Also known as RW
1988 · Gottlieb
Robo-War
Known for Stargate target, Power Surge spinner, ROBOWAR and Two-ball Multiball. Black starfield with scattered white stars in the upper score panel, outer space sky with light flares behind the robot battle, orange and cream hexagonal-tiled alien ground plane and glowing yellow-green light shafts rising from the ground.
- Year
- 1988
- Maker
- Gottlieb
- Type
- Solid state
- Display
- Alphanumeric
- Players
- 4
Known for
- Target
Stargate target
- Spinner
Power Surge spinner
- Goal
ROBOWAR
- Multiball
Two-ball Multiball
On the playfield
- tan
- orange
- blue
- red
- yellow green
- 2 flippers
- 5 pop bumpers
- 1 spinner
- 1 target bank
- 2 slingshots
Hole 1
- Lock hole
Spinner 1
- Power Surge spinner
Targets 3
- Stargate target
- Beta drop targets
- Alpha drop targets
Lanes 3
- ROBO top lanes
- Left dead-end lane
- Right in lane
On the backglass
Who and what
- robot Large central-right saucer robot: teal-blue, wide flat disc-shaped head like a hat brim, narrow band of small round glowing eyes, segmented tapering body ending in a column, ringed by flat blue-green oval discs floating around its base
- robot Lower-left squat red-brown robot on four thin jointed legs, rounded dome head with circular details, standing on the orange tiled ground
- robot Small dark green multi-legged robot at mid-left behind the saucer robot, low rounded body on short legs
- robot Orange robot at mid-right with a long tapered body and a pale beam or arm projecting down-left as a bright white diagonal laser ray
- vehicle Partially visible orange-gold angular machine or craft at upper-left of the artwork window, seen from above with panel lines and struts
- other Small dark teal saucer shape with a spike or fin at upper right of the artwork, a second smaller flying disc
Setting
- Black starfield with scattered white stars in the upper score panel
- Outer space sky with light flares behind the robot battle
- Orange and cream hexagonal-tiled alien ground plane
- Glowing yellow-green light shafts rising from the ground
Text on it
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- BALL IN PLAY
- MATCH
- CREDIT(S)
- 15
- Gottlieb
- The Premier
- Name In Pinball
- WARNING...
- ROBO: WAR
How it plays
-
Modes 1
- Power Surge
-
Multiballs 1
- Two-ball Multiball 2-ball
-
Goals 1
- ROBOWAR
-
Awards 1
- ROBOWAR Special
Made by
- Design
- John Trudeau
- Design
- Jon Norris
- Art
- Constantino Mitchell
- Art
- Jeanine Mitchell
- Software
- John Buras
Reference
Linked terms
- Stargate target also called Stargate release target also called Stargate rollunder
- Power Surge spinner also called Spinner also called Flashing spinner also called Right spinner
- ROBO top lanes also called top rollovers
- Beta drop targets also called BETA
- Right in lane also called right inlane also called Right return lane
- ROBOWAR also called Robowar letters
Playfield vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Playfield
- tan
- orange
- blue
- red
- yellow green
Fingerprint: Robo-war, seven circles spelling ROBO WAR across middle with final R reversed in red disc, three stacked oval inserts reading 8X 4X 2X below, grinning robot head and toy soldier on blue panels, RED STAR TURRET target on lower apron, saturated flat cartoon graphics
The single most identifying feature is the row of seven separate circles, each holding one block letter, that spells ROBO WAR across the middle of the playfield, with the last R reversed out in a red disc against green ones. Below it a vertical stack of three oval inserts reads 8X, 4X and 2X, the 8X and 2X lit from within while the 4X is dark. The playfield is unusually bright and saturated, with flat cartoon graphics of a grinning robot head, a toy soldier figure and a bald man in a red tunic set into large sky-blue panels over wood grain. On the lower apron a small round target reads RED STAR TURRET in stacked red capitals, flanked by the slanted slogans FLIP RACE and POWER BOOSTER. The whole playfield is under glass, which throws a broad milky reflection band across the middle and the lower apron, and the cabinet's red-and-yellow striped side panels and a chrome ball return are visible below the wooden lock-down bar.
