ROBAIR PINDUCTIONS AND IRPINBALL present:
TOP CARD (Gottlieb, 1974)

Playfield: Ed Krynsky
Art: Gordon Morison

BACKGROUND
It's up up and away for  IRPinball: 1974's "Top Card". This is an amazingly open game but extremely challenging given the angles of the targets on the sides of the game. Completing the sequence can result in a virtual torrent of Special awards that make up for all the times you got everything but the *#$^$*(# 6. Gordon Morison designed a busy, festive backglass using the primary colors of the game: yellow, deep crimson and turquoise, all of which have been reproduced to their natural hues in this version. It was an incredibly uncluttered playfield, in contrast to the captive-ball-and-kicker motif of the concurrently-released "Magnotron". This is Gottlieb at its 1970's peak and the very embodiment of the oft-repeated tagline, "Master Maker of Card Games". Never produced as an add-a-ball, but was released in Italy as "Royal Pair".

PLAYFIELD ITEMS
13 Card Targets and 2 Card Rollovers: Score 1000 when lit, then 100.
Bumpers: 100, 1000 lit.
Top and Bottom Slingshots: 10 each.
Rollover Buttons: 10, 100, or 1000, depending on value.
Center Rollover Button: Special when lit.
Return Lanes: 1000 or Special When Lit.

GAME RULES
"Top Card" challenges the player to complete a hand of 13 playing cards. The left side features a 2-7 run of six targets (and the 2 repeated on the left outlane), with the right side having a 8-K run (the King also being the right outlane). The topmost center target is the Ace. Hitting the ace lights the bottom bumper for 1000 points. Completing the 2-7 run lights the left bumper for increased scoring and increases the rollover button score one step. Completing the 8-K run lights the right bumper for increased scoring and increases the rollover button score one step. When all 13 cards are made, the four specials light (Ace Target, Special Rollover Button between the bumpers, and both return lanes).  

GAME SETTINGS:
Hitting the A Key while game is not in progress will toggle the Special difficulty from Liberal (all specials on all the time when qualified) to Conservative (Ace Target lit, then button target, then lower rollovers, changes with bumpers and kickers).