Dux

Dux, manufactured by Chicago Coin Machine Manufacturing Company in December 1937, is a charming example of pre-flipper electro-mechanical pinball design. Designed by Jerry Koci, this hunting-themed flipperless game was produced in a confirmed run of 1,809 units and even earned a patent: Koci's game patent application, filed November 26, 1937, was granted on July 4, 1939.

The standout feature of Dux is its mechanical backbox animation. Two ducks rotate in and out of view in the backboard, with only one duck in sight at a time - and, as a period Billboard ad explained, there is a lapse of a few moments when no duck is visible at all. This animation is more than decoration: the game's 11 scoring bumper springs only register hits while a duck is in sight on the backboard. When the ducks are out of view, the bumpers are dead, adding a distinctive timing element to a high-score game where the player is rewarded for accumulating sufficient points on the lighted totalizer.

Dux also includes a payout recorder, an operator-side accounting device reflecting the award-style operation common in this era. As an inventive marriage of backbox animation and scoring mechanics from the late 1930s, Dux remains a fascinating piece of gaming history.