1976 Gottlieb SURF CHAMP pinball machine

Here's a 1976 Gottlieb Surf Champ pinball machine in action. This machine was designed by Ed Krynski with artwork by Gordon Morison.

Surf Champ is a very typical Gottlieb game (which is a good thing) with some neat features. Hitting the drops lights the middle side lanes for double bonus. Hitting the drops and the 5 star rollovers lights the outlanes for extra ball or special. The drops don't reset until the star rollovers have been completed, which is pretty cool.

A strong right flip can get the ball to the top through the narrow lane on the left behind the drops. And, of course, whacking the spinner is always big fun.

Each completed star rollover lights the corresponding light for an extra 5k at the kick-out saucer, which makes the saucer pretty lucrative when all 5 are lit.

Surf Champ is a really decent game from the king of the electromechanical era. Gottlieb couldn't do much wrong in the mid-70's and this is yet another solid title.