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 |
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