Board 96: Shrub Menagerie

The picture is of a garden at night with various fountains and topiaries. A large hedge mouse is most prominent, also some kind of hedge urn and a teacup.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 54 total - Pro target 525k)

This design is a straight line across the bottom, with some curves going up the side wall. With so few pegs, the pro target might be tricky, but taking out the red pegs should be easy enough.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 499,010

• Catches can actually be quite tricky here. But only two red pegs left at the end, and on target for the pro score, so I don't think it should take too long to crack it.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 567,380 

• I got quite lucky with bonuses here which made it all seem very easy. I could have gone on to take a very straightforward total clearance, but there was really no point. With the balls in hand that I had, I had more than enough points to reach the pro target, so I just finished it.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 107 total - Pro target 425k)

This design is all single round pegs. They are spread across the screen with voids for the fountain and the topiary mouse.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 293,340

• I was a bit all over the place on this one. This might turn out to be a tricky level, but I'm sure I can do much better than this distracted effort.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 368,310

• A much closer effort than the previous attempt. Only two red pegs left at the end, but I was struggling to break through to them. I had just about cleared a path when I ran out of balls.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 374,920

• I cleared the red pegs, albeit before I was ready, but fell 50k or so short of the pro target. I'll use a laser ball, I think. That should boost the score sufficiently.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 542,120 

• I didn't do brilliantly with the laser ball, but I did enough. I seem to have lost the knack of getting good rim bounces for the moment, but no doubt I'll get it back at some point. I had a comfortable finish in the end, with several balls in hand.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 96 total - Pro target 400k)

This design follows the main lines of the picture. This gives us mainly curves, with a couple of straight lines at the bottom, and some single round pegs in the middle.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 446,960 

• Straightforward enough. No need for power ups. Quite a few opportunities for bonuses here. Certainly enough to reach what was quite a low pro target. I had balls to spare in the end.

Level 4 (Clear 25 red pegs from 106 total - Pro target 475k)

This design is of a leafy plant. It is again mainly curves that make up the leaves, plus a few diamond shaped single pegs above.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 607,820 

• I thought I might have trouble scoring enough points as the bonuses didn't seem to be particularly forthcoming at the start. But I picked up a few later on, and the target wasn't particularly high. I got a 100k final bonus at the end anyway, so I needn't have worried.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 116 total - Pro target 425k)

This design is of two five-pointed stars, one inside the other, plus a scattering of single round pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 224,490

• I was struggling for points quite badly. I was also struggling to clear the red pegs, and that's despite taking quite a lot of lucky catches early on. I think I'm going to need the laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 443,380 

• I was very lucky to get away with that. It took me several balls to break through to the yellow peg, and I didn't end up scoring as many points with the laser ball as I would have liked. So I was struggling for points again towards the end. I took out the final red peg before I was ready, but I picked up a couple of bonuses, and the ball ended up in the 100k final bucket, and I made the pro target by less than 20k.

Level 6 (Score 400k with 30 red pegs and 76 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 650k)

The same design as level 4, but with 5 more red pegs, one less ball, and 175k on the pro target. Of course, this is now purely a point-scoring exercise, which generally makes for an easier level.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 715,080 

• Yes, if anything, this was probably easier than level 4. I probably got a bit lucky as I did seem to pick up a lot of bonuses. But, I got to 650k quite comfortably with several balls to spare. I could have gone on and maybe got a total clearance, but I didn't see the point in prolonging it.

Level 7 (Clear 40 red pegs from 96 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 600k)

The same design as level 3, but with 15 more red pegs, one less ball, and 200k on the pro target. I did that level first time and without power ups, but this looks a fair bit tougher. I'll try without power ups first and see how I get on.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 436,040

• I felt I did about as well as I could reasonably expect to there, but I still struggled to clear all the pegs. I think this will need a laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 604,560

• I still needed 25k off the last ball, so I tried to take the last red off the side wall to make absolutely sure of hitting the pro target, but hit the wrong peg, and therefore didn't make the catch. Annoying!

