Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 94 total - Pro target 400k)
A mass of individual round pegs covering the grassy areas. This level looks awkward to make catches, particularly because of the central void.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 525,860
- This turned out to be easier than it looked. Although catches are tricky to judge, it's quite easy to pick up early points with big ricochets by just dropping balls into the top of the pattern and have them rattle all the way down. 400k seemed quite an easy pro target.
Level 2 (Clear 35 red pegs from 74 total - Pro target 425k)
I guess this design is supposed to represent the road itself, but it looks more like a tyreprint to me. Only 74 pegs in total, though, which is a pretty low number.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 445,440
- With such a high proportion of red pegs, I had hoped for more distance bonuses, but I did get a couple of Red Crush bonuses instead. A comfortable pro score in the end.
Level 3 (Clear 35 red pegs from 81 total - Pro target 550k)
I think this design represents the tin man's axe blade. Plenty of curves, and a couple of teleports. I suspect there could be a potentially big score here if a ball could be made to slide down the outside of the axe, through the teleport and then down the inner and bottom curves.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 440,660
- I couldn't find the perfect ball, and the points didn't come as easily as I hoped they might. The red peg went off a ricochet that I wasn't expecting when I still had a couple of balls in hand. However, I think it's unlikely I would have been able to keep going long enough to reach the pro score as the indications up to that point were not good.
Level 4 (Clear 25 red pegs from 94 total - Pro target 450k)
This design follows some of the lines in the picture - the trees, the side of the road, etc. It's tricky to judge how these levels are going to play, but there are still less than 100 pegs which is a good thing.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 484,290
- I was struggling a bit there until I got an extra boost from a late ball. It took out two of the three remaining pegs, got me to within touching distance of the pro score, earned an extra ball and then finished in the bucket.
Level 5 (Clear 30 red pegs from 108 total - Pro target 450k)
This design is a repeating pattern of crossed bricks. Lots of horizontal and vertical pegs and plenty of big gaps is usually conducive to making lots of catches. We shall see.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 524,290
- I didn't feel that I did very well here. I could have scored much more and made more catches. It wasn't a problem though as I still made the pro target without too much trouble.
Level 6 (Clear 45 red pegs from 94 total - Pro target 550k)
The same design as level 1. A lot more red pegs this time, but no less balls, and even the pro target is not massively higher. It ought to be a doddle with a laser ball, but it should be possible without it.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 469,230
- I needed lots of catches, or lots of red pegs with each ball, and I got neither. I wasted the last ball by missing completely. Despite all this, I only had four red pegs left at the end, and was only 80k short of the pro target, so it shouldn't take too many attempts.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 566,600
- A little bit more luck, and some slightly better catching made the difference there. I needed to avoid the 10k bucket at the end and fortunately dropped in the 50k one.
Level 7 (Clear 45 red pegs from 94 total - Pro target 625k)
The same design as level 4. A lot more red pegs again, and a significant increase in the pro target, but it's worth a try without power ups first.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 555,910
- Really close. I had two pegs left at the end, one red one blue, and still needed about 70k for pro. I took the purple peg off the side wall for what should have been an easy catch, but I mistimed it and only got the jaw. If I'd made the catch I would have had the choice of going for a straightforward deflection into the 100k bucket, or taking the red off the side wall for a guaranteed pro score. But it was not to be.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 381,220
- Not particularly close that time. Still six red pegs left at the end, I think. Only making three cacthes was the problem. Plus all the ricochets seemed to seek out the blue pegs and avoid the red ones, or maybe it just seemed that way.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 646,260
- Another really close one. I actually had the pro score that time. I just needed to make a catch of the penultimate red peg, but just caught the rim again. That's two really close attempts out of three. If I end up getting held up for ages on this level now, or have to use a power up, I'll be furious with myself!
Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 704,520
- Just one red peg left again, and well over the pro target. I can't believe I haven't got this one yet!
Attempt #5 - No power ups. Score: 446,290
- That one didn't go very well. The catches didn't work, and nor did the ricochets.
Attempt #6 - No power ups. Score: 961,640
- Finally got there, and in some style. I got a total clearance with a maximum 200k final bucket bonus for good measure.
Level 8 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 49 blue - Pro target 650k)
The same design as level 2. This one requires a total clearance, but I've not used a power up yet, and it would be rather special to be able to go through an entire board without needing any, so I'll try without to start with.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 750,260
- I thought I had no chance there, when I got down to my last ball and still had ten pegs left to clear. But I picked them off one at a time and kept making catches, although one of them bounced off the rim of the bucket twice before dropping into it! That has to be one of my best under-pressure finishes to date.
