1980 · Stern Electronics
Quicksilver
Known for Quicksilver letters, Bonus wheel, Left drop targets and Right three-bank. Crackled magenta and purple spattered backdrop and abstract void with no horizon line.
- Year
- 1980
- Maker
- Stern Electronics
- Type
- Solid state
- Display
- Alphanumeric
- Players
- 4
Known for
- Target
Quicksilver letters
- Toy
Bonus wheel
- Target
Left drop targets
- Target
Right three-bank
- Hole
Left saucer
On the playfield
Toy 1
- Bonus wheel
Hole 1
- Left saucer
Targets 6
- Quicksilver letters
- K
- SIL
- VER
- Left drop targets
- Right three-bank
Lanes 3
- QUIC
- Return lanes
- Special lane
On the backglass
Who and what
- woman Single central female figure in profile facing right, head tilted back, red hair, large crescent-shaped golden headdress, red-orange one-piece flowing garment, both arms outstretched with fingers splayed, one hand holding or trailing a small green blob
- creature Dozens of glossy green and teal amorphous blob shapes with red highlights, several bearing small human-like arms and reaching hands, crowding the lower half and left edge
- animal Four or more blue-green striped spheres or egg-like bodies scattered mid-left, lower centre and right
Setting
- Crackled magenta and purple spattered backdrop
- Abstract void with no horizon line
Text on it
- STERN
- QUICKSILVER
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 40
- CREDIT
- BALL IN PLAY
- MATCH
- TILT
How it plays
-
Awards 1
- Lit spinner
Made by
- Design & Mechanics
- Joe Joos Jr.
- Art
- Doug Watson
- Software
- Bill Pfutzenreuter
Reference
Linked terms
- Left drop targets also called Center four-bank
- Right three-bank also called Right bank
Playfield vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Playfield
- green
- yellow
- red
- silver
Fingerprint: Radiating starburst explosion of yellow-orange flame fills center, three round glowing yellow bumper caps, chrome rocket models and satellite saucers on posts, large engraved rocket flanked by curved ball guides, yellow chevron apron, dark teal-green textured field, bright yellow accents throughout
A field of swirling yellow-and-orange flame or cloud shapes erupting from the middle of an otherwise dark green, rock-textured playfield, radiating outward like a starburst. Three large domed yellow pop-bumper caps glowing in a triangle in the upper third, over a bank of glowing red rectangular score reels. Several chrome spacecraft and rocket models bolted to the playfield surface, including a wire-frame rocket on a post and a dished satellite. A large engraved rocket running diagonally across the centre, ringed by curved chrome ball guides. Two red flippers with white faces pointing inward at the bottom, above a green-and-yellow apron with concentric swirl motifs.
Setting
- Dark mottled green rocky asteroid or alien terrain texture
- Swirling bright yellow and orange flame or nebula clouds radiating from centre
- Outer playfield border of green with red and yellow chevron banding
Symbols
- Row of rectangular score reels at the top
- Three domed pop-bumper caps
- Round drop-target faces in the mid playfield
- Cream-outlined rollover lanes and inserts
- Card-suit and star shapes in the lower playfield
- Yellow chevron and concentric-swirl apron panels
Notable shapes
- Large diagonal engraved rocket across centre
- Curved chrome ball guides forming arcs over the mid and lower playfield
- Concentric yellow spiral motifs in both lower apron corners
- Arched clear ramp and wireform arch at the top
- Red rectangular score-reel bank framed by a curved red banner
Art motifs
- Radiating starburst of yellow-orange clouds
- Speeding rockets and comet trails
- Printed score digits in cream and red
- Glowing yellow post bumpers
- Chrome hardware with red plastic bumpers
Themes
- Outer space
- Rockets
- Space flight
- Score reels
- Bonus ladder
Title on it
- Quick silver
Text on it
- SCORE PAYS 1,000 BONUS WHEN HIGH OR
- ADVANCE LIT
- SHOOTING STAR
- HIT ROCKET WHEN LIT TO ADVANCE
- 15,000 WHEN LIT
- COMPLETE ROCKET WHEN LIT
- SPECIAL WHEN LIT
- EXTRA SCORE
- ADVANCE
- SPECIAL
- SHOOT AGAIN
- COLLECT
- FOR AMUSEMENT ONLY
- QUICK SILVER
- STERN
- ELECTRONICS, INC.
