Board 78: Mill Valley

This week we have a couple of windmills set on the side of a hill.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 100 total - Pro target 400k)

For a level 1, this doesn't actually look that easy. None of the pegs are touching, and there are lots of odd angles, yet the pro target of 400k seems reasonably high.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 310,360

• 1 red peg left. As I suspected, bucket catches and bonuses are both quite hard to come by, and deflections are tricky to judge.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 306,540

• 3 red pegs left that time. I'm reluctant to go for a power up so early on, but I may have to soon. I'll one more go without first.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 342,210

• 1 red peg left again. It was buried amongst a sea of blues. I had two attempts at it, and came within a whisker of it both times.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 826,380 

• Ridiculously easy with the laser ball, of course. I still had eight ball left at the end, and I could have had more if I'd taken more care post-laser, but I was already way over the pro target, and had more balls left than red pegs to aim at, so there didn't seem much point in caution.
  
  Coming back for the video, it was again very easy with the laser ball. The yellow peg was awkward to get to, and the red pegs didn't seem favourably positioned. But once I'd activated the laser ball, it carved through most of the remaining pegs, for a nice big score, and it allowed me to easily pick off all the remaining pegs for a total clearance with balls in hand, and a score of 882,500.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 107 total - Pro target 400k)

A layout based on the picture, which can sometimes make for an awkward design, but this looks easier than the last one.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 305,430

• One red peg left. I tried to take it off the side wall to boost the score a little, but missed it.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 182,270

• Three red pegs left this time, and a much lower score. Am I going to have to reach for a power up again?

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 302,270

• One red peg left again. OK, I give in, I'll use another laser ball.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 329,270

• Even with the laser ball, I still had one red peg left at the end, buried under a ton of blue pegs in the centre of the screen.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 450,890 

• Got it that time, but it was still touch and go for a bit. When it 5 balls to break through to the yellow peg, I thought I was in trouble again.
  
  Coming back to complete the video, I could get to the yellow peg straight away. I had to concentrate on picking the reds out after that to make sure I didn't run out of balls, but I just made it with a score of 449,400.

Level 3 (Clear 35 red pegs from 114 total - Pro target 425k)

At least we have some straight lines to run down this down. Hopefully this will be a little easier.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 281,890

• 1 red peg left. Harder than it looks, because the a hole appeared in the centre on the very first ball, and all subsequent balls seemed to gravitate into it making them very hard to catch. My game was up in only 14 balls.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 518,950 

• I had similar problems to the last go, and thought it was going to go the same way when my final ball left one red peg untouched. Fortunately, it earned enough points to gain an extra ball and that was enough to finish it with.
  
  Returning to complete the video, I had no real problems. The red pegs seemed well positioned so I could take lots of side wall bonuses. I also got several rolls down the slopes. I cleared the red for a score of 558,050.

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 119 total - Pro target 425k)

Three sets of windmill blades with some loose pegs beneath. It's hard to tell from looking at it, how it will turn out, but I think it looks OK.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 330,590

• 3 red pegs left, I think. Only 14 shots again, so I clearly struggled to predict the path of the ball.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 395,370

• 1 red peg left and I thought I had this one under control. Tried to take the second to last red off the side wall with the second to last ball and missed it. That left me having to catch the next ball and I didn't.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 345,740

• I was too busy trying to pick off the last few awkward reds with not many balls, that I didn't take much notice of the score. Picked up the 100k bonus at the end, but it still wasn't enough for pro.

Level 5 (Clear 30 red pegs from 100 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 600k)

We have what looks like a series of overhead cables, set at a rakish angle. I'm not quite sure how that connected to the picture, but never mind. Clearly balls are going to tend to gravitate towards the right hand side, but that should make catching them easier.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 706,030 

• No problem with that one. Lots of catching opportunities, and plenty of chances to ricochet the ball off the left hand wall, off a near vertical red or purple peg and into the bucket for 35k a pop. I built my score up to 595k, just to be sure, then took a narrow angle off the last red peg into the 100k bucket.
  
  I found it much harder coming back to do the video. It took me four attempts, and I didn't find the catches easy at all. When I did get it, it was all down to one shot near the end which ricocheted around, taking out all the awkward blue pegs that were in the way, and ending up in the bucket for a big score. Suddenly a game I'd all but given up on looked there for the taking.

Level 6 (Clear 35 red pegs from 107 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 500k)

The same layout as level 2, which was probably the toughest of a reasonably tough set, so there might be problems. I'll try without power ups first, but I may well need one.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 457,310

• Not a bad effort. There was a lot of catching going on. The game ran to 36 shots in total, but quite a few of those were just fired straight into the bucket, waiting for the purple peg to appear somewhere useful. There were three red pegs left at the end, which I was trying to get to, but thet were just too deeply buried.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 132,000

• A dreadful attempt that one. Lots of pegs left at the end, and only a couple of catches made. Time for a laser ball.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 648,040 

• The yellow peg was right on top which was quite useful. Not many points were gained from it, but it removed quite a lot of pegs, and that made single peg deflections into the bucket much easier to judge. I stretched the 9 balls out to 22 shots, and not many this time were fired straight into the bucket.
  
  It took a few shots to get through to the yellow peg when I came back to record the video. Again I didn't score much with the laser ball, but I cleared a lot of pegs. Some careful catching after that got me a total clearance for a score of 866,650.

Level 7 (Clear 40 red pegs from 100 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 525k)

The same layout as level 1, which was tough and needed a laser to get through it, so I'll jump straight in with one of them.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 628,670 

• The yellow peg was on top again. It was a tricky finish, with the final red buried, and only one ball left. Luckily I managed to clear a path and catch the ball. The pro target had already been passed by then, so that wasn't a problem. I'd got lucky with the laser. When it took out the white peg, it triggered the Split Ball, and both balls landed in the bucket for a 100k bonus.
  
  Returning for the video, I got it again at the next attempt, but only just. I squeezed home with a score of 532,690.

