Williams’ Little Chief, released in 1975, is a charming electromechanical machine that saddles up an American West theme with the clean, geometric playfield design typical of the era. It came from the board of Steve Kordek, one of the most influential and prolific designers in pinball history, with artwork by the celebrated Christian Marche — a strong pedigree behind an unassuming, fun little game built around end-of-ball bonus collection.

The strategy is all about managing that bonus and the mid-field gate. You collect the A and B rollovers to open the right side, then shoot the gate to cash in your bonus — but there’s a catch worth knowing, because firing it also wipes your accumulated bonus along with the A/B and Double Bonus lights. Savvy players hold off, lighting Double Bonus or building further before they collect, to maximize the payoff. Concentrating on the left shot keeps feeding the ball back to the top of the playfield to build the bonus higher, and the inlane geometry famously lends itself to alley passes when you need to line up a letter.

A tidy, well-built example of mid-70s Williams design, Little Chief rewards a thoughtful, bonus-first approach. For collectors who appreciate the elegant simplicity of electromechanical pinball, it’s a likeable and historically solid table from a true master of the craft.