"Same hieroglyphics over and over...what do they mean?"
(Topic ID: 90288)
Linked Games
Congo
Williams, 1995
Topic Gallery
Toronto, ON
Quoted from KevInBuffalo:"Same hieroglyphics over and over...what do they mean?"
I've never seen the movie before and wonder if I should? I know the Shadow call outs make a hell of a lot more sense after suffering through it.
"The sun is shining but the ice is slippery"
Madison, WI
Quoted from Rarehero:That's the worst translite I've ever seen. Who's the maniac who makes those!??!?! Make him stop! lol
The gorilla ogling the woman is what makes that translite "worth it".
I traded a GL+$ for my Congo in 2011 haven't regretted it...It ain't going anywhere anytime soon! Great game with lots of shots and stuff to do. I did a bunch of MODS to it and added a Color DMD Sigma in green. There's some pics of it on the "what MODS have you done to your Congo" thread.
Midnight Madness is cool, and it scared the crap outta me first time I got it.
Phoebe
Quoted from AhhhBisto:The ppl who own one think there sitting on a Gem.
We are.
Quoted from AhhhBisto:The ppl who own one think there sitting on a Gem.
Tomorrow i will be sitting on a gem. Pics coming... 
I
Quoted from Skyemont:Found two different colors on Congo. Not sure which one i like the best. Your thoughts?
I like mine just the way it is.that orange and green are GROSS!85506.jpg 293 KB
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Quoted from Skyemont:Found two different colors on Congo. Not sure which one i like the best. Your thoughts?
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Definitely orange n
Upper Hutt
Quoted from Rarehero:That's the worst translite I've ever seen. Who's the maniac who makes those!??!?! Make him stop! lol
I want to know! It seems like every alternate translite out there is made by the same guy who takes scantily clad models and poorly photoshops them into something vaguely resembling the theme.
I guess it's more of a statement of the target audience than anything else that they see any success. Such poor taste.
Quoted from Butterflygirl24:Midnight Madness is cool, and it scared the crap outta me first time I got it.
Phoebe
I know the feeling. It was my first pin and I had no idea it was coming. I thought the whole game crashed and for about a second all I could think about was how am I gonna fix this. Lol
Quoted from Lonzo:I know the feeling. It was my first pin and I had no idea it was coming. I thought the whole game crashed and for about a second all I could think about was how am I gonna fix this. Lol
Cant wait to experience this. 
Both are terrible. If you want to plus it up, chrome it.
Quoted from Skyemont:Found two different colors on Congo. Not sure which one i like the best. Your thoughts?
Quoted from Rarehero:That's the worst translite I've ever seen. Who's the maniac who makes those!??!?! Make him stop! lol
i think this might be the source.
http://www.pinballpickers.com/pinballmachines/congo/home.html
Quoted from jalpert:Both are terrible. If you want to plus it up, chrome it.
I agree on chrome or maybe gloss black. I'm not a fan of either powder coat color posted above especially the two tone coin door. I think regardless what color you do the trim the coin door should always be left stock black.
Quoted from Troutfarm:i think this might be the source.
http://www.pinballpickers.com/pinballmachines/congo/home.html
Wow. That probably changes my mind. Mirror Chrome looks fantastic on Congo.
Quoted from mwong168:I've never seen the movie before and wonder if I should? I know The Shadow call outs make a hell of a lot more sense after suffering through it.
"The sun is shining but the ice is slippery"
Both of these pins are a lot better than the movies they are based on. (But is that really so uncommon ?)
Of the two movies, Shadow comes closer to being a near miss, whereas Congo is a pretty bad botch all around.
I have favorable memories of having played the Congo pin, and would welcome the chance to do so again. There was a supposedly pristine one up for sale in SoCal not that long ago, but I think they were asking at least $3,600. for it.
Quoted from CrazyLevi:One of my least favorite WPC games.
Theme and art are horrible, rules seem to make T2 look deep, and the under playfield is one of the stupidest and most pointless gimmicks in the history of pinball.
And I'm counting the roulette wheel Williams put in every other game in the early 70s.
This one seems to be creeping up in price but for the love of god I couldn't say why.