Level 8 (Clear 40 red pegs from 100 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 700k)

The same layout as level 5. That one went in one attempt, without a power up, and I even made 700k, so hopefully it won't be too hard.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 563,380

• Didn't go quite as well as last time. Still had three or four red pegs left in the middle at the end. Worth another try though.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 356,380

• Considerably worse this time. Maybe level 5 was a fluke, after all. Let's get the laser ball out.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 400,460

• Even with the laser ball, there was little difference between this go and the last one.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 176,380

• Dreadful attempt. It took ages to break through to the yellow peg, then I made a complete mess of the laser ball anyway.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 1,001,440 

• Strolled through it that time. Got the yellow peg with the first ball, then judged the laser perfectly. I didn't catch it though, which was a shame, because I'd hit the white peg and got a triple score bonus. If I'd caught the ball, I'd have picked up an extra 262k!
  
  It took another couple of attempts to get it again for the video. When I did get it, I took a total clearance for 900,190.

Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 84 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 675k)

The same layout as level 3, which was OK, but tended to funnel the balls down the centre, making them hard to catch.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 518,900

• Only 77% clearance so lots of pegs left at the end. Made a complete mess of the laser ball. I managed quite a few catches after that, stretching it out to 23 shots, but I was only postponing the inevitable.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 628,740

• 10 pegs left, so a better attempt. Still a way short though.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 420,090

• 11 pegs left and a lower score, despite adding grenade ball.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 756,940 

• Got it that time. I think the grenade ball probably made the difference.
  
  It took another couple of attempts to repeat this one for the video. On the first attempt it took way too long to get to the yellow peg, on the second go I got to it quickly, got a Triple score with the laser ball, and finished off from there.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 89 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 575k)

The same layout as level 4. I'll start with a laser ball and see how I go.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 630,290

• Can't believe I failed there. I had four pegs left at the end, but the laser ball worked brilliantly. It triggered the split ball and between them they took out most of what was left. I even caught them both for good measure. I was only left with about 30 pegs and about 10 balls to get them with. And still failed.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 794,720 

• No problem that time. More of the catches worked and that makes life so much easier.
  
  Coming back for the video, I nailed this one first time. I rode my luck at times with a few fortunate catches in the endgame, but they all count. A final 150k bucket bonus helped me to a score of 1,145,870.

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 119 total - Pro target 425k)
- continued
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 479,120 

• With the laser ball, I had that one well under control. Although, I nearly blew it at the end. I wasted a couple of balls trying to boost my score when I already had the pro target reached, then realised I was on my last ball and couldn't get through to the last red peg. Luckily I managed to get it with a high shot off the side wall.
  
  Coming back for the video, I failed with the first attempt, but then blitzed it with the second. I found a path through to the yellow peg with the first ball, then got a good laser ball, scoring 250k. I could then pick my way to a total clearance. A final bucket bonus of 200k gave me a whopping 1,084,570.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	100	Reds	10	-	400k	4	826,380	446,372
2	25	107	Reds	10	-	400k	5	450,890	314,026
3	35	114	Reds	10	-	425k	2	518,950	400,420
4	30	119	Reds	10	-	425k	4	479,120	387,705
5	30	100	Reds	9	-	600k	1	706,030	706,030
6	35	107	Reds	9	-	500k	3	648,040	412,450
7	40	100	Reds	8	-	525k	1	628,670	628,670
8	40	100	Reds	8	-	700k	5	1,001,440	499,608
9	30	114	All	9	-	675k	4	756,940	581,167
10	30	119	All	9	-	575k	2	794,720	712,505

Board 77: Titan of the Ancients

This weeks picture is some sort of bizarre gigantic robot standing amidst the pyramids. It looks like some strange cross between Howl's Moving Castle, and The Beast from Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.

Level 1 (Clear 30 red pegs from 92 total - Pro target 425k)

Lots of horizontal lines, with pairs of diamond shaped pegs. It's only level 1 so it ought to be doable with power ups.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 409,850

• That was actually tougher than it looked. Although I probably made heavy weather of it. I got all the red pegs but needed to avoid the 10k bonus bucket at the end. Thought I had a good chance as the last peg was low and central, but the ball managed to find a way to the edge and I just missed out on the pro score.

Level 2 (Clear 35 red pegs from 110 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 525k)

Three eccentric squares, plus some extra horizontal pegs and a few diamond ones.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 673,490 

• Lots of opportunities for rebounding, distance, and other bonuses here, so the score went up pretty fast. No problems clearing the pegs or reaching the pro target.
  
  I didn't find it quite so easy going back for the video. I had two failures before I got it again with a score of 581,710.
  

Level 3 (Clear 30 red pegs from 83 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 375k)

I'm not entirely sure what this is supposed to represent. We have a big + sign with a circle in each quarter and a few odd pegs. The pro target is quite low which can be an indication that points can be hard to come by.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 245,530

• Three pegs left at the end, but then I didn't manage a single bucket catch. Judging the deflections here is quite tricky.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 558,330 

• Had a bit more luck this time. Picked up a few more unexpected bucket catches, and took out more pegs with ricochets.
  
  I did it again at the next attempt for the video. I didn't score as high as the previous go with 455,600 but it was enough.
  

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 94 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 400k)

The design is based around the picture, so there are lots of loose pegs and odd angles. The pro target is still quite low.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 298,280

• Points did seem to be quite hard to come by. I could have taken an easy win with my last ball, but I went for a deflection off the purple peg to try and give myself a chance at the pro target instead, and missed it.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 354,080

• A better score, but still two pegs left at the end. I'm reluctant to turn to power ups so early, so I'll give it one more go.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 475,790 

• Got it that time. It took 15 shots to finish it, but in truth I could have done it in a couple less. I used up a couple of balls at the end trying to boost my score, despite being already guaranteed of the pro target.
  
  A comfortable pro score at the next attempt for the video. I got to take quite a few purple peg shots at the end once I'd cleared the way to the final red peg. I scored 579,850 thanks to a final 100k bonus.
  

