TRIVIA: Congo was produced as both a complete/dedicated game, and as a conversion kit which could be used to change another Bally or Williams game into a Congo game.
Click the play button on the video at the right to see and hear a sample of this game being played!
See the Images section below for detailed images of this game.
Game Description:
Congo is based on the motion picture of the same name, and takes you on a journey into the dark jungles of the African Congo.
Most people agree that the movie wasn't so hot, but as far as playability goes, this pinball is actually one of the "undiscovered greats"- designed with really great shots, features, gadgets, and rules, and lots of great multiball modes, including a wild SUPER MULTIBALL mode featuring 5-BALL PLAY! Fun enough for a novice or intermediate player to enjoy, but also a game that will challenge the best skills of veteran players as well. Really a lot of "bang for the buck" with this particular pinball, and one of our best and fastest-selling mid-price-range games.
The music and sound effects in this game are some of the best ever produced by Williams, and many "hard core" players generally regard Congo as one of the better-designed and more challenging games made. Great fun for the casual or novice player, but definitely enough built into the rules of this game to keep even the best players coming back for more!
Shoot targets and shots to collect "diamonds" and advance through the game. 4 diamonds collected lights the left lane for ball lock to start multiball. Lock 3 balls in the volcano to start. Watch the real working volcano light up and shoot balls out the top to start multiball play! Collect 100 diamonds for the Super Multiball mode!
Shoot the scoop when lit to start "Gray Attack", where play moves to the lower "mini" playfield underneath the main playfield. Get a view of the mini playfield through the clear "window" in the lower center of the main playfield. In "Gray Attack", you use the flipper buttons to control the animated gray gorilla on the lower playfield to make him hit the ball and try to complete all targets to spell C-O-N-G-O before time runs out!
This game is one of only a few made that features a "video mode"- a mode where the pinball play stops and you play an actual "video game" on the dot matrix score display on the backglass! Navigate your way through the tunnels to pick up points and awards. How far can you get?
Congo features several other features and shots- loops, scoops, kickbacks, and ramps- with great sound and speech effects and a great musical score to go along with play. Great colors and classic Williams artwork adorn the playfield and cabinet and really make for a great, fun, pinball experience- for beginners and experts alike. Enough to really challenge the best of players, but still straightforward enough, and fun, for novice and "newbie" players alike. After a game or two, we think you'll agree!
Backbox: Backbox on this game is in great shape, having had only a few very tiny nicks and chips on the front and back edges of the backbox sides, all of which have been touched-up to be inconspicuous. No fading of the cabinet artwork is apparent on this game- game still has an overall bright, fresh, colorful "factory" appearance from top to bottom, and appears very fresh-looking overall. No other damage or wear/tear is present on the backbox on this game.
Speaker/display panel and backglass translite and backlit assembly have all been removed and fully disassembled, cleaned, and rebuilt during the restoration, including new light bulbs where needed, and cleaning with Novus plastic polish to prevent static buildup on the glass and translite. A brand new glass has been installed for the backglass, so it is free of scratches and crystal clear. Backglass mylar translite is in excellent condition and 100% original for this game. Score display (dot matrix unit) is in great shape and fully functional.
Main Cabinet: Main cabinet is in great shape all around. Only a few tiny scratches and chips were present on the sides and back of the cabinet, all of which were touched-up during the restoration. New leg protector pads have been installed under each leg to help protect against wear/tear on the cabinet.
Here is a detailed list of work that has been done on this game, followed by more details on condition:
We have invested just over 40 hours in the detailed restoration of this game.
Playfield top and bottom surfaces stripped of parts and assemblies for proper cleaning- right down to the bare wood and paint. Playfield surface thoroughly cleaned and polished.
All playfield parts have been removed and hand cleaned, or replaced with brand new parts where necessary. This includes light bulbs, posts, ramps, wireform ball guides, flipper assemblies, under-playfield ramps, target banks, bumper assemblies, ball trough and associated parts, and any other parts that are installed on the playfield.
All metal parts removed from playfield have been hand cleaned and polished for original bright shiny finish.
Stainless steel ball guides refinished using our own in-house proprietary process. This removes the ugly "ball marks" from the stainless steel "rails" or "guides" that are found all over the playfield and on sides of lanes. Our process removes the marks and leaves a "like new" finish and look on these rails to restore their "day one" new look.
All molde plastic ramp assemblies have been completely removed and fully cleaned and overhauled to restore them to like-new condition.
