, under a large and transparent plastic dome. Each playfield has two flippers at the lower end and an elevated basketball hoop and backboard at the upper end, with a ramp in between. The hoop and backboard oscillate from side to side during play. Points are scored when the flippers propel the ball up the ramp to go airborne and make a basket or hit the backboard. In 1-player games, a replay is earned for beating the replay score or for beating the Champion. In 2-player games, the players compete for the highest score and a replay is awarded to the player who wins. Lights flash and crowd cheers when a basket is made. The two-slot coin door with dollar bill acceptor is on the Red Player's end (the "Red Demons"). The other end is the Yellow Player (the "Yellowjackets").
Credits
- Designer:
- Jon Norris