Board 101: Bramble Bungalow

This picture is of a cottage in the woods with brambly vines creeping over it. A number of fairies are fluttering about.

Level 1 (Clear 30 red pegs from 113 total - Pro target 650k)

This design is two big curves each lined with diamond-shaped pegs that keep rotating back and forth by 90°. These look like they act as valves meaning that you have to time your shot to get a good long sweep.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 780,380 

• A pretty straightforward first level. So long as you realise that you need to time your first couple of shots with the rotating pegs then you shouldn't have any problems. I got over 200k with each of those first two balls, then it was just a matter of picking of the remaining red pegs, but with plenty of balls to do so with.

Level 2 (Clear 26 red pegs from 116 total - Pro target 500k)

The design comprises four wavy lines stretching from the centre towards the four corners of the screen. They are studded all the way along with diamond-shaped pegs. There are also plenty of round pegs, mainly at the bottom.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 102,780

• I really struggled to find any red pegs I could hit off the side walls, so scoring any bonuses was nigh on impossible. Plus of course, the angles are just impossible to judge, so catches are very hard as well. No way this one's going without a power up, so I'll add a laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 673,590 

• The reds were slightly better placed there, and I managed to get the yellow peg on the first shot. The laser ball took out a lot of pegs, although I still had some points to score afterward. I got fortunate with a Lucky Bucket in the bottom corner which gave me an unexpected 75k bonus which took me past the pro target, so I could then concentrate on the remaining red pegs.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 112 total - Pro target 575k)

This design features two sets of fairy wings and looks much more friendly than the previous one.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 545,290

• I had to resort to firing the ball straight into the bucket towards the end until the right peg turned purple so I could make a catch. Unfortunately there were quite a few blue pegs remaining, and only one or two that I felt confident of making a catch off, so I had to pass up an awful lot of balls. But I needed the points, so I had little choice. In the end I felt I had to get within 35k of the pro target as I could get the last red peg off the side wall, but the ball would almost certainly end up in the 10k bucket. I nearly got there, but after a ridiculous 94 shots I missed a catch, so it was all for nothing.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 515,300

• I cleared the last red as I felt forced into it, even though I needed a 100k final bucket bonus and was trusting to luck to get it. In retrospect, I probably should have turned it down and looked for an alternative, but there you go.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 319,890

• I only made a single catch and, as a result, fell well short of both clearing the reds and reaching the pro target. I'll add a laser ball.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 698,370 

• The laser ball made it quite a bit easier. The yellow peg was nicely on top of the higher set of wings so I could hit it easily with the first ball. I used a standard path for the laser ball although shooting low and to the right may have produced a better result, but I stuck to what I know. There were several possibilities for bonuses after that so I made the most of them, then I had plenty of balls left to finish the red pegs off.

Level 4 (Clear 25 red pegs from 95 total - Pro target 400k)

This design has a big star centred over the flash of light on the cottage door, and then lines of round pegs emanating out from it. The pro score seems very low so I imagine bonuses will be hard to come by.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 262,500

• Because of all the loose round pegs, catches were very hard to make. There were a few bonuses to be had, but not many.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 303,950

• A slight improvement on the score, but I still had four red pegs left at the end. I'll give it one more go before turning to power ups.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 306,570

• Again, probably about four red pegs left. The main problem is all the high round pegs that really get in the way. Clearing them without losing all your lives the tricky bit.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 443,100 

• It was touch and go, even with the laser ball. I was still left picking off purple pegs until I'd accumulated enough points to go for a finish. And I was down to my last ball before I managed that. I got myself to within 35k of the pro target and managed to take the final red off the side wall by playing the ball as high as I could.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 118 total - Pro target 450k)

This design is based on the lines of the picture - the trees, the vines, the lines of the roof, etc.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 117,700

• Just a single catch, so nowhere near clearing the reds and hardly any bonuses earned. I'll add a laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 678,630 

• I managed to get the yellow peg with the first ball, and then did reasonably well with the laser ball. The pro target was fairly low so after that I didn't have a great deal to do. I just picked up the bonuses where they were available, and finished off the red pegs.

Level 6 (Clear 50 red pegs from 116 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 2, but with a whopping 25 extra red pegs, two less balls, and 125k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 408,330

• I needed to do more with the laser ball, as I still had too many awkward pegs left after it had been used.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 463,410

• The yellow peg was utterly inaccessible. I managed to take out all the pegs around it, but the yellow peg just refused to be hit. The green peg ended up going first and the Big Bounce was utterly wasted. Let's move on quickly.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 339,940

• Again, I couldn't get to the yellow peg for about 5 or 6 balls, and again the green peg was triggered first and the Big Bounce became caught up at the bottom.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 378,450

• Yet again, I couldn't get to the yellow peg. It seems to be absolutely vital to be able to get to the yellow peg more or less immediately, but I haven't been able to yet. It's very annoying!

