ERBU-BALL

The ERBU-BALL, manufactured by Erich Büttner of Leipzig, Germany in October 1934, is one of a series of similarly named machines the company produced in the early 1930s (an earlier 1933 version and a 1932 version are also documented). Its playfield layout and totalizer are nearly identical to Gottlieb's 1933 'Big Broadcast (Junior)', suggesting either a shared supplier or direct influence between the two designs.

Key gameplay features of the ERBU-BALL include ten snap traps that add an element of challenge to the player's experience. Players could insert a single 5-pfennig coin per play, with one coin return slot indicating a straightforward and uncomplicated gameplay mechanism. Two long vertical rails isolating a pair of trap holes from the rest of the playfield may have been an aftermarket addition rather than part of the original factory design, since another known example of the game lacks them.

The ERBU-BALL is notable for its sports theme, specifically horse racing. The playfield displays two jockeys riding horses, one shown with a flag that cannot be clearly identified (possibly a swastika flag) and the other with the national flag of Germany — a detail that speaks to the machine's specific historical context in 1930s Germany. A wood-covered totalizer in the lower playfield adds an element of visual interest to the machine. The ERBU-BALL's design and art are characteristic of its era, offering a glimpse into pinball's early days outside the United States.