Zip-A-Doo

Zip-A-Doo, released by Bally in 1970, designed by Ted Zale with art by Christian Marche.

1970 and the hippie phenomenon was in full swing. The pinball industry knew that youth made up a huge segment of their clientele so they sold out their establishment ideologies and embraced the far-out sensibilities of the generation that “turned on, tuned in and dropped out”. Bright colors, flowers, paisley and gyrating bodies are the earmarks of this backglass. Harkening back to simpler times, when a dance party could be had banging a pan with a stick, Christian Marche adhered to the pinball art commandment that men are secondary and need not be accurate. Women on the other hand, must be represented in a realistic manner, especially when depicting the breasts or butts, nothing pointy here.

The playfield follows this tradition with the main figure round where needed and pointy everywhere else. One of Marche’s simpler treatments, the art on this game was the earliest attempt to entice this generation. Notice the Title, “Zip-A-Doo”, is done in a font used on Rock posters of the time. With the psychedelic colors and abundant use of flowers the poor kids didn’t have a chance.

 -M. Schiess