The Internet Pinball Database Presents

Close Encounters of the Third Kind


Quick Search ] [ Advanced Search ] [ Game Lists ] [ Archives ] [ Pinball Glossary ] [ Playing Skills ] [ FAQ ] [ Settings ]

Close Encounters of the Third Kind / IPD No. 4692 / September, 1978 / 4 Players
 
[ Submit Changes ]
Average Fun Rating: Needs More Ratings!         8.5 / 10  (3 ratings)   [ Add Your Rating! ]
Manufacturer: D. Gottlieb & Company, a Columbia Pictures Industries Company (1977-1983)
[Trade Name: Gottlieb]
Date Of Manufacture: September, 1978
Model Number: 424
Common Abbreviations: CE3K
Type: Electro-mechanical (EM) [?]
Production: 470 units   (confirmed)
Serial Number Database:View at The Internet Pinball Serial Number Database (IPSND.net)  (External site)
Theme: Outer Space - Licensed Theme
Notable Features: Flippers (2), Pop bumpers (2), Slingshot (1), Roto-targets (3), Standup targets (3), 5-bank drop targets (1), Spinning target (1). End-of-ball bonus.

Maximum displayed point score is 199,990 points per player.

Replay wheel maximum: 15

Design by: Ed Krynski
Art by: Gordon Morison
Notes: The games pictured here show that the operator was provided a choice of equipping the game with EM chimes or with a System-1 soundboard with speaker to provide electronic sound. Reportedly, either option was at extra cost to the operator. We know this option was provided for other Gottlieb EM games of this time period.

The Prototype game has no serial number stamped in its cabinet. Reportedly, a prior owner said it was once owned by a Gottlieb executive. From the outside, the game looks the same as a production game except the front of the backbox has the blue and yellow stripes last seen on Gottlieb's 1976 'Surfer'. We wonder if the inside of the game is hand-labeled.

We previously showed a date for this game of October 1978. The new date is per Gottlieb documentation. We previously showed a production run total of 470.

Quantity produced - domestic: 136
Quantity produced - export: 343
Total quantity produced: 479

Marketing Slogans: ""You were dazzled by it on the screen...Now...""
Photos in: The Pinball Compendium 1970-1981External Link, page 136
Mike Pacak's Pinball Flyer Reference Book A-F
Pinball (Ciuffo), pages 98-99
Images:
(click to zoom)
Image # 5741: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Backglass
Backglass

434x436
[Cody Chunn]
Image # 5742: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Playfield
Playfield

530x654
[Cody Chunn]
Image # 11560: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Backglass
Backglass

482x480
 
Image # 11561: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Playfield
Playfield

450x600
 
Image # 11562: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Playfield - Detail
Playfield - Detail

800x600
 
Image # 11563: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Cabinet - Full View
Cabinet - Full View

322x479
 
Image # 11564: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Backglass - Detail
Backglass - Detail

640x480
 
Image # 35913: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Upper Playfield
Upper Playfield

640x480
[Olivier Mathe]
Image # 35914: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Middle Playfield
Middle Playfield

640x480
[Olivier Mathe]
Image # 35915: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Lower Playfield
Lower Playfield

640x480
[Olivier Mathe]
Image # 40943: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Backglass
Backglass

1024x967
[Jean-Pierre Renault]
Image # 50004: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Backglass 
(Serial number 01081 S.)
Sample Game - Backglass*

766x876
[Cédric Berenger]
Image # 50005: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Playfield 
(Serial number 01081 S.)
Sample Game - Playfield*

1200x1600
[Cédric Berenger]
Image # 50006: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Upper Playfield 
(Serial number 01081 S.)
Sample Game - Upper Playfield*

1200x900
[Cédric Berenger]
Image # 50007: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Lower Playfield 
(Serial number 01081 S.)
Sample Game - Lower Playfield*

1200x900
[Cédric Berenger]
Image # 50008: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Cabinet - Left 
(Serial number 01081 S.)
Sample Game - Cabinet - Left*

876x900
[Cédric Berenger]
Image # 50009: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Cabinet - Right 
(Serial number 01081 S.)
Sample Game - Cabinet - Right*

800x880
[Cédric Berenger]
Image # 50010: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Cabinet - Front View 
(Serial number 01081 S.)
Sample Game - Cabinet - Front View*

852x1528
[Cédric Berenger]
Image # 50011: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Under Playfield 
(Serial number 01081 S.)
Sample Game - Under Playfield*

1200x1600
[Cédric Berenger]
Image # 50012: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Inside Cabinet 
(Serial number 01081 S.)
Sample Game - Inside Cabinet*

