High Flyer by Barcrest: a closer look at the propeller board

High Flyer makes good use of its flying theme. An aviator in goggles sits above a huge propeller-shaped feature board, with three fruit reels below. The red cabinet and bright orange artwork make it easy to spot, but it is the unusual shape of the board that gives this Barcrest machine its character.

Look closely at the photograph and there is quite a lot going on. The central ring wraps around a Hi Lo number display, while the three blades contain cash amounts, shots and bonus positions. The layout makes the propeller part of the game, rather than just a picture behind it.

The board also has question-mark spaces, a Game Over position and an Extra Life panel. Those labels tell you something about its personality: this is a machine built around a feature sequence with different possible turns, rather than a cabinet that only shows a reel result and pays it out.

Down the left-hand side, the feature ladder includes Skill Match, Mystery Win, Turbo Cash, Lift Off and Pay Rise. On the right is a separate jackpot ladder, with a smaller circular display below. The flying language carries through the artwork without needing a television character or film licence to make the theme work.

The controls are pleasingly direct. Beneath the reels are Cancel, three Hold buttons, Feature Exchange, Collect and Start/Gamble. Two of the Hold buttons also carry Hi and Lo labels, tying the buttons to the number display above.

What makes High Flyer interesting to look back at is how much of the game is laid out on the glass. You can see the feature names, the cash positions and the places where a run can end. The photograph is also a useful reminder that the best way to describe an old machine is to look at the cabinet itself: its stake and payout markings matter more than a generic specification copied from another game.