1977 · Sonic
Mars Trek
Known for Collect Bonus saucer, Horseshoe and MARS targets. Deep navy blue starfield speckled with white stars, olive-yellow and cream swirling brush-stroke nebula bands, brick-red and rust-orange ground behind the title and small ringed planets and crescent moons scattered across.
- Year
- 1977
- Maker
- Sonic
- Type
- Electro-mechanical
- Display
- Score reels
- Players
- 4
Known for
- saucer
Collect Bonus saucer
- horseshoe
Horseshoe
- Target
MARS targets
On the playfield
Orbit 1
- Horseshoe horseshoe
Holes 2
- Top Bonus saucer saucer
- Collect Bonus saucer saucer
Bumper 1
- Orange bumper
Targets 2
- MARS targets
- Center target
Lanes 2
- Star rollovers rollovers
- R and T lanes
On the backglass
Who and what
- woman Enormous stylised female face occupying the right half of the glass, pale peach skin, orange eyeshadow with red irises, heavy black winged eyeliner forming long spikes across the background, small square grey monitor/panel set into the cheek, small nose, bright red lips with a white star-shaped glint on the lower lip, laughing open-mouthed smile, black hair suggested by the spikes
- vehicle Yellow rocket/spaceship climbing diagonally up the left edge, rows of square and rectangular windows, pink and white flame exhaust streaming behind, hull drawn with heavy black linework
- vehicle Turquoise dome-topped mechanical structure at top centre, like a gun turret or engine housing, with an open red-lit circular top, red button-like studs and angular teal plating
Setting
- Deep navy blue starfield speckled with white stars
- Olive-yellow and cream swirling brush-stroke nebula bands
- Brick-red and rust-orange ground behind the title
- Small ringed planets and crescent moons scattered across
Text on it
- Sonic
- MARS TREK
- GAME OVER
- 1 TO 4 CAN PLAY
- BALL IN PLAY
- 1 UP
- 2 UP
- 3 UP
- 4 UP
- 000
- 100
- 200
- 300
- 400
- 500
- 600
- 700
- TILT
How it plays
-
Goals 1
- MARS
Reference
Linked terms
- Top Bonus saucer also called top saucer
- Collect Bonus saucer also called right collect saucer also called Right saucer
- Horseshoe also called runway
- MARS targets also called MARS target group
Playfield vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Playfield
- orange
- red
- cream
- blue
Fingerprint: Mars Trek: central rainbow spiral vortex ringed by red bumpers with score numerals from 20000 to 100000, huge red block-letter title with white insert beneath each letter, vertical M-A-R-S column down left lane, blue rocket-printed plastics flanking spiral, grey space-shuttle under title with SAME PLAYER SHOOTS AGAIN text.
The most memorable feature is the great rainbow swirl in the centre-lower playfield, a planetary vortex of orange, yellow, green and teal ringed by red bumpers carrying score numbers from 20000 up to 100000. Second, the huge red MARS TREK block-letter title across the middle with a white insert disc under every letter, plus a vertical M-A-R-S letter column down the left inball lane. Third, the pair of matching blue rocket-printed plastics rising like wings either side of the swirl. Fourth, a grey space-shuttle illustration under the title with the warning SAME PLAYER SHOOTS AGAIN and two red starburst inserts flanking it. Fifth, the cream-and-brown atomic explosion starburst at the bottom centre labelled COLLECT BONUS.
Setting
- Arched yellow and orange upper playfield with wire ball guides
- Swirling multicoloured planetary vortex in the lower centre
- Cream and white apron with red arrow decals
- Wooden side rails and chrome lockdown bar
Symbols
- Red and yellow starburst flashes
- White letter circles spelling mars
- Red triangular bonus flags
- Score discs labelled 20000 to 100000
- Red mushroom pop bumpers with '1000' caps
- Wire-form star target
- Circular special and advance bonus inserts
- Qr code on the right instruction card
Notable shapes
- Large circular rainbow spiral dominating the lower half
- Arched raised upper playfield framed by a curved chrome ball guide
- Symmetrical blue rocket plastics forming a v around the spiral
- Round outhole cut into the cream apron centre
- Cream atomic explosion starburst above the outhole
Art motifs
- Rainbow spiral vortex
- Concentric score-value rings
- Radiating atomic explosion
- Flag bunting across the upper playfield
- Black starfield dots on the blue plastics
Themes
- Space
- Planetary
- Sci-fi
- Surface-to-surface
- Score ladder
Title on it
- Mars trek
Text on it
- MARS TREK
- MARS-TREK
- SAME PLAYER SHOOTS AGAIN
