Congo

Congo, produced by the Exhibit Supply Company (ESCO) of Chicago in February 1940, is a single-player, flipperless electro-mechanical game with a jungle wildlife theme. Its most striking physical feature is a playfield of mirrored metal - an eye-catching departure from the painted wood playfields typical of the era.

The layout carries 15 passive bumpers, the standard scoring furniture of pre-flipper pinball, with play priced at 5 balls for 5 cents. Congo was built as a three-coin multiple game, letting players feed in extra coins to enhance a game, and operators could also convert it to 1-ball play. The manufacturer's flyer advertised illuminated louvres on the sides of the cabinet and on the backbox, an unusual lighting flourish.

The jungle theme reflects the popularity of exotic and adventurous settings in the popular culture of the period. While no designer is documented for the game, Congo's mirrored playfield and cabinet lighting make it a distinctive example of ESCO's pre-war output for collectors and historians of flipperless pinball.