Level 1 (Clear 20 red pegs from 96 total - Pro target 450k)
The first design as that of a horse's head, such as might be found on a knight chess piece.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 257,160
- That felt like a pretty poor first attempt. I only made two catches, plus very few decent riocochets or bonuses. I must be able to improve on that, surely?
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 318,190
- A better effort, but still a way short. Catches are proving quite tricky due to all the awkward shaped single pegs down the sides. I'll give it one more go before I use a laser ball.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 324,260
- Another marginal improvement, but it's time for the laser ball I think.
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 468,690
- Even with a laser ball this was no picnic. The yellow peg was awkwardly placed near the bottom of the loose pegs down the left-hand side, so it took a couple of balls to get through to it. I got a reasonable number of points from it, but I was still struggling for bonuses afterwards, and I only just managed to make the pro target.
Level 2 (Clear 20 red pegs from 114 total - Pro target 475k)
This design is of a couple of chess pawns. I can see a theme developing.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 329,330
- A lack of catches did for me again. A lot of the misses came very close, but that doesn't tend to count for much.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 286,340
- Only 3 catches this time, which was one less than last time, and a worse score. Time for the laser ball again.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 669,620
- Despite the laser ball, I still had to work to get all the red pegs. I got the dreaded Big Bucket during the laser ball, which put paid to any chances of getting a rim bounce. The score never really looked like it was going to be a problem, although it was boosted quite a lot by a big finish.
Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 107 total - Pro target 425k)
This design follows the lines of the picture, picking out the tops and sides of the giant chess pieces on show, plus lines of single round pegs that follow the shafts of sunlight.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 517,600
- I should have had that, but I wasted one ball too many earning extra unnecessary points when I should have made sure I had a clear route through to the last two reds. In the end I only had one ball to take out both of them and missed the first catch.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 550,790
- No mistakes this time. I went for the finish as soon as I had the points despite having a ball or two in hand.
Level 4 (Clear 25 red pegs from 143 total - Pro target 425k)
This design is of two grids, a bit like chessboards but only six squares across instead of eight, leaning over at 45°.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 252,500
- Way too many pegs here at awkward angles to pick through to get to the red ones. I'll need to use a laser ball to scythe through them properly, although of course the trigger peg has every chance of being buried.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 613,370
- The yellow peg was quite buried, but I managed to get it with the second ball. The laser ball got a reasonable rim bounce, and took out quite a few red pegs. I managed to pick off the ones that remained afterwards while earning enough bonus points to get to the pro target.
Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 135 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 425k)
The final design has four different chess pieces in it, displayed in a 2x2 grid, as they might be seen in a printed representation of a chessboard.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 167,190
- Nowhere near it. I was always struggling for bonuses and catches. I was probably a little unlucky in that I couldn't get any easy reds off the side wall at the start, but it's going to need a laser ball.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 438,050
- I probably should have had that one. The last red peg was awkward to get to, but it was possible off the side wall. I only had one chance at it, and misjudged the angle.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 552,100
- Much better this time. The yellow peg was a little tricky to get to, but I didn't take many balls to take it out. I got a good result from the laser ball, including a good rim bounce. I had to get a little imaginative to negotiate all the remaining blue pegs to get to the red ones at times, but I got there with balls and points to spare.
Level 6 (Clear 30 red pegs from 107 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 550k)
The same design as level 3, but with 5 more red pegs, one less ball, and 75k on the pro target. All these changes seem quite small so I wouldn't expect a major change to the difficulty level.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 211,160
- I only made one catch so I had no chance at all really. Catches aren’t particularly easy to judge here, but I think I got pretty unlucky here. It's worth another go before I get the laser out.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 565,480
- I got a few more catches that time. The reds were slightly better positioned for earning bonuses as well. The ending was slightly unexpected, but I got enough points from it and from the remaining balls in hand to get past the pro target.
Level 7 (Clear 35 red pegs from 143 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 700k)
The same design as level 4, but with 10 more red pegs, two less balls, and 275k on the pro target. This seems a much bigger increase in difficulty than the last one, on a level that was already quite tricky in the first place.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 421,610
- It took a few balls to get through to the yellow peg, and I didn't make enough catches throughout. The laser ball did OK, but it could have had a better rim bounce.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 581,450
- I only had one red peg left, but I was short on points and looking to make catches off the purple peg. I may have got there if I'd been a little more patient, but I took on a half-chance at the end and it didn't come off.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 761,750
- I added a grenade ball as I thought it might be good for clearing some working space and it did exactly that. It took a couple of balls to get to the yellow peg, but when I did, I took out the green peg with the same shot. The laser ball then took most of the left-hand grid, just leaving a cluster of pegs in the middle, and then the grenade ball took out all but two of these. I cleared those last two, then just bided my time waiting for red or purple pegs to become available in the other grid. With the other side clear, the way was open for quite a few straightforward catches. Once I had enough points, I finished it off.