Level 9 (Clear 45 red pegs from 108 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 625k)
The same design as level 5. There are a lot of pegs here condensed into quite a small area and breaking through to the lower ones can be quite tricky. I suspect a laser ball or a grenade might make pretty short work of this level, but I've come this far without using any power ups so it seems a shame to start now.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 499,350
- Six red pegs left at the end, all at the bottom of the lowest two clusters. Only 15 shots, though, so I could have made a few more catches. Not bad for a first attempt and too early to turn to boosts just yet.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 592,330
- Again, not enough catches made early on. I strung a few together at the end, but it was a lost cause by then. There were still 9 red pegs left at the end. I shall still persevere without power ups for a bit as it's definitely possible with a certain amount of luck. It's all about taking out the red pegs. If I can do that then the points will probably come anyway.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 420,470
- I got quite a few catches there, but I wasn't taking out enough pegs with each ball. I need a couple of early shots that can do some proper damage. Otherwise I just can't keep the catches going for long enough.
Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 386,500
- I think I'm getting further away from this. I was a long way from clearing the red pegs there. I'm not ready to give up just yet, but I can see me turning to the laser ball eventually. Shame.
Attempt #5 - No power ups. Score: 306,800
- A long way away again. I'm just not getting any penetration into the design.
Attempt #6 - No power ups. Score: 406,300
- I cleared the left hand side, but the right hand side was hardly touched. I think I'm going to have to admit defeat and use a laser ball.
Attempt #7 - No power ups. Score: 461,580
- 10 red pegs left. I really need to give up this idea now, and use a laser ball.
Attempt #8 - No power ups. Score: 658,730
- 10 red pegs left again. This really isn't working. This can be done, but I'd need a vast amount of luck because I'd need to make a massive number of catches.
Attempt #9 - Laser Ball. Score: 1,262,070
- Well I finally succumbed and added a laser ball, and as I suspected, it then became stupidly easy. I got a total clearance with four balls to spare and doubled the pro target. Now I'm wondering if I gave up too easily.
Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 35 red and 46 blue - Pro target 850k)
The same design as level 3, but all pegs are needed. The pro target looks pretty high, so this could be tough without power ups but I'll give it a few goes that way first.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 491,560
- Seven pegs left at the end, all blue, but quite a long way from the pro target. It might be worth shooting straight into one of the teleports with the first shot.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 860,700
- Somehow I managed to get pro score here without using any power ups, and on only my second attempt. Looking back at it, though, I suspect I could try another twenty or thirty times without doing it again. I had to grab every possible opportunity to earn a bonus, and even then I needed the full 200k final bonus to get it by just 10k. Shooting straight into a teleport seemed to work well as an opening gambit. Plus I picked up a few other slide bonuses and lucky catches, not to mention quite a few catches that I made that I went for but wouldn't necessarily have expected to get.
Level 3 (Clear 35 red pegs from 81 total - Pro target 550k)
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 384,950
- The teleports kept getting in the way that time. It seemed like every time I lined up a catch, the ball would disappear through the teleport and miss the bucket.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 216,490
- A dreadful failure. I made one catch, I think. Nothing worked at all.
Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 588,190
- Got it at the fourth attempt, although only just. I needed the 50k final bucket that I got. That completes the Ace for me on this week's board with just that one annoying power up used on level 9. It would have been nice to get through without using any, but I'm quite pleased at having just used the one. It's pretty unusual just getting through a level 10 without any power ups, and only the second time I've done it since starting my blog.
SUMMARY
Level | Reds | Pegs | Target | Balls | Clock | Pro | Attempts | Record | Average | Video |
1 | 25 | 94 | Reds | 10 | - | 400k | 1 | 525,860 | 525,860 | |
2 | 35 | 74 | Reds | 10 | - | 425k | 1 | 445,440 | 445,440 | |
3 | 35 | 81 | Reds | 10 | - | 550k | 4 | 588,190 | 407,572 | |
4 | 25 | 94 | Reds | 10 | - | 450k | 1 | 484,290 | 484,290 | |
5 | 30 | 108 | Reds | 10 | - | 450k | 1 | 524,290 | 524,290 | |
6 | 45 | 94 | Reds | 10 | - | 550k | 2 | 566,600 | 517,915 | |
7 | 45 | 94 | Reds | 10 | - | 625k | 6 | 961,640 | 615,973 | |
8 | 25 | 74 | All | 10 | - | 650k | 1 | 750,260 | 750,260 | |
9 | 45 | 108 | Reds | 9 | - | 625k | 9 | 1,262,070 | 554,903 | |
10 | 35 | 81 | All | 10 | - | 850k | 2 | 860,700 | 676,130 |
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