Setting
- Printed wood-grain planks running left to right across the lower playfield
- Flat sky-blue panels behind the central title band and lower arches
- A red brick or grid pattern behind the upper bumper area
- A black background outside the cabinet on both sides of the shot
Symbols
- Seven letter circles reading robo war
- Round red star turret target with grenade burst
- Spiral galaxy or shell emblem on the right of the lower playfield
- Star inside a circle at the right-hand apron
- Red arrows in a staggered column in the upper half
- Black pterodactyl or bat silhouettes in a fan below the title band
Notable shapes
- A large yellow-outlined chevron rising from the lower apron
- Two plain white rubber sleeves or slings in the lower centre
- An octagonal printed panel around the red star turret
- A black rectangular card-reader area on the cabinet front below the lock-down bar
Art motifs
- Painted wooden planks
- Blue sky panels with a distant horizon line
- Brick and grid textures in the upper playfield
- Outlined cartoon machinery and gears
Themes
- Robots
- Military
- Sci-fi gadgetry
- Space race
- Arcade scoring
Title on it
- Robo-war
Text on it
- ROBO-WAR
- ROBO WAR
- HOW TO PLAY
- 3 BALLS PER GAME
- SPECIAL
- ADVANCE
- BONUS
- BANK
- REPLAY
- UPGRADE
- CONCENTRATION
- SKILL
- GIFT
- TOUCH
- BAG
- HIGH SCORE FOR FEATURE
- 1ST
- 2ND
- 3RD
- WAR
- ROBO
- RED STAR
- TURRET
- FLIP RACE
- FEATURE MODE
- POWER BOOSTER
- SPINNER
- 8X
- 4X
- 2X
- Premier
- Gottlieb
- 1 x 25" - 1 PLAY
- 4 x 25" - 5 PLAYS
- AS-17th
- SEE DISPLAY FOR REPLAY SO
- 3 REPLAYS FOR BEATING HIGH S
- HOLD RIGHT FLIPPER BUTTON TO DISP
- SCORE 500 TIMES MULTIPLIER FOR EACH DROP TARGET HIT
- HOLD CURING MULTI BALL IS LIT
- LETTER ENTER LETTER BY PRESSING SELECT DESERVED BONUS MULTIPLIER BUILT, ONE LEVER ON EACH SIDE OF PLAYFIELD BRIGHTLY - OUR STAGE
- Popper Buccaneers Comic Info
- Gottlieb Robo-War
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Other | A square red-and-orange grinning robot face with round eyes, a toothy mouth and side ear-pieces, printed on a blue panel in the upper right of centre |
| Other | A small toy-soldier in a red tunic and cap with a rifle, printed side-on in the upper centre-left, with a small black pterodactyl-like bird shape above it |
| Other | A bald grinning man in a red coat and yellow trim, arms raised, printed in the lower centre under the 4x window |
| Other | A black spherical grenade with a yellow burst radiating out behind it, printed at the lower centre inside the round target |
| Other | A green artillery barrel on a stand, printed on the right playfield near the upper blue panel |
A colour playfield photographed under glass on a full cabinet, with the varnished front of the cabinet and the metal coin door below the apron visible. The playfield is built on a warm tan and orange wood-grain background overlaid with large flat areas of sky blue, brick red and black outlined in yellow. Across the upper half are five round pop-bumper caps, three of them cream or white and one glowing yellow, plus a horseshoe of red arrow inserts marked in a staggered column. A run of seven yellow-green circles in a shallow arc across the middle carries separate block letters that read ROBO WAR, with the final R in a red circle. Three oval multiplier windows read 8X, 4X and 2X down the centre, flanked by slim yellowed slots. The lower playfield is a wood-plank apron area carrying FLIP RACE on the left, FEATURE MODE and POWER BOOSTER near the right, and a round RED STAR TURRET target in the middle. Two flippers with red and white rubber sit at the bottom behind two plain white rubber sleeves.
