Caveman

1 Introduction

Gottlieb Caveman is a hybrid pinball and video game in a pinball cabinet. A 13-inch RGB video game monitor was built into the center-rear portion of the playfield. A joystick was positioned in the top-center of the oversized lockdown bar, which was roughly the same size as a traditional pinball playfield apron.

Bally also experimented with hybrid games around the same time, but used stand-up video arcade-style cabinets with a smaller square playfield.

2 Technical Info

2.1 System Overview

The pinball section of the game is based on the Gottlieb System 80A.

3 Documentation

• flipprojets.com Caveman troubleshooting page
• On-Target Newsletter #5 May 1982 - "Introducing Caveman"
• On-Target Newsletter #8 Oct/Nov/Dec 1982 - "Sound/Speech, Circuit Analysis" - (Caveman troubleshooting tip on page 2)
• TNT Amusements YouTube Video - Caveman Game overview & opening it for servicing

3.1 Other

• Gottlieb patent for backbox design
• Gottlieb patent for hybrid pinball machine design

4 Problems & Fixes

The card cage (GTB-MA265) with all the boards for the video game portion of Caveman can still be obtained from PBResource.

4.1 I/O Video Board

The I/O Video Board is the weak link in this game, with problems usually caused by bad ICs.

5 Modifications

5.1 ROM

An new ROM containing an update to the game's rules, which can be enabled/disabled with a DIP switch: Caveman Evolution

6 Repair Logs

• Video I/O Board issue