Gottlieb’s Dimension, released in 1971, is a fascinating early-70s electromechanical that pushes the era’s design envelope with an ambitious, target-heavy layout. Designed by the legendary Gottlieb pairing of Ed Krynski and artist Gordon Morison, it sports a space-and-fantasy theme and an unusually busy playfield — twin ten-bank drop targets, six standups, five kick-out holes, and even a pair of slingshots up in the upper playfield, a relative rarity for its day. Built as an add-a-ball game, it rewards extended, skillful play.
The strategy hinges on owning that upper playfield. Keeping the ball up top is the name of the game, where completing sets of the colored targets lights the corresponding bottom lane and saucer for scoring. Veterans warn against the lower-center targets — risky shots whose modest reward isn’t worth the drain danger — and instead favor plunging into the center and lit saucers for steady points. It’s a layout that rewards control and patience over wild flailing.
A characterful and surprisingly deep machine for its time, Dimension showcases Gottlieb’s willingness to experiment within the electromechanical format. For collectors drawn to the early-70s era and its inventive, multi-target playfields, it’s an engaging and historically interesting table that plays harder than its age suggests.