What’s that? You are nervous to come to week 1 of LPL Winter Season 2017? Don’t be! Here are some tips, tricks, and tutorials for all the games on the schedule for week 1!

Avatar LE

My personal strategy on Avatar LE is to always lock a ball in the link shot ASAP (especially if you get the Navi ball enabling double scoring), the shot seems easier and safer to me backhanded from the left flipper. Try to start that multiball immediately (again I use the left flipper backhand shots to bash the now locked ball to activate the multiball). Once there start to bash away at the stand up target bank and robot toy on the right side of the playfield thus stacking the games two main multiballs. The captive ball to the far right will allow you to add a ball, and every time you complete the upper roll over lanes the green x inserts on the playfield all light. The next x shot you hit will now have a multiplied value, lots of green x’s = lots of points on the DMD! The other modes all seem to come as you continuously work for multiballs over and over. Good luck!

Big Indian (Large Native American in the 2016 Vault Edition)

One of the newest editions the floor at MSA, means I have little advice. Attempt to complete BIG via the rollovers up top. Try to take out the upper left drop targets as often as possible. The vari-target on the lower left is tempting, but it also = almost certain death. Otherwise typical EM advice, keep the ball in play and shoot some stuff.

Captain Fantastic

Step 1: Bring music playing device and que up Elton John’s Greatest Hits, I prefer to start with Rocket Man followed by Tiny Dancer.

Step 2: Seek out Craig Farner, he is the tall guy  so thin you will think he hasn’t eaten a cheeseburger in about a decade, he recently smashed the #13 player in the world Trent Augenstein on this game and he will have all the advice for you on this game. If you can’t find Craig, seek out Dan St. John the owner of MSA. Although Craig had the victory over Trent at Main Street Mayhem last month, he hasn’t been able to beat Dan ever since so Dan must also have good advice.

Step 3: My strategy is to use the upper right flipper to down the drop targets on the left side of the playfield. One of two things will happen. I will either continue to down the drop targets, win free games and feel really good about myself. Or I will instantly use that upper flipper to shoot the ball to the left outlane scoring virtually zero points on three (oh snap now 5!) consecutive balls. Also complete the left and right rollover lanes up top (A&B) for double bonus as often as possible, this game can be all about the bonus, and be sure not to tilt.

Creature from the Black Lagoon! (My personal favorite game)

CFTBL is the best pinball game ever designed, it is just a fact. My personal strategy is to play for multiball and multiplied jackpots all the time. It is not the best strategy to score well on for our league format, but I love the game and the sound effect of that jackpot, and especially the super jackpot are like nothing else in pinball! To start with I hard plunge just as the last “s” in “kiss” is going out to complete Kiss on the plunge earning the “F” in “FILM” I then shoot the center scoop to build toward the “I”, after that I begin my shots up the middle to complete the upper rollers spelling “PASS” to earn my “L”, and lastly I shoot the far right VUK to earn my “M”. Now I have spelt “FILM” and flashers will be going off on the far left and right shots indicating a shot to either side will start multiball. Personally I prefer to hit the left shot to start it as it sets up my next shot better, but either will work. Once in multiball I try to get one ball on left flipper, and one on the right. Using the right I shoot the left ramp allowing the ball to travel around the ramp and down into the swamp bowl earning letters in “CREATURE” to multiply my score (wow this game has a lot more spelling than I ever realized). Once I have maxed out my multiplier at 4x, I then begin shooting my yellow flashing triangle inserts to “find the creature”, once she is found then shoot the center scoop to “rescue the girl”, and then again shoot the center scoop to collect the jackpot!!!!!!!! Once a jackpot is collected you now want to shoot up the middle and back into the pop bumpers for 25 hits to light the SUPER JACKPOT! That is also collected at the center scoop. One you have collected the 4x SUPER JACKPOT, you can proceed to walk away from the game as the likelihood of any of your opponents catching your score is almost non-existent! It is the equivalent of a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 9th inning of game 7 of the World Series.

To do well in league though….you may just want to work towards a multiball, play “Move your car” mode by shooting up the middle 5 times, and then quickly collecting the hurry up value at 8 million and continuously hitting that shot over and over. You can also get playground wards and mystery awards at the right VUK shot, and the center scoop and hope for unlimited millions on the left ramp which is a very lucrative mode if  you have that shot dialed in. Meanwhile I will still be attempting my multiplied jackpot strategy and cursing loudly when I instantly drain my multiball and then brick the snack bar shot to restart it.

Eight Ball Deluxe

Ahhh….ye’ olde EBD! Another great 80’s bally game. I honestly can’t believe that tutorial is 15 minutes long. This is the perfection of the idea simply to understand, difficult to master. Shoot the drop targets on the right to collect the balls. Finish by shooting the upper right single drop target (the 8 ball, which the game will repeatedly tell you to “Shoot the 8 ball” when it is ready). Completion of the right drops and the 8 ball will lock in a bonus value you fo 56,000 for the first completion, and then 112,000 for the second completion. Once completed with a set, now work on the inline drop targets on the left side, these are your bonus multipliers meaning that a completed right side drop bank earning a guaranteed bonus of 56,000 points can be multiplied up to 5x earning 280,000 points just in bonus. I try to avoid the pops as much as possible as they can shoot the ball SDTM in the blink of an eye. Upper left flipper should be used with extreme caution at all times, and mastering the dead flip and post passing is hugely advantageous to putting up big scores on this game.

In case you couldn’t tell I sometimes get very bored at work, hence I bring you Week 1 tips, tricks, and tutorials. Good luck, and see you all there next Tuesday!