Amazon Hunt II (Gottlieb, 1987): faults and System 80B replacement boards
Does your Gottlieb Amazon Hunt II (1987) lose its background sound mid-game while the game keeps running, have a temperamental sound board, poor connector contacts or an unstable, ground-related boot? These symptoms are typical of System 80B. Here are the common faults and the compatible replacement boards.
About the Amazon Hunt II (Gottlieb, 1987)
Released in May 1987, Amazon Hunt II is a Gottlieb (Premier) machine on an Amazon-adventure theme, following on from the 1983 Amazon Hunt. It runs on System 80B electronics.
- Manufacturer: Gottlieb (Premier)
- Year: 1987
- System: Gottlieb System 80B
- Type: solid state, alphanumeric displays
- Theme: adventure, Amazon jungle
Common faults (System 80B)
Gottlieb’s System 80B shares well-documented weaknesses:
- Battery corrosion: the battery soldered to the CPU board leaks and eats away traces and components; it is the number-one cause of a dead board.
- Displays: missing digits, dead segments or no display at all on power-up.
- Sound and music: music that cuts out, partial or missing sounds (the sound board is sensitive to poor contacts).
- Connectors and rivets: poor contacts on the inter-board connectors and oxidised backbox rivets (a “ground mod” is often needed).
- Grounds: insufficient grounding near the transformer, a source of lock-ups and spurious resets.
Amazon Hunt II-specific issues (forums)
Reported by owners on Pinside:
- Background sound cuts out: the ambient sound stops mid-game while the game keeps working; repinning the sound board’s 12-pin connector and J5 on the Driver board often fixes it.
- Sound and speech board: on some versions the speech section is not fitted; frequent audio faults (poor contacts, components).
- Ground rework: like the whole System 80, a lot of ground work is often needed to get a stable boot.
- ROM versions: beware of ROM version differences between Amazon Hunt II and III when replacing the CPU.
- Inter-board connectors: poor contacts between boards, to be repinned.
Replacement boards compatible with Amazon Hunt II
Rather than chasing poor contacts and grounds, replace the original electronics:
- GottFA80_Plus (Light) — all-in-one CPU + Driver + power board, without sound.
- GottFA80_Plus (Full) — same with integrated sound board.
- Gosof — replacement sound board.
- Godri80 — replacement Driver board.
- Lisy80 — CPU board + web diagnostics.
- GoPOP80 — pop-bumper board (MA-922).
📚 Read more: Guide: which board for a Gottlieb System 80/80A/80B? · System 80B special
Plug & Play installation, battery-free, free support.
FAQ — Amazon Hunt II (Gottlieb)
Which board for an Amazon Hunt II?
The GottFA80_Plus replaces the CPU + Driver + power board (Light) or everything with sound (Full). The Gosof replaces the sound board. The Lisy80 is a CPU alternative with web diagnostics.
The background sound cuts out, can it be fixed?
Yes: it is often the sound board’s 12-pin connector and J5 on the Driver. A new Gosof or the GottFA80_Plus (Full) sorts out these poor contacts.
Should I worry about ROM versions?
ROMs differ between Amazon Hunt II and III; our boards are supplied configured to suit, and if in doubt we guide you.
Is installation complicated?
No: our boards are Plug & Play, battery-free, with free support. If in doubt, contact us.
How long does it take to install a replacement board?
Installation is Plug & Play: a few minutes, no soldering, with tutorials and free support.
Does a battery-free board keep the settings and high scores?
Yes. Modern replacement boards use non-volatile memory: no more battery, no more corrosion, and the settings are kept when powered off.
Step-by-step diagnosis
- Power off, visual inspection: look for any battery or corrosion traces on the MPU of your Amazon Hunt II; remove the NiCad battery if still present.
- Power supply: measure the 5 V and check it reaches the MPU (resolder the regulator or Q1 if the voltage drops).
- Grounds: apply the “ground mods” between the boards (CPU, Driver, power supply, sound).
- Connectors: repin the oxidised Molex connectors, especially the MPU↔Driver link.
- Displays: never plug or unplug a display while powered on; test with a known-good display.
- Final test: check start-up, credits, coils and displays; if needed, contact free support.
See also
- Night Moves (Gottlieb, 1989)
- Raven (Gottlieb, 1986)
- Hollywood Heat (Gottlieb, 1986)
- Genesis (Gottlieb, 1986)
Sources
- Pinside — Amazon Hunt II (Gottlieb, 1987), forum: pinside.com/pinball/machine/amazon-hunt-ii
- IPDB — Premier “Amazon Hunt II” (#3975): ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3975
- Gottlieb System 80B technical documentation
