Samba

The Samba, manufactured by Exhibit Supply Company (ESCO) in April 1948, is an early example of electro-mechanical pinball design from just after the introduction of the flipper to the game in 1947. Its inclusion of four flippers reflects how quickly manufacturers began adopting and expanding on the new mechanism.

The Samba's gameplay is built around its Music - Dancing theme, with players getting five balls for five cents. The game boasts 10 scoring bumpers and four kick-out holes, providing multiple opportunities to rack up points. One standout feature is the "Come Back Kicker" in the outhole's separate kick-back lane, which rewards players with 25,000 points.

The Samba's cabinet measures 52 inches long, 23 inches wide, and 63 inches tall. Although details about its designer are not documented, the machine's music and dance theme evokes the exotic rhythms and movements of samba dancing. As one of the earlier four-flipper pinball machines produced not long after the flipper's debut, the Samba is a notable piece of pinball history from the dawn of the flipper era.