Flipper Counterforce

Counterforce (Gottlieb, 1980): faults and System 80 replacement boards

Is your Counterforce by Gottlieb (1980) failing to boot, showing "0" with the shoot-again lamp stuck on, resetting as soon as a ball hits a switch, with pop bumpers locked on or green multiplier lamps glowing dimly? Counterforce is an early Gottlieb System 80 game, and those symptoms trace back to the CPU board (MPU), the driver and pop bumper boards, the connectors or the grounds. This guide covers the machine's history, the recurring faults owners report, what they tried, and the compatible System 80 replacement boards.

About the Counterforce (Gottlieb, 1980)

See it: full photo gallery for Counterforce on IPDB

See it: Counterforce in the Pinside game archive (owner photos)

Counterforce was released in August 1980, in the first year of Gottlieb's System 80 electronics. 3,870 units were built (the figure agrees across Pinside, Kineticist and the Internet Pinball Serial Number Database), and Gottlieb's game number was #656.

It was designed by Ed Krynski with artwork by Gordon Morison, one of Gottlieb's longest-running design partnerships. Pinside's archive notes that Counterforce was the 125th and last Gottlieb game the two made together, which gives it a place in the history of the company even though it is not a famous title.

The theme is a space battle against aliens, sold with the flyer line "A new kind of pinball they'll fight to play. 'cause this one fights back!" It is a widebody game with four flippers, two pop bumpers and seven drop targets. There is no ramp and no multiball: it is a shooter's game built around the flippers and targets.

Counterforce does not talk. It came out before Gottlieb introduced speech with Mars God of War in 1981, and it uses the MA-55 sound board, which plays effects only. That matters if you swap sound boards between System 80 games: a speech board from a later title is a different board.

It is not a common machine. Pinside counts 83 members who own one, and the serial number database has 47 serials logged, about 1.2% of the run. At the time of writing (September 2026) Pinside's estimate is US$1,570-1,830 for a working example.

  • Manufacturer: D. Gottlieb & Co. (a Columbia Pictures company)
  • Released: August 1980
  • Game number: 656
  • Production: 3,870 units
  • Design: Ed Krynski
  • Artwork: Gordon Morison
  • Electronic system: Gottlieb System 80
  • Sound: MA-55 sound board (effects, no speech)
  • Cabinet: widebody, 4 players, numeric displays
  • Playfield: 4 flippers, 2 pop bumpers, 7 drop targets, no ramp, no multiball
  • Theme: science fiction, space battle
Gottlieb System 80 boards — Counterforce
The CPU and Driver boards of the Gottlieb System 80.

Common faults on System 80 machines

Every System 80 game ages the same way. The original battery on the CPU board leaks and corrodes the traces around it. Edge connectors and Molex pins oxidise, so boards lose contact: crashes, resets and random behaviour follow. The ground paths between boards are weak from the factory, which is why the "ground mods" (extra ground wires between the boards) are a standard first job. Displays fail, and the power supply runs hot.

  • The slam switch must be closed. On System 80 the coin-door slam switch is normally closed. If it is open or badly adjusted, the game powers up with flickering zeros and won't start. Rule it out before you suspect the CPU board.
  • The CR7 zener runs hot. On the early System 80 power supply, the 8.2 V 1 W zener CR7 (1N4738A) often shows burn marks. Repair guides also recommend new filter capacitors, 1N4007 rectifiers for CR1-CR4, and fresh header pins at J1-J3.
Battery corrosion on a Gottlieb System 80 board — Counterforce
Typical corrosion from a leaking battery on System 80: neutralise it as a priority.

Counterforce-specific issues (from owners and forums)

These are the problems that turn up in Counterforce threads, with what owners checked and what worked.

1. Won't boot: "0" on the credits and the shoot-again lamp stuck on

The best-documented Counterforce fault. One owner on Pinside had a game that booted only some of the time, sitting with "0" in the credit display and the shoot-again lamp lit. The CPU board passed on a test bench with a diagnostic board, then failed again in the machine.

The list of what was tried is a useful checklist in itself: a known-good CPU board swapped in, the CPU chip checked at pin 40 and on its IRQ (interrupt) line then replaced, the RIOTs (the 6532 input/output chips) tested and swapped, a new ROM set, U2 and U3 replaced, the Z36 diode replaced, capacitors changed across the cabinet, a reset generator fitted, and the ground mods done. The 5 V supply measured fine throughout.

The last suggestions in the public part of the thread were an overloaded read/write line and the watchdog cable at TC1. The lesson: when a CPU board works on the bench but not in the game, suspect what the game connects to it — the harness, the connectors, and the other boards on the bus — as much as the board itself.