- CHICAGO, ILL. 60614
- 3 BALLS PER GAME
- GAME OVER
- PLAYER 1
- PLAYER 2
- 10,000
- 20,000
- 15,000
- 25,000
- 23,000
- 24,000
- 5000
- 6000
- 7000
- 8000
- 9000
- 1000
- 2000
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | Large chrome and white rocket model mounted diagonally across the centre of the playfield, ringed by chrome curved ball guides |
| Vehicle | Wire-frame rocket on a white post at the left shoulder, angled upward |
| Vehicle | Several small chrome saucer / satellite-dish models on posts on the right shoulder |
| Other | Large engraved rocket silhouette printed in red and cream across the centre, the dominant printed motif |
| Other | Stylised white and yellow shooting-star and comet motifs scattered across the lower playfield |
A full-length electro-mechanical style playfield photographed in a wooden cabinet, lit with yellow incandescent bulbs, against a black surround. The ground colour is a mottled dark teal-green rock/asteroid surface overlaid with swirling bright yellow and orange flame or nebula swirls that radiate symmetrically from the centre. At the top a curved clear-plastic ramp and wireform arch enclose a bank of rectangular red score reels; a curved red banner arcs above them. Three round yellow pop-bumper caps glow beneath, and a fourth yellow post bumper sits lower centre. Chrome/silver spaceship models, rockets and satellite-dish hardware cluster on the left and right shoulders. Mid-field is an engraved rocket shape labelled by white lettering, flanked by curved chrome ball guides. Below sit white-outlined rollover lanes, round drop-target banks, and a lower section of cream-outlined insert lamps with a printed instruction card pair. Two red flippers with white faces and rubber rings sit at the bottom centre above a yellow chevron apron. Dominant colours: dark green, bright yellow, red, chrome silver.
Backglass vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Backglass
- magenta
- green
- red
- gold
Fingerprint: QUICKSILVER in chunky red-orange block capitals, red-haired woman in profile with crescent-shaped golden headdress floating amid swirl of green tentacle-like arms, glossy green blob creatures and blue-green striped spheres crowding crackled magenta-purple spattered background, long diagonal letter flourish sweeping through middle
The memorable centrepiece is a red-haired woman in profile with her head thrown back and both arms flung wide, wearing a huge crescent-shaped golden headdress, floating amid a swirl of green tentacle-like arms. Behind and around her title lettering is a long diagonal flourish sweeping down the glass. The whole scene is set on a crackled magenta and purple spattered background crowded with glossy green blob creatures and blue-green striped spheres. Player numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 each sit beside their own rectangular score window.
