Build Up

Build Up, manufactured by Exhibit Supply Company (ESCO) in January 1948, is a significant piece of electro-mechanical pinball history: it was the first flipper game ever made by Exhibit, arriving mere months after flippers debuted and revolutionized the industry. Its show business theme, with vaudeville-inspired imagery, captures the entertainment world of the late 1940s.

Gameplay features two flippers and 11 passive bumpers, which score 1,000 points each unless indicated otherwise, along with two kick-out holes. The game offered five balls for five cents, and its replay ladder rewarded high scores generously: 390,000 points earned one replay, scaling up to six replays at 650,000 or over. Hitting the B-U-I-L-D-U-P bumpers lit the side channels for Special and the top channel for Extra Special, giving players clear goals to chase. The instruction card's stern warning that "SCORE VOID IF MACHINE IS TILTED" is a charming reminder of the era's operator concerns.

The art on Build Up is characteristic of its period, with a theme offering a nostalgic glimpse into postwar American entertainment. As Exhibit's entry into the flipper age, Build Up remains an intriguing piece of pinball history and a noteworthy machine for enthusiasts of the earliest flipper games.