Behold, Zoltan!
A conversation with Colin about the similarity of one of our customer’s names to the fortune teller Zoltar in Big led us to seek out Zoltan, a machine that’s considered by some to be the inspiration behind Big’s Zoltar. As it happens, Marvin Yagoda has a page that details the inner workings of Zoltan. (Interesting to see that Zoltan, who speaks your fortune to you, uses something closely resembling the cart machines we used at WREK.)
In Big, Zoltar presented a card to you (”Your wish has been granted.”) and furthermore, Marvin reminds us, had a “game of skill” aspect in which the coin had to be guided down a chute and into Zoltar’s mouth. Zoltar didn’t have much to say, as I recall — he may have moaned and made some vaguely mystical sounds. Having heard a sample fortune from Zoltan (see the MP3 on the above page), I think I would find Zoltar much more entertaining, even if Zoltan does tell me what color and numbers will be powerful.
Interesting, then, that the less technologically advanced fortune teller (Zoltar) seems vastly more intriguing than Zoltan. The fictional Zoltar relies on the imagination for his powers of entertainment. The player feeds Zoltar a quarter orally — already this is entertaining — and then, after his jaw shuts (a simple relay/solenoid operation), a lit sign cues you to make a wish. A souvenir card is then vended. The same thing happens every time.
Comparatively, Zoltan has perhaps a dozen fortunes to tell, but the passive nature of the experience leaves me unimpressed. (Or so I imagine, never having seen one in person.) Really, they’re very different machines. One grants wishes; the other helps you play lotto and pick out clothes.
Still, I’d sooner schedule a visit with Zoltar, even if he does confuse physical size with physical age.
November 22nd, 2005 at 12:02 pm
I’d rather meet up with Voltron than the “less than spectacular” Zoltar.