Level 8 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 66 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 650k)
The same design as level 1, but with 10 more red pegs, two less balls, 200k on the pro target, and a total clearance needed. I'll start with a laser and see how I get on.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 426,790
- The yellow peg was about as awkwardly placed as it could be, and it took me every ball I had bar one to get it. I earned one ball back again with the laser ball, but I couldn't afford to lose any more balls during the rest of the game and that was never going to happen.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 601,090
- Much closer that time. The yellow peg was on top, so I got to the laser ball very quickly. I got down to two red pegs left with one ball, and tried to take both at once, hoping for enough points to get over the line, but I missed the ricochet I was after.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 286,850
- A dreadful effort, despite getting the yellow peg with the first shot. That first shot took out most of the loose pegs down the left hand side - pegs that are normally bankers for the laser ball. The rim bounce with the laser ball was ineffective, so it didn't end up scoring me very many points at all. I missed most of the catches I went for on top of that, so not a very good attempt at all.
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 526,600
- Closer, but it took too long to get to the yellow peg, and then I didn't earn enough from the laser ball. After that, I was always struggling for points and just didn't have enough balls left on a level where catches are not easy.
Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 563,040
- Only two pegs left that time, but the yellow and green pegs were right next to each other and I hit the wrong one first. As a result the Big Bounce was smothered by there being too many pegs on the screen, and there weren't enough for the laser ball. I got a lot closer than I thought I would after that.
Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 694,460
- I started OK, getting the yellow peg straight away, then scoring well with the laser ball after a good rim bounce. The Big Bounce took out a few pegs but didn't score well. I then lost quite a few balls for not many pegs until I was down to my last ball still with nine pegs left. I managed to keep making the catches though, to get through them all. I still needed a lucky rim bounce with the final ball to finish it mind you.
Level 9 (Score 575k with 30 red pegs and 84 blue - Pro target 750k)
The same design as level 2, but with 10 more red pegs, 275k on the pro target, but only a score needed this time.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 759,160
- I forgot to go for the yellow peg straight away, so by the time I got it, I'd lost a few balls and a few pegs, so I changed from my usual route with the laser ball and went for the criss-cross on the left which actually worked pretty well. I picked up some good bonuses after that, and made a few catches. When I got to 700k with five balls in hand, I knew I had enough points to reach the pro target so I finished it.
Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 35 red and 100 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 725k)
The same design as level 5, but with 10 more red pegs, one less ball, 300k on the pro target, and all pegs now required.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 203,310
- That one is best forgotten about. The yellow peg was hidden in the crown of the queen in the bottom right, and I just couldn't get to it. I went through all eight balls without hitting either it or the green one.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 472,980
- A similar situation to the last go. This time the yellow peg was in the bottom left corner and it took about 5 balls to get it. Plus I hit the green peg first, so got the Big Bounce before the laser ball which is never a good thing. I did better than last time, but I still had way too much to do with the last ball.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 498,610
- Up to 90% clearance. At least the yellow peg was on top this time, and I did quite well with the laser ball, although the rim bounce was poor. The Big Bounce was a damp squib though, getting stuck in a corner and earning very little. I did OK with the last few balls, but I missed too many catches to finish it off.
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 624,090
- 97% clearance that time which equates to four pegs. I had eight to get with the last ball, and I got half of them before I missed a catch. I was probably on target for the pro score as well.
Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 939,650
- It all came together perfectly that time. The yellow peg was directly visible at the start so I could take it immediately. That first ball also took out the green peg and rattled around taking out 25 others as well before landing in the bucket for 114k and two extra balls. I then got 322k and another three extra balls from the laser ball, and then 140k and two extra balls from the Big Bounce. So after three shots I had 576k and four more balls than I started with! I still had 43 pegs left, but that was less than four per ball and the score was surely guaranteed from there, so it was plain sailing from then on really. In fact, I carried on making catches from there, so I still had 10 balls left when I passed 725k, and 23 pegs, so I was down to just over 2 pegs per ball. All I had to do then was make sure each shot took out at least two pegs and I didn't even have to worry about catches.
SUMMARY
Level | Reds | Pegs | Target | Balls | Clock | Pro | Attempts | Record | Average | Video |
1 | 20 | 96 | Reds | 10 | - | 450k | 4 | 468,690 | 342,075 | |
2 | 20 | 114 | Reds | 10 | - | 475k | 3 | 669,620 | 428,430 | |
3 | 25 | 107 | Reds | 10 | - | 425k | 2 | 550,790 | 534,195 | |
4 | 25 | 143 | Reds | 10 | - | 425k | 2 | 613,370 | 432,935 | |
5 | 25 | 135 | Reds | 9 | - | 425k | 3 | 552,100 | 385,780 | |
6 | 30 | 107 | Reds | 9 | - | 550k | 2 | 565,480 | 388,320 | |
7 | 35 | 143 | Reds | 8 | - | 700k | 3 | 761,750 | 588,270 | |
8 | 30 | 96 | All | 8 | - | 650k | 6 | 694,460 | 516,471 | |
9 | 30 | 114 | 575k | 10 | - | 750k | 1 | 759,160 | 759,160 | |
10 | 35 | 135 | All | 8 | - | 725k | 5 | 939,650 | 547,728 |
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