1980–1981 · Bally & Bell Games
Frontier
Known for ABC top lanes, Frontier Bonus collect saucer, Left inline drop targets and Grizzly bear target. Dark night sky with stars, silhouetted pine forest on the right horizon, rust-red geometric navajo-style pattern field and red-orange striped ground band along the bottom edge.
- Years
- 1980–1981
- Maker
- Bally & Bell Games
- Type
- Solid state
- Display
- Alphanumeric
- Players
- 4
Known for
- Lane
ABC top lanes
- saucer
Frontier Bonus collect saucer
- Drop target
Left inline drop targets
- Target
Grizzly bear target
- Toy
Animal grid
2 games under this title
On the playfield
Toy 1
- Animal grid
Hole 1
- Frontier Bonus collect saucer saucer
Drop targets 2
- Left inline drop targets
- Right drop targets
Target 1
- Grizzly bear target
Lanes 3
- ABC top lanes
- Top lane gate
- Out lanes
On the backglass
Who and what
- man Painted head-and-shoulders portrait of an older frontiersman at centre-left: long grey-white bushy beard and moustache, weathered ruddy face, wide-brimmed brown hat with a studded band and round gold medallion buckle, fur-trimmed coat collar, looking directly out with a stern expression
- animal Large white horse rearing on its hind legs at centre, front legs raised, red leather bridle and reins, mane flying
- man Cowboy rider on the rearing horse: moustached, yellow hat, red shirt, one arm raised holding a whip, mouth open shouting
- animal Wolf pack: one huge snarling wolf head front-on at bottom centre with bared yellow teeth and pink tongue; one grey wolf standing in profile with head raised howling at centre-right; one yellow-eyed wolf standing in profile at far right
- animal Brown eagle with wings spread and yellow-tipped feathers flying at upper left below the script logo
- vehicle Red covered-wagon / stagecoach hood shape behind the horse and rider at upper right
Setting
- Dark night sky with stars
- Silhouetted pine forest on the right horizon
- Rust-red geometric navajo-style pattern field
- Red-orange striped ground band along the bottom edge
Text on it
- Bally
- Frontier
- TM
- BALL IN PLAY
- CREDIT
- GAME OVER
- 3
- 4
- 22
How it plays
-
Goals 1
- ABC
Made by
- Design
- George Christian
- Art
- Greg Freres
- Art
- Margaret Hudson
- Art
- Kevin O'Connor
Reference
Linked terms
- Frontier Bonus collect saucer also called collect chute also called collect gate
- Grizzly bear target also called Grizzly
- Animal grid also called Animals
Playfield vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Playfield Standard
- gold
- brown
- blue
- cream
Fingerprint: Bull Ride electro-mechanical, enormous open-jawed grizzly bear rearing upper-left, blonde cowgirl figure lower center in fringed green outfit, twenty-four diamond grid circular animal medallions under den of predators ribbon, giant gold circular arrow band wrapping upper playfield
The single most memorable feature is the enormous open-jawed grizzly bear rearing across the upper-left quadrant, its claws out and teeth bared, with 'GRIZZLY TARGET SCORES' lettering beside it. Second is the blonde cowgirl figure in the lower centre, arms up, wearing a fringed green outfit, printed straight onto the playfield between the flippers. Third is the 24-diamond grid of circular animal medallions under the 'Den of Predators' ribbon. Fourth is the giant gold circular arrow band with 'DOUBLE BONUS COLUMN' lettering that wraps the whole upper playfield.
Setting
- Gold-rush mountain landscape with pine forest
- Erupting volcano on the horizon
- Swirling gold arrow ring
- Dense brown bear-fur texture
- Clear blue sky panel behind the lower drop-target bank
Symbols
- Playing-card suits
- Gold arrows
- Sunburst star rosettes
- Up arrows
- Spinning star targets
- Volcano
- Pine trees
- Claws and teeth
Notable shapes
- Large golden circular arrow ring enclosing the upper playfield
- 24-diamond rectangular medallion grid
- Volcano cone silhouette on the horizon
- Triangular blue painted panels flanking the medallion bank
- Angled white instruction cards pinned at both lower corners
Art motifs
- Gold circular bonus-column ring
- Western ribbon banner
- Banner with pointed tails
- Vintage airbrushed animal realism
- Score values printed in black-outlined numerals
Themes
- Wild west
- Gold rush
- Bears
- Cowgirl
- Animals
- Big game hunting
Title on it
- Bull ride
Text on it
- GATE #4
- GATE #1
- HOFSTEDE
- DEADWOOD
- GRIZZLY TARGET SCORES
- SPOT COLUMNS
- DOUBLE BONUS COLUMN
- ENTER HACKER COLLECT 2 CARDS SCORE 15,000
- TARGET CARD SCORE 15,000 WHEN LIT
- Bull Ride
- 49,000
- 50,000
- 60,000
- 46,000
- Den of Predators
- MAKING 4-BALL SCORES 50 SPECIAL
- MAKING 6-CARD SCORES SPECIAL
- COUGAR
- SPECIAL 15,000
- 5,000
- SPECIAL
- 1000
- GATLING GUN
- OUTLANE
- INLANE
- SHOOT AGAIN
- BULL
- 1X
- 3X
- 4X
- 2X
- Bally
- For Amusement Only
- PINBALL MFG. CO. INC. CHICAGO, ILL. U.S.A.