2. Resets on the first switch hit

Another owner had a Counterforce that passed every switch in test mode, but reset the moment a ball hit the first switch in a game, with random characters on the displays. The power supply had been replaced, the power harness connectors renewed, the CPU-to-driver connectors re-pinned, every fuse and coil resistance checked and a faulty Q relay coil replaced, and still the reset came back with a replacement CPU board. Helpers suspected 5 V dropping under load, the switch matrix wiring between CPU and driver board, and the drop target coil wiring. Another owner with the same fault reported working with the board's developer on a code update.

3. Pop bumpers locked on

After blown fuses were replaced, both pop bumpers on one Counterforce stayed energised during play, although the transistors tested good and the wiring looked fine. A locked-on pop bumper coil can melt quickly, so turn the game off straight away. On System 80, each pop bumper has its own small pop bumper driver board under the playfield, and that is where the fault usually sits. An owner who had the same fault on a Panthera fixed it with the updated pop bumper board modification: a new 4.7 µF 25 V electrolytic capacitor and one jumper, for about $25-30 and under two hours' work. Also check the diode on each coil. The GoPOP80 replaces the original board outright.

4. Green multiplier lamps very dim

One owner found about six controlled lamps (the green multipliers) glowing faintly from power-up. Lamps L41, L43 and L45 were dim while L42, L44 and L46 were fine, which rules out a general ground fault. The A3-J3 lamp connector was the focus: one pin had been replaced with a standard Molex edge pin instead of the correct bifurcated pin (Molex 08-03-0304). The other advice was to follow the wiring to those lamps and reflow the solder on the socket legs.

5. Stray display digits and a looping sound

A less common report: an extra digit lit on the player 1 display, two zeros on player 2 in a one-player game, and the same five-second sound clip repeating. No fix was posted. Messy earlier soldering on the display or control boards was the only suggestion; in practice, check the display connectors and the sound board harness before anything else.

For boot, reset and drive faults the long-term fix is the same: fresh connectors, ground mods, and boards without 40-year-old parts. Replacing the CPU and driver boards with the GottFA80_Plus clears the boot, reset, coil and lamp drive problems; the Lisy80 and its web diagnostics help you find any leftover switch or wiring fault.

Replacement boards compatible with the Counterforce

Counterforce uses the standard System 80 CPU, driver and power boards, so the whole System 80 range fits. It has no speech, so any System 80 sound replacement will cover it.

The Lisy80 is based on LISY, a free DIY project by an independent developer; we test each board before it ships and support it afterwards.

GottFA80_Plus board for Gottlieb System 80 — Counterforce
The GottFA80_Plus: all-in-one board (CPU + Driver + power) with no battery.

Plug & Play installation, no battery, free tutorials and support. Contact us if you're not sure which board fits your game.

FAQ — Counterforce Gottlieb

My Counterforce shows "0" and won't start. What should I check?
First make sure the coin-door slam switch is closed. Then reseat the CPU-to-driver connectors, do the ground mods and check the 5 V at the CPU board. If the board works on the bench but not in the game, suspect the harness and connectors. A GottFA80_Plus or Lisy80 replaces the original CPU board.

Why does my Counterforce reset when the ball hits a switch?
Owners point to 5 V dropping under load, the switch matrix wiring between the CPU and driver boards, or the drop target coil wiring. Re-pin the connectors and check the grounds before changing boards.

Why are the pop bumpers on my Counterforce stuck on?
Usually a fault on the pop bumper driver boards under the playfield. Switch off immediately to protect the coils. Owners fixed it with the updated board modification; the GoPOP80 replaces the original board.

Some lamps on my Counterforce are very dim. Why?
If only some controlled lamps are dim, look at the lamp connector (A3-J3) for worn or incorrect pins and reflow the lamp socket solder.

Does Counterforce have speech?
No. Counterforce (1980) uses the MA-55 sound board, which plays effects only. Gottlieb's first talking pinball was Mars God of War in 1981.

How many Counterforce pinball machines were made?
3,870 units, released in August 1980. It was designed by Ed Krynski with art by Gordon Morison.

How much is a Counterforce pinball worth?
In September 2026, Pinside estimated US$1,570-1,830 for a working example. Condition of the backglass and playfield affects the price most.

Does a battery-free board keep the settings and high scores?
Yes. The replacement boards we sell use non-volatile memory: no battery, no corrosion, and settings are kept when powered off.

Step-by-step diagnostics

  1. Powered off, visual inspection: look for any battery or corrosion traces on the CPU board of your Counterforce; remove the battery if it is still present.
  2. Slam switch: confirm the coin-door slam switch is closed.
  3. Power supply: measure the 5 V and check that it reaches the CPU board; look for a burnt CR7 zener.
  4. Grounds: apply the ground mods between the boards (CPU, Driver, power, sound).
  5. Connectors: re-pin the oxidised Molex connectors, especially the CPU↔Driver link and the lamp connectors.
  6. Displays: never plug or unplug a display while powered on; test with a known-good display.
  7. Final test: check start-up, credits, coils, pop bumpers and displays; if needed, contact the free support.

Useful guides

See also

Sources & further reading

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