Step right up to the big top — this is Circus from Gottlieb, a solid-state four-player wrapped in a cheerful circus-and-carnival theme, and it comes from the legendary team of designer Ed Krynski and artist Gordon Morison. With an alphanumeric display and a confirmed run of 1,700, it’s a handsome late-era Gottlieb with a genuinely feature-rich, flipper-heavy playfield.
The layout is a busy, well-appointed spread: a generous five flippers, two pop bumpers, a slingshot, four drop targets, three roto-targets, three standup targets, a spinning target, a kick-out hole, and a free ball return lane. That five-flipper arrangement is unusual and opens up a wealth of shot-making angles, while the three roto-targets (spinning drum targets) add unique mechanical variety and the spinning target offers high-value shots. The four drops and three standups give plenty of objectives to work through, and the free ball return lane provides a welcome chance to extend a turn. It’s a target-rich, engaging design that rewards accurate shooting, all in service of the festive carnival theme.
This Gottlieb Circus is a fine showcase of the celebrated Krynski-and-Morison team’s craft — and it’s worth noting that several manufacturers built machines called Circus, so collectors should mind which one they’re chasing. That five-flipper layout and the roto-targets make this a genuinely distinctive play, and Morison’s art brings the big-top theme to life. For the collector who loves Gottlieb design and its greatest creative teams, it’s a rewarding find. Work those five flippers, rip the spinner and roto-targets, and clear the drops. Some machines pack in an unusual amount of hardware, and this Gottlieb carnival classic is one of them. Come one, come all, and drop a coin.