Flipper Mars God Of War

Mars God of War (Gottlieb, 1981): common faults and System 80 replacement boards

Is your Mars God of War by Gottlieb (1981) refusing to start, missing its speech, locking a coil on or groaning at power-up? Mars runs on the Gottlieb System 80 platform and was the first Gottlieb pinball to talk, so it carries two sets of ageing electronics: the usual System 80 CPU, driver and power boards, plus a speech-capable sound board. This guide covers the machine's history, the faults Mars owners report again and again, what fixed them, and the System 80 replacement boards that fit.

About the Mars God of War (Gottlieb, 1981)

See it: full photo gallery for Mars God of War on IPDB

See it: Mars God of War in the Pinside game archive (owner photos)

Mars God of War (often written "Mars - God of War") came out in March 1981. It was designed and programmed by John Buras, with artwork by David Moore. Pinside's archive records 5,240 units built, and Gottlieb's own game number was #666.

What makes it stand out is the voice. Mars was the first Gottlieb pinball with speech, driven by a Votrax SC-01 speech chip on the new MA-216 "Sound & Speech" board. Earlier System 80 titles such as Counterforce used the simpler MA-55 sound board, which makes effects but cannot talk. So if you are swapping boards between System 80 games, check which sound board your Mars actually has before you assume anything.

It is also one of the early widebody games, with a red-and-black look and infinity lighting: mirrored lamp effects in the backbox that seem to recede into the distance. Pinside notes that the promotional flyers showed a black cabinet, while production machines shipped in red-orange. The same source points out two borrowings: the clear tube shot echoes Bally's Xenon, and the background sound was taken from Williams' Blackout.

On the playfield you get four flippers, four pop bumpers, eight drop targets, a spinner and one ramp. The drop target banks light two capture holes called Warbases. Lock a ball there and the game kicks a new one to the shooter; send it into the Launch lane to start "Hyperforce" multiball: 2 balls score triple, 3 balls score five times. The plastic tube feeds balls to the Launch lane, and the Stargate lowers when a ball is captured, with the tube's lamps strobing. Spelling M-A-R-S on the rollovers raises the bonus multiplier up to 5x, and a "Last Chance" feature releases captured balls if your final ball drains down an outlane.

If you are wondering about value: at the time of writing (September 2026) Pinside's estimate for Mars is US$1,390-1,610 in working condition, and 169 Pinside members list one in their collection. Condition of the backglass and playfield moves the price more than anything else.

  • Manufacturer: D. Gottlieb & Co.
  • Released: March 1981
  • Game number: 666
  • Production: 5,240 units (Pinside)
  • Design & software: John Buras
  • Artwork: David Moore
  • Electronic system: Gottlieb System 80
  • Sound: MA-216 Sound & Speech board (Votrax SC-01)
  • Cabinet: widebody, 4 players, numeric displays
  • Playfield: 4 flippers, 4 pop bumpers, 8 drop targets, spinner, ramp, tube, 2- and 3-ball multiball
  • Theme: science fiction, space war
Gottlieb System 80 boards — Mars God of War
The CPU and Driver boards of the Gottlieb System 80.

Common faults on System 80 machines

Every System 80 game ages the same way, and Mars is no exception. The original battery on the CPU board (also called the MPU) leaks and eats the traces around it. Edge connectors and Molex pins oxidise, so boards lose contact intermittently: 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.

Two System 80 specifics catch new owners out:

  • 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 will not start. Owners on Pinside report this as a frequent "dead game" that is not dead at all.
  • 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 — Mars God of War
Typical corrosion from a leaked battery on System 80: neutralise it as a priority.

Mars God of War-specific issues (from owners and forums)

These are the problems that come up again and again in Mars threads, with what owners checked and what worked.

1. Speech missing, sounds cutting out or hanging on

This is the classic Mars complaint. One owner on Pinside described background sound dropping out, some effects playing too long, and the speech reduced to a single "Attack! Attack!". Another reported sound effects working but no speech at all, with the test button giving one long descending tone.

What to check, in this order:

  • The sound signals pass through the driver board. On System 80, the driver board inverts the sound commands from the CPU before they reach the sound board. A tired driver board can therefore garble the sound even when the sound board is fine. In one case reported in that thread, replacing the driver board restored normal sound.
  • Connectors to and from the sound board (A6) and the CPU interconnect harness: clean the contacts, check the pins for corrosion, and make sure the ground-mod wires are present on the harness.
  • The speech DIP switch. Owners were pointed to DIP switch 6 on the sound board, which must be set for speech to play.
  • The SC-01 itself. It sits in the lower-left corner of the sound board, under the ROMs. It is no longer made, so treat it gently and test it before buying a used one.

2. Speech plays but nothing else works

A new Mars owner on Pinside found the GI (general illumination) on and the speech repeating the same phrase, with no displays and no insert lamps. That pattern matters: the MA-216 has its own processor, so it can talk while the CPU board is not running the game at all. Start with the CPU board, its connectors and fuses, not the sound board.