Level 5 (Clear 15 red pegs from 86 total - Pro target 425k)

Lots of loose pegs top and bottom, separated by two rows of large metal blocks which take alternate steps to the right. Only 15 red pegs to get rid of though.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 570,290 

• I found this one quite easy. The blocks in the centre moved slowly enough to make deflections pretty easy. Not so easy to make catches, but with so few red pegs to hit, they were less important. I had this one complete with several balls in hand.
  
  I can't believe I thought this was easy first time around. Clearing the red pegs wasn't that difficult, but accumulating enough points for a pro score I found much harder. But since I'd done it without power ups the first time, then I felt obliged to do the same for the video, and it took me another 13 attempts to do it again. This time I scored 461,330.
  

Level 6 (Score 375k with 35 red pegs and 48 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 525k)

Same strange design as level 3, but I got this pro target score on my second go at that level, and without power ups, so it hopefully shouldn't be too hard.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 374,570

• That didn't go very well. I still had quite a few pegs left in the middle, including 6 red ones. None of my balls really seemed to penetrate this area.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 274,900

• A pretty poor effort. Very similar to the previous attempt in terms of what was left, only more so. I think it's time to bring in a laser ball.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 483,000

• Not far off the pro target by using the laser ball, and certainly comfortably over the basic target. I took the entire central column out with the first ball by pointing it straight down and letting it bounce vertically, taking the pegs out one at a time. It let me get to the yellow trigger peg which was right at the bottom.

Level 7 (Clear 45 red pegs from 92 total, with only 7 balls - Pro target 650k)

The same layout as level 1. But the pro target is quite high, so I'll start with a laser ball.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 610,920

• The score was fine, but missed a couple of red pegs. Only managed 9 shots from the 7 balls, so I ought to be able to do better than that.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 614,440

• Managed to clear the red pegs this time, but couldn't quite amass enough points for the pro target.

Level 8 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 80 blue - Pro target 650k)

The same layout as level 2, but that's a lot of pegs to clear so I'll use the laser ball straightaway.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 704,600 

• It was touch and go whether I was going to clear all the pegs or get enough points for the pro target, but I managed to hang just long enough to do both.
  
  Again, clearing the pegs was the hardest part. I had to keep the final ball going for quite a few shots. But I made it for a score of 794,120.
  

Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 64 blue, with 9 balls - Pro target 550k)

The same layout as level 4, but all the pegs need clearing, so I'll probably need a power up.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 563,510

• Still quite a few pegs left at the end, although the pro target doesn't appear to be a problem. Having most of the pegs clustered in the centre doesn't make for an ideal target for the laser ball. I think I'll add a trampoline.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 799,740 

• I had quite a lot of luck with this one. I had lots of early balls that got amongst the pegs and ricocheted around a lot, taking out 10-15 each. It left me with about 7 balls and about 20 pegs, but I managed to make just enough catches to finish it.
  
  More skill, I felt on the next attempt. I took the clearance for a score of 709,770.
  

Level 10 (Clear 25 red pegs from 86 total, with a 5s shot-clock - Pro target 550k)

The same layout as level 5, with the moving rows of metal blocks, but the shot clock is going to make this awkward.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 222,370

• The combination of the moving blocks and the shot-clock make this very awkward. It's also very tricky to amass anything approaching the pro target. I only had one red peg left at the end, but I hadn't even got halfway towards it.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 204,030

• Several pegs left this time, and an even worse score. This could take a while.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 246,890

• Well I took the victory, despite being a long way from the pro target, so now I can go back and aim for the pro target on the four levels that I missed it on.

Level 1 (Clear 30 red pegs from 92 total - Pro target 425k)

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 221,820

• Nowhere near the target score, or indeed clearing the red pegs. The deflections are very hard to judge.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 523,830 

• I went to the laser ball just to get this one out of the way. It made the target much easier to reach.
  
  I actually did this one without the laser ball when I went back and did it for the video. I only just scraped home, but I made it with a score of 440,170.
  

Level 6 (Score 375k with 35 red pegs and 48 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 525k)

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 286,670

• This just didn't work at all. I didn't manage to get the laser ball activated until way too late.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 591,670 

• This looked doomed from the start. I added a Big Bounce, but both trigger pegs were right down the bottom and a nightmare to get to. I only had two balls left when I triggered the laser ball, but I managed to catch it and then trigger the trampoline on the last ball. The last ball then bounced all over the place, finished off the remaining red pegs, then fell in the 50k bonus bucket.
  
  With both power ups again for the video, I found it much easier, taking a total clearance for a score of 830,910.
  

Level 7 (Clear 45 red pegs from 92 total, with only 7 balls - Pro target 650k)

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 789,760 

• The catches all seemed to work this time, the laser ball took out plenty of pegs, there were a few lucky catches as well, and it all came together perfectly.
  
  I had plenty of points on the next attempt but missed the last red peg. I got it on the next attempt for the video with a total clearance for 850,410.
  

Level 10 (Clear 25 red pegs from 86 total, with a 5s shot-clock - Pro target 550k)

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 227,200

• It's hard to see how I'm even going to get close to this pro target. Just clearing the red pegs is hard enough. Using two power ups, I've not even beaten 250k in four attempts, and the target is more than double that, at 550k. This could take a lot of attempts.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 298,260

• I tried swapping the Big Bounce for the Grenade Ball, and got a slight improvement in score.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 263,450

• The grenade does appear to be having marginally better results than the trampoline, but still had 7 red pegs left at the end. This is going to take a large slice of luck to pull off.

Attempt #7 - No power ups. Score: 321,530

• Ironically, my best score yet comes without any power ups at all, as I've run out of coins. I still had three pegs left at the end though.

Attempt #8 - No power ups. Score: 193,860

• Three pegs left and a pretty poor score. I can't see me getting this without power ups. That last attempt must have been a fluke. I have enough coins for some power-ups in the next go.

Attempt #9 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 175,740

• A dreadful waste of power ups. I spent most of my balls trying to hit the trigger peg for the grenade ball, and never managed it.

Attempt #10 - No power ups. Score: 297,360

• Lots of pegs left down the bottom half again.

Attempt #11 - No power ups. Score: 310,190

• 5 red pegs left at the end, I think.

