Aces High

Aces High, designed by Ted Zale with artwork by Art Stenholm, and manufactured by Bally in August 1965, is a classic example of the electro-mechanical (EM) era. A four-player game produced in a confirmed run of 1,275 units (a figure that likely also includes its sibling, Bally's 1965 'Aces Top'), it also saw a special version produced for the German market.

Aces High offers a solid mid-1960s Bally experience. Players navigate a riverboat poker-themed playfield, targeting four pop bumpers, five mushroom bumpers - a hallmark of Ted Zale's Bally designs - and two slingshots, while using the dual flippers to control the ball. Two rollover buttons add scoring opportunities, and the game could be set for 3 or 5 ball play, with a maximum displayed score of 9,999 points per player.

Art Stenholm's artwork captures the game's gambling theme, evoking the world of riverboat poker. While not as complex as later designs, Aces High is a charming representation of the era's fascination with card play and games of chance, and a worthy addition to any collection of 1960s Bally games.