Trade Winds

Trade Winds is a nautical-themed electro-mechanical pinball machine produced by Genco Manufacturing Company starting in April 1948, with 2,517 units confirmed produced. Genco also made a game of the same name and theme in 1945 (a conversion of Exhibit's 'Sky Blazer'), and this later Trade Winds is a distinct, later design.

Gameplay on Trade Winds is built around two flippers and nine passive bumpers, which challenge players to navigate the ball through the playfield. The presence of six 'floating rollover buttons' adds an extra layer of complexity, and a single kick-out hole serves as a key scoring feature, with a maximum replay wheel setting of 58. Notably, Genco produced this game in two distinct cabinet and backglass styles during its production run - one nicknamed the "Feathers" cabinet for its rainbow-and-plumage artwork, and a later "Dots" cabinet with simpler geometric designs and a taller backbox - making surviving examples an interesting study in mid-production design changes.

The design and artwork on Trade Winds feature a stylized sailboat and nautical motif evoking the spirit of adventure and travel. Little is documented about the designer or artist responsible for the artwork, but the machine's unique blend of gameplay features, nautical theme, and mid-run cabinet changes make it an intriguing find for pinball enthusiasts and collectors of late-1940s Genco machines.