Attempt #12 - No power ups. Score: 465,030

• That one was a lot closer. Only two red pegs left at the end and less than 100k short of the pro target.

Attempt #13 - No power ups. Score: 188,180

• Nowhere near that time.

Attempt #14 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 443,610

• Only 1 red peg left that time, so pretty close to finishing and a score within reach of the target. The power-ups definitely made a difference that time.

Attempt #15 - No power ups. Score: 369,920

• 3 red pegs left. There's definitely a general improvement happening as I gradually get used to the angles and timing required, but it's slow.

Attempt #16 - No power ups. Score: 208,920

• 3 pegs left again, but a long way short of the target.

Attempt #17 - No power ups. Score: 433,200

• Cleared the red pegs, but over 100k short of the target.

Attempt #18 - No power ups. Score: 218,360

• Loads of pegs left and nowhere near the score.

Attempt #19 - No power ups. Score: 236,680

• 2 red pegs left, but the score was low.

Attempt #20 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 276,580

• 2 red pegs left again. The power ups didn't really help that time.

Attempt #21 - No power ups. Score: 230,710

• 1 red peg left, but nowhere near the score required.

Attempt #22 - No power ups. Score: 308,520

• 1 red peg left again.

Attempt #23 - No power ups. Score: 176,470

• Awful.

Attempt #24 - No power ups. Score: 315,810

• 1 red peg left.

Attempt #25 - No power ups. Score: 135,270

• 4 red pegs left. That's all I'll have time for this week. I'll have to come back to this one after I've Aced next week's board. At least I should have some more coins then.

Attempt #26 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 259,560

• 3 red pegs left. I've managed to Ace the current board, so it's time to have another go at this one. At least acing that board has earned me enough coins to be able to throw some power ups at this one for a few attempts.

Attempt #27 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 331,160

• 2 red pegs left that I just couldn't get in the bottom left hand corner, even though I stretched it out to 19 shots.

Attempt #28 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 167,470

• 3 red pegs left. Started promisingly enough, but then wasted about 3 balls trying to find an angle to get a red peg in the bottom corner.

Attempt #29 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 589,820 

• Yippeeeee! Finally! I finally got the luck I'd been waiting for. The red pegs weren't too awkwardly placed, the power ups both worked effectively, several unexpected catches were made and quite a few bonuses were picked up for distance, deflections and bucket bounce. I only used 13 shots, but then I had five or six balls left at the end. After the power ups, I only had about 4 or 5 red pegs left, and still about 8 or 9 balls to get them with. 29 attempts seems a lot, but it could have gone on a lot longer. If I kept on at it, I'd be surprised if I could get it more than one time in fifty.
  
  I got it again for the video after only another four attempts, which I was quite happy with. I missed just one blue peg, and scored 586,200.
  

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	30	92	Reds	10	-	425k	3	523,830	385,166
2	35	110	Reds	9	-	525k	1	673,490	673,490
3	30	83	Reds	9	-	375k	2	558,330	401,930
4	30	94	Reds	9	-	400k	3	475,790	376,050
5	15	86	Reds	10	-	425k	1	570,290	570,290
6	35	83	375k	9	-	525k	5	591,670	402,162
7	45	92	Reds	7	-	650k	3	789,760	671,706
8	30	110	All	10	-	650k	1	704,600	704,600
9	30	94	All	9	-	550k	2	799,740	681,625
10	25	86	Reds	10	5s	550k	29	589,820	279,867

Board 72: Monkey Ravine

The picture for this board is of a narrow rope bridge spanning a deep gorge, with a tree in the foreground from which a monkey hangs.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 102 total - Pro target 475k)

No sweeping curves, but quite a few flat horizontal lines which can often be taken out in one go for a reasonable bonus. There's also a pretty eve distribution of pegs across the screen which can make the laser ball quite effective. But we don't need to resort to that just yet. It's only level 1 after all.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 356,050

• Started well enough, but I think I was being a little careless and not taking enough time over my shots. Still had a red peg left at the end which was hidden under some blues.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 551,950 

• I had to take a few chances with the last ball and take a couple of rebounds off the purple peg to build my score up to 425k. I then decided that rather than try and build it up further, I'd take the chance of a 50k+ bonus at the end. I got a 100k bonus instead which got me the pro score comfortably.
  
  Coming back for the video, I cleared the red pegs quite easily, and with quite a few balls in hand. I was a long way short of points, though, so I needed those balls to build me points up to the pro target.

Level 2 (Clear 30 red pegs from 103 total - Pro target 450k)

Lots of awkward looking diagonal lines which tend to be very tricky to take out. But on the other hand, ricochets off them are much easier to judge.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 453,210 

• Again, I was left at the end trying to eke the final two or three balls out as long as possible. Trying to work out where each deflection was going to go. Got to within 45k of the pro target, then took the final red off the side wall to guarantee 10k for the peg, 25k for hitting the wall first, and 10k for the minimum final bucket bonus, which is precisely what I got. Which is why I scraped in by only a few thousand.
  
  Much easier coming back to make the video. I got very lucky at the start, catching all the balls for the first few shots. It helped me keep plenty of balls in hand into the endgame. I took a total clearance for a score of 670,740.

Level 3 (Clear 30 red pegs from 114 total - Pro target 550k)

We have a couple of monkeys from a chain. Lots of curves here so there ought to be lots of potential bonuses.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 360,350

• That was a pretty dreadful attempt. I think there were about 7 red pegs left at the end. All the curves got broken up very quickly before I'd had a chance to exploit them properly, and the layout quickly became am awkward jumble.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 282,500

• An even worse attempt than the previous one.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 443,440

• Much closer, with only one red peg left and only about 100k short of the pro target. But this level is proving a fair bit tougher than it first appeared.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 713,670 

• Did much better with the laser ball this time. Then just picked off the red pegs one at a time, with the odd purple peg when the opportunity presented itself. The final two both went together as the ball disappeared into the 100k bucket to boost the score a little at the end.
  
  It took about another 3 or 4 attempts to get it again for the video, but when I did, I was catching on top form. I took a comfortable total clearance for a million plus points - 1,083,320.