3. Won't take credits or start after being moved

After a move, one Mars would run attract-mode sounds but show no credit display, accept no credits and ignore the test button. Forum helpers pointed to the A1J5 coin-door connector and the display connector as the likely culprits. The owner had unplugged a display with the power on to test it, which risks damaging chips on the CPU board. The general advice from experienced System 80 techs: reseat every connector several times, and never plug or unplug a display with the game switched on.

4. Lock-up and groaning after lifting the power board

An owner lifted the bottom-cabinet power board to recover a dropped part. Afterwards the game locked up with a groan from the speaker and the coin-slot lamps went out. The connectors unplugged during that job were the only originals left in the game, and replacing them was the plan. Helpers also suggested checking the slam switch, looking for cracked solder joints on the power board and confirming 5 V reaches the CPU board.

5. Warbase saucer coil locking on

One Mars had its right saucer kickout coil (a Warbase) stay energised after firing, but only during a game. In solenoid test it behaved. That points away from the coil and toward the switch matrix. The suggestions: watch the saucer switch in switch test (switch 18), and swap the two saucer assemblies to see whether the fault follows the part. A coil that stays on will overheat quickly, so switch off at once if it happens.

6. Stargate or pop-up targets that won't rise

An owner found the targets would reset by hand with the power off, and 24 V DC was present on both coil wires. That means power is reaching the coil but nothing is switching it to ground. The driver transistor on the driver board is the part that does that, so the fault lies there or in the wire back to it, not in the CPU board.

7. Burnt driver board and broken targets on neglected machines

A Pinside restoration thread on a first-pinball Mars shows how bad a neglected one can get: driver transistors that had run hot enough to burn and melt the board, earlier repairs with jumper wires in place of the burnt traces, a chip with its top blown off, and a melted coil in the cabinet. On the playfield, all four front drop targets had snapped. If you are buying, check under the playfield and on the driver board before you pay.

For most of these faults the long-term fix is the same: fresh connectors, ground mods, and boards that don't carry 40-year-old parts. Resets, driving and power are handled by the GottFA80_Plus (all-in-one). For the speech, the Gosof board replaces the original sound board with voice. The Lisy80 gives you web-based switch diagnostics, which is ideal for matrix faults like the saucer lock-on.

Replacement boards compatible with Mars God of War

Mars uses the standard System 80 CPU, driver and power boards, so the whole System 80 range fits. The one thing to note is sound: because Mars talks, you need a replacement that handles speech. The Gosof and the GottFA80_Plus Full do; the GottFA80_Plus Light does not include sound.

  • GottFA80_Plus (Light) — all-in-one CPU + Driver + power supply board, without sound (keep your MA-216 or add a Gosof).
  • GottFA80_Plus (Full) — the same with an integrated sound board (original voice).
  • Gosof — replacement sound board with speech.
  • Godri80 — replacement Driver board.
  • Lisy80 — CPU board + web diagnostics.
  • GoPOP80 — pop bumper driver board (MA-922).

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 — Mars God of War
The GottFA80_Plus: all-in-one board (CPU + Driver + power supply) without a battery.

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

FAQ — Mars God of War Gottlieb

Why won't my Mars God of War pinball start?
Check the coin-door slam switch first: on System 80 it must be closed, or the game shows flickering zeros and refuses to start. Then reseat the connectors (especially A1J5 and the display plugs), check the fuses and confirm 5 V reaches the CPU board.

My Mars God of War has sound but no speech. What should I check?
Clean the connectors to the sound board and the driver board (the sound commands pass through the driver board), check the speech DIP switch on the sound board, and make sure the SC-01 chip is present. The Gosof board or the GottFA80_Plus Full replace the original speech board.

Was Mars God of War the first talking Gottlieb pinball?
Yes. Released in March 1981, Mars was the first Gottlieb pinball with speech, using a Votrax SC-01 chip on the MA-216 Sound & Speech board.

How much is a Mars God of War pinball worth?
In September 2026, Pinside estimated US$1,390-1,610 for a working example. Backglass and playfield condition affect the price the most.

How many Mars God of War machines were made?
Pinside's archive records 5,240 units, released in March 1981.

Which replacement CPU board fits Mars God of War?
Any System 80 replacement: the GottFA80_Plus (CPU + driver + power in one) or the Lisy80 CPU board with web diagnostics. Mars needs a speech-capable sound board, so pair the Light version with your original MA-216 or a Gosof.

Do I need to do the ground mods?
Yes on System 80, or switch to the GottFA80_Plus, which replaces the power supply and driver circuits.

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 the settings are kept when the machine is switched off.

Step-by-step diagnostics

  1. Powered off, visual inspection: look for any trace of a battery or corrosion on the CPU board of your Mars God of War; 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 supply, sound).
  5. Connectors: re-pin the oxidised Molex connectors, especially the CPU↔Driver link, the sound board (A6) and the coin door (A1J5).
  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, speech and displays; if needed, contact the free support.

Useful guides

See also

Sources & further reading

Own a Mars God of War? Send us a photo and we'll add it here with credit — get in touch.

Is your machine down right now?

Tell us your machine and the exact symptom — we'll tell you which board you need, or whether you need one at all. It's free, and Valère answers personally.

Describe my fault →

Not ready to order yet?

Get our troubleshooting guides, restoration tips and new product news — about one email a month, never spam.

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.

Nos produits

View all