Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 108 total - Pro target 525k)
This design features four spirals and a scattering of loose round pegs. It's very similar to level 1 of Rainbow's End, although the lower two spirals are the other way up. The first two balls are obvious. After that I'll have to see what's left.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 674,520
- That was a nice easy starter. Two big sweeps to start, then lots of opportunities for Exact Angle bonuses. I didn't make many catches, but then I didn't need to. It was all over in 10 shots.
Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 88 total - Pro target 450k)
A couple of starfish-like designs, plus a bunch of loose pegs.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 294,320
- I started promisingly enough, but I only made four catches and that wasn't enough.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 554,300
- I wasn't sure if I was going to make enough points for Pro. When I got down to the last red, I considered trying to rebound the ball straight into the 100k bucket, but the angle didn't look quite right. So I took a chance and took the purple peg off the side wall to catch it on the other side of the screen, and it worked. The remaining two blue pegs were both fairly well placed for catches, so I took them as well for the total clearance.
Level 3 (Clear 30 red pegs from 110 total - Pro target 500k)
This design looks a bit like an amoeba, but I assume it's meant to be an overhead view of a small island. There are lots of curves here so there may be some sweeping bonuses to be had.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 504,750
- Got this one first go. There were indeed quite a few sweeps to be had. Several Exact Angles. I got down to the last red peg and calculated that I had 30k to go to the pro target, but I still had two balls in hand. So I could take knowing that I would get the target even if I fell in the 10k bonus, which I did. Forgot to start the recorder though, so no video.
It took me two more attempts much later to get another pro score for the video. I got 638,610 for a comfortable victory.
Level 4 (Clear 35 red pegs from 90 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 500k)
The main feature of this design is the curve that follows the opening of the shell, plus another couple of smaller curves on either side. Otherwise all the pegs are individual. Only 90 pegs in total, though, so it might not be too tricky.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 267,680
- One of those goes where absolutely nothing worked. I estimated where the bucket was most likely going to need to be for the catch, and the ball always went a different way. Zero catches made, so nowhere near clearing the reds or reaching the pro target.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 388,130
- A better effort, certainly. But still over 100k short of the target, and three red pegs remaining.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 680,960
- No problems at all that time. I completed it easily with points to spare and balls in hand. I made fairly steady progress all the way through, but it was touch and go up until the thirteenth ball. That ball took out 4 of the remaining 7 red pegs, earned an extra ball and landed in the bucket for another, scoring 80k of the required 95k. After that it was just a matter of going through the motions.
Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 114 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 450k)
This design represents the pointy outline of the shell as it spirals inwards. Lots of interesting curves here, but they point in all directions.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 557,210
- Another level that seemed on the easy side. They're normally starting to get a bit tougher by the time you hit level 5.
Level 6 (Clear 35 red pegs from 88 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 575k)
The same design as level 2. None of these designs seemed particularly tricky, so I'll start without power ups and see how I progress.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 211,900
- Not enough early catches. I was down to about two or three balls before I knew it. I stretched it out a bit at the end, but it was too little too late.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 228,800
- No, I think this is going to need a laser ball. I'm struggling to get enough catches to keep going long enough to take out all the red pegs, or come close to the pro target.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 425,740
- An almost complete lack of catches, plus an under-performing laser ball, did for me there. I can, and should, do much better than that.
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 718,350
- Only 15 shots made, but I could have finished much earlier than I did. I picked a much better line for the laser ball this time, plus it caught two extra rim bounces for a whopping 434k. It meant I could happily ignore the score after the second ball and concentrate on taking out the red pegs. Once I had more balls left than red pegs, I started going for the clearance, but I abandoned it when I got low on balls.
Level 7 (Score 450k with 35 red pegs and 75 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 750k)
The same design as level 3. I'll try it without power ups first, but I suspect it will need them to get the pro score.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 371,750
- Only made 4 catches which is why the score was so low. I'll add a laser ball and see what difference that makes.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 639,020
- Not far off the pro target really. I had three pegs left at the end, having only narrowly missed the last catch. I'll move one and come back to this one.
