1981 · Stern Electronics
Split Second
Known for Upper playfield, Upper 5-bank, Lock lane and U-turn. Night sky, firework display and gradient blue-to-crimson field.
- Year
- 1981
- Maker
- Stern Electronics
- Type
- Solid state
- Display
- Alphanumeric
- Players
- 4
Known for
- upper playfield
Upper playfield
- Drop target
Upper 5-bank
- Lane
Lock lane
- Shot
U-turn
- Multiball
Release All Captive Balls
- Multiball
Black Star Chance
On the playfield
- blue
- orange
- yellow
- red
- 2 flippers
- 2 pop bumpers
- 1 spinner
- 2 slingshots
Extra level 1
- Upper playfield upper playfield
Shot 1
- U-turn
Drop targets 2
- Upper 5-bank
- Lower 3-banks
Targets 3
- Red star target
- Blue star target
- Standup targets 1-2-3-4-5
Lanes 5
- Lock lane
- Far right in lane
- Top lanes 1-2-3
- Near in lanes
- Out lanes
On the backglass
Who and what
- woman Upper left, blonde, yellow two-piece bikini, gold bracelets, arched backwards mid-air, head thrown back, laughing open-mouthed expression, left arm extended up-left
- woman Upper right, blonde, yellow two-piece bikini, head-down diving pose with both arms reaching downward toward the centre, hair falling over her face
- woman Lower left, blonde, yellow bikini top with yellow dotted shorts and gold bangles, lying horizontally and reaching her right arm across the frame toward the centre firework
Setting
- Night sky
- Firework display
- Gradient blue-to-crimson field
Text on it
- SPLIT SECOND
- 1111
- 2889100
- 2222
- 40
- 00
- 4444
How it plays
-
Modes 1
- HURRY
-
Multiballs 2
- Release All Captive Balls
- Black Star Chance
Made by
- Design
- Harry Williams
- Art
- Doug Watson
- Art
- Gerry Simkus
Reference
Linked terms
- Upper 5-bank also called 5-bank
- Lock lane also called Upper right lane
- Far right in lane also called Far in lane
- U-turn also called U-turn shot
- Lower 3-banks also called 3-bank also called center three-banks
Playfield vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Playfield
- blue
- orange
- yellow
- red
Fingerprint: Pyramid of ten pinballs set in red rings spelling special and second letter by letter, roaring spotted big-cat heads glaring at each other beneath them inside inverted red triangle, ring of large u-shaped painted horseshoes and arrow motifs running across lower playfield, deep blue background with enormous orange and yellow starburst radiating from center
The centre of the playfield is a pyramid of ten pinball illustrations set in red rings, spelling the two words SPECIAL and SECOND letter by letter, with a pair of roaring spotted big-cat heads glaring at each other directly beneath them inside an inverted red triangle. A second memorable element is the ring of large U-shaped painted horseshoes and arrow motifs running across the lower playfield. Third, the whole field is built on a deep blue background covered with an enormous orange and yellow starburst that radiates out from the central triangle.