Backglass vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Backglass
- teal
- orange
- black
- green
Fingerprint: Giant teal-blue flying saucer robot with broad flat disc head, glowing circular eyes, segmented tapering body hovering at center-right, WARNING... ROBO: WAR chunky green outlined block capitals with red dot colon, three squat multi-legged robots in red-brown dark green orange standing on orange hexagonal landscape, one firing bright white diagonal laser beam, top panel score readouts with red player numerals 1-4 in black starfield
The single most memorable element is a giant teal-blue flying saucer robot with a broad flat disc head, glowing circular eyes and a segmented tapering body hovering at centre-right. Close behind: the title lettering WARNING... ROBO: WAR in chunky green outlined block capitals with a red dot as the colon. Three squat multi-legged robots in red-brown, dark green and orange stand on an orange hexagonal-tiled landscape, with one firing a bright white diagonal laser beam. The top panel's four green alphanumeric score readouts ringed by red numerals 1-2-3-4 in a black starfield are equally recognisable.
Setting
- Black starfield with scattered white stars in the upper score panel
- Outer space sky with light flares behind the robot battle
- Orange and cream hexagonal-tiled alien ground plane
- Glowing yellow-green light shafts rising from the ground
Symbols
- Four circular speaker grilles in the top panel
- Hexagonal floor tiles
- Floating oval discs
- White laser beam
- Yellow light shafts
- Red player numerals 1-4
- Red dot used as colon in the title
Lettering
- Chunky squared-off sans-serif outline capitals in bright green with pale inner highlight, slightly arched; the warning... line smaller and centred above the main title. the upper panel uses small red condensed capitals and a yellow cursive-sans brand logo with an italic slogan.
Themes
- Science fiction
- Robots
- Space battle
- Alien terrain
- Laser fire
- Flying saucers
Title on it
- Robo: war
Text on it
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- BALL IN PLAY
- MATCH
- CREDIT(S)
- 15
- Gottlieb
- The Premier
- Name In Pinball
- WARNING...
- ROBO: WAR
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Robot | Large central-right saucer robot: teal-blue, wide flat disc-shaped head like a hat brim, narrow band of small round glowing eyes, segmented tapering body ending in a column, ringed by flat blue-green oval discs floating around its base |
| Robot | Lower-left squat red-brown robot on four thin jointed legs, rounded dome head with circular details, standing on the orange tiled ground |
| Robot | Small dark green multi-legged robot at mid-left behind the saucer robot, low rounded body on short legs |
| Robot | Orange robot at mid-right with a long tapered body and a pale beam or arm projecting down-left as a bright white diagonal laser ray |
| Vehicle | Partially visible orange-gold angular machine or craft at upper-left of the artwork window, seen from above with panel lines and struts |
| Other | Small dark teal saucer shape with a spike or fin at upper right of the artwork, a second smaller flying disc |
Translucent-lit style backglass in a red-framed cabinet, split into an upper score panel and a large lower artwork window. The top panel has a black starfield background with four round grille speaker grilles (two flanking each side) and four green alphanumeric LED score readouts: two across the top, two across the middle, labelled with big red player numerals 1 (left), 2 (right), 3 (left), 4 (right). Between the readouts sit small red legends BALL IN PLAY, MATCH, CREDIT(S) and a 15, plus a yellow Gottlieb logo with the slogan The Premier Name In Pinball. The lower window is a sci-fi battle scene: blocky green outlined lettering WARNING... above ROBO: WAR, with a small red dot between the words. A huge teal-blue saucer-shaped robot with a wide brimmed disc head and a segmented tapering body dominates centre-right, ringed by flat blue-green oval discs. Smaller red-brown and orange squat multi-legged robots stand lower-left and mid-right. Orange and cream hexagonal tiled terrain, glowing yellow-green light shafts, a diagonal white laser beam, and a starry sky with lens flares fill the background. A small blue Gottlieb logo sits bottom-left.