Episode 22 - Die on this Hill: Sinbad
Podcast
Wedgehead Pinball Podcast
33 min
Summary
Wedgehead defends Sinbad (1978) as a misunderstood System 1 gem ranked unfairly low on Pinside.
In this 'Die on this Hill' episode, hosts Alan and Alex defend Sinbad (1978), a System 1 solid-state machine currently ranked #226 on Pinside 100 despite selling 12,000 units: the highest-selling Gottlieb solid-state game ever. Guests Rachel and Kale from Electric Bat in Tempe argue the game's challenging four-flipper design, complex drop-target sequencing, and responsive hardware make it a skill-rewarding classic that attracts top competitive players, while dismissing negative reviews as coming from players lacking flipper control or appreciation for short, demanding games.
Highlights
- Sinbad sold 12,000 units, making it the highest-selling solid-state Gottlieb game ever made.
- Sinbad is currently ranked #226 on the Pinside 100 Solid State Machines list.
- The game was released in 1978 and designed by Ed Krynski with art by Gordon Morison.
- Sinbad features four flippers arranged in a scissor/inline configuration with no slingshots or inlanes.
- The game has four banks of drop targets that must be completed in order to receive credit multipliers.
- Top competitive pinball players from the Starfighters tournament gravitated toward playing Sinbad, Bond 60th, Joker Poker, and Black Pyramid after the event.
- Gottlieb System 1 games were released during a golden era of the company and represent some of its best work.
- Players who dislike Sinbad tend to lack flipper control or are frustrated by short game times, not because the game itself is poorly designed.
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