- SPECIAL WHEN LIT 10000
- SPECIAL WHEN LIT
- ADVANCE BONUS
- COLLECT BONUS
- OUTHOLE
- DOUBLE BONUS WHEN LIT
- FLIPPER BUTTON
- FOR AMUSEMENT ONLY
- BONUS
- 2 TO REPLAY
- 2 FOR
- 1000
- M
- A
- R
- S
- T
- K
- E
- 20000
- 30000
- 40000
- 50000
- 60000
- 70000
- 80000
- 90000
- 100000
- 5000
- INSTRUCTIONS -MARS- TREK-
- Insert coin and wait for machine to reset before continuing turn for next player
- Each player shoots one ball at the time as indicated on back glass
- Making Matcher Targets Score 10.000 Points
- Making A-B-C-D Special gives EXTRA BALL
- Bonus on 80.000 PT possible line EXTRA BALL
- Passing Ball Through Runway gives EXTRA BALL WHEN LIT
- Matching last 2 numbers on score with numbers of 1st back glass other game is over score 1 replay
- For Amusement Only
- 375.000 SCORE = 1 REPLAY
- 3 BALLS PER GAME
- PARLA-MADRID (SPAIN)
- 1997 Sonic Mars Trek
- Made in Spain
- Rules may vary
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | Small grey space shuttle or docked spacecraft illustration printed on the centre playfield just below the title, pointing left with a swept wing |
| Vehicle | Two silver rocket illustrations printed on the blue plastics flanking the lower playfield, angled inwards |
| Other | Cream-and-brown atomic mushroom explosion burst above the 'collect bonus' text at bottom centre |
| Other | Chrome wire-loop starburst target left of the mars trek title |
A cream/white and silver playfield under glass, with the apron at the bottom carrying a red rectangular manufacturer logo panel reading 'PARLA-MADRID (SPAIN)'. At the top is an arched upper playfield of yellow and orange metal rails with wire guides, a red mushroom pop bumper and a yellow mushroom pop bumper, both printed '1000' on their caps, plus round red targets marked with white letters R and T and two red triangular 'BONUS' flags. Down the left side runs a vertical column of white letter circles reading M, A, R, S, flanked by 'SPECIAL WHEN LIT 10000' round inserts. Across the centre, large red block capitals spell MARS TREK, each letter sitting above a round white insert in a row, with a chrome wire-loop starburst target to the left. Below the title a small grey space-shuttle illustration points left, and the red-outlined text SAME PLAYER SHOOTS AGAIN sits between two red starburst inserts. The middle-lower playfield is a swirling rainbow spiral of orange, yellow, green and teal representing a planetary surface, ringed by red round bumpers labelled with score values 20000, 30000, 40000, 50000, 60000, 70000, 80000, 90000 and 100000. Two tall blue plastic ramp/sling guides printed with silver rockets and starbursts rise symmetrically left and right of the spiral, flanked by 'ADVANCE BONUS' and 'SPECIAL WHEN LIT 10000' round targets. Near the bottom centre, 'OUTHOLE' and 'DOUBLE BONUS WHEN LIT' text surrounds a round outhole, and 'COLLECT BONUS' appears beside a cream-and-brown atomic explosion starburst. Two white flipper bats with red rubber point down and inwards above 'FOR AMUSEMENT ONLY', with red arrow stickers marked 'FLIPPER BUTTON' on each side wall. The artwork is flat late-1970s-style airbrushed fantasy art with saturated orange, red, yellow and blue.
Backglass vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Backglass
- orange
- navy blue
- black
- cream
Fingerprint: Gigantic woman's face filling right half, comic-book pin-up with small square grey monitor panel embedded in cheek, red lipstick with white star glint on lower lip, huge black winged lash spikes radiating into starfield, enormous foreshortened "MARS TREK" logo in cream-orange tilted diagonally, yellow multi-windowed rocket blasting up left edge with pink-white flame trails, turquoise dome-topped mechanical tower at top centre
The single most memorable element is the gigantic woman's face filling the right half of the glass - a comic-book pin-up with a small square grey monitor panel embedded in her cheek, red lipstick with a white star glint on her lower lip, and huge black winged lash spikes radiating out into the starfield like antennae. The second is the enormous foreshortened 'MARS TREK' logo in cream-orange block letters, tilted diagonally so it reads from lower-left to upper-right. Third: a yellow multi-windowed rocket blasting upward along the left edge with pink-and-white flame trails, and, top centre, a turquoise dome-topped mechanical tower or gun emplacement. Fourth: the four colour-coded score windows staggered diagonally with '1 UP' to '4 UP' pennant flags.
