The Time We Almost Got Legend of Zelda and American Gladiators Pinball Machines

Knapp Arcade·article·analyzed·Jul 3, 2023

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.018

TL;DR

Gottlieb's 1993 Gladiators pin was supposed to be Legend of Zelda before licensing collapsed mid-dev.

Summary

A nostalgic exploration of pinball history reveals that Gottlieb's 1993 Gladiators pinball was originally planned as a Legend of Zelda game but was forced to pivot mid-development due to licensing constraints. The game's troubled development and eventual generic branding reflects broader challenges in IP licensing for pinball, with the author speculating that a modern Zelda pinball would be far more commercially viable than the American Gladiators theme that ultimately replaced it.

Key Claims

Gottlieb's 1993 Gladiators pinball was originally themed as The Legend of Zelda during development
high confidence · Article states this as established historical fact; cites designer Jon Norris and production numbers (just under 2,000 units sold)
The game's theme was switched mid-development to American Gladiators due to that show's popularity at the time
high confidence · Author explains the pivot was made 'in the middle of Zelda's development' to capitalize on the TV show's popularity
Gottlieb's Super Mario Bros. pinball (1992) was commercially successful with 4,200 units sold
high confidence · Cited as context for why Zelda would have been a strong follow-up to another Nintendo license
The American Gladiators licensing deal fell apart unexpectedly, leaving Gottlieb without a theme
medium confidence · Author states 'out of nowhere, the licensing deal with American Gladiators fell apart,' forcing Gottlieb to release as generic 'futuristic Gladiators'
A modern Legend of Zelda pinball would be far more commercially viable than American Gladiators would be today
medium confidence · Author's opinion: 'I think that a Legend of Zelda pinball machine would still sell like hotcakes today. The franchise is going as strong as ever... An American Gladiators pinball machine today, not so much.'

Notable Quotes

“Yes, it was originally supposed to be Zelda. People then, and even today, would have gone nuts for a game based on that classic Nintendo license.”
Knapp Arcade (author) — Establishes the core premise that Zelda licensing was a major lost opportunity for Gottlieb in the early 1990s and remains desirable today
“In the middle of Zelda's development, the theme was switched to the popular television series at the time American Gladiators - with the stipulation that Gottlieb had to get the game out fast.”
Knapp Arcade (author) — Reveals the rushed nature of the American Gladiators pivot and the commercial pressure Gottlieb faced
“Then out of nowhere, the licensing deal with American Gladiators fell apart and Gottlieb was stuck without a theme for the pinball machine.”
Knapp Arcade (author) — Explains the crisis that led to the generic 'Gladiators' branding and demonstrates the fragility of TV licensing deals
“I think that a Legend of Zelda pinball machine would still sell like hotcakes today. The franchise is going as strong as ever with Nintendo's latest entries Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.”
Knapp Arcade (author) — Modern commentary on the enduring value of Nintendo IP for pinball, contrasted with the irrelevance of American Gladiators today

Entities

Gottliebcompany Jon NorrispersonGladiators (1993)gameLegend of ZeldaproductSuper Mario Bros. (1992)gameSuper Mario Bros. Mushroom WorldgameAmerican GladiatorsproductNintendocompany

Signals

$
market_signal: Pinball community interest in revisiting the 'what if' history of canceled or pivoted game themes; reflects broader fascination with pinball history and licensing stories
medium · Article positions this as a notable historical quirk worth excavating and discussing; implies community appetite for these stories
?
licensing_signal: Nintendo IP (Legend of Zelda) remains highly coveted for pinball licensing; franchise longevity (Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom) demonstrates modern relevance that American Gladiators lacks
high · Author argues Zelda 'would still sell like hotcakes today' and 'franchise is going as strong as ever,' contrasting sharply with American Gladiators' cultural irrelevance
?
licensing_signal: Gottlieb's Legend of Zelda pinball project demonstrates the fragility and unpredictability of TV/entertainment IP licensing deals in the early 1990s; American Gladiators licensing collapse forced mid-development pivot
high · The American Gladiators deal 'fell apart' unexpectedly mid-development, forcing Gottlieb to release as unbranded generic 'Gladiators' rather than Zelda or American Gladiators
$
market_signal: Gottlieb's successful Nintendo licensing track record (Super Mario Bros. 4,200 units sold in 1992) suggests strong market demand for Nintendo properties; Zelda pinball would likely have performed equally or better
high · Super Mario Bros. sold 4,200 units; author contends Zelda 'would have gone nuts' and would 'still sell like hotcakes today'
?
product_strategy: Gottlieb faced pressure to rush the American Gladiators pinball 'out fast' due to the TV show's contemporaneous popularity, suggesting time-sensitive commercial opportunity

Topics

Licensing challenges and IP negotiations in pinball developmentprimaryGottlieb's Nintendo-licensed pinball machines in the early 1990sprimaryThe mid-development pivot from Zelda to American Gladiators and subsequent branding failureprimaryHistorical scarcity and cultural significance of Gladiators pinballsecondaryModern Nintendo IP value for potential future pinball licensingsecondaryPinball industry history and designer legaciessecondary

Sentiment

mixed(0.55)— Tone is nostalgic and fascinated by the historical oddity, but tinged with frustration and counterfactual regret about the lost opportunity. The author views the Zelda licensing failure as a significant missed commercial and cultural opportunity, while also finding the actual outcome (generic Gladiators) somewhat amusing in retrospect. The article treats the subject with humor and appreciation for pinball history rather than criticism.

Transcript

raw_text · $0.000

This weekend I was absolutely wiped out when I got home from an unexpected trip to the hospital with one of my sons well after Midnight. I was too amped up to go to bed, but too zonked to play video games on my Steam Deck like I often do when I'm relaxing on the couch. So I popped on Netflix to find something to veg out to. I landed on something that was fairly nostalgic for me personally, a new documentary about the early 1990s television show American Gladiators (trailer below). The show was loaded with late 80s / early 90s goodness. Anyone who lived through that era will probably love it. So how does this relate to pinball you ask? Well, the 1993 Gottlieb solid state pinball machine Gladiators, designed by Jon Norris - just under 2,000 units sold, was originally supposed to be themed The Legend of Zelda. Yes I know that Zelda is not American Gladiators, so bear with me. Yes, it was originally supposed to be Zelda. People then, and even today, would have gone nuts for a game based on that classic Nintendo license. The Zelda release would have followed Gottlieb's successful 1992 Super Mario Bros. (4,200 units) and rarer mini Gottlieb Super Mario Bros. Mushroom World (519 units) pins. In the middle of Zelda's development, the theme was switched to the popular television series at the time American Gladiators - with the stipulation that Gottlieb had to get the game out fast. Then out of nowhere, the licensing deal with American Gladiators fell apart and Gottlieb was stuck without a theme for the pinball machine. So, they just branded it as a generic futuristic Gladiators pin. That's quite a bizarre history for a game you don't see very often these days. I think that a Legend of Zelda pinball machine would still sell like hotcakes today. The franchise is going as strong as ever with Nintendo's latest entries Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. An American Gladiators pinball machine today, not so much. The documentary sure is good though. Would you be interested in a new pinball machine based on Zelda today? https://www.netflix.com/title/81462151