Gator

The Bally Gator, designed by Ted Zale with artwork by Jerry Kelley and released in June 1969, is a fun example of Bally's electro-mechanical output from the late 1960s. Its alligator-and-water adventure theme gives the game a distinctive personality, and the manufacturer produced the backglass in both crystal glass and Plexiglas versions. The playfield layout is shared with Bally's 1965 'Sheba' and 1966 'Campus Queen'.

The gameplay is built around Zale's signature zipper flippers, plus three pop bumpers, five mushroom bumpers, and three slingshots, providing a challenging yet engaging experience for players. Three ball return gates help shape the flow of the ball around the playfield.

A confirmed 2,120 units were produced, a figure that includes Bally's 1969 'Alligator', which was simply a name change of the same game for the German market. For enthusiasts, Gator offers a snapshot of Bally's playful, mechanism-driven design philosophy in the electro-mechanical era.