# Past Times Pinball History Ep 27: El Dorado Variations **Source:** Past Times Arcade **Type:** video **Published:** 2024-09-18 **Duration:** 1m 23s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wVQ-_NwPuw --- ## Analysis Past Times Arcade presents a detailed history of the El Dorado playfield layout across six distinct Gottlieb games released between 1975-1984. The episode documents three single-player variants (El Dorado, Gold Strike, Lucky Strike), two four-player versions (Target Alpha, Target Alpha Canada Dry), a two-player Solar City, and the final 1984 Premier release El Dorado City of Gold, while contextualizing Gottlieb's playfield reuse strategy within broader industry practice. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Gold Strike was released in 1975 as an Addall version of El Dorado with lead designer Ed Krinsky and artwork by Gordon Morrison — _Host directly states game details with specific credits_ - [HIGH] Gottlieb released three versions of the El Dorado playfield in 1975: El Dorado, Gold Strike (Addall), and Lucky Strike (export) — _Host explicitly lists the three 1975 variants_ - [HIGH] Two four-player versions followed: Target Alpha and Target Alpha featuring Canada Dry — _Host describes the subsequent four-player releases_ - [HIGH] Solar City was released as a two-player version of the El Dorado layout — _Host mentions Solar City in the chronological sequence_ - [HIGH] El Dorado City of Gold was released in 1984 under Premier using the same playfield — _Host provides year and manufacturer for final variant_ - [MEDIUM] Gottlieb reused the playfield for Fast Draw/Quick Draw on Amazon Hunt a year before El Dorado variants — _Host provides comparison but context of timing is compressed_ - [MEDIUM] Bally reused playfields in the 1960s with Campus Queen, Sheba, Gator, and Alligator — _Host references Bally's historical practice as industry precedent_ ### Notable Quotes > "three versions as a single player they then followed that up with two four player versions one target Alpha and the other one A variation Target Alpha featuring Canada Dry" > — **Past Times Arcade host**, mid-episode > _Clearly outlines the variant release strategy for El Dorado across player configurations_ > "it's not the first time that Gottlieb reused playfields they reused the playfield for Fast Draw Quick Draw on Amazon Hunt a year earlier also not the first time any company has done this Valley did in the 60s" > — **Past Times Arcade host**, late-episode > _Contextualizes playfield reuse as standard industry practice, not unique to Gottlieb_ > "come on into Pastimes Arcade play Gold Strike as well as some of these other beautiful wedgeheads" > — **Past Times Arcade host**, outro > _Invitation to visit arcade and experience the featured games; uses period-appropriate terminology_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Ed Krinsky | person | Lead designer of Gold Strike (1975), credited on El Dorado playfield variant | | Gordon Morrison | person | Artwork artist for Gold Strike (1975) | | Gottlieb | company | Primary manufacturer of El Dorado and its variants (1975-1980s) | | Premier | company | Released El Dorado City of Gold in 1984 | | Addall | company | Released Gold Strike variant of El Dorado in 1975 | | Gold Strike | game | 1975 Addall version of El Dorado, single-player variant | | El Dorado | game | 1975 original Gottlieb game with shared playfield layout across six variants | | Lucky Strike | game | 1975 export variant of El Dorado playfield | | Target Alpha | game | Four-player variant of El Dorado playfield | | Target Alpha Canada Dry | game | Four-player variant of El Dorado playfield with Canada Dry branding | | Solar City | game | Two-player variant of El Dorado playfield | | El Dorado City of Gold | game | 1984 Premier release using El Dorado playfield, final variant in series | | Past Times Arcade | venue | Large commercial arcade in Girard, Ohio hosting collection featuring El Dorado variants | | Bally | company | Referenced for playfield reuse strategy in 1960s with Campus Queen, Sheba, Gator, Alligator | ### Topics - **Primary:** Playfield reuse strategy, El Dorado variant family, Gottlieb design and manufacturing practices - **Secondary:** Game variants across player configurations, Pinball history and archive documentation, Industry-wide playfield reuse precedents ### Sentiment **Neutral** (0.5) — Host presents historical facts in educational/archival tone without judgment. Enthusiasm is evident in invitation to play machines but content itself is informational rather than evaluative. --- ## Transcript [Music] for this episode of Past Times pinball history we're going to feature multiple games featuring The Playfield layout of El Dorado we have on the floor here the adall version of El Dorado called Gold Strike 1975 lead designer on that is Ed krinsky artwork by Gordon Morison so 1975 they released El Dorado as well as this adal version called Gold Strike they also released an an export called Lucky Strike so three versions as a single player they Then followed that up with two four player versions one target Alpha and the other one A variation Target Alpha featuring Canada Dry they then released it once again as Solar City a two-player version and then lastly in 1984 under Premiere as El Dorado city of gold it's not the first time that got Le reused playfields they reused the play field for Fast Draw Quick Draw on Amazon hunt a year earlier also not the first time any company has done this val did in the 60s with campus Queen Sheba Gator and alligator come on into pastimes arcade play Gold Strike as well as some of these other beautiful wedge heads _(Acquisition: youtube_auto_sub, Enrichment: v3)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: da77755f-c03e-438f-b7b5-11f0173240ae*