Dimension
1971

Early pinball up to and including Dimension had short 2 inch flippers. Early, early pinball had no flippers at all. In 1971, Gottlieb switched to longer 3 inch flippers. I’m happy Dimension was designed and created with the smaller flippers because I love the way it plays with the little shorties.

Dimension is one of the first machines
to have more than one bank of drop targets giving it a somewhat unique pleasure of having 20 drop targets to shoot for. The object is to complete color sets of targets to light WOW for an additional ball. But a single set of targets won’t light a single WOW target. Too easy! The sets have to be completed in pairs on the same side, either the red blue side- or the yellow green side.

Completing either of these sets lights two of the four red WOW stand up targets on the lower playfield to add additional balls on this add-a-ball machine. Complete both sides and all 4 WOW targets are lit! It’s no coincidence that WOW and SPECIAL lights in pinball were made using the same bright red color. The rush that a player experiences first when the feature is lit and that red light is almost taunting – and then second as the actual award is hit and collected is tough to describe in words. Such a rush! And then the knocker makes that satisfying resounding sound signifying success as balls are won and added to the queue!

But wait! What about the upper playfield? To entice players to get back up to the upper part of the playfield, the designers added one more WOW feature. Complete the red and yellow targets (the two easiest sets) and the center kickout hole up top lights for an additional ball. Now get back up the playfield and get that WOW!

In addition, as sets of targets are completed, the corresponding colored upper kickout holes and corresponding lower lanes will light for 3000 points. When collected it creates a new mix to the sound with only three hits to the chimes.

Dimension has two pop bumpers and sling shots in the middle up high. Both will help knock down some of those upper drop targets and get the ball into those kickout holes as there’s no direct shot from the flippers. What a design!

The artwork is stunning. The use of color with the planetary circles of different colors and sizes on the playfield balances so well with the backglass art. Gottlieb made less than 500 of these which is shocking because this could possibly be the best add-a-ball machine ever made.