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 592,430

• One red peg left again. I couldn't get to it with the last ball, so I tried to make a catch off one of the blocking blue pegs but missed it.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 514,650

• Two reds left this time, both awkward to get to. It took a few balls to get to the yellow peg this time, whereas the last couple of attempts have afforded it on the first shot, so that made life a little harder.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 836,240 

• The yellow peg was in plain sight, so I could trigger it easily with the first ball. Then I got a rim bounce with the laser ball - something I've been unable to get recently. After that I just picked the remaining red pegs off without much difficulty.

Level 8 (Clear 45 red pegs from 107 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 2, but with 20 more red pegs, one less ball, and 200k on the pro score. I'll definitely need the laser ball with this one.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 612,820

• I had to hang on to the last three balls for an age, and I very nearly got away with it. I got myself to a point where the last red peg was available and I was only 50k short of the pro target. Rather than go for it, I tried to wait for another purple peg in the right place, but clumsily caught a blue peg and missed the catch.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 500,660

• I didn't take enough catches or earn enough bonuses. I think there were only two red pegs left at the end, but I didn't think I was particularly close.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 473,680

• Only 3 catches made this time, and six red pegs left at the end. My worst attempt yet.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 400,310

• Three red pegs left, but my worst score yet. I'll have to add another power up.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 549,250

• Two red pegs left. I ran out of balls trying to build a pro score. The Big Bounce bounced around quite a lot, but didn't score many points.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 668,780 

• Got it at the sixth attempt. I got a good laser ball with an extra rim shot, and the Big Bounce took a few pegs out, even if it didn't score much. I was still in the situation where I had to build a score at the end, but I had more balls to do it with this time, so missing the odd catch wasn't so much of a problem.

Level 9 (Clear 40 red pegs from 116 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 600k)

The same design as level 5, but with 15 more red pegs, two less balls, and 175k on the pro target. It took a laser ball last time, and it will need at least that again.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 364,650

• I didn't seem to get much luck there. I had so many balls glance off the rim of the bucket and not go in. I need to do more with the laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 372,610

• Nowhere near the pro target or clearing the red pegs. I think I need another power up.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 744,440 

• I needed some outrageous good fortune to get through this one. There were some pretty spectacular catches made here. I probably didn't do as well with the power ups as I could have done, but then luck came to my rescue.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 24 blue, with only 6 balls - Pro target 800k)

The same design as level 1, but with 5 more red pegs, four less balls and 275k on the pro target. A total clearance in now needed. It looks to me as if getting the total clearance shouldn't be that tricky, albeit only having six balls could be a problem. It will be achieving what looks to be a very high pro target that will be toughest to do.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 556,240

• An 81% clearance. I attempted this without power ups as I'm not entirely sure what will help me here. Maybe I'll try it with a laser ball, although I'm not convinced how useful it will be.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 664,390

• A 94% clearance, so the laser ball certainly helped remove some pegs. I might have been struggling for points slightly at the end, but if I'd taken the last three pegs, I might well have accrued sufficient points from them.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 608,300

• A 96% clearance, which equates to only two pegs left at the end. This was mainly down to some clumsy shooting at the end, but then I needed big points, so the shots I was going for weren't easy. Getting closer though.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 635,030

• I got some intreresting ricochets, but they weren't earning me enough points. Before I knew it, I only had a handful of pegs left, but was still several hundred thousand short of the pro target. I did my best but there just weren't enough points left available.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 614,740

• I had three pegs left, but I needed to maximise my points again, so I tried to take the last blue peg off the side wall first and misjudged the deflection angle.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball. Score: 524,540

• Only 85% clearance, but then I messed up the laser ball, missing the first bounce.

