Spin-A-Card and Hearts and Spades are 1969 pinball machines by D. Gottlieb & Co. with identical playfields but different reward systems. Spin-A-Card focuses on replay-based gameplay, where players aim to complete card sets to earn replays, while Hearts and Spades is an add-a-ball version designed to grant extra balls upon completing similar objectives. Both machines feature two flippers, pop bumpers, kick-out holes, and spinning backglass lights. Designed by Ed Krynski with artwork by Art Stenholm.
.svg)
Join 10k Pinball Fans for Free Weekly Updates!
Flyers & Promo Media
Hearts and Spades
Quickie Version:
UTAD.
Go-to Flipper:
Balanced
Risk Index:
Very High; critical to get ball into upper portion of playfield
Skillshot(s):
Soft plunge to make the far right lane to light the yellow bumpers; the far left is okay, too, but soft plunging the right is easier.
Full Rules:
This is the add-a-ball version of Spin-A-Card with different scoring and a slightly different strategy. Hearts and Spades is a great EM if you’re playing to win extra balls. If you’re playing for points, it loses a whole lot in translation. Hearts and Spades has a different point value ratio mix than its free-game sibling, Spin-A-Card. On Spin-A-Card, the points ratios, using lit bumpers as the base, are: bumpers 1; targets 10; saucers 20; and top center lane 50. On Hearts and Spades, the ratios are: bumpers 1; targets 5; fan target, saucers and top lane 10 each. As a result, the relative value of the bumpers makes lighting them more useful than trying for the center lane on the skill shot. As on Spin-A-Card, the two “spin” saucers are too small to make shooting at them practical since the ball must usually be moving slowly to fall into them. Your best chance of having the ball go in a saucer is via nudging as the ball is coming down from the top near one of them. Besides points, they spot a random card. The saucers eject the ball upwards at an angle between the bumper and the center triangle. The yellow bumpers are lit by the top right lane and the middle side right lane; the green bumpers are lit by the counterpart lanes on the left. The center fan-shaped target is worth 1000 unless you’ve completed all ten cards, when it becomes worth an extra ball for the remainder of the ball in play. That’s the attraction of the add-a-ball version, trying to get all ten cards and then getting as many extra balls from the center target as you can before draining. The strategy on the game is UTAD; aim your shots to either side of the two saucers, trying to slip past or just barely graze the bumpers above them so the ball continues on upwards. You don’t want to hit those bumpers head on, the rebounds can drain. With any luck, the ball will eventually come down one of the side lanes to light the bumpers. Just keep sending it up top. Do not shoot at the center fan target, nor at the #2 or King standup targets. Try shatzing the ball up the opposite return lane to see what happens. If the ball consistently goes up just enough to score it but not so much that you get an up-and-out drain, consider a cross-shatz all day strategy. While a bit of a luck box as far as getting action while the ball is up top, the game does require and reward skill for being able to thread the needle on shots to get to the top.
via Bob's Guide
Spin-A-Card
Quickie Version:
UTAD.
Go-to Flipper:
Balanced
Risk Index:
Very High
Skillshot(s):
Make the top center lane for 500 points; that’s the only thing on the whole machine worth more than 200, and it’s hard to get it anytime afterwards other than through luck and a strategic nudge. Making the skill shot on most of your balls will be a big advantage in a match.
Full Rules:
Spin-A-Card is a great EM if you’re playing to win a Special, i.e. free game. If you’re playing for points, it loses a whole lot in translation. Point values are flat across all standup targets and lanes except the top center: each number is worth 100 at all times. The two “spin” saucers are worth 200, but these are too small to make shooting at them practical since the ball must usually be moving slowly to fall into them. Your best chance of having the ball go in a saucer is via nudging as the ball is coming down from the top near one of them. Besides points, they spot a random card. The saucers eject the ball upwards at an angle between the bumper and the center triangle. The yellow bumpers are lit by the top right lane and the middle side right lane; the green bumpers are lit by the counterpart lanes on the left. The center fan-shaped target is worth 100 unless you’ve completed all ten cards, when it becomes worth a special. That’s the attraction of playing for games rather than for score, trying to get all ten cards to set up the fan target for replays. The strategy on the game is UTAD; aim your shots to either side of the two saucers, trying to slip past or just barely graze the bumpers above them so the ball continues on upwards. You don’t want to hit those bumpers head on, the rebounds can drain. With any luck, the ball will eventually come down one of the side lanes to light the bumpers. Just keep sending it up top. Do not shoot at the center fan target, nor at the #2 or King standup targets. Try shatzing the ball up the opposite return lane to see what happens. If the ball consistently goes up just enough to score it but not so much that you get an up-and-out drain, consider a cross-shatz all day strategy. While a bit of a luck box as far as getting action while the ball is up top, the game does require and reward skill for being able to thread the needle on shots to get to the top.
via Bob's Guide