Level 4 (Clear 25 red pegs from 125 total - Pro target 525k)

A mixture of curves and isolated round pegs. Certainly worth a try without power ups first.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 636,090 

• No real problems. The curves are actually quite conveniently placed. I had a few balls left at the end that I could have scored more with, but I'd already reached the pro target so there didn't seem any point.
  
  Coming back for the video, I got a very similar score - 631,950 - but it felt more of a struggle. I lost quite a few early balls, and had quite a bit of work to do in the endgame.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 108 total - Pro target 475k)

This level has three separate sections - the central section with a face design that is in a box with a lid that opens and closes, and also sections to the left and right. It's worth bearing in mind that if the final red peg is in the central box, then the ball should fall automatically into the 100k bonus bucket.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 357,700

• Three pegs left at the end - one in each section. So probably not actually that far off.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 326,400

• Cleared the sides, but still had several left in the centre at the end.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 536,820 

• Got it this time. I had four red pegs scattered about the central box to clear with the last ball, but fortunately it bounced about a bit and took them all out.
  
  It took another 3 or 4 attempts to get it again for the video. I just wasn't getting enough luck with the catches. I got it in the end with a score of 613,450.

Level 6 (Clear 40 red pegs from 103 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 675k)

Same design as level 2, but 10 more red pegs, and a higher pro target.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 527,630

• A pretty good effort. I had about 3 or 4 red pegs left at the end. I think I'll add a laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 718,830 

• I wasn't sure I was going to get this one, but the second last ball suddenly zipped about the last 5 red pegs, despite how scattered they were, and dropped in the 100k bucket.
  
  Coming back for the video, it took another four or five attempts with the laser ball to pro score it again. It needed an easily accessible yellow peg, a good laser ball, some competent catching and a total clearance to do it.

Level 7 (Clear 40 red pegs from 102 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 650k)

Same design as level 1, but 15 more red pegs this time, and an extra 200k for pro.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 472,040

• About 3 or 4 red pegs left at the end, but I missed a lot of catches so I think I'll have another crack at it without power ups.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 720,220 

• Yes, that's better. I picked up pretty much all the catches I went for, stretching the 9 balls out to 34. The final red wasn't aimed for - I was aiming for a catch off a high purple peg, but got a deflection off the bucket rim onto the red peg instead. It was OK though, because I picked up a big distance bonus, and a 100k bucket bonus which was enough for the pro target.
  
  It took a few more attempts to make pro again for the video. I got after maybe five or six more attempts. A bit of luck and some good catching were needed.

Level 8 (Clear 40 red pegs from 125 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 4, but with 15 more red pegs, one less ball and 100k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 357,540

• Not particularly close, although I didn't feel I did very well on that go. I think I'll go for the laser next anyway.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 770,910 

• Much easier with a laser ball. This way this design forms an arch-like pattern works very well with it.
  
  For the video, the yellow peg was right down the bottom, but I got to it early enough. I did well with the laser ball, and my catching went well. I would have liked a total clearance, but couldn't risk it, so I left one peg behind. A better score than before, though, 956,670.

Level 9 (Clear 45 red pegs from 114 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 3 which took a few attempts and took a laser ball to complete, so let's jump straight in with that.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 778,690 

• No real problems once I'd activated the laser ball. I managed to take out a lot of pegs with it. I also picked up one or two useful extra bonuses along the way.
  
  It took about three more attempts to get pro again for the video. Once I'd found my way through to the yellow peg, and picked a good line for the laser ball, it wasn't too bad.

Level 10 (Clear 30 red pegs from 108 total, with only 8 balls and with a 5s shot-clock - Pro target 600k)

The same three section layout as level 5, but this time with 5 extra red pegs, a couple less balls, and extra 125k on the pro target, and a 5 second shot clock. Let's try the trampoline first.

Attempt #1 - Big Bounce. Score: 485,580

• One red peg left on the final ball and I missed it by a whisker. It was in the middle section, so had I hit it I would have got the 100k bonus, plus 35k for the peg and the deflection, so it would have been enough for the pro target. Let's try again.

Attempt #2 - Big Bounce. Score: 241,020

• Nowhere near that time. Terrible score, and still 10 red pegs left at the end. Let's try the laser as well.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 651,970 

• I stupidly selected the power ups in the wrong order so that weren't activated by the colours that I'm used to. Even more stupidly, I didn't pause to check which I was using before I fired it. Hence I fired the laser thinking it was the trampoline and failed to get a bounce of the bucket. Despite that, I got a big score with the real trampoline ball, and managed to pick off the remaining red pegs. I left one in the centre until last, to get the 100k final bonus.
  
  Coming back for the video, it took another 10 attempts to pro score it again. It takes a lot of luck to find the right angles at the right moments. And leaving a final red peg in the central section is crucial.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	102	Reds	10	-	475k	2	551,950	454,000
2	30	103	Reds	10	-	450k	1	453,210	453,210
3	30	114	Reds	10	-	550k	4	713,670	449,990
4	25	125	Reds	10	-	525k	1	636,090	636,090
5	25	108	Reds	10	-	475k	3	536,820	406,973
6	40	103	Reds	9	-	675k	2	718,830	623,230
7	40	102	Reds	9	-	650k	2	720,220	596,130
8	40	125	Reds	9	-	625k	2	770,910	564,225
9	45	114	Reds	8	-	625k	1	778,690	778,690
10	30	108	Reds	8	5s	600k	3	651,970	459,523

Board 73: Ivory Ocean

Rather a whimsical picture of an ornate fountain surrounded by spraying elephants, this week. I seem to remember it having a few tricky levels in it, but I shall redo it as if I was attempting it for the first time.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 90 total - Pro target 525k)

Not too many red pegs to hit, and what looks like a fairly friendly arrangent. The wavy lines should allow a small early Sweeper bonus or two.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 672,570 

• Luck was with me and I picked up quite a few fortunate deflections in the bucket. As a result I reached the pro target still with 6 balls remaining.
  
  It took me three further attempts to get it again for the video. When I got it, the ending was unexpected, but good enough with a score of 628,560..

