Board 63: Tomb of Secrets

This picture is of the inside of an Egyptian tomb. There is sand on the floor and the way ahead is flanked by two huge statues of Set.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 97 total - Pro target 525k)

I'm not sure what this design represents. Perhaps it is the setting sun as viewed beteen two pairs of sand dunes. 525k seems a reasonably high target for this level as I doubt it will be easy to get a ball to run down those slopes without flying off.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 440,860

• I had the balls in hand to finish, but I had to try and build my score up first. So I was taking chances that I wouldn't normally have taken and it didn't work out.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 425,420

• These pegs are very awkwardly positioned. They're all getting in the way of each other so I'm finding it almost impossible to pick up any catches. I made just one in that game. Despite this, I wasn't far off though, so I'll give it another go without any power ups. It is only level 1 after all.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 570,660 

• I needed a bit of luck to get the pro score this time. The score was looking a little on the low side until I picked up a few useful bonuses towards the end.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 111 total - Pro target 450k)

A design of an eye such as might be seen in a heiroglyphic. The pegs are quite bunched in the centre of the screen, which might make breaking through to pegs at the bottom quite tricky.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 237,500

• A lack of catches did for me here. Only 1 catch made, so only 77% clearance and barely half the points required for pro.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 486,240 

• I found catches very hard to come by again, but I managed to get some good ricochets going to earn some extra points. It was touch and go at the end and I had to gamble on avoiding the 10k bucket. Luckily, I hit the 50k bucket so all was well.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 99 total - Pro target 475k)

This design features a pair of diagonal lines that follow the shaft of sunlight in the picture. Around them are lots of individual round pegs arranged in neat lines.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 501,450 

• That seems quite a tough level and I had to ride my luck quite a lot towards the end to beat it first time. Those diagonal lines form an awkward barrier to get through, and all those loose round pegs give what I call a bagatelle effect, where the position the ball comes out at the bottom bears very little relation to where it entered at the top. I had to try and take the last red off a deflection, and fortunately it worked.

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 89 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 425k)

This design consists mainly of straight lines that follow some of the straight lines in the picture.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 309,740

• Another level where catches are hard. I started to get some right at the end, but I was on my last ball by then and I couldn't quite keep it going.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 627,150 

• Catches do get a lot easier as the screen empties, so it's one of those levels where can easily find yourself trying to eke out the last couple of balls for as long as possible. I had one or two lucky catches here, but by and large I felt I played it pretty well.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 118 total - Pro target 475k)

Another rather curious design featuring a vertical line down each side, some curved lines sloping down towards the centre, and a arrowhead shape of individual round pegs in the middle.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 458,480

• Very close for a first attempt. Just one red peg left at the end.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 527,480

• This wasn't too difficult in the end. Once the awkward overhanging 'tree branches' are out of the way, catches off the remainder are fairly straightforward, so the endgame can be extended for quite a few shots. Forgot to start the recorder though, so no video.

Level 6 (Clear 40 red pegs from 99 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 675k)

The same design as level 3, which I remember as being quite awkward, despite the fact that I did it first go. The diagonal lines tend to push the balls to the left making the balls low to the right quite tricky to get to.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 447,720

• Still three red pegs left at the end. I could have done with more catches, but they're not easy get on this level.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 323,680

• Six reds left that time, I think. It's a tricky design to negotiate so I think I'll add a laser ball.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 192,340

• Truly awful. It took way too long to break through to the yellow peg. I only made one catch in the game and still had a dozen red pegs left at the end.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 330,940

• Four pegs left at the end. I'm not getting much of a boost from the laser ball as the pegs are too spread out. I might try a Big Bounce.

Attempt #5 - Big Bounce. Score: 387,740

• Only two pegs left there, one red and one blue, but still nowhere near the pro target. Maybe both power ups are required.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 257,110

• Another truly awful attempt. Both trigger pegs were awkward to get to. Catches just wouldn't come. It wasn't happening at all there.

Attempt #7 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 719,690 

• That worked much better. The yellow peg was nicely on top so I could trigger it straight away. The laser picked up the extra rim bounce to take out some extra low pegs, the Big Bounce worked well, and I took quite a few lucky catches. Despite all this I was still struggling to make the pro target at the end. I had to make a total clearance, getting as many purple pegs as possible, and quite a few of them off the side wall first, and even then needed at least 60k from the final bonus buckets. I'm quite glad to get that one out of the way, for a level 6 it's quite tough.

Level 7 (Score 500k with 35 red pegs and 62 blue - Pro target 700k)

The same design as level 1 which was quite tricky. I struggled to make the 525k required for that one, and this one needs 700k so I'll jump straight in with the laser.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 891,310 

• I got quite a few lucky catches at the start here, which meant I always had plenty of lives in hand later on. It took the pressure off, allowing me to take on quite a few riskier shots later on and I cruised to a comfortable pro score.

Level 8 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 86 blue - Pro target 575k)

The same design as level 2. Catches were quite tricky on the design before. I'll certainly need a laser ball.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 613,910

• I should have had this one. I took too many chances at the end to earn extra points when I already had enough for the pro target anyway. Then I ran out of balls with two pegs left. Silly.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 636,180

• Four pegs left that time, but I had to hang on for quite a while to get that close.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 562,040

• Just one peg left. I just needed to make one more catch at the end and missed it by a whisker. The closest attempt yet, but still it resists.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 715,540 

• Got it on the fourth attempt. And it only took 20 shots. I got lots of good ricochets. I thought I'd completely messed up the laser ball when I shot it too late, but instead of getting one good bounce, I got two half-decent rim bounces, so it didn't work out too bad.

Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 35 red and 54 blue - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 4. I shall start with the laser again, but one of the problems with this layout is the lack of easily available pegs with the first ball, so the trigger peg will probably be awkward to get to.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 516,970

• Got the total clearance, but I needed the full 200k final bonus and I only got 60k. It took an age to break through to the yellow peg, so I was quite surprised I managed to get the clearance at all.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 520,800

• Again, the yellow peg took way too long to get to. I got a couple of lucky bonus-filled balls in the middle which put me back in the hunt, but I just had too much to do towards the end and I ran out of balls with five pegs left.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 922,160 

• Got the yellow peg fairly quickly and made quite a few catches to keep a steady accumulation of points going without losing too many balls. I managed to get a classic 3 peg finish, though, which is always satisfying.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 93 blue - Pro target 725k)

The same design as level 5, so quite a few pegs to be cleared. Even with a laser ball this one could be tricky.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 913,160 

• Quite a few lucky catches in this one. Two or three that hit the bucket rim only to bounce up and be caught anyway. Satisfying to get it at the first attempt.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	97	Reds	10	-	525k	3	570,660	478,980
2	25	111	Reds	10	-	450k	2	486,240	361,870
3	25	99	Reds	10	-	475k	1	501,450	501,450
4	30	89	Reds	9	-	425k	2	627,150	468,445
5	25	118	Reds	10	-	475k	2	527,480	492,980
6	40	99	Reds	9	-	675k	7	719,690	379,888
7	35	97	500k	10	-	700k	1	891,310	891,310
8	25	111	All	10	-	575k	4	715,540	631,917
9	35	89	All	10	-	625k	3	922,160	653,310
10	25	118	All	10	-	725k	1	913,160	913,160