Welcome to the strangest circus in town — Bally’s 1997 Cirqus Voltaire is John Popadiuk’s surreal carnival masterpiece, a machine bursting with magnets, a playfield-mounted dot display, and the unforgettable Ringmaster who rises from the playfield to challenge you. Designed with Cameron Silver and dressed in Linda Deal’s dreamlike art, this confirmed run of 2,704 is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful and inventive machines of the late Bally/Williams golden age.
The strategy rewards a player who understands its rhythms. The Ringmaster is central: second and later Ringmasters should be stacked with a multiball, so you must bring him up before starting the multiball, then finish him while the balls are flying — a key bit of sequencing that big scores depend on. The Juggler Multiball off the left orbit is the most valuable and takes only six shots, making it a priority target. When you’ve got two or more multiballs stacked, always shoot the left ramp within a few seconds of draining down to one ball to scoop up extra jackpots. Locking three balls on the ramp, lit by the yellow standups beside it, kicks off Highwire Multiball with its million-point jackpots around the loops. Some tournament players even argue for focusing almost entirely on the Ringmaster if the return feed is controllable, since finishing all the modes leaves you sitting on a big score.
Cirqus Voltaire is a genuine work of art, a machine whose mechanical theater and layered ruleset reward deep learning while dazzling everyone who walks past. Stack your Ringmasters, ride the Juggler, and join the strangest, most wonderful circus pinball ever staged. Step right up — the show is unforgettable.