Level 2 (Clear 30 red pegs from 100 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 725k)

No odd pegs at all, just four wavy lines, so there ought to be some sweeping bonuses.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 682,870

• One red peg left and just under 50k short of the pro target so close on both fronts.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 746,270 

• Managed to get that little bit extra this time.
  
  It took me another two attempts to get this one again for the video. However, I forgot to start recording the second attempt. This was annoying as I got about 917k and a total clearance. It wasn't so bad, though, as on the third attempt, I got another total clearance with an even bigger score of 1,084,620.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 88 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 550k)

A design based on the picture, which can sometimes make for some odd shapes and angles. Only 25 pegs to get rid off, though, and comparatively few blue pegs to get in the way.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 256,790

• Didn't even come close with this one. I'll have another go without power ups as I'm sure I can do better than this!

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 321,040

• Slightly better, but not much. This level is more awkward than it looks. Let's get the laser out.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 324,510

• Wasted the laser ball a bit, so no real improvement.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 501,090

• Made much better use of the laser ball, and was going well but failed to keep track of how many balls I had left. I was too busy trying to pick up bonus points of the purple pegs, that before I knew it I only had 1 ball left and still 3 red pegs to hit. Silly.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 453,330

• I'm not scoring enough with the laser ball. I've still got too many points to get after it's gone, so I'm forced to attempt lots of rebounds which is causing me to run out of balls.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 653,620 

• Added a trampoline and adjusted the trajectory of my laser ball slightly to take out more of the fountain, and these changes seemed to make a big difference. This time I easily reached the Pro target and took out all the red pegs with about 7 or 8 balls left.
  
  The next attempt for the video was a disaster with the yellow peg very hard to get to. Despite that, I nearly made it, only missing by a couple of catches. I got it on the second attempt, with a total clearance for 717,100.

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 100 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 600k)

The elephant's head design looks like it should offer a number of sweeping possibilities. It looks easier than the last design at any rate.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 845,010 

• Yes, there were plenty of big bonuses available here. Using the top curve of the trunk gave me over 180k for the first ball alone. I maybe got a little lucky towards the end when a couple of balls fell unexpectedly into the bucket, but no real problems.
  
  It took me another eight attempts to get a video made. It should have been half that, as I did it on the fourth attempt. Unfortunately, I stopped the video after failing to catch my final ball. Only then did I realise that I hadn't hit anything and had been awarded the ball again. I went on to clear the reds with that ball and earn a large enough final bonus to scrape home by about 6k. On the eighth attempt, I got home with a score of 681,740 thanks to a 100k final bucket bonus.

Level 5 (Clear 30 red pegs from 101 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 450k)

I seem to remember from doing this the first time round, that this design can be quite tricky without a power up. Even with a power up, the yellow trigger peg is often buried down the bottom of the screen, and it takes too many balls to trigger it.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 569,740 

• The yellow peg was indeed buried low on the right hand side of the fountain, and it did indeed take me 5 balls to break through to it, none of which I managed to catch. However, that didn't leave many pegs left on that side, so I could concentrate the laser ball on the opposite side, wiping out most of it in one go. I was then able to eke out the last few balls just enough to mop up the remaining red pegs.
  
  Getting it again for the video took a couple of attempts. I managed to get the yellow peg with my first ball, did OK with the laser ball, then managed to find enough catches and bonuses to finish off with a pro score.

Level 6 (Score 500k with 40 red pegs and 60 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 800k)

The elephant's head design again, same as level 4, so there should be plenty of points available, even without any power ups.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 591,670

• I was some way short of the pro target, but I did beat the level. I think I'll have another go at it before I move on, because the points are definitely there to be taken.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 963,130 

• That's better! I knew it was worth another shot. I picked my deflections and ricochets with a little more care this time, and ended up with a total clearance for an extra 150k bonus at the end.
  
  It took three more attempts to get it again for the video. When I did get it, the ending was unexpected, but luckily I found the 100k final bucket which was enough for a pro score.

Level 7 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 65 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 650k)

The same layout as level 1, but this time all the pegs need to be taken out. The layout was quite conducive to rebounds last time. So I think I'll try it without power ups to start with.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 308,440

• Some 16 pegs left at the end and not even halfway to the Pro target. Maybe I was being a little ambitious attempting a complete clearance without any power ups.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 435,720

• A much better effort, but still well short of both targets. Let's try it with the grenade as well.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 201,990

• A truly dreadful effort. The laser took far too long to get to, so when I did, there weren't enough pegs available to build up a decent score with it. Awful!

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 590,080

• Got the clearance, but both balls fell in the 10k bucket at the end and I missed out on the Pro target. I'll move on for now and come back to it.

Level 8 (Clear ALL pegs - 35 red and 65 blue, with only 7 balls - Pro target 900k)

It's those wavy lines from level 2 again, but all the pegs need clearing this time. I think I'll need a power up as that pro target looks pretty sizeable.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 760,670

• One red peg left at the end, and it was low and central, so there would have been every possibility of a deflection into the 100k bucket or two. So pretty close really.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 602,160

• Five pegs left this, and a lower score, but it still didn't feel a million miles away. I only managed 15 shots, so with a few more catches I probably could have done it.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 674,660

• About 10 pegs left, but a better score.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 770,160

• Got a big score from the trampoline, although there then wasn't much left for the laser ball to hit. And I still had about 4 pegs left at the end. This is proving quite tricky.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 682,990

• I was scoring points OK, but not getting rid of enough pegs. The Big Bounce was no help as the ball got jammed down the bottom and hardly took out any pegs.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 829,270

• Aagh! I really thought I had it this time. I had three pegs left on the final ball, all together in a curve. I tried to run the ball along the curve and it missed the middle one. Damn!

Attempt #7 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 1,014,070 

• Finally. The two power ups both did their jobs, scoring some big bonuses and taking out a lot of pegs. Once I got down to 8 pegs remaining still with 6 balls in hand, I knew I had it won.
  
  I got it quite easily on the next attempt for the video. I scored 1,299,610 and still had a ball left over at the end.

