Expressway

The Expressway, designed by Ted Zale with artwork by Christian Marche, was manufactured by Bally in August 1971. A single-player electro-mechanical game with a travel theme, it had a healthy confirmed production run of 1,555 units and carries Bally model number 897.

Gameplay features two flippers, three pop bumpers, and six of Ted Zale's signature mushroom bumpers, along with two slingshots, four rollover buttons, and two kick-out holes. The layout includes a left-side kickback lane and an up-post between the flippers, giving players extra tools for keeping the ball alive.

An interesting production quirk surrounds the backglass: two color variations are known, differing in the colors of the large rings and the Ball In Play sign. The flyer appears to show the first version, and serial number evidence suggests the color change happened roughly a third of the way through production - a small mystery that collectors are still piecing together.