Volley

Quickie Version:

Up top until you have all three colors lit, then drop targets all day. When you have to shoot targets before all three colors are lit, shoot for targets of colors you have so far.

Go-to Flipper:

Balanced

Risk Index:

Very High; see Key Feeds

Full Rules:

This is a “targets worth more based on lit lanes” game, so focus on lighting lanes first. Try to make one on the Skill Shot plunge; it’s best to get one of the two side lanes first [blue or green], since you’re more likely to get hits on those colored targets below first. Each colored lane lights the matching colored targets and bumper. When the ball comes down, shoot it back up top; if you’re lucky or good, you’ll get the ball back above the top lanes where you can try to nudge it into one you still need. If not, try to use the bumpers to nudge the ball up top either around the edges or going upwards through one of the top lanes. Once you have all 3 lanes lit, it’s time to go for the drop targets. They’re worth 500 unlit, 5000 lit. Getting all three lanes also lights the top center lane for 5000. But shooting the targets isn’t as simple as it sounds. Yes, you get 5000 for hitting a lit target, but this game registers target hits slowly. If you hit two at once, it will only register as one. If you hit one or two blue or green targets and the ball then rebounds into one or two yellow targets, you’ll probably still get only one 5000 hit registered! You’re often better off shooting the yellow targets first, trying to pick them off one at a time, then doing the greens and the blues one by one. The targets do not reset until you complete all three banks. If you’re getting close to doing this, don’t worry about hitting more than one at a time, finish them off so that you have 15 fresh targets to shoot at. Watch out when you miss a target or otherwise hit the rubber behind the target banks; those rebounds can be dangerous. Key Feeds: The most challenging [and stressful!] part of this game is dealing with balls coming down the upper half of the sides, i.e. behind the blue and green target banks. You clearly want the ball to drop into the return lane rather than the outlane but guessing and timing the nudging or not on this is a true art form not easily mastered. Avoid any shots that would have the balls go in there as best you can [e.g. don’t hit the outside edges of the end yellow targets] and be alert and ready to nudge when the ball is coming down from the top of the playfield. The one caveat I would make here is if the ball looks like it will either go in the side lane or rattle off the top of the target bank divider towards a center drain rather than towards either flipper, remember that even side lane plus outlane is better than straight down the middle.