Level 9 (Clear 50 red pegs from 101 total, with only 6 balls - Pro target 675k)

The tricky design from level 5 again. Only red pegs needed, but there's a lot of them.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 703,090 

• An excellent first ball took out most of the centre of the fountain, and landed in the bucket for good measure, then a good laser ball took out most of the rest of it. I picked off the remaining pegs without too many problems. I needed a complete clearance to accrue enough points for the pro score.
  
  It took me another six tries to get this one again for the video. I cleared the reds a few times, and even the blues as well, but it took a while to accrue enough points for pro on top. I eventually got it with a score of 899,650, helped by a Double Score for the laser ball.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 35 red and 53 blue, with only 7 balls - Pro target 750k)

The same design as level 3, and it took me 6 attempts to get rid of 25 pegs then. Now I have to remove all 88, so it could be a tricky one.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 591,730

• A reasonable start, but I needed the Big Bounce to take out quite a few pegs, and it only got about 4. From that point on it never looked likely. I still had about 20 pegs left at the end.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 339,040

• Even worse this time. Still about 25 pegs left at the end. The laser ball misfired this time. The mouse button stuck slightly as I released it, and I didn't get a proper bounce of the bucket, just a glancing blow that took out a couple of low pegs.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 153,330

• Both coloured trigger pegs were completely buried at the bottom of the fountain, and I completely failed to break through to either. Enough said.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 528,040

• Both power ups seeemed to work OK, but I still had 16 pegs left at the end. Perhaps a rethink is necessary.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 412,060

• 15 pegs left. Swapped the trampoline for the grenade ball this time, and the grenade ball did take out a big chunk of the fountain. Although perhaps, in retrospect, the grenade ball might be better used to take out the sun, then use the laser to take out the fountain. Maybe I'll try that next time.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 325,300

• The green peg (for the grenade ball) was perfectly positioned on the nearest part of the sun so I could hit it and leave a gap to detonate the grenade inside, however the yellow peg was at the bottom of the fountain and by the time I triggered it, I only had 2 balls left to clear the remainder and it just wasn't enough.

Attempt #7 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 572,250

• Close this time. Only two pegs left at the end. Using the grenade for the sun and the laser for the fountain seems to be a decent tactic, so I'll stick with it for a bit.

Attempt #8 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 429,450

• Lots of pegs left at the end. Not enough catches in the ball bucket that time. 10 shots and it was all over.

Attempt #9 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 325,660

• 10 shots again, so not enough catches and lots of pegs left at the end.

Attempt #10 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 748,680

• Very close again. Tried to stretch the last few balls out as much as possible, but had two pegs left at the end. Best score yet, though.

Attempt #11 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 723,170

• I got the total clearance at last, but frustratingly just missed out on the pro target. I only picked up 60k from the final bonus buckets. Any more and I would have got it.

Level 7 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 65 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 650k)
- continued
Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 652,080 

• I thought I was going to be agonisingly short, but I'd forgotten I still had a spare ball, and the extra 10k bonus for that made all the difference. So it's straight back to level 10.
  
  It took three more attempts to beat this one again for the video. It was a little more comfortable this time with a score of 823,390.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 35 red and 53 blue, with only 7 balls - Pro target 750k)
- continued
Attempt #12 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 498,060

• A long way short again. I didn't catch enough early balls, and that puts too much pressure on catching the later ones.

Attempt #13 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 875,820 

• At last! I needed a bit of luck, but then with levels like this you generally do. I got lucky with the first ball. In trying to hit the yellow peg in the fountain, I hit the white peg which gave me a split ball, and the two balls took out most of the centre of the fountain, including the yellow peg. The laser ball then took out most of the rest. A few fortunate bucket catches later on and the pro target was met with ease.
  
  It only took two more attempts to get it again for the video. I needed to make plenty of catches in the endgame, and I still needed to avoid the minimum 20k bonus at the end. I did that in style, though, with a maximum 200k instead for a total of 929,930.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	90	Reds	10	-	525k	1	672,570	672,570
2	30	100	Reds	9	-	725k	2	746,270	714,570
3	25	88	Reds	9	-	550k	6	653,620	418,396
4	30	100	Reds	9	-	600k	1	845,010	845,010
5	30	101	Reds	9	-	450k	1	569,740	569,740
6	40	100	500k	8	-	800k	2	963,130	777,400
7	25	90	All	9	-	650k	5	652,080	437,662
8	35	100	All	7	-	900k	7	1,014,070	761,997
9	50	101	Reds	6	-	675k	1	703,090	703,090
10	35	88	All	7	-	750k	13	875,820	501,737

Board 76: Spinner's Dungeon

This week's board was clearly based around the Brothers Grimm fairy tale of Rumplestiltskin, as the picture depicts a spinning wheel in a dungeon room surrounded by bales of straw and golden thread. I found it one of the easiest boards for quite a while, with over half of the levels being completed with the Pro target reached on the first attempt, and all the levels were complete by the second attempt.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 99 total - Pro target 425k)

This looks like it might be quite awkward. If I can get into the circles for some sweep bonuses, I might be OK, but that's probably easier said than done.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 297,100

• I could have got the last red peg at the end but it was in a good position to deflect into the 100k bucket at the end, which would mean I was only about 40k short of the Pro target. The blue pegs were not well positioned for deflections though and I missed one.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 700,650 

• The laser ball took out 9 red pegs and added 240k to my score, and that turned a tricky level into a straightforward one.
  
  On the next attempt for the video, it was again very straightforward with the laser ball.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 146 total - Pro target 450k)

There a lot of pins here, but quite a few of them are in vertical lines, and they can be quite useful for deflections into the bucket, so there may be some bonuses to pick up there.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 578,350 

• It looked touch and go at times, but a couple of good balls at the end made the difference.
  