Setting
- Deep navy blue starfield speckled with white stars
- Olive-yellow and cream swirling brush-stroke nebula bands
- Brick-red and rust-orange ground behind the title
- Small ringed planets and crescent moons scattered across
Symbols
- Small ringed planets
- Crescent moons
- White star glint on the woman's lip
- Triangular pennant flags carrying up numbers
- Rectangular score windows
- Rocket exhaust flames
Lettering
- 'sonic' in small rounded yellow script with black outline; 'mars trek' in enormous tall condensed cream-to-orange gradient block capitals with thick black outlines and black internal shadowing, tilted on a steep diagonal; 'game over' in cyan/turquoise and yellow outlined capitals; '1 to 4 can play' in red block capitals with black outline; 'ball in play' in small yellow capitals
Themes
- Outer space
- Spaceship
- Starfield
- Planets
- Science fiction
- Comic book heroine
- Rocket launch
Title on it
- Mars trek
Text on it
- Sonic
- MARS TREK
- GAME OVER
- 1 TO 4 CAN PLAY
- BALL IN PLAY
- 1 UP
- 2 UP
- 3 UP
- 4 UP
- 000
- 100
- 200
- 300
- 400
- 500
- 600
- 700
- TILT
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Enormous stylised female face occupying the right half of the glass, pale peach skin, orange eyeshadow with red irises, heavy black winged eyeliner forming long spikes across the background, small square grey monitor/panel set into the cheek, small nose, bright red lips with a white star-shaped glint on the lower lip, laughing open-mouthed smile, black hair suggested by the spikes |
| Vehicle | Yellow rocket/spaceship climbing diagonally up the left edge, rows of square and rectangular windows, pink and white flame exhaust streaming behind, hull drawn with heavy black linework |
| Vehicle | Turquoise dome-topped mechanical structure at top centre, like a gun turret or engine housing, with an open red-lit circular top, red button-like studs and angular teal plating |
Illuminated painted backglass with a huge wedge-shaped logo on the left: 'Sonic' in small curved yellow script above 'MARS TREK' in enormous cream-to-orange block capitals with heavy black outlines and tall narrow letterforms, set on a deep brick-red/orange ground. The right two-thirds is a swirling starfield of dark navy blue, olive yellow, cream and rust red brush-stroke swirls, speckled with white stars and small ringed planets. A single enormous face dominates the right side: a glamorous woman in comic-book style with pale peach skin, heavy orange-lidded eyes with red irises, thick black winged eyeliner lashes sweeping outward, a small square grey monitor-like panel set into her cheek, bright red lips with a white star highlight, and black hair spikes radiating across the starfield. A yellow rocket/spaceship with rows of square windows and pink engine flames climbs diagonally up the left side. Four rectangular score windows with coloured borders (orange, red, orange, green) sit staggered down the centre-left, each paired with a triangular '1 UP' to '4 UP' flag. Bottom centre reads 'BALL IN PLAY'.
Backglass
- blue
- red
- yellow
- black
Fingerprint: SONIC yellow-capitals above MARSTIME tall condensed white block-letters, stylized woman pale mint-green skin red-lips black hair-arcs holding small white playing-card K cheek, rocket rear-view splayed-legs top-center, yellow-teal saucer lower-left red-orange flame-streaks, blue starfield swirling nebula brush-strokes, colored-circles numbered 1-4 right-edge, space-exploration woman-in-space playing-card motif
The most memorable element is a giant stylised woman's face on the right with pale mint-green skin, vivid red lips and sweeping black hair drawn as curved arcs, holding a small white playing card marked K against her cheek. Second is the towering white condensed title MARSTIME running down the left third under a small yellow SONIC. A rocket seen from directly behind with splayed landing legs hovers top centre, and a yellow-and-teal saucer at lower left trails long red and orange flame streaks across the starfield. Red 1-4 CAN PLAY lettering with a column of numbered coloured circles sits hard against the right edge.
Setting
- Outer space starfield
- Swirling nebula arcs
- Dark navy speckled with white stars
Symbols
- Playing card with letter k
- Coloured numbered circles 1 2 3 4
- Coloured arrows marking each score panel
- Stars
- Flame exhaust streaks
Lettering
- Tall condensed white sans-serif capitals with black shadow for the title, small yellow capitals above it, red outlined capitals for the play-count notice, small block capitals on coloured arrow flags
Themes
- Space
- Science fiction
- Rocket ships
- Starfield
- Woman in space
Title on it
- Marstime
Text on it
- SONIC
- MARSTIME
- 1 UP
- 2 UP
- 3 UP
- 4 UP
- BALL IN PLAY
- 1-4 CAN PLAY
- K
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Large head and shoulders on the right, pale mint-green skin, red lips, dark eye, black hair swept up in curved tendrils, holding a small white playing card marked k beside her face |
| Vehicle | Rocket ship at top centre viewed from behind, pale blue body with fins and splayed landing legs |
| Vehicle | Rocket at upper left flying diagonally with coloured exhaust streaks behind it |
| Vehicle | Yellow and teal flying saucer at lower left of centre with red-orange flame trails |
| Vehicle | Small rocket at top right with white and red exhaust plume |
A landscape backglass on a deep blue starfield overlaid with broad swirling arcs of red, orange and yellow nebula brush strokes. On the left, SONIC in small yellow capitals sits above MARSTIME, set in very tall condensed white block capitals with black shadowing. A large stylised woman's head dominates the right half: pale green-blue skin, heavy black hair arcing up in curved tendrils, red lips, one visible eye, and a small white playing card bearing the letter K held beside her cheek. At top centre a rocket ship points away from the viewer, seen from behind with splayed landing legs; a smaller rocket flies diagonally at upper left with multicoloured exhaust streaks, and a yellow-and-teal saucer low left of centre trails red-orange flame. Four horizontal score panels with white windows sit top left, upper middle, middle and lower right, each preceded by a coloured arrow reading 1 UP, 2 UP, 3 UP and 4 UP. Red-outlined text at right reads 1-4 CAN PLAY above a vertical stack of coloured circles numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4. A small dark plaque reads BALL IN PLAY.