Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 97 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 425k)
A design based around the staircase in the picture. Those flat steps look like awkward angles to bounce off, and the round pegs to the sides will probably just get in the way. Looks like it could be a tricky start.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 389,540
- It's a slightly tricky arrangement, and I had no easy reds in the top corners to play some early rebounds onto. That said, I wasn't far off. There were two red pegs left at the end, and I was only about 35k short at the end, so I'll give it another go.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 139,250
- 6 reds left, I think. I only made a single catch, and picked up barely 100k in skill points. Dreadful. I'll have one more go before I get the laser out.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 497,820
- Everything worked a bit better that time. I made a few catches (7, I think) and earned just short of 300k in skill points.
Coming back for the video, I failed at the first attempt, but got it at the second. I didn't get it by much, scoring 479,740, but it was enough.
Level 2 (Clear 30 red pegs from 86 total - Pro target 500k)
A layout reminiscent of the creepers in the picture offers a few interesting curves to slide along. There could be some points here.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 412,700
- Wasted the last couple of balls with attempted rebounds that hit nothing. Clumsy.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 315,140
- I was down to the last red peg, and could have finished it, but I was trying to build my score up a bit first to give myself a shot at the pro target. I think it's worth another go before I take the laser option.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 475,180
- I'd successfully build my score up from about 200k to about 460k by stretching out the last 2 or 3 balls. I was down to just 2 pegs, 1 red and 1 blue (well, purple), quite close together, and I thought I could come off the red onto the purple, get the total clearance, and that should give me the pro score. Unfortunately I missed the purple peg altogether, and the ball flew straight into the 10k bucket instead. Damn!
Level 3 (Clear 35 red pegs from 96 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 525k)
A couple of very tempting curves here. There must surely be some sweeping bonuses to be had here.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 365,730
- Three pegs left. I struggled to find the right angle to pick up a good early sweep, but it must be there somewhere.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 344,500
- Five left that time, and I'm still looking for that perfect first shot.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 829,990
- I found it that time. I managed to get the first ball to take out practically all of the top curve, picking about 210k in bonuses. Then the next shot took out the whole scrolled end of the lower curve for another big bonus. Then it was just a matter of picking off what was left. I had several balls in hand at the end and could probably have kept going for the total clearance if I'd wanted, but there didn't seem any point. The best first shot I've found requires aiming to hit the centre of the third peg in from the left of the top curve. If you get it right, the ball should bounce up the side wall, clip the second peg on the way down which flicks it right. Then it almost stops on top of the curve but keeps moving, rolling all the way down and around the scrolled end. The only pegs it misses are at the steepest part of the curve where it briefly takes off.
When I came back to redo this one for the video, I found I'd already done it. Maybe it was requested by someone. Anyway, I got a good sweep with the first shot, then picked a few more smaller sweeps. After that it was mainly single peg catches to the end for a comfortable total clearance.
Level 4 (Clear 35 red pegs from 84 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 400k)
No curves this time, but straight lines and right angles as the design is based around a flight of stairs cutting across the screen. This may be harder to build a score on.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 372,150
- Two pegs left, but the score was OK, and I could have made more catches, so this one should be doable without power ups.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 486,540
- That worked well. I was a little worried about not hitting the pro target, but I took a chance with the last ball and it paid off handsomely.
It took another two attempts to redo it for the video. It was touch and go the second time, but I managed to hang on the balls I had left just long enough to clear the reds.
Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 83 total, with only 3 balls - Pro target 725k)
This design is all curves, and they look well-situated for big sweep bonuses. Only 3 balls, and a 725k pro target sounds quite daunting, but I suspect it might turn out to be quite easy.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 931,040
- As I suspected, this was very easy. I took the left hand curve first, and missed the catch. Then I took the right hand curve and missed the catch again, only this time I caught the rim of the bucket and made a gap in the main curve. However, I could still take out the main spiral in two balls, the last of which dropped almost inevitably into the 100k bonus bucket. If I'd made the catches, it would probably be possible to make a million points from just a single ball here.
Coming back later to capture the video, I took the catches off the first two curves and made the total clearance for 1,145,290.
Level 6 (Clear 40 red pegs from 86 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 625k)
The same layout as level 2. That level has taken me 3 attempts so far, but I still haven't made the pro target, which isn't as big as this one, so I'll go straight for a laser ball.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 978,690
- No real problems with the laser ball. A bit of luck with the first ball triggered the split ball, earning me about 250k in bonuses. Then I took the yellow peg with the second ball, and the laser with the third, and that earned me another 210k. So earning the points was no longer a problem, it was just a matter of making sure I cleared the remaining dozen or so red pegs, with about 5 or 6 balls.
It took a couple more attempts to beat it again for the video. When I got it, I took a total clearance for just enough points for pro - 678,290.
Level 7 (Score 650k with 40 red pegs and 56 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 825k)
The same design as level 3 which promised much, but delivered less. I did hit this pro target (just) on my third attempt at that level, so I'll try without power ups first.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 758,720
- I managed to string the last couple of balls out for about a dozen shots or so, but then missed the catch on the second to last red peg after hitting the rim twice. If I'd caught that, I probably could have taken the last red with the next shot and secured a large enough bonus for the pro score. Still, I hit the required target for the level so I can move on and come back later.