This game is strictly for Ernie Hudson fanatics and for people who can't get enough of lame video modes.
Wow, who shat in your Cheerios?
Theme and art are a matter of personal taste, but you're simply wrong about the depth of rules... the game lets you start working on multiple things at the same time, and really provides about as many good scoring options as I've seen on a pin.
Quoted from Skyemont:Found two different colors on Congo. Not sure which one i like the best. Your thoughts?
I have the same green, mirror blades and had a artist paint the speaker panel to blend in with the translite. Try to get pics tomorrow. That orange and side decals look amazing. Tough decision for u
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Okay! Here are a few pictures of the Congo i got today. Boy she needs a complete tear down. Flippers rebuilt, all new rubbers, etc.. Lots of tlc. But i love doing this so its going to be fun. Question for Congo owners, this one is all white on the sides and backbox. Is this faded or were there two different color Congos around? If its faded, it sure looks evenly faded. LOL
Okay! Here are a few pictures of the Congo i got today. Boy she needs a complete tear down. Flippers rebuilt, all new rubbers, etc.. Lots of tlc. But i love doing this so its going to be fun. Question for Congo owners, this one is all white on the sides and backbox. Is this faded or were there two different color Congos around? If its faded, it sure looks evenly faded. LOL
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photo (87).JPGQuoted from Skyemont:Question for Congo owners, this one is all white on the sides and backbox. Is this faded or were there two different color Congos around?
BAM:
http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/whats-the-story-behind-congo-black-and-white-art-work
1 month later
Quoted from CrazyLevi:This game is strictly for Ernie Hudson fanatics and for people who can't get enough of lame video modes.
Aren't you forgetting the estimable Tim Curry ("Rocky Horror", et al), who rarely fails to go delightfully over the top, and who also figures in both film and pin for The Shadow ?
Hell I wouldnt mind getting rid of mine for the right price or trade. I just recently shopped it too!
I gave some thought to selling my Congo when Tron came out, because the layout is so similar. I'm glad I let that feeling pass...I had Tron for 3 months in a temp trade, and I prefer Congo.
Used Congo pf with Roms translight n apron sold for $1550 plus 200 shipping on eBay yesterday.. Games on the up n up.. Wasn't even a cabinet lol
I heard somewhere that Congo is the best Data East /Sega game Williams ever made!! I really enjoy my Congo. Rules are o.k. and shots are satisfying. I think the lower PF is a weakness in terms of design because of the square drive on the Grey Gorilla becoming worn or the weld broken. Clay Harrell addresses this in one of his Pinball Ninja repair videos.. If you want to see some interesting tournament play on Congo, look at the Louisville Arcade pinball expo video of the PAPA circuit coverage. They had some killer games.
Does anybody have any idea why some Congos have the stainless steel inlane/outlane dividers, and some are plastic with the green leaves on them? Is there a place to get the steel ones? (Although I think the leafy ones match the machine better...)
Quoted from beelzeboob:Does anybody have any idea why some Congos have the stainless steel inlane/outlane dividers, and some are plastic with the green leaves on them? Is there a place to get the steel ones? (Although I think the leafy ones match the machine better...)
Steel is how they came from the factory. Leaves are a mod.
Quoted from Lonzo:I remember someone selling decals for the outlanes but I have never seen plastics.
http://www.pinballcenter.eu/catalog/lane-plastics-for-congo-p-2605.html?language=english
EDIT - sold out, sorry 
Congo has a fantastic layout. It's so solid that they tool the left half of the game and put it in Tron. The rules are good, but not great as there is a bit of unbalanced scoring. Shots from the upper flipper are super valuable and worth a whole bunch of points (Amy). If there is an exploit, it may be the G-R-A-Y to the lower pf, but even then, there is too much to do in multiball and the mystery/video saucer (can these be set to a standard sequence in tournament mode??). Some people don't like the fact that it doesn't have a wiz mode, but I don't think that this an issue as the gameplay really never stops, it just keeps on going.
Midnite madness is a nice bonus and this game packs one of the best skill shots ever seen in a pinball game.
Congrats on the purchase!
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