Compare any symbols on the instruction card to the symbols inside the machine. Make sure you understand what each instruction is referencing.
Check to see if you only have 2 flippers, or if there are additional flippers near the top of the machine.
Some pinball machines will tell a story the longer you play them. Tune into the screen so you don’t miss anything. Make sure you have control of the ball when you check the screen. You don’t want to lose a ball because you looked away. Listen to sound cues as well. Many times a voice will tell you what you should shoot at next.
Use both flippers only if the ball is falling directly down the middle. Nudge the machine slightly to move the ball into safety. Anticipate the ball’s movements instead of reacting to it. Reacting to the ball will only make you have less control.
Activate the flippers slowly so you don’t accidentally hit the ball back up into the machine. If you’re able to slow down and think about your next move, you’ll be able to make your balls last longer and get a higher score.
Each pinball machine will play differently, even if they’re the same game. Take the first ball of each game to learn the machine and how it shoots.
For example, if you’re using the right flipper, hitting the ball near the top of the flipper will make it go right.
If you nudge the machine too hard or multiple times, the machine may freeze and you’ll lose your ball. This is known as a “tilt. ”
This technique is often referred to as the “slap save. ”
If the ball is coming down the machine fast, let it bounce off the flippers without activating them to slow it down and gain more control.
This technique will take practice and timing. Don’t be discouraging if your ball bounces back up out of control the first few times you try it.