- L10A
- CAN PLAY
- FRONTIER
- FOR AMUSEMENT ONLY
- 1 REPLAY FOR EACH SCORE OF
- 898 AND POINTS
- INSTRUCTIONS
- FLIPPER SKILL
- 500 POINTS
- 5 BALLS PER GAME
- PINBALL
- BALL SAVING ENDS WHEN BALL IN PLAY
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Animal | Huge grizzly bear, head and shoulders, jaws open showing teeth, front claws raised, occupying the whole upper-left quadrant in brown/sepia airbrushed style |
| Woman | Full-body blonde cowgirl in lower centre, arms raised above shoulders, green and gold fringed costume, large star motifs on her legs, standing between and below the flippers |
| Woman | Saloon girl in orange/gold dress with a hat, seated, painted inside a blue triangular panel on the right side near the special 15,000 target |
| Animal | Two cougars or leopards flanking the medallion bank, drawn in flat cream-on-brown profile, mouths open |
| Animal | Buffalo, eagle and bear-head round medallions repeated in a grid across the centre drop-target bank |
A photographed electro-mechanical pinball playfield seen through its locking glass, with the cabinet front and coin door visible below. The art is a dense Western/gold-rush collage: a huge snarling grizzly bear fills the upper left, a full-body blond woman in a green-and-yellow costume stands in the lower centre with arms raised, and a gaudy saloon girl in orange sits in a painted blue panel on the right. Everything sits on a swirling golden circular arrow band engraved 'DOUBLE BONUS COLUMN', over a background of brown bear fur, blue sky, pine trees and an erupting volcano. Central features include a red flipper-adjacent gate, three sunburst star target rosettes, and a rectangular bank of 24 round medallions showing buffalo, eagles and bear heads, headed by a ribbon banner reading 'Den of Predators'. Flanking the bank are two large cougar/leopard illustrations with lettering about 4-ball and 6-card scores. Colour is dominated by metallic gold, tan and brown with blue and red accents.
Backglass vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Backglass Standard
- red
- orange
- black
- yellow
Fingerprint: frontier title in slab-serif yellow-orange gradient capitals; tremendous snarling wolf head facing viewer showing bared yellow teeth and pink tongue at bottom centre; white rearing horse with moustached cowboy rider swinging whip; large portrait of grey-bearded frontiersman in broad studded hat and fur collar at centre-left; two standing grey and yellow-eyed wolves; red-orange-black geometric southwestern pattern background
The single most memorable element is a huge snarling wolf head, mouth open showing yellow teeth and pink tongue, staring straight out at the viewer from the bottom centre of the glass. Behind it a white horse rears with a moustached cowboy rider swinging a raised whip. On the left a giant portrait of a grey-bearded frontiersman in a broad studded hat and fur collar dominates the middle of the glass. Two standing wolves in profile, one grey and one yellow-eyed, complete the pack on the lower right.
