Game:

The Pinball Arcade (2012)

Duration: 25:51

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In this new series I will be playing on various different virtual pinball machines through game collections such as Pinball Arcade, Pinball VPX, Pinball FX series and video games based on pinball.I will explain the instruction cards, show flyers where possible and explain what to do in the game to the best of my ability. The below has been taken from FanByte


- Anatomy of a Pinball Machine

The fundamental inaccessibility of pinball lies in the fact that every machine has completely distinct rules, which means that you have to spend a substantial amount of time trying to wrap your head around a new one before you can put up a decent score. But while strategy varies from game to game, the building blocks of most popular cabinets are surprisingly consistent.


If you look at the lower right of most pinball machines, you’ll find the plunger. This is the spring-loaded mechanism that launches the ball into the main “playfield,” where the action happens. While some games have an “auto-plunger” that shoots the ball for you at the touch of a button, many machines expect the player to manually pull it back themselves. Additionally, most games have a “skill shot,” which is an opportunity for bonus points if you manage to finagle the plunger in the correct way.The outer lanes on the lower playfield cause the ball to drain, which ends play. That’s why they’re known as outlanes, and they should be avoided as much as possible.


Conversely, the lit lanes that feed down to the flippers are called the inlanes — running over them can sometimes give you points or bonuses. The large triangular objects that bump the ball towards the outlanes are called slingshots. There’s also the flippers, but hopefully you know what those are already.


Multi Ball-A situation where a series of balls are shot onto the playfield. Multiballs are either a mode that can be selected by the gamer, or can be triggered in the pinball machine that forces the other balls to roll on the playfield.


Extra ball-An additional bonus ball that can be earned by achieving a specific task.


Jackpot A specially designated point bonus; typically among the highest amounts that can be scored with one shot. In earlier games (mid-late 80s), scoring the Jackpot was the ultimate goal of the game, requiring the player to complete a precise and difficult set of tasks to score it. The Jackpot would continue to build slowly over many games until it was scored. More modern games simply call any multiball shot award a "jackpot" and the values are more downplayed.


Kickback A launching mechanism located inside an outlane that saves the ball from being drained if it falls in there. Kickbacks are usually disabled at the start of a session and can be activated as a reward during play


Drop Target An upright, pressure-sensitive rectangle that drops below the playfield when hit by the ball. Drop targets are often arranged in so-called banks, and may require being hit in combination or in sequence to score or light special features.


Drain The common term used to refer to the area beneath the flippers. If the ball rolls into the drain area via an outlane or between the flippers, it will be lost. Also refers to the act of losing a ball in this manner.

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