Level 8 (Clear 45 red pegs from 84 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 600k)
The same design as level 4 which wasn't too bad, but I think I'll use the laser ball anyway as I've not used many so far on this board and I have quite a lot of coins in the bank.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 408,390
- Still about 5 or 6 red pegs left at the end. Only 10 shots means I didn't make enough catches.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 469,360
- Three left that time, although that was only because the last ricocheted around and took out about 6. Only 10 shots again, so not enough catches. Both these goes have had an awkward to hit yellow peg though.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 650,650
- It still took about four balls to get through to the yellow peg, but I did better with it. I think I just had a little bit more luck that time, and that can often make all the difference.
When I came back to redo it for the video, I got it first time, and quite comfortably too. I got through to the yellow peg with the first shot, and found a good path for the laser ball. My catching went well and I cleared up with a ball or two to spare.
Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 72 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 575k)
The same design as level 1 which was a little awkward, so I think I'll begin with the laser ball, and maybe add something else later.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 331,660
- Only 87% clearance, but then the yellow peg was well buried and it took six balls to get through to it. By the time I triggered it, there were no clusters left to shoot at, and precious few balls left afterwards to pick off what was left.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 589,940
- 3 pegs left that time. I thought I'd be able to clear them, but missed a rebound at a crucial moment.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 580,650
- 2 pegs left. Again, I nearly had it, but missed a catch near the end.
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Gravity Ball. Score: 658,290
- Got it that time. Much the same as previous goes, but managed to keep the catches going until the end. I had added a Gravity Ball to the existing laser, but it accomplished precisely nothing as the ball managed to get stuck on the side wall as it fell, so stayed that way on the second pass and hit exactly nothing.
It took me three further attempts to get the pro score again for the video, using the same power ups. The Gravity Ball was an odd choice! In the end I got it quite comfortably having made lots of catches.
Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 58 blue, with only 1 ball and with a 3s shot-clock - Pro target 925k)
The same design as level 5. I reckoned then that this should be possible with a single ball, and that's exactly what I have to work with here. So let's see how easy it is now.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 56,370
- Hmmm. Three seconds is not very long at all. I tried to go for the left hand curve first, but didn't have time to wait for the bucket to get in position before it fired. As a result I missed the catch and the game was over immediately.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 149,400
- Made the first catch that time, but missed the second.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 1,216,310
- As I thought would be the case, if you make the first two catches then it all becomes rather easy. The third ball can be sent all the way around the spiral, taking out all but about four pegs of it, earning somewhere around a million points and about 3 extra balls. At that point it's all rather easy.
It took me three more goes to get it again for the video. On the first one, I missed the first catch for an instant fail. In the second I got a total clearance, but somehow failed to make the pro target by about 50k. The third one went fine, giving me a score of 1,047,700.
Level 2 (Clear 30 red pegs from 86 total - Pro target 500k)
- continued
Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 334,080
- Three pegs left. Started well enough, but then I started missing all the catches and just ran out of balls.
Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 708,860
- That was touch and go as to whether I would be able to clear it. I still had three red pegs left and only one ball, but luckily my next shot took out one of them earned an extra ball and fell in the bucket, leaving me with 2 pegs and 2 balls for an easy finish.
Much easier coming back for the video. The yellow peg was easy to get to, and I cleared plenty of pegs with the laser ball. Catches came without too much difficulty after that. I missed out on a total clearance by one peg due to an unexpected ricochet at the end.
Level 7 (Score 650k with 40 red pegs and 56 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 825k)
- continued
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 626,710
- A couple of hundred thousand short of the target, but only 3 red pegs left at the end. I still feel this iss possible without a power up.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 670,070
- A better effort, but there were still a couple of poor attempts at rebounds towards the end that proved quite expensive. It's worth another try before I bring in the laser.
Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 904,600
- Got it, albeit with a huge slice of luck at the end. I was taking a chance with the last ball and trying to boost my score before I took the last peg. I had one red and two blue pegs left and tried to glance off the purple peg into the bucket but misjudged it. I caught the lip, and the ball rebounded across the screen and took out the last two pegs, giving me a nice juicy distance bonus. Both balls then fell into the 10k bucket, but that distance bonus was all I needed to make pro. And that Aces the board.
I could have done better with sweeps at the start of this one, but I made up for it with some good catching towards the end. I deliberately played for the last red peg off the purple peg, knowing I'd get a big enough distance bonus for it to see me over the line, or if I missed it, I should take the catch. I scored 866,540.
SUMMARY
Level | Reds | Pegs | Target | Balls | Clock | Pro | Attempts | Record | Average | Video |
1 | 25 | 97 | Reds | 9 | - | 425k | 3 | 497,820 | 342,203 | |
2 | 30 | 86 | Reds | 10 | - | 500k | 5 | 708,860 | 449,192 | |
3 | 35 | 96 | Reds | 8 | - | 525k | 3 | 829,990 | 513,406 | |
4 | 35 | 84 | Reds | 9 | - | 400k | 2 | 486,540 | 429,345 | |
5 | 25 | 83 | Reds | 3 | - | 725k | 1 | 931,040 | 931,040 | |
6 | 40 | 86 | Reds | 9 | - | 625k | 1 | 978,690 | 978,690 | |
7 | 40 | 96 | 650k | 8 | - | 825k | 4 | 904,600 | 740,025 | |
8 | 45 | 84 | Reds | 8 | - | 600k | 3 | 650,650 | 509,466 | |
9 | 25 | 97 | All | 9 | - | 575k | 4 | 658,290 | 540,135 | |
10 | 25 | 83 | All | 1 | 3s | 925k | 3 | 1,216,310 | 474,026 |
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