Board 61: Butterfly Labyrinth

This picture is of a walled maze. A couple of butterflies flutter above it.

Level 1 (Clear 30 red pegs from 92 total - Pro target 500k)

The first design is all horizontal lines and single round pegs. It doesn't look too tricky.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 440,360

• Not as easy as I thought it might be. Catches, particularly early ones, were quite tricky as all those round pegs get in the way. The reds weren't particularly kindly positioned though, which didn't help. Plus it should get easier as I get used to the angles.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 549,790 

• The reds still weren't ideally placed, but I got some good ricochets going early on which helped clear some pegs and get a few extra points as well.

Level 2 (Clear 35 red pegs from 89 total - Pro target 450k)

More straight lines and single round pegs here. Again, the straight lines look easy enough, if the round pegs don't cause too many problems.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 803,480 

• That did seem very easy. Considerably easier than the previous level. I could have finished much earlier than I did, but I was going for a total clearance while I still had balls in hand. I probably could have got one if I'd needed it as I only had one blue peg left at the end, but I didn't see any point in risking it.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 109 total - Pro target 675k)

A circular maze this time, that contains five portals, all leading to a single receiver at the top. Balls could be flying every which way here.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 687,080 

• That was close. I didn't think I was going to be able to squeeze enough points out of that one. Once I got down to my last ball, I tried to take both the last two red pegs in a single sweep, but missed the second of them. However, the ball contrived to bounce around the screen a bit, through a portal or two, and end up hitting the final red anyway, then disappearing into the 50k bucket to put me safely home by about 12k.

Level 4 (Clear 35 red pegs from 124 total - Pro target 450k)

No single pegs in this design, just straight horizontal and vertical lines making up an actual maze. Only having horizontal and vertical surfaces to bounce off should simplify catching a bit.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 173,940

• Only a 67% clearance, so lots of pegs left at the end, both red and blue. I never seemed to be able to penetrate the centre of the maze. This might need a laser ball, but we'll have another go first.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 579,220 

• A big improvement over the first attempt. It turns out it didn't need a power up after all. I spread the balls about a bit better this time, and got some better ricochets. No doubt I got bit more luck as well, but that's part of the game.

Level 5 (Clear 30 red pegs from 99 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 475k)

This design is of a butterfly and features lots of curves and a few single round pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 431,460

• I made only two catches, I think, which was pretty woeful. The score was going up OK though, so if I'd just caught a few more balls then I might have been in with a chance.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 640,490 

• I got a bit more luck on this attempt than on my first. I made ten or more catches which was enough to allow me to get through all the red pegs with balls to spare at the end.

Level 6 (Score 450k with 35 red pegs and 57 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 700k)

The same design as level 1, but 10 more red pegs, one less ball, and 200k on the pro target. This level has a target score, though, so removing all the reds is not necessarily required.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 544,660

• I had a go without power ups, but even having got all but two pegs before I ran out of balls, I was still over 150k short.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 844,830 

• I got the yellow peg straightaway so took out a plenty of pegs with the laser ball. It cleared the way for later catches as well.

Level 7 (Clear 40 red pegs from 99 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 700k)

The same design as level 5, but 10 more red pegs and another 225k on the pro target, which is quite a bug increase.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 612,280

• It took several attempts to break through to the yellow peg and that proved too costly in terms of balls.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 818,630 

• I triggered the laser ball with my second ball, then send the laser along an obvious curve in the design. It meant I couldn't get a catch at the end of it, but I think it was worth it for the extra points. After that, the pegs seemed fairly well positioned for making catches and I stretched the game out to 22 balls, leaving just one blue peg at the end.

Level 8 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 59 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 650k)

The same design as level 2, but all pegs need clearing. There are only 89 of them though, so it shouldn't be too bad.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 244,910

• Not a single catch was made, so the clearance was never going to happen. Just didn't get any luck, that's all. You always need a bit to get through any level.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 544,410

• I didn't start particularly well, but had an excellent chance to pull it back from the brink, but messed up the last shot completely leaving me with just one peg left at the end. With a bit more care I could have taken the penultimate peg and made a catch of it, then had a decent chance at making the pro target off the last peg.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 558,130

• Another close one. Four pegs left at the end when I misjudged a catch. I got no luck at the start when I could have done with a fortuitous catch or two.

Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 294,640

• Having come quite close several times, I'm reluctant to resort to the laser ball, but this attempt was nowhere near. Only 90% clearance and not even halfway to the pro target. One more go.

Attempt #5 - No power ups. Score: 360,240

• 90% again, so no closer than last time, although it felt like a better try. I could be here all day trying this so I'll use the laser ball and get it finished.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball. Score: 585,390

• The laser ball certainly increased my score, but the yellow peg was very awkward to get through to. Had it been a bit more accessible I think I could have done that without any problems.

Attempt #7 - Laser Ball. Score: 645,060

• So very close to a pro score. Despite activating the laser ball with the first ball, then getting a perfect rim bounce with the laser, it didn't seem to score me that many points. After that I was always struggling for points. I had a chance at the end, but I knew I needed a big final bonus and 110k wasn't quite enough.

Attempt #8 - Laser Ball. Score: 454,510

• Three pegs left at the end. Only 16 shots in total, so not enough catches again.

Attempt #9 - Laser Ball. Score: 814,080 

• Got it at last. There were a few lucky bonuses in there, and a lot of catches seemed to go my way. But then, I guess that's why it took nine attempts, because I was missing the crucial element of luck up to now.

Level 9 (Clear 25 red pegs from 109 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 550k)

The same design as level 3, but with one less ball and a lower pro target. That can't be right can it? Ah! I've just noticed the difference. The teleport portals have changed, in particular the destination portal is no longer at the top, but now right at the bottom. That is going to make an enormous difference to the difficulty. There is also a new portal in the centre of the maze that wasn't there before.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 162,880

• I hadn't appreciated the key difference between this layout and level 3 before I played it. The rearrangement of the portals makes a massive difference and it's now really quite hard.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 594,210 

• Oh, how irritating. I got this tricky level at only the second attempt but forgot to start the recorder so haven't got a video for it. Maybe at some point in the future when I've finished redoing all the levels, I'll come back and record new videos to fill in the gaps. I took several balls to get through to the yellow peg which was awkwardly placed low down in the centre. I did OK with the laser ball, getting the first bounce but losing the ball through a teleport before making the catch. Then I had to make quite a few catches before taking a chance on the last ball and firing it into the final low cluster of pegs in the hope that it could take out the three remaining red pegs and fall into the 100k bonus. Which it obligingly did.
  
  When I came back to replay it, I got it quite easily at the first attempt. I probably could have got a total clearance if I'd needed one, as I missed just 7 blue pegs and still had four balls in hand. I could get the yellow peg straight away this time, and did well with the laser ball, despite losing it through a teleport. I scored a much bigger 835,540.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 94 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 575k)

The same design as level 4, but all 124 pegs need clearing. The pro target seems quite low, so I suspect that won't be a problem, but getting all those pegs might.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 574,190

• Not a bad effort, considering how long it took to get the yellow peg. A 98% clearance, so theat's only three pegs left I think. With a more convenient yellow peg, that can certainly be improved upon.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 747,440 

• I got the yellow peg with the second ball, then got a decent extra rim bounce with the laser. I still needed the odd lucky catch or two to finish the clearance, but reaching the pro target was never a problem.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	30	92	Reds	10	-	500k	2	549,790	495,075
2	35	89	Reds	10	-	450k	1	803,480	803,480
3	25	109	Reds	10	-	675k	1	687,080	687,080
4	35	124	Reds	10	-	450k	2	579,220	376,580
5	30	99	Reds	9	-	475k	2	640,490	535,975
6	35	92	450k	9	-	700k	2	844,830	694,745
7	40	99	Reds	9	-	700k	2	818,630	715,455
8	30	89	All	9	-	650k	9	814,080	500,152
9	25	109	Reds	9	-	550k	2	594,210	378,545
10	30	124	All	9	-	575k	2	747,440	660,815