All gold wireform ramps have been professionally re-plated in shiny brass and coated with lacquer to preserve their finish. They once again look brand new! No scratches, scrapes, tarnishing, or stains- all are bright, clean, and look brand new.
Lower mini playfield assembly was fully removed from game, disassembled into all individual parts and fully cleaned/restored, overhauled, rebuilt, and reassembled/adjusted for proper operation.
All three pop bumper assemblies on this game were removed, 100% disassembled, cleaned, reassembled, and adjusted for optimum performance. Worn parts replaced with new where required.
All three flipper assemblies completely removed, 100% disassembled, cleaned, and rebuilt with brand new factory-original parts, and reassembled. Flippers tuned and adjusted.
All light bulbs on top and bottom of playfield, and elsewhere in game, removed, cleaned, and replaced. Brand new light bulbs used as replacements for old worn, discolored, or burned out bulbs and flasher bulbs.
All light bulb inserts (or "lenses") in playfield surface were cleaned for maximum shine and light penetration.
Brand new chrome steel pinballs installed in game (game uses FIVE total).
Playfield flat plastics (screened artwork) all removed, cleaned, polished, and replaced. Any broken pieces replaced with new.
Fender washers installed under top and bottom edges of slingshot bumper plastics to protect them from cracking/breaking from airborne balls.
Standup targets on playfield have had their foam backing removed and replaced with brand new foam pieces for original look and functionality.
Score and instruction cards have both been reproduced for clean clear looks, and hard-laminated for durability, and to prevent against damage in the future- these look great!
Both slingshot bumper assemblies have had their detector switches removed and hand-cleaned with tarnish remover to restore finish. Kicker mechanisms also fully removed, cleaned, and rebuilt.
All PC boards mounted under the playfield have been removed, fully cleaned, and have had solder reflowed on their connector pins to strengthen the connections and make them more reliable.
Inside and outside of main cabinet and backbox completely stripped of parts, cleaned, parts individually hand cleaned, and reassembled.
Cabinet interior side-walls repainted with fresh coat of semi-gloss black enamel paint for fresh clean factory appearance.
Coin door removed and reconditioned, including full tear-down of all parts, cleaning, and repainting of the metal parts using semi-gloss black enamel. All parts (including wiring harness and switches) individually cleaned and detailed by hand and reassembled.
Playfield glass lockdown bar cleaned, and a new foam rubber seal has been installed on the underside.
All four legs have been removed, cleaned, and shined-up to restore original look.
Leg bolts cleaned and polished to restore original look.
Brand new cabinet leg protector pads installed under legs for added good looks and protection against wear/tear to the cabinet corners.
All electronics (PC boards) in backbox checked and tested for proper operation and good looks. Fuses all removed, checked, and proper values verified- replaced where necessary.
Remote-mount battery holder installed for MPU board in backbox. This prevents damage to the valuable MPU board from accidental battery discharge or leakage, which can destroy the board. Batteries are now mounted off-board and risk of damage is eliminated. Brand new fresh batteries installed.
Playfield glass replaced with brand new scratch-free sheet of tempered safety glass.
Backglass replaced with brand new scratch-free sheet of tempered safety glass.
New nuts and screws added to playfield posts for fresh "day one" look, including new screws and nylock nuts on plastics and posts.
Metal posts polished/shined including hex posts and standoff posts used throughout playfield.
Plastic lower playfield lens removed, cleaned, and polished with Novus plastic polish to restore it to new condition. New rubber bushings installed on mounts for plastic lens.
Wiring harnesses cleaned up throughout under-playfield with new nylon wire tie-wraps to bundle loose/sloppy factory wiring, for a neater appearance.
Game and sound software upgraded with latest available factory versions.
Partial List of New Parts on This Game: NOTE: ("NOS" means "New Old Stock", and indicates a part that is of original manufacture, new (never used), and authentic (not a reproduction, look-alike, or "aftermarket" part). Most "NOS" parts are discontinued and no longer available from the manufacturer, and can consequently be very hard to find, or expensive if they can be found.)
$69.45 value: All brass (gold) wireform ramps on playfield professionally re-plated and lacquer-coated.
$1.00 value: Foam rubber backing pieces replaced on standup targets on playfield.
$17.10 value: Brand new light bulbs installed throughout game, as required.
$11.98 value: Brand new hardware pieces installed througout game including new playfield nuts, screws, washers, etc., as required, replacing old worn/dirty original pieces.
$6.00 value: Brand new pop bumper bodies installed on all three pop bumpers.
$9.90 value: Brand new coil sleeves installed in all coils on playfield, including flippers, kickers, bumpers, and more.
