Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 97 total - Pro target 600k)
Lots of useful looking curves if I can get rid of the curve at the top.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 300,700
- The curves are not too hard to hit, but they're not long enough to earn any bonuses. That wasn't a very good effort though.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 423,370
- Not many pegs left at the end. Just a couple at the top and a complete on the left. Not sure that I could have reached the pro target though.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 542,450
- Just two pegs left that time, both connected in the middle, but I missed the final catch before I could take them.
Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 476,330
- I unexpectedly took out the last two red pegs before I was ready so fell short of the pro target.
Level 2 (Clear 30 red pegs from 108 total - Pro target 425k)
I think possibly this design is meant to represent the blocks that make up the bridge in the picture. Whatever it's supposed to resemble, it's a network of horizontal and vertical lines with a few round single pegs contained within them.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 454,140
- No problem with the score, but I still had five red pegs left, clustered in the bottom right corner.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 320,320
- About 5 red pegs left, I think.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 613,680
- I kept control of the ball much better that time, making 18 shots in total and easily surpassing the pro target.
I found it much easier coming back to redo it for the video. I find I can work out where the balls are going to go much easier with these boards comprising mainly of horizontal and vertical blocks. I took a total clearance for 781,840.
Level 3 (Clear 30 red pegs from 97 total - Pro target 550k)
This design is based around the picture, with a few short curves, but mostly separated round pegs. These type of peg arrangements can be tricky to negotiate with any degree of certainty.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 562,250
- Just about managed to complete that one in a single attempt, after a nervy start. I stretched the last ball out for a few shots until I hit 550k and by then I had a path through to the last red peg in the bottom right-hand corner.
I got it again on the next attempt for the video. It was one of those games when the balls seem to be drawn to the bucket magnetically. I got down to the last red peg quickly with several balls in hand. I took the last red off an unexpected deflection before I could get to the pro target, but luckily I had more than enough bonus points to make up the difference.
Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 93 total - Pro target 450k)
I'm not sure whether this represents the bridge or the cavern entrance, or maybe it's a bit of both. It's a series of horizontal lines with a bunch of individual round pegs above and below.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 484,410
- It turned out to be quite straightforward, this one. Although I may have got lucky with some of the shots. I had to hang on for a bit at the end, before I took out the last red peg, but I had the balls in hand to do it.
I did it again on the next attempt for the video, and again it seemed quite straightforward. I took a total clearance for 627,210.
Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 97 total - Pro target 625k)
We have a lot of diamond shaped pegs in a bunch of lines that appear to be emanating from the entrance, and some more individual round pegs on the right. There is also a teleport in the cave entrance itself which moves the ball to the top left-hand corner. I have a vague recollection that this arrangement proved to be quite tricky first time round.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 340,270
- I could have finished this one as I had the last red peg in full view, but instead I tried to pick up some more points first. I was a long way short of the pro target, though, so it always looked like a bit of a lost cause.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 242,920
- I didn't manage to catch a single ball. Not even when I hit the white peg and triggered the Split Ball. I'll have one more go before I start on the power ups.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 124,800
- A couple of catches near the end that time, but I was struggling to even make 6 figures until the last ball.
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 403,250
- I was still trying to build a better score when the last red disappeared. The trigger peg for the laser ball was buried in the middle of all the diamond pegs, so by the time I'd hit it, most of that area had been got rid of, so I couldn't get much a bonus score from it. I suspect this will need another power up as well to get the pro score.
Level 6 (Clear 45 red pegs from 108 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 600k)
The same design as level 2, in which I managed to score 600k without power ups, so I'll try it that way to start with.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 740,510
- I could have gone for the total clearance, but it wasn't worth the risk. As it was, I only left one peg. I think because most of the pegs in this layout offer only horizontal or vertical edges, the bounces are that much easier to judge. Also, the enclosed nature of the design tends to make getting rid of a lot of pegs at once quite a common occurrence.
On the next attempt for the video, I did get a total clearance, although only just. It got me a score of 859,650.
Level 7 (Clear 40 red pegs from 97 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 600k)
The same design as level 3 which went quite easily, but actually looks like it might be quite tricky. I think I will use a laser ball here.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 403,310
- I actually forgot to add the laser ball before I played that. I didn't really make enough catches there, but then it's a tricky level to make catches on.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 708,890
- Once I'd remembered to add the laser ball, life became a whole lot easier.
I got it again on the next attempt for the video. Again, quite a comfortable victory with a score of 796,270.
Level 8 (Score 500k with 45 red pegs and 52 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 825k)
The same design as level 1 which took four attempts to get through, and I still haven't attained the pro target. I'd better start with the laser.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 558,080
- Reached the main target, but quite a long way short of pro. Still had 3 red pegs left at the end, but then I was concentrating on the purple peg for maximum points.