Setting
- Flat deep blue ground
- Huge radiating orange and yellow starburst
- Peach and cream score panels
- Painted horseshoe and arrow motifs
Symbols
- Stars
- Arrows
- Horseshoe u-shapes
- Pinball spheres
- Spotted rosettes
- Circular value dials
Notable shapes
- Inverted red triangle at centre, large radiating starburst, a row of u-shaped horseshoes across the lower field, a deep circular saucer hole in the left ramp lane
Art motifs
- Radiating sunburst
- Concentric pinball rings
- Peach panels with black text
- Hand-lettered black capitals
Themes
- Arcade
- Score attack
- Starburst
- Big cats
- Multiplier
- Bonus
Title on it
- Special second
Text on it
- S P I C I A L
- S E C O N D
- SHOOT AGAIN
- TO WIN
- BONUS
- 10,000
- ADVANCE BONUS
- SPECIAL
- 15,000
- 50,000
- 100,000
- 5,000
- 3,000
- 2X
- 4X
- 8X
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Animal | Two roaring spotted leopard or jaguar heads, side by side facing outwards, mouths open showing teeth, set in an orange circle inside the central inverted triangle |
| Other | Ten white pinball spheres in red rings arranged in two arcs spelling special and second |
| Other | A large painted arrow or rocket-like striped motif in the upper-left quadrant, red, white and orange with a pointed nose |
| Other | A row of small painted star and horseshoe shapes scattered over the orange starburst |
A brightly coloured, cartoon-illustrated pinball playfield with a deep blue ground and a huge central orange-and-yellow starburst. In the middle, ten white pinballs set in red rings spell two words: S P I C I A L across the top arc and S E C O N D across the lower arc. Below them sits an inverted red triangle reading SHOOT AGAIN, then two snarling spotted big-cat heads facing each other, the words TO WIN and BONUS, and a tight grid of ten small round white bumpers or lamps, finished by 10,000 inside a red star at the triangle's point. Each flank has a peach-and-yellow score panel with VALUE circles (5,000, 3,000), ADVANCE BONUS text, 15,000 and 50,000 lane figures, and SPECIAL lettering. The upper half is crowded with two blue-domed pop bumpers, blue and red saucer-capped posts, a yellow-bordered ramp lane on the right, a large flat ramp lane on the left, and a white banner of multipliers (2X 4X 8X) near the top. Lower thirds carry a row of large U-shaped painted horseshoes, arrowed star shapes, a spinner aperture, and two white flipper bats. The wooden apron below is plain and scuffed, and the cabinet front shows rainbow-striped laminate.
Backglass vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Backglass
- red
- yellow
- blue
- black
Fingerprint: SPLIT SECOND in red-yellow gradient block letters on white banner, three blonde pin-up women in yellow bikinis tumbling through night sky, red white and blue striped chevron emblem, red white and yellow firework bursts, thin arcing rocket-trail lines, deep blue-to-red gradient background
Three identical blonde pin-up women in yellow bikinis tumbling head-over-heels through a fireworks sky, arranged in a rough triangle around the centre. The title SPLIT SECOND in fat red-and-yellow gradient block letters above a red/white/blue striped arrowhead chevron. Four red LED score windows framed by small numeral tiles reading 1111, 2222, 3333 and 4444. A deep blue-to-crimson gradient sky crossed by thin arcing firework trails and starbursts.
Setting
- Night sky
- Firework display
- Gradient blue-to-crimson field
Symbols
- Striped arrowhead/chevron emblem
- Starburst fireworks
- Arcing rocket trails
- Numeral tiles 1111/2222/3333/4444
Lettering
- Large bold geometric sans-serif capitals, red-to-yellow horizontal gradient fill, white keyline, heavy black drop shadow
Themes
- Pin-up
- Fireworks
- Beauties
- Night sky
- Sports/racing
Title on it
- Split second
Text on it
- SPLIT SECOND
- 1111
- 2889100
- 2222
- 40
- 00
- 4444
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Upper left, blonde, yellow two-piece bikini, gold bracelets, arched backwards mid-air, head thrown back, laughing open-mouthed expression, left arm extended up-left |
| Woman | Upper right, blonde, yellow two-piece bikini, head-down diving pose with both arms reaching downward toward the centre, hair falling over her face |
| Woman | Lower left, blonde, yellow bikini top with yellow dotted shorts and gold bangles, lying horizontally and reaching her right arm across the frame toward the centre firework |
Illuminated translite-style backglass with a big block-letter title SPLIT SECOND across the top, the letters filled with a red-to-yellow horizontal gradient and outlined in white with a heavy black drop shadow, sitting on a white banner panel. Above the title is a red, white and blue striped chevron/arrowhead emblem on a black field. The centre of the glass is dominated by three painted pin-up style women in yellow/gold swimwear tumbling or floating through a night sky filled with red, white and yellow firework bursts and thin arcing rocket-trail lines on a deep blue-to-red gradient background. Upper left a blonde woman in a yellow bikini arches backwards right-to-left, head tilted back with an open laughing mouth, both arms thrown out; upper right a second blonde woman in a yellow bikini dives head-down; lower left a third blonde woman in a yellow bikini and dotted yellow shorts reaches one arm across the frame. Four rectangular score windows with red seven-segment digits sit left, right and lower centre, flanked by small black-and-white numeral tiles reading 1111, 2222, 3333 and 4444.