Whoopee

Gottlieb's 'Whoopee' pinball machine, released in 1974, represents a classic example of electro-mechanical pinball design from the mid-1970s golden age of pinball. The machine emerged during a period when pinball manufacturers were pushing the boundaries of mechanical innovation, just before the industry's transition to solid-state electronics.

The playfield design of Whoopee featured a traditional layout with pop bumpers, drop targets, and classic scoring lanes characteristic of the era. The art package likely employed the vibrant, carnival-style aesthetics common to 1970s pinball machines, with the name 'Whoopee' suggesting a fun, celebratory theme that was popular during this period of pinball history.

As an electro-mechanical machine, Whoopee operated using relay switches, stepper units, and score motors - the complex mechanical systems that defined pinball technology before the solid-state revolution. The scoring would have been displayed using mechanical reels, with chimes and bells providing the game's audio feedback. While production numbers aren't definitively known, machines from this era typically saw production runs between 2,000 and 4,000 units.

The game represents an important transitional period in pinball history, released during the final years of the electro-mechanical era, just before solid-state electronics would revolutionize the industry. Today, Whoopee serves as a collectible piece that demonstrates the engineering ingenuity of mechanical pinball design.