2001

2001, released by Gottlieb in 1971, represents a fascinating intersection of pop culture and arcade gaming, arriving in the wake of Stanley Kubrick's groundbreaking 1968 film '2001: A Space Odyssey'. While not officially licensed from the film, the machine capitalized on the public's growing fascination with space exploration and futuristic themes during the Apollo era. Borrowing the spectacular Star Corridor Slit Scan effect from the movie, Artist Gordon Morison incorporated an interpretive version in the backglass creating an eye catching visual that drew players in like moths to a candle.

Designed during a ressurgence of electro-mechanical pinball, 2001 featured a first of its kind bank of 20 drop targets, 10 per side. The strategy and goal for winning credits was obvious, knock down all those pesky targets! When all targets were down you scored a replay and then the center island had a moving lit special that scored more credits when hit. All side lanes and kickout holes scored 300 points making it a player's dream for winning credits.

The machine's release coincided with a pivotal time in both pinball and exploration history, as America's space program was reaching new heights and pinball was entering a transformative decade.