1200x1600
[Cédric Berenger]
Image # 50013: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Choice of Sound Systems 
(Note the word ‘FRANCE’ was stamped in black ink below the Total Play meter. Nearby is the Chime Adapter Plug where, on this game, the operator had plugged in a chime unit (sold separately). Alternatively, the operator could have installed a sound card with speaker, for electronic sound, by connecting them to the connector that is dangling, unused, near the center of this picture. Serial number 01081 S.)
Sample Game - Choice of Sound Systems*

1200x900
[Cédric Berenger]
Image # 54331: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Illuminated Backglass 
(Photographed at Chicago Pinball Expo 2012. Serial number 01104 S.)
Sample Game - Illuminated Backglass*

1200x1919
[Jay Stafford]
Image # 54332: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Backglass - Detail 
(Photographed at Chicago Pinball Expo 2012. Serial number 01104 S.)
Sample Game - Backglass - Detail*

1200x900
[Jay Stafford]
Image # 54333: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Backbox - Right 
(Photographed at Chicago Pinball Expo 2012. Serial number 01104 S.)
Sample Game - Backbox - Right*

1200x1600
[Jay Stafford]
Image # 54334: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Full View 
(Photographed at Chicago Pinball Expo 2012. Serial number 01104 S.)
Sample Game - Full View*

816x1569
[Jay Stafford]
Image # 54335: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Serial Number 
(Photographed at Chicago Pinball Expo 2012. Serial number 01104 S.)
Sample Game - Serial Number*

1200x677
[Jay Stafford]
Image # 55539: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Prototype Game - Backbox Striping 
(This game has no serial number. Notice the blue and yellow backbox stripes.)
Prototype Game - Backbox Striping*

603x480
 
Image # 55540: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Prototype Game - Upper Playfield 
(This game has no serial number.)
Prototype Game - Upper Playfield*

640x480
 
Image # 55541: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Prototype Game - Lower Playfield 
(This game has no serial number.)
Prototype Game - Lower Playfield*

640x480
 
Image # 55542: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Prototype Game - Backbox - Right 
(This game has no serial number. Notice the blue and yellow backbox stripes on its front.)
Prototype Game - Backbox - Right*

451x477
 
Image # 55543: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Prototype Game - Cabinet - Right 
(This game has no serial number. Notice the blue and yellow backbox stripes on its front.)
Prototype Game - Cabinet - Right*

599x480
 
Image # 55544: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Prototype Game - Cabinet - Front 
(This game has no serial number.)
Prototype Game - Cabinet - Front*

453x480
 
Image # 55545: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Inside Backbox 
(Serial number 01104 S.)
Sample Game - Inside Backbox*

1088x900
 
Image # 55546: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Inside Cabinet 
(The unused jack to the right of the Total Play meters is for a chime unit. Serial number 01104 S.)
Sample Game - Inside Cabinet*

1200x900
 
Image # 58250: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Illuminated Backglass 
(Serial number 01097 S.)
Sample Game - Illuminated Backglass*

967x876
[Mark Johnson]
Image # 58251: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Illuminated Playfield 
(Serial number 01097 S.)
Sample Game - Illuminated Playfield*

1200x1600
[Mark Johnson]
Image # 58252: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Serial Number 
(Serial number 01097 S.)
Sample Game - Serial Number*

1200x900
[Mark Johnson]
Image # 58253: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Speaker Hole 
(Serial number 01097 S.)
Sample Game - Speaker Hole*

1200x900
[Mark Johnson]
Image # 58254: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Under Playfield 
(Serial number 01097 S.)
Sample Game - Under Playfield*

1200x1600
[Mark Johnson]
Image # 58255: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Inside Cabinet 
(The unused jack to the right of the Total Play meters is for a chime unit. Serial number 01097 S.)
Sample Game - Inside Cabinet*

1200x1600
[Mark Johnson]
Image # 58256: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sample Game - Sound Card 
(The unused jack at the left edge of this image is for a chime unit if the sound card was not used. Serial number 01097 S.)
Sample Game - Sound Card*

1200x900
[Mark Johnson]
 

[ Support the IPDB ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ About Us ]
All copyrighted and trademarked Gottlieb® material licensed from Gottlieb Development LLC.
Copyrighted and trademarked material from Planetary Pinball Supply, Inc® used with permission.
All photographs licensed from original photographers, who retain their copyright. Do not use without permission!
Site design, phrasing, and other local content copyright 2004-2024 by The Internet Pinball Database™.
Where appropriate, other trademarks & copyrights remain property of their owners.
[ Database Change Log ]

ipdb.org hosted at pair.com

 
blank line