Pinball Skills

#1 goal in pinball is to slow the ball down (defense).
#2 goal in pinball is to not allow the ball to drain (defense).
#3 goal in pinball is to maximize scoring at the right time (offense).

If you are new to pinball, start your focus with learning defensive skills, then move on to offensive skills once you have practiced maintaining a solid defense. This will allow you to enjoy a longer-playing game, and then later you can learn to maximize points once you know how to play a longer more relaxed game.

If you are invited to come to Replay Arcade, I’ll happily walk you through a 3-hour session and cover the following ideas in the Introduction below. You’ll practice all techniques with the glass off, until you get the “feel” of every move described below.

INTRODUCTION

1. History of machines (Numeric, Alphanumeric Displays)
2. Physical walk through (Attract Mode, Lockbar, Glass, Start Button, Power Switch, Right flipper Status Updates, Flipper buttons, Toy buttons, Tilt locations)
3. Vocabulary: (Flipper, Pop, Sling, Spinner, Drop Target, Stationary Target)

BEGINNER SKILLS / STRATEGY

1. Aim (use all parts of the flipper: practice shots from every spot on the flipper)
2. One Flipper at a time (give up on double trouble – use one at a time)
3. Defensive Goals (demonstrate radius of flippers, the “dead zone”, minimizing center drains, and creating outside angles)
4. General Game Strategy (With each game, locate: ball locks, starting multi-ball, multi-ball jackpot shot, jackpot shot, 1-2-3/A-B-C lanes, earning extra ball, targets. Also observe: ending multi-ball, locks closed during multi-ball), bonus hold over, skill shot.
5. Game-Specific Questions to Ask: On this machine: How do I lock the ball? How do I start multi-ball? Is there a multi-ball jackpot shot?, What is the jackpot shot?, How do I earn an extra ball? How many balls will be in play at once (1/2/3/4)? How many balls per game (3/5)? What is the replay score? What is the skill shot? Can I/How do I lane change? How sensitive is the tilt?
6. Physical Aspects (relaxed, good posture, breathing, sharp focus, skill shot position)

Practice each skill with the glass off on your machine until you have each skill mastered. If a friend can help you catch and set up each ball your training will go faster.

DEFENSIVE SKILLS (10)

TRAPS

1. Flip Trap – “Live catch” – controlling the angles
2. Hold Trap – “Cradle” – stop and plan your next move

PASSES

1. Bounce Pass – “Dead Flipper Pass” – “Do nothing”
2. Chill Maneuver – “Use the Force” – “Do nothing #2”
3. Hold Pass – “Flipper Pass” – “Ski jump”

SAVES

1. Defensive Push – “Tip Tap” – center hop
2. Slap Save – “Tip Tip” – center save – “digging it out”
3. Nudging – (left or right) – influence every bounce
4. Up Push – Outlane Defense – riding tilt
5. Which flipper ? – knowing radius – center defense

OFFENSIVE SKILLS (19)

1. MULTI-BALL: Billiard Block
2. MULTI-BALL: Detaining
3. MULTI-BALL: Trap and Play (double/triple cradle)
4. MULTI-BALL: Multi-Trap Escape
5. PASS: Alley Pass – “Inlane Pass” – “Schatz”
6. PASS: Rolling Tap Pass – (know your flipper buttons)
7. PASS: Post Pass – “Slingshot Pass” – “Post Transfer”
8. PASS: Shot Pass – (study the playfield early)
9. PASS: Falling Hold Pass – “Loop Pass” (lower the draw bridge)
10. TRAP: Drop Stop – “Drop Catch” (know your physics)
11. TRAP: Post Slam – (emergency brake)
12. AIM: Cutting the Ball
13. AIM: Backhands
14. AIM: Ball location, and velocity — (Make all required shots consistently for the specific machine)
15. STRATEGY: Getting Lane Change Max Value
16. STRATEGY: Maximizing points on all shots (multipliers, bonuses — making best use of timing)
17. AWARENESS: Prediction (how will the ball behave, what can I do now to save a ball early?)
18. AWARENESS: Spin (know when the ball is headed for danger)
19. AWARENESS: MULTI-BALL: (pull your vision back and see the whole picture at once)