  It took me a further four attempts to get another pro score for the video. When I got it though, I took a total clearance for an impressive seven figure score on a level that isn't easy to score points from. I made 1,014,080 and that's without power ups as well.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 129 total - Pro target 450k)

A lot of pegs again, and the horizontal lines break up the curves, but it looks like the balls might hang around for a bit taking out quite a few pegs each, and the pro target's not too high. So it might not be that bad.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 439,870

• Another one that looked unlikely most of the way through. The early ball did hang around for a while, knocking out quite a few pegs, but the screen got very untidy, very quickly, and it soon became difficult to negotiate a path through to the bucket. I took a couple of chances with the last couple of balls though, and it very nearly paid off. I just needed to avoid the 10k buckets on the final ball, but didn't.

Level 4 (Clear 25 red pegs from 102 total - Pro target 350k)

A very low Pro target makes me wonder if this is going to be tougher than it looks. The design looks a little awkward, but not especially so.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 474,980 

• Points were indeed a little had to come by, but a few judicious ricochets picked up the required score with a couple of balls left over.
  
  Coming back to complete the video, it was again not an easy level. But I got it on the first attempt again, with a score of 455,120.

Level 5 (Clear 15 red pegs from 65 total - Pro target 325k)

Very few pegs here, and a low Pro target to go with it. It looks as if the left hand side of the screen is only accessible via the wormholes on the bottom right. The trampoline might work well here, but I'll try it without first.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 406,420 

• Again it was difficult to build up a big score, but although the ropes look bumpy, they react as if smooth. This made it easier to judge rebounds off them. By taking all the red pegs down the side sections first, my final red peg was in the centre section. This made it easier to hit and gave a much better chance of the 100k bonus at the end, which I did indeed get.
  
  Coming back to make the video, I got it at my first attempt. I got lucky with quite a few early catches, and with the red peg placement. I had plenty of balls in hand at the end - enough to take a total clearance for 663,250.

Level 6 (Clear 35 red pegs from 99 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 625k)

The same layout as level 1 which was awkward. I'll go straight for the laser ball, I think.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 713,140 

• No real problems with the laser ball. The yellow peg was in a very similar position as it was for level 1, which was in the bottom row, between the wheels. I could get to it early, take a lot of pegs out with it, then pick off the remainder with some careful rebounding to keep the score up. Very similar experience to level 1 all round.
  
  It took two more attempts to get it again for the video. I just missed out on the last red peg the first time, but the second time I completed it very comfortably. The catches all went my way. The finish was clumsy as the last red went off a ricochet when I still had seven balls in hand and only half a dozen or so blue pegs, so the total clearance should have been a given.

Level 7 (Clear 40 red pegs from 129 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 650k)

The same layout as level 3, which I got past, but not with a Pro score. In view of the much larger number of red pegs this time, I'll go straight for the laser ball again.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 737,630 

• It took a few balls to get to the yellow peg, but once I had, the laser ball took out a lot of what was left and gave a hefty bonus. The rest was then straightforward.
  
  I could burrow my way through to the yellow peg with my first ball, and did OK with the laser ball. This game was won, though, with remorseless catching. I took a total clearance with half a dozen or so balls still in hand at the end, and a score of 815,950.

Level 8 (Clear 40 red pegs from 102 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 550k)

The same layout as level 4. I struggled to build up bonuses on that one, so the Pro target might be tricky without power ups. I have plenty of coins, so I'll go straight for the laser ball again.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 359,670

• I found it very awkward to catch the ball in the bucket for the most part. I ran out of balls after only 11 shots. I still had quite a few reds left. I think I'll add a trampoline into the mix.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 719,370 

• Much better this time. I stretched my 9 balls into 24 shots which allowed me to complete it fairly easily. I took out all the low pegs at the sides with the laser ball, and that made deflections off the high pegs much easier to catch.
  
  It took another four attempts to get this again for the video. I probably should have got it quicker as all the attempts came close, but my catching would just let me down at the end. Your catching does need to be pretty good here as there are all sorts of angles that need to be negotiated. I had to make the final ball last for quite a while in this one to get a total clearance and a score of 613,370.

Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 121 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 700k)

The same layout as level 2, which turned out to be quite straightforward. I'll have go without power ups to start with.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 715,580 

• I rather surprised myself with this one. As soon as I started without any power ups I thought it was a mistake. But I got lucky with quite a few unexpected bucket collections, and every attempted deflection worked perfectly. Pro target reached in just one go.
  
  Coming back to do this one again for the video, I was rather trepidatious about getting another pro score without power ups. But it only took two attempts, and I very nearly got it again in one. My catching needed to be right on the money, and of course I needed a little luck to go my way, but otherwise not too bad.

Level 10 (Clear 20 red pegs from 65 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 525k)

The same layout as level 5, which was only to be expected, but only 5 more red pegs to hit than last time. The pro target is an extra 200k though, so I'll try the trampoline.

Attempt #1 - Big Bounce. Score: 290,120

• Nowhere near the pro target, but only one red peg left at the end and two blue, so close from that perspective.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 585,640 

• Added the laser ball to the trampoline for this go, and that did the job. The laser ball added about 300k to the total, and left enough balls to be able to take some risks with deflections for boosting the score. Well that only leaves level 3 to go back to to complete the board.
  
  Coming back to complete this again for the video, I found it just as easy to pro score in one attempt. And that was despite utterly wasting the laser ball.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 129 total - Pro target 450k)
- continued
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 567,350 

• The laser ball made it much easier. I finished with several balls to spare.
  
  On the next attempt for the video, I took a wholly unnecessary risk in knocking out the last two or three blue pegs with the last ball instead of taking the final red. It got me a total clearance for a score of 739,710, but it really wasn't worth the risk.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	99	Reds	10	-	425k	2	700,650	498,875
2	25	146	Reds	10	-	450k	1	578,350	578,350
3	25	129	Reds	10	-	450k	2	567,350	503,610
4	25	102	Reds	10	-	350k	1	474,980	474,980
5	15	65	Reds	10	-	325k	1	406,420	406,420
6	35	99	Reds	9	-	625k	1	713,140	713,140
7	40	129	Reds	9	-	650k	1	737,630	737,630
8	40	102	Reds	9	-	550k	2	719,370	539,520
9	25	146	All	9	-	700k	1	715,580	715,580
10	20	65	Reds	9	-	525k	2	585,640	437,880