Attempt #7 - Laser Ball. Score: 594,690

• Only 85% clearance again. I didn't catch the laser ball. In fact, I didn't make enough catches altogether. When you only start with six balls, catches are all important.

Attempt #8 - Laser Ball. Score: 451,710

• I'm having difficulty picking off the very top pegs on either side. The angles are not conducive to catching. Only 89% that time, but the score was looking very low.

Attempt #9 - Laser Ball. Score: 451,230

• A dreadful effort. 81% clearance. I seem to be getting further away.

Attempt #10 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 596,330

• 91% clearance. I'm sure this shouldn't be this hard. I must be making heavy weather of this one. The Big Bounce that I added did take out a few pegs, although I didn't score as much with it as I would have liked.

Attempt #11 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 550,670

• I got all the pegs that time, but again I was well short on points. I need a good run of luck, I think.

Attempt #12 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 446,620

• No luck in that one at all - bonus were in extremely short supply. Not a single one with the Big Bounce. I only made one catch. I did well to get 91% of them.

Attempt #13 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 682,370

• Cleared them all again, but was well short of the pro target. This was my best score yet though in 13 attempts.

Attempt #14 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 611,010

• Another successful total clearance, but well short of points again. I don't think the Big Bounce is doing me any favours. It's helping me clear the pegs, but not getting enough points for them. I think I'll drop it for a bit and maybe try the 2X Score for a bit.

Attempt #15 - Laser Ball & Gravity Ball. Score: 687,020

• I missed the last peg with the last ball. I was trying to take a fine cut off it to give me a chance of a 100k final bonus, but I misjudged it. The chances of getting enough of a final bonus were pretty slim anyway, so I don't feel too disappointed. The 2X Score didn't gain me a huge amount, but it probably helped more than the Big Bounce has been, so I'll stick with it for now.

Attempt #16 - Laser Ball & Gravity Ball. Score: 534,500

• Not enough catches this time. Only 9 shots in total which isn't good enough. I didn't get much from the 2X Scorre either.

Attempt #17 - Laser Ball & Gravity Ball. Score: 610,260

• Two pegs left. I'm just not getting the hang of these angles and not making enough catches. Maybe it's the laser ball that's not right for this level, so perhaps I need to rethink my strategy.

Attempt #18 - Big Bounce & Gravity Ball. Score: 538,880

• I tried a new combination of power ups which might work, but I need to trigger the 2X Score quicker. I triggered it late and got hardly anything for it.

Attempt #19 - Big Bounce & Gravity Ball. Score: 720,920

• My best attempt so far - indeed my first time over 700k. Clearly this level is going to need a large helping of luck to get through, so I'll just have to keep trying. I'll get it eventually.

Attempt #20 - Big Bounce & Gravity Ball. Score: 383,850

• Only 74% clearance after making just one catch. I'll need a good deal more luck than that!

Attempt #21 - Big Bounce & Gravity Ball. Score: 927,160 

• Finally, I got that run of luck that I needed. I picked up quite a few distance bonuses to keep the scoreboard ticking over. It was still looking a little out of reach until the Big Bounce though. I still had 14 pegs left before it and only 2 balls remaining, but the trampoline took out 10 of them and got me past the pro target as well. I still had to make 2 catches off the last four pegs mind you, but I managed it.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	54	Reds	10	-	525k	2	567,380	533,195
2	25	107	Reds	10	-	425k	4	542,120	394,672
3	25	96	Reds	10	-	400k	1	446,960	446,960
4	25	106	Reds	10	-	475k	1	607,820	607,820
5	25	116	Reds	10	-	425k	2	443,380	333,935
6	30	106	400k	9	-	650k	1	715,080	715,080
7	40	96	Reds	9	-	600k	5	836,240	596,784
8	45	107	Reds	9	-	625k	6	668,780	534,250
9	40	116	Reds	8	-	600k	3	744,440	493,900
10	30	54	All	6	-	800k	21	927,160	590,021