Freedom

Bally's 1976 pinball machine Freedom is a notable example of the American Bicentennial-themed games that appeared around the United States' 200th anniversary. Released in July 1976 as a four-player electro-mechanical game with artwork by Christian Marche, Freedom was produced in a confirmed run of 5,080 units — and, unusually, the title was manufactured in both EM and solid-state versions.

Freedom's gameplay features two flippers, three pop bumpers, and two slingshots, plus a 5-bank of drop targets, two kick-out holes, two spinning targets, a standup target, and an end-of-ball bonus. The early production version differs notably: it has a fourth pop bumper between the flippers instead of the two slingshots. According to the Encyclopedia of Pinball, the lower playfield was redesigned early in production because European buyers disliked that pop bumper placement, and the backglass was later altered to remove the "1776" and "1976" dates after American operators worried the dates would make the game look outdated over time.

The game's designer credit has an interesting history of its own: both Claude Fernandez and Greg Kmiec, each once thought to be the designer, have denied it, and Kmiec recalls the game being designed by George Christian under the direction of Norm Clark. As a well-produced slice of Bicentennial-era pinball with genuine production-history quirks, Freedom remains a significant piece of 1970s gaming heritage.