Congo

The Congo pinball machine, manufactured by Bally in 1936, is a single-player electro-mechanical (EM) machine (Model 85) from the company's early years. It predates flippers by more than a decade -- flippers were not introduced until 1947 -- so gameplay relied on a plunger to launch the ball, with bumpers and mechanical relays and switches determining the score. Play would have involved manual operation of levers and controls typical of the period, rather than player-controlled paddles.

Not much is known about the design or art employed in Congo beyond its likely utilitarian aesthetic, common to functional coin-op machines of the mid-1930s.

As one of Bally's early electromechanical machines, Congo holds historical interest for enthusiasts, though no specific designer or notable features have been documented, leaving much to speculation about this rare piece of pinball history.