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 921,980 

• After commenting against the previous attempt how vital it was to trigger the laser ball immediately, I then have a game where I didn't trigger it until about the fifth ot sixth ball, and yet still ended up breezing through the level. I had several big scoring balls early on, then did well with both the power ups, despite the relative lack of pegs available by then. I was going for a total clearance at the end, since I had plenty of balls in hand, but the last red got taken off a deflection before the blues were cleared.

Level 7 (Score 550k with 40 red pegs and 73 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 775k)

The same design as level 1, but with 10 more red pegs, one less ball, and 125k on the pro target. Level 1 was very easy, and this looks only slightly harder.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 619,610

• It's only once I'd looked at it properly that I realised what makes it harder. The timing of the swivelling diamond pegs is completely different. They no longer offer a single sweeping shot on each curve, but I can do better with them than I actually did. I just need to improve my timing a little.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 352,460

• My timing was really lousy on this one. I managed to break holes all over the curves without getting any kind of sweep at all.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 444,600

• I struggled to get the yellow peg, and didn't pick up enough bonuses or make enough catches. It was all a bit mediocre.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 1,046,520 

• I timed the first shot much better, and picked up the yellow peg as well. In fact I picked up both trigger pegs, and in the right order, for an extra bonus. I then did well with the laser ball, getting a good rim bounce. Then the Big Bounce picked up a lot of points, too, putting me over 600k still with at least 10 balls left. From there it was a doddle, really. I ended up making a total clearance for a seven figure score.

Level 8 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 70 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 700k)

The same design as level 4, but with one less ball, a big 300k on the pro target, and a total clearance now needed.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 406,100

• I got the yellow peg on only the second peg, but I wanted a good rim bounce with the laser ball, and triggered the Big Bucket with it which prevented any kind of rim bounce at all. I can't see this going without a second power-up though.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 692,840

• Oooh, so close! I got both trigger pegs with the first ball again, did OK with the power ups, although the Big Bounce could have been better, and then had to pick the remaining 22 pegs one at a time with 8 balls left. I tried to maximise my bonuses as much as I could, but I still needed a ball in the 100k bucket at the end, and just got two in the 50k.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 771,990 

• Very similar to the previous go. I triggered the laser ball with the second ball, then got a good rim bounce with the laser ball and triggered the Big Bounce with it. The Big Bounce then worked much better, and it may well have been this that made the difference. I still needed a decent final bucket bonus, but I managed to leave a final peg that I could deflect into the 100k bucket off.

Level 9 (Clear 35 red pegs from 118 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 550k)

The same design as level 5, but with 10 more red pegs, one less ball, and 100k on the pro target. No major increases in difficulty by the look of it.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 687,770 

• Yes, not difficult with a laser ball. I missed the yellow peg with the first ball but got it with the second. I scored most of the points I needed with the laser ball. Then I just needed to clear the few remaining red pegs with the balls I had left which wasn't too hard.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 35 red and 77 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 775k)

The same design as level 3, but with 10 more red pegs, two less balls, 200k on the pro target, and a total clearance now required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 723,340

• Not a bad effort, but I had too many pegs left after the laser ball, and not enoughballs to clear them. I'll add a Big Bounce.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 427,600

• One of those games where nothing seems to work. The rim bounce on the laser ball was too low to hit any pegs, the Big Bounce got trapped in the corner and took out very little, and then none of my attempted catches seemed to work as all the pegs seemed to get in each other's way.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 589,220

• A better result - 94% clearance, but it took too long to get to both trigger pegs. By the time I triggered the Big Bounce I was down to my last ball.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 522,820

• The yellow peg was even more inaccessible than the last game. C'mon HotShot - gimme a yellow peg I can hit!

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 703,950

• This is proving something of a struggle. I may need to find a better path for the laser ball as the standard one doesn't seem to be working very effectively.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 916,170 

• Got it at the sixth attempt. I went higher on the left wall with the laser ball which took out a lot more of the pegs. The Big Bounce also seemed to hang around for a lot longer taking out quite a few pegs. In fact, the ricochets in general seemed much better. My average pegs per ball must have been quite high, particularly towards the start. After the power ups had gone, I only had three or four balls left, but most of the pegs were gathered together on the left which made catches much easier to take.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	30	113	Reds	10	-	650k	1	780,380	780,380
2	26	116	Reds	10	-	500k	2	673,590	388,185
3	25	112	Reds	10	-	575k	4	698,370	519,712
4	25	95	Reds	10	-	400k	4	443,100	329,030
5	25	118	Reds	10	-	450k	2	678,630	398,165
6	50	116	Reds	8	-	625k	5	921,980	502,422
7	40	113	550k	9	-	775k	4	1,046,520	615,797
8	25	95	All	9	-	700k	3	771,990	623,643
9	35	118	Reds	9	-	550k	1	687,770	687,770
10	35	112	All	8	-	775k	6	916,170	647,183