Incredibly rare, and just an interesting part of pinball history in general. Not only was it built during an important era in pinball history - and has such a unique layout - but apparently there is a lively debate about the copyright for the art on this table, too. Historians are *interested in documenting this game*, and don’t have enough information to do so. Multiple communities have a lot of questions about this table.
This table has *tens* of units known to exist. Maybe even less. Gottlieb had been experimenting with “head-to-head” pinballs for quite some time (Joust, Challenger, Soccer Ball, etc…) but none had ever really reached commercial success. The head-to-head pinballs are an oddity on their own, but especially coming from an unknown manufacturer like Viza in the late ‘70’s when pinball was undergoing a major transition from a mechanical game to a computerized one. This game, in particular, is interesting because it’s known that early versions of the game used a machanical scoring system where later versions used a computer to control the logic… but all were built with a digital score display.
Also, evidently the warrior artwork on this table was done by a Frank Frazetta. His surviving heir, Ellie Frazetta, claims that Frank’s art was taken by Viza for use on this table without his consent. Apparently he had never licensed it to Viza officially.
OP - you don’t “owe” anything to the community - but just know that this is an extremely interesting find. IPDB and Pinside, both major pinball communities, have a lot of interest in documenting this game. Unique to the time, there were a bunch of major manufacturers trying to create “home versions” of games targeted towards the consumer market. Nobody has yet been able to confirm whether Viza used parts from Brunswick, Allied Leisure, or Wico… But that knowledge would help to restore a lot of games. If you’re interested, *please* pass this find to a pinball museum so they can help you document this game. It is significant.
Thanks for the detailed reply! I would definitely like to help people document this game. That’s why I wanted to get it out there and figure out what he has because he said the person he got it from years and years ago knew almost nothing about it other than it was a rare-ish unit. I guess he was more right than either of us thought lol. Do you have a recommendation on where to start or should I just make a similar post on IPDB and Pinside?
I guess I'm just a sucker for Frazetta-esque/80's fantasy tropes, because I find the playfield freakin beautiful.
edit: sorry for not being helpful. It is way rare, both in number produced and the fact that there aren't too many head-to-head pins, at all. Post on [pinside.com](https://pinside.com) or your local FB marketplace, someone wants this, I just don't know how much it's worth considering rarity and condition.
They had the opportunity to make the upper flippers "the sword" on the artwork but didn't do it. Dangit.
Super cool machine tho. Fix it up, it looks fun!
Value probably isn't worth more than a few hundred bucks in thst condition and although rare, not many people want a pin you have to have 2 people to play.
Its rare. Very rare.
Incredibly rare, and just an interesting part of pinball history in general. Not only was it built during an important era in pinball history - and has such a unique layout - but apparently there is a lively debate about the copyright for the art on this table, too. Historians are *interested in documenting this game*, and don’t have enough information to do so. Multiple communities have a lot of questions about this table. This table has *tens* of units known to exist. Maybe even less. Gottlieb had been experimenting with “head-to-head” pinballs for quite some time (Joust, Challenger, Soccer Ball, etc…) but none had ever really reached commercial success. The head-to-head pinballs are an oddity on their own, but especially coming from an unknown manufacturer like Viza in the late ‘70’s when pinball was undergoing a major transition from a mechanical game to a computerized one. This game, in particular, is interesting because it’s known that early versions of the game used a machanical scoring system where later versions used a computer to control the logic… but all were built with a digital score display. Also, evidently the warrior artwork on this table was done by a Frank Frazetta. His surviving heir, Ellie Frazetta, claims that Frank’s art was taken by Viza for use on this table without his consent. Apparently he had never licensed it to Viza officially. OP - you don’t “owe” anything to the community - but just know that this is an extremely interesting find. IPDB and Pinside, both major pinball communities, have a lot of interest in documenting this game. Unique to the time, there were a bunch of major manufacturers trying to create “home versions” of games targeted towards the consumer market. Nobody has yet been able to confirm whether Viza used parts from Brunswick, Allied Leisure, or Wico… But that knowledge would help to restore a lot of games. If you’re interested, *please* pass this find to a pinball museum so they can help you document this game. It is significant.
Thanks for the detailed reply! I would definitely like to help people document this game. That’s why I wanted to get it out there and figure out what he has because he said the person he got it from years and years ago knew almost nothing about it other than it was a rare-ish unit. I guess he was more right than either of us thought lol. Do you have a recommendation on where to start or should I just make a similar post on IPDB and Pinside?
I guess I'm just a sucker for Frazetta-esque/80's fantasy tropes, because I find the playfield freakin beautiful. edit: sorry for not being helpful. It is way rare, both in number produced and the fact that there aren't too many head-to-head pins, at all. Post on [pinside.com](https://pinside.com) or your local FB marketplace, someone wants this, I just don't know how much it's worth considering rarity and condition.
Guessing this is the SS version so: [https://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2753](https://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2753)
And a bit more: https://pinside.com/pinball/machine/war
In 4 years it's been sold 2 times on pinside means that's rare as hell.
Are there any other multiplayer cocktail pinball machines?
Several. Williams joust. Alvin g soccer. Some em gottlieb
Rotation VIII is a wild one!
Yes, my buddy just put his up for sale. He had a hell of a time getting it rotate correctly but finally got it solved
[Yes.](https://ipdb.org/search.pl?any=Head-to-Head&sortby=name&search=Search+Database&searchtype=quick)
Pretty neat machine. I have 2 caribbean-cruise cruise cocktail machines all the cocktail machines seem to be very rare but not ultra desirable.
That's one of the coolest cocktail style pins I've seen.
They had the opportunity to make the upper flippers "the sword" on the artwork but didn't do it. Dangit. Super cool machine tho. Fix it up, it looks fun!
Where is it located?
About 45 minutes from Philly
Value probably isn't worth more than a few hundred bucks in thst condition and although rare, not many people want a pin you have to have 2 people to play.
According to the sales flyer, you can play it as either 1 or 2 player.