Cargo

The 1937 Genco Manufacturing Company's "Cargo" is an intriguing flipperless electro-mechanical (EM) pinball machine that offers a unique gameplay experience. "Cargo" features an unusual dual scoring system on the backglass, with one score displayed on the left side and one on the right. The machine's fourteen spring bumpers and three inert bumpers provide plenty of scoring action across the playfield.

The game's mechanics are perhaps most notable in the "Switch" rollover system, which dynamically sets the replay threshold based on the performance of the first ball. At the start of a game, 10,000 points are shown on the left side of the backglass; the first ball reduces this score in 200-point increments with each spring bumper hit. Once the first ball leaves the playfield, the remaining four balls score on the right side, and replays are awarded for getting the right-side score to meet or beat the left-side score. A clever anti-cheating contact on the ball-lift mechanism prevents players from shooting a second ball into play before the first has exited. The replay award itself, worth 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 replays, is selected randomly at the start of each game and displayed on one of several sea chests on the backglass, tying into the machine's nautical, hard-hat-diving, and treasure theme.

As an example of pre-flipper EM pinball design, "Cargo" offers a glimpse into the early evolution of the game. Its unique scoring mechanics and distinctive nautical styling make it an appealing machine for pinball enthusiasts and collectors interested in the game's early days.