Barb Wire

“Don’t call me Babe!”

Barb Wire is a solid-state pinball machine released by Gottlieb in April 1996. It is famous for being the final pinball machine produced by Gottlieb before the legendary manufacturer closed its production lines. Based on the 1996 cult action film starring Pamela Anderson, only a limited run of 1,000 units were ever manufactured, making it a rare and sought-after piece for collectors today.

Designed by Bill Parker, the playfield features a traditional lower two-flipper arrangement paired with a strategic upper third flipper positioned above a captive ball. The layout includes two main ramps, pop bumpers, a dual-plunger system, and a dynamic "Big Fatso" drop-door target that opens for skill shots. Powered by the Gottlieb System 3 hardware platform, the game features a DMD with custom speech and animations. The artwork by Constantino and Jeanine Mitchell focuses heavily on Pamela Anderson's character.

Gameplay revolves around progressing through five distinct story-based modes: Hideout, Big Fatso, Crash the Tolls, Hammerhead Bar, and Haywire. Players activate these modes by shooting the ball into specific holes and ramps, aiming for high-scoring combos and multi-ball features. While it arrived during a difficult transitional period for the traditional pinball industry, the table's unique history as an era-ending finale, combined with its scarce production numbers and pop-culture theme, gives it a distinct cult status among pinball enthusiasts.