Level 9 (Clear 45 red pegs from 97 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 700k)
The same design as level 5 and that was pretty tricky. I'd better go into this one all guns blazing.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 496,020
- Still 6 red pegs left at the end. This is going to be a tough one.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 608,600
- But close that time. Only two red pegs left and one of them should have been an easy catch, but I messed up on the blue next to it, which should also have been an easy catch.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 845,640
- I had a few of the early balls take out quite a few pegs, so after the power ups had been used, I only had 8 red pegs left and still 6 balls to get them with. I took out a few reds with catches off them until I had more balls left than red pegs, then I could concentrate on catching off the purple peg, knowing I would still have enough balls left for the red pegs if I missed. I did actually get the total clearance in the end.
It took another two attempts to get it again for the video. It took a couple of shots to get through to the yellow peg, but one of those was particularly high scoring, so it was OK. I took another total clearance for 961,250.
Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 68 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 675k)
The same design as level 4 which went in one go. Of course, this is an all peg clearance level and has a higher pro target, so I'll start with a laser ball.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 428,780
- Only 83% clearance as there was still a cluster on the right had side. Unfortunately it took about 5 balls just to get through to the yellow ball, so I was always going to struggle after that.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 836,920
- Managed to trigger the laser with the first ball, and that made quite a difference. The laser cleared a lot of pegs, and catches were then quite easy to come by. It was just a matter of picking off pegs one or two at a time until the target was reached. I took 31 shots so I must have made a lot of catches.
On the next attempt for the video, I had a good first shot to get through to the yellow peg, and a good laser ball after that. My catching was working well, and I took the total clearance required for a score of 833,030.
Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 97 total - Pro target 600k)
- continued
Attempt #5 - No power ups. Score: 563,970
- I thought I could deflect from the last red peg into the 100k bucket, but it just caught the edge and bounced across to the 10k. Damn!
Attempt #6 - No power ups. Score: 711,190
- That was better. I managed to find the angle that took out most of the top two curves with the first two balls, then I could take out most of the other curves and catch the ball as well. Finished with 4 balls in hand.
It took another three attempts to get it again for the video. I found some good sweeps this time, and took a total clearance with a ball or two in hand for a score of 852,670.
Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 97 total - Pro target 625k)
- continued
Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 629,060
- I took a chance at the end that the ball would avoid the 10k buckets, at luckily it did. It found the 50k bucket which was just enough to sneak over the line. I made a bit of a mess of the laser ball. I got the bounce OK, but misjudged the flight of it and didn't take many pegs out. The grenade was better though.
I got it again on the next attempt for the video. No major problems. I missed a total clearance by just two of three pegs, and hit the pto target with 671,660.
Level 8 (Score 500k with 45 red pegs and 52 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 825k)
- continued
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 853,550
- Having just done level 1, I was feeling fairly positive about my ability to score well at this design, so I decided to drop the power ups altogether. Ambitious, but it worked. I was looking for the total clearance to boost my score, and I was left with two balls to take out the last two pegs. They were connected having formed a part of one of the innermost curves, and I managed to slide down both of them together, sending one of the balls straight into the 100k. The other ball flew off at an angle and ended up in the 10k, but that didn't matter as I already had enough points for pro. And that's the Ace for board 70.
Coming back to this to do the video, I was a little dismayed to see that I did it originally without power ups! However, on the third attempt, I found a good first ball that took out the bulk of the top curve. I could then take most of the big curves with sweep shots and catches, and my catching was working pretty well. I took a total clearance for 882,050.
SUMMARY
Level | Reds | Pegs | Target | Balls | Clock | Pro | Attempts | Record | Average | Video |
1 | 25 | 97 | Reds | 10 | - | 600k | 6 | 711,190 | 503,001 | |
2 | 30 | 108 | Reds | 10 | - | 425k | 3 | 613,680 | 462,713 | |
3 | 30 | 97 | Reds | 10 | - | 550k | 1 | 562,250 | 562,250 | |
4 | 30 | 93 | Reds | 10 | - | 450k | 1 | 484,410 | 484,410 | |
5 | 25 | 97 | Reds | 10 | - | 625k | 5 | 629,060 | 348,060 | |
6 | 45 | 108 | Reds | 8 | - | 600k | 1 | 740,510 | 740,510 | |
7 | 40 | 97 | Reds | 8 | - | 600k | 2 | 708,890 | 556,100 | |
8 | 45 | 97 | 500k | 8 | - | 825k | 2 | 853,550 | 705,815 | |
9 | 45 | 97 | Reds | 8 | - | 700k | 3 | 845,640 | 650,086 | |
10 | 25 | 93 | All | 9 | - | 675k | 2 | 836,920 | 632,850 |
No comments:
Post a Comment