Gottlieb’s Far Out, released in 1974, is a groovy time capsule — a psychedelic-themed electromechanical that practically radiates the look and feel of its era. With design by Ed Krynski and artwork by Gordon Morison, the storied Gottlieb team, it wraps a tight, drop-target-driven layout in trippy, far-out graphics that make it as much a piece of 1970s pop art as a pinball machine.
The scoring rewards precision and target discipline. The twin five-bank drop targets are the heart of it, and the values hinge on the lights: doubly lit drops pay a big 5,000 plus 2,000 bonus, singly lit drops give 500 and 1,000 bonus, while hitting unlit drops is best avoided. Completing a full bank earns double bonus, and the lanes tucked behind the drops open the outlane gates — a useful bit of insurance. The 100-point pop bumpers and the center rollover shuffle the drop-target lights around, so a thoughtful player works the playfield to set up those lucrative double-lit shots.
Stylish, fast, and full of period charm, Far Out is a fine example of mid-70s Gottlieb design at its most visually distinctive. For collectors who love both the gameplay and the unmistakable artwork of the electromechanical golden age, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable and eye-catching classic.