Setting
- Crackled magenta and purple spattered backdrop
- Abstract void with no horizon line
Symbols
- Player numbers in small yellow boxes
- Rectangular score windows
- Two-digit credit/ball-in-play windows
- Long diagonal letter flourish
Lettering
- Large custom chunky red-orange block capitals with white and black outline, oversized swash initial q and sweeping diagonal flourish
Themes
- Fantasy
- Floating woman
- Green blob monsters
- Abstract
- Numbered players
Title on it
- Quicksilver
Text on it
- STERN
- QUICKSILVER
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 40
- CREDIT
- BALL IN PLAY
- MATCH
- TILT
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Single central female figure in profile facing right, head tilted back, red hair, large crescent-shaped golden headdress, red-orange one-piece flowing garment, both arms outstretched with fingers splayed, one hand holding or trailing a small green blob |
| Creature | Dozens of glossy green and teal amorphous blob shapes with red highlights, several bearing small human-like arms and reaching hands, crowding the lower half and left edge |
| Animal | Four or more blue-green striped spheres or egg-like bodies scattered mid-left, lower centre and right |
A full rectangular backglass with a black outer border and a deep magenta-to-purple crackled/spattered background. Across the top sits a large custom lettered title reading QUICKSILVER in chunky red-orange block capitals outlined in white and black, with oversized swash Q and a long diagonal Z-like flourish sweeping down through the middle. Top left is a small blue dotted-matrix style logo panel with a white wordmark, and just beneath it the player number 1 in a small yellow box beside a rectangular seven-segment score window showing dim amber digits. Centre of the glass is dominated by a single stylised female figure: a red-haired woman in profile facing right, head tilted back, wearing a flowing red-orange one-piece outfit and a large crescent-shaped golden headdress, arms flung wide with fingers splayed. Around and below her swirl glossy green and teal blobby organic shapes, tentacle-like arms and small hands, and several blue-green striped spheres. Two more rectangular score windows sit lower left and lower right, flanked by yellow player numbers 3 and 4, with two small two-digit credit windows in the lower centre labelled CREDIT and BALL IN PLAY. Art style is airbrushed early-1980s fantasy illustration with heavy black shadowing and saturated colour.
Backglass
- purple
- green
- orange
- black
Fingerprint: Glossy orange-red bubble-letter "QUICKSILVER" logo with red orbit ring encircling it dominating upper half, single bare-chested woman flying horizontally out of green surf with arms stretched wide, gold-and-red rounded diving helmet, green tentacle-like seaweed and froth swirling up from bottom with pale blue bubbles, speckled purple sky, four black score windows.
A single bare-chested woman flying horizontally out of green surf, her arms stretched wide, wearing a gold-and-red rounded diving helmet. The enormous glossy orange-red bubble-letter QUICKSILVER logo with a red orbit ring encircling it dominates the upper half. Green tentacle-like seaweed and froth swirl up from the bottom, dotted with pale blue bubbles, against a speckled purple sky. Small white player numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 label the four black score windows.
Setting
- Speckled purple airbrushed sky
- Churning green sea foam at the bottom
- Dark rocks and seaweed
Symbols
- Red orbit ring around logo
- Air bubbles
- Seaweed fronds
- Dark rocks
- White border frame
- Four black rectangular score windows
Lettering
- Large glossy bubble capitals in an orange-to-red gradient with dark red outline and highlight, crossed by a red elliptical orbit ring; plus a small dotted white word in a blue cartouche
Themes
- Sea
- Diving
- Swimming
- Surf
- Female hero
- Airbrush fantasy
Title on it
- Quicksilver
Text on it
- STERN
- QUICKSILVER
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | One bare-chested woman, tanned skin, shown in right-facing profile swimming or flying upward, both arms outstretched to either side, legs trailing down and behind. she wears a rounded gold helmet with red banding and a dark face opening, and a red sash at the waist. |
A painted backglass on a mottled purple-to-magenta airbrushed background, framed by a white border. Across the top sits a large, glossy bubble-letter logo reading QUICKSILVER in orange-to-red gradient capitals with a darker red outline, with a red elliptical orbit ring sweeping behind and through the letters. In the top-left corner a small blue rectangular cartouche carries the dotted white word STERN. Two long horizontal black rectangular windows sit left and right of centre, each with a small white numeral above it (1 on the left, 2 on the right), and two shorter windows along the lower edge are labelled 3 and 4. The single figure is a bare-chested tanned woman in profile facing right, arms flung wide, flying upward out of a mass of churning sea-green and teal foam. She wears a rounded gold-and-red helmet with a dark face opening, a red sash at her waist, and her legs trail down into the water. Around her float white-blue bubbles, green seaweed fronds and dark rocks.