$1.00 value: Brand new protective fender washers installed under slingshot bumper plastics to help prevent cracks/breaks from airborne pinballs.
$8.00 value: Brand new hard-laminated score and instruction cards installed under glass.
$44.93 value: Brand new flipper rebuild kits installed to completely rebuild parts on all three flipper assemblies.
$1.55 value: Brand new flipper bushing installed for upper flipper.
Playfield- overall view. Restoration complete and fully reassembled.
Playfield- during restoration. Fully stripped, cleaned, polished, and reassembly just starting.
Detail- lower playfield and flippers area. Note the new custom hard-laminated score and instruction cards- restores factory look and helps to preserve and protect for years to come.
Detail- lower flippers area. Note the cleaned and polished brass contact switches behind the slingshot bumper rubber rings.
Detail- lower right side of playfield.
Detail- center playfield. Looking down through the "window" to the lower "mini playfield". Use flipper buttons to make the gray gorilla flip the ball left or right and try to complete the C-O-N-G-O targets!
Detail- right side of playfield- pop bumpers and kickout hole areas. The entrance up through the pop bumpers leads to the volcano ramp in the upper right corner of playfield.
Detail- upper left corner of playfield. Left ramp seen here, along with "Amy" gorilla ramp which takes balls from the popper below the rollover lanes and sends them back down the left orbit lane to the upper left flipper.
All parts in great shape here- no cracks or breaks in the molded plastic ramps.
Detail- upper right corner of playfield- Volcano ramp. Ramp up around back of volcano takes balls back to right flipper lane. When lit, shoot balls under volcano via the orbit shot under the volcano (from upper left flipper) or the left orbit shot up and across rollover lanes, to lock balls into volcano for multiball play! Balls are shot out of the volcano and roll down the ramp to the right flipper for multiball play.
Shot of upper left corner of playfield, top center rollover lane area, and ramps.
Under-playfield shot- flippers and lower playfield section. Note the cleanliness of the surface of the under-playfield and all components, which have all been fully removed, overhauled, rebuilt, and reassembled as part of the full restoration. Flippers have been rebuilt with brand new parts. Ball trough mechanical and electronic parts also cleaned and reconditioned.
Under-playfield- center playfield section. Seen here are the underside of the Gray Gorilla mini-playfield assembly, along with upper left flipper, bumper mechanisms, and more.
Under-playfield- upper playfield section.
Cabinet/Backbox:
Thumbnail (Click for larger view)
Description
Game overall view.
Cabinet- right side.
Cabinet- left side.
Backbox- front and left sides.
Backbox- left side.
Backbox- front view.
Backbox interior. All circuit boards have been gone over and tested to ensure proper operation. No bad previous repair work, burned connectors, or "hack repairs" are present- all electronics in great shape and fully working. Game and sound ROM software has been updated to the latest available versions. Note remote-mount battery kit for MPU board. This keeps the memory when power is turned off, and re-locates the batteries off-board so they won't damage the valuable electronics should they go neglected and burst/leak (a common problem in many pinball games with batteries mounted on the board).
Backglass/translite assembly. Translite is original to this game and in very good condition. Glass in front of translite has been replaced with a brand new scratch-free piece. Lamp "insert" panel has been fully disassembled and cleaned- inside and out. All bulbs removed, tested, replaced where necessary.
Main cabinet- front and coin door.
Coin door has been fully restored including full disassembly of all internal and external parts, cleaning, repainting of the metal parts, and reassembly. Includes coin mechanisms for coin play, or game can be set on "free play" as well.
Cabinet interior. All internal areas and parts have been removed and cleaned. Cabinet side-walls have been repainted with original semi-gloss black enamel for fresh new look.
Note the new hard-laminated cabinet "technical chart" mounted in the bottom of the cabinet. This chart has handy tech. info such as wire colors, coil numbers, lamp and switch wiring info, and more. Originally a paper sheet installed at the factory, this chart typically was torn, stained, or lost in most games. We install brand new sheets, and hard-laminate them for protection against damage!
Note also the brand new operation/instruction manual included with game.
Cabinet interior- front left corner. Tilt mechanisms and wiring seen here.
Cabinet interior- front right corner. Power interface box and new ball shooter parts seen here.
Like all pinballs we sell, this machine also comes complete with instruction/operation manual and schematics, and fully functional coin door with all parts present and working. For our local customers, this game also includes delivery, setup, and a full warranty on parts and labor, at no additional charge. For out-of-town customers, we offer our limited warranty.
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