Level 8 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 83 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 650k)
The same design as level 1, which was quite easy. A complete clearance is required, though, so I'll use a laser ball.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 630,840
- 92% clearance, so a bit more work required. No problem with the score though.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 708,170
- 94% clearance, so a little better, but that still means five or six pegs left at the end. I'm not entirely sure that the laser ball is the best power up to use here. You have to use the first two balls on the top two spirals to have any chance of the clearance, but that doesn't leave much to aim the laser at. Having said that, I didn't catch either of these two balls, or the laser ball that came after, and those three balls might have made all the difference.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 633,890
- Up to 97% clearance, so I'm still improving. I've yet to work out the timing on the first two shots to catch them, though. Once I can catch them reliably I'll have a bit more breathing space.
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 650,860
- 94% again. I still can't catch those first two balls. How can it be that hard?
Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 876,490
- Got it on my fifth attempt, although I don't think I caught either of the first two balls in any of the five attempts. This time I even had a big bucket and still missed them both! I did get an extra rim bounce with the laser ball this time, although it only took out an extra three pegs. I just got that little extra bit of luck this time. A lucky catch or two, and two or three balls that ricoched around a bit in the endgame to take out some extra pegs.
Level 9 (Score 525k with 30 red pegs and 84 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 700k)
The same design as level 5. I'll use a laser ball here as the pro target is quite high. The main target could probably be reached without any power ups quite easily, but pro scores are the objective.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 544,050
- The yellow peg was completely hidden at the very end of the spiral and I didn't end up hitting it until my ninth ball, by which time it was of little help. An early laser could probably pay enormous dividends on this level.
Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 60 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 675k)
The same design as level 4, but all pegs are needed. Level 4 took me three attempts, but when I did it, I reached this target with 3 balls to spare and only 4 pegs left. And that was without power ups, so I think I'll try this one without first.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 359,160
- Only 90% clearance so maybe trying without a power up was a little ambitious. I didn't get much luck there though, so it may be worth another go.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 486,420
- Three pegs left. The yellow peg didn't look that hard to get to, but it still took three or four balls to get to it, so that will have cost me a bit in terms of both points and pegs. If I can get the yellow peg on the first ball, then I'll have a much better chance.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 301,790
- A dreadful effort. The catches just didn't happen. I made three, but all early on.
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 776,170
- I got a bit more luck that time. I didn't make that many more catches, but several of the balls during the middle section ricoched around a bit more and took out more pegs. The tenth ball was the key shot. It took out seven of the remaining 11 pegs, earned an extra ball, and finished in the bucket, earning over 75k in the process.
Level 7 (Score 450k with 35 red pegs and 75 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 750k)
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 889,930
- Despite not triggering the laser until my fifth ball, when my score was already up to 327k, I still managed to find a good path for it so that it doubled my score up to 670k. That left me 7 balls to score 80k which I did with several balls to spare.
Level 9 (Score 525k with 30 red pegs and 84 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 700k)
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 651,640
- Closer than the last time, but still not quite there. I could have triggered the laser with the first ball, but I chose not to. In retrospect, that may have been a mistake. I probably could have scored more with the laser ball if I'd worked out a better path for it.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 837,960
- I picked up some useful bonuses at the right time. I did get very lucky towards the end. I missed everything with my last ball when I still had about 90k to go, and I got to play it again.
SUMMARY
Level | Reds | Pegs | Target | Balls | Clock | Pro | Attempts | Record | Average | Video |
1 | 25 | 108 | Reds | 10 | - | 525k | 1 | 674,520 | 674,520 | |
2 | 25 | 88 | Reds | 10 | - | 450k | 2 | 554,300 | 424,310 | |
3 | 30 | 110 | Reds | 10 | - | 500k | 1 | 504,750 | 504,750 | |
4 | 35 | 90 | Reds | 9 | - | 500k | 3 | 680,960 | 445,590 | |
5 | 25 | 114 | Reds | 9 | - | 450k | 1 | 557,210 | 557,210 | |
6 | 35 | 88 | Reds | 8 | - | 575k | 4 | 718,350 | 396,197 | |
7 | 35 | 110 | 450k | 8 | - | 750k | 3 | 889,930 | 633,566 | |
8 | 25 | 108 | All | 9 | - | 650k | 5 | 876,490 | 700,050 | |
9 | 30 | 114 | 525k | 8 | - | 700k | 3 | 837,960 | 677,883 | |
10 | 30 | 90 | All | 8 | - | 675k | 4 | 776,170 | 480,885 |
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