Setting
- Dark night sky with stars
- Silhouetted pine forest on the right horizon
- Rust-red geometric navajo-style pattern field
- Red-orange striped ground band along the bottom edge
Symbols
- Two gold feather or leaf motifs suspended from the top edge
- Geometric stepped-fret southwestern pattern
- Starry night sky
- Pine tree silhouettes
- Red-yellow-black striped ground band
- Seven-segment illuminated score windows
- Round incandescent lamp above the ball-in-play legend
- Small round credit lamp and rectangular credit digit window
- Red arrow-shaped game-over lens at bottom right
Lettering
- Very large upright slab-serif capitals with a yellow-orange gradient fill, heavy black keyline and cream drop shadow for the title; the manufacturer mark is a smaller flowing cursive script in white and blue
Themes
- Wild west
- Cowboys
- Wolves
- Frontiersman
- Horse
- Eagle
- Southwestern native pattern
- Hunting
Title on it
- Frontier
Text on it
- Bally
- Frontier
- TM
- BALL IN PLAY
- CREDIT
- GAME OVER
- 3
- 4
- 22
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Man | Painted head-and-shoulders portrait of an older frontiersman at centre-left: long grey-white bushy beard and moustache, weathered ruddy face, wide-brimmed brown hat with a studded band and round gold medallion buckle, fur-trimmed coat collar, looking directly out with a stern expression |
| Animal | Large white horse rearing on its hind legs at centre, front legs raised, red leather bridle and reins, mane flying |
| Man | Cowboy rider on the rearing horse: moustached, yellow hat, red shirt, one arm raised holding a whip, mouth open shouting |
| Animal | Wolf pack: one huge snarling wolf head front-on at bottom centre with bared yellow teeth and pink tongue; one grey wolf standing in profile with head raised howling at centre-right; one yellow-eyed wolf standing in profile at far right |
| Animal | Brown eagle with wings spread and yellow-tipped feathers flying at upper left below the script logo |
| Vehicle | Red covered-wagon / stagecoach hood shape behind the horse and rider at upper right |
A wide, front-lit backglass with a red, orange and black geometric Southwestern-pattern background overlaid on a dark night sky. Across the top, the word 'Frontier' is lettered in enormous slab-serif capitals with a yellow-to-orange gradient fill, a black keyline and a cream drop shadow; 'Bally' appears above it at upper left in white-and-blue cursive script. The upper left corner holds a spread-winged brown eagle with yellow-tipped feathers; two gold feather or leaf motifs hang from the top edge on cords, one at each side. The centre-left is dominated by a large painted portrait of a bearded frontiersman: wide-brimmed brown hat with a studded leather band and round gold buckle, grey-white bushy beard, fur-collared coat. To his right a rearing white horse rears up, ridden by a moustached cowboy in a yellow hat and red shirt with one arm raised holding a whip. Below them a snarling brown-and-black wolf head with bared yellow teeth faces the viewer head-on, flanked by two more wolves standing in profile on the right. Six rectangular score windows with white numerals on black run across the top-left, top-right and lower edges.
Backglass Standard
- red
- orange
- yellow
- black
Fingerprint: Snarling wolf head bursting up from bottom centre foreground white and black fur with bright red eyes and bared fangs overlapping log cabin roof, rearing white horse with rider silhouetted against yellow oval, large bearded frontiersman portrait in broad tan hat filling left half, two grey wolves standing on ledge at right under full moon, Frontier title in large yellow serif letters with blue shadow
The single most memorable element is a snarling wolf head bursting up from the bottom centre foreground, white and black fur with bright red eyes and bared fangs, overlapping a log cabin roof. Second is the rearing white horse with its rider silhouetted against the yellow oval. A large bearded frontiersman portrait in a broad tan hat fills the left half. Two grey wolves stand on a ledge at right under a full moon. The title Frontier sits in large yellow serif letters with a blue shadow across a flame-red background.
Setting
- Flame-red and orange foliage background
- Large yellow oval window
- Night sky strip with full moon
- Dark pine trees
- Painted log cabin
Symbols
- Hanging feathered ornaments in both top corners
- Playing-card-style suit markings near score windows
- Full moon
- Pine trees
- Log cabin
- Score windows with orange digit reels
Lettering
- Large cream-yellow serif display lettering with heavy blue drop shadow and orange outline; small pink cursive script at top left
Themes
- Frontier
- Wild west
- Cowboys
- Wolves
- Horses
- Hunting
- Night
Title on it
- Frontier
Text on it
- Frontier
- Bally
- 0 0
- 0 9 2 8
- 8 8 8 8 8 8 0 0
- 9 8 2 8 0 0
- 1 2 3 4
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Man | Large portrait of a bearded frontiersman with long dark-and-grey beard, broad-brimmed tan cowboy hat with round medallion band, fur-collared coat, face lit in warm red tones |
| Animal | White horse rearing up on hind legs, head turned, mane flying |
| Man | Rider on the rearing horse, wide-brimmed hat and red coat, holding the reins |
| Animal | Grey-and-cream wolf standing in profile on a rock ledge, head raised |
| Animal | Second grey wolf further back on the ledge |
| Animal | Foreground snarling wolf head, white and black fur, red eyes, bared fangs |
A wide, landscape-format painted backglass with a deep red and orange flame-and-foliage background, overlaid by a large yellow oval window. Across the top centre a big serif title reads Frontier in cream-to-yellow letters with a heavy blue drop shadow and orange outline; a small pink cursive script logo sits top left. Hanging feathered ornaments dangle from both top corners. Left of centre is a large portrait of a bearded frontiersman in a broad-brimmed tan cowboy hat with a round medallion band and a fur-collared coat, face lit in warm reds. Centre: a rearing white horse with a rider in a wide hat and red coat holding the reins. Two grey-and-cream wolves stand on a rock ledge to the right. In the foreground bottom centre a snarling wolf head with white and black fur and red eyes lunges forward over a painted log cabin with a red shingled roof at bottom right. Six rectangular score windows with black surrounds and orange digit reels are spread across the upper and lower thirds, with small blue numerals and markings beside them. A pale full moon and dark pine trees appear in the night strip on the right.