Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 89 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 425k)
The first design is a variety of wavy lines that follow lines in the clouds and lines on the ground, straight lines lining the path, and single pegs on the haystack, the tree, the strawberry stalks, etc.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 337,180
- Catches are awkward due to the huge variation of angles and types of peg in the design. I didn't make many catches and ran out of balls too quickly.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 211,890
- A similar story to before. Not enough catches made. Maybe I'd better use a laser ball. One more try first though, I think.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 301,240
- No, this isn't getting any better. I'll have that laser ball now.
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 681,380
- I could get the yellow peg with the first shot, and then did OK with the laser ball. I had a couple of useful ricochets after that and it soon became very easy.
Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 92 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 425k)
The second design is of two large strawberries surrounded by loose pegs, some of which are in little star patterns.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 592,100
- No need for any power ups here. I reached the pro target and got down to the last red peg and still had balls in hand. So I could carry on playing the purple pegs for a bit until I ran out of spare balls.
Level 3 (Clear 30 red pegs from 81 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 400k)
The third design is of one strawberry, made up of single round pegs and diamond-shaped ones.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 534,080
- One red peg left at the end. I had to keep the final ball going for quite a few shots. I had enough points, but I still had several red pegs left. I was gradually picking my way through them, and the blue pegs that were in the way, but fell at the final hurdle.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 156,300
- Nowhere near that time. The ricochets didn't work, and nor did the catches. I'd better use a laser ball to clear some of these pegs out of the way.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 395,940
- My standard laser ball path is not very effective on this layout. I may need to rethink it. The lack of balls combined with the awkwardness of catches is proving a problem.
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 261,390
- It took too long to activate the laser ball, and again I struggled for catches and decent ricochets. I'll add a Big Bounce.
Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 405,480
- Even with both power ups active, I still only just scraped a pro score. I needed some lucky catches along the way, and also to stretch out the final ball for a few shots to gain enough extra points to make the pro target.
Level 4 (Clear 35 red pegs from 121 total, with only 7 balls - Pro target 475k)
The fourth design is of one central strawberry flanked by two others, although only half of each can be seen.
cAttempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 148,030
- Not even close without power ups. This is definitely going to need a laser ball.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 429,620
- An improvement, but still a long way short of clearing the red pegs. I'll have another go with just the laser ball, but this may need a Big Bounce as well.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 473,710
- The score was OK again, but I still had eight red pegs left at the end. I'll add a Big Bounce.
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 606,060
- I got a better laser ball, and the Big Bounce took out a few as well. So it all came out quite easily this time. This one could be tricky second time around though.
Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 97 total, with only 7 balls - Pro target 475k)
The final design is all single round pegs, but arranged around a large strawberry which acts as an obstacle.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 157,120
- It's another tough level and it's certainly not going to go without power ups. In fact, I think I'll go straight for both my standard picks.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 165,150
- The power ups didn't seem to make any noticeable difference which is a bit worrying. But then, I didn't find a very good line for the laser ball, and I never even got to the green peg.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 463,780
- I should have had that one, but messed up the very last side wall shot. All I had to do was hit the last red off the side wall. I'd just made a side wall shot onto a purple peg which was harder. I had enough points, so it didn't matter where the ball went afterwards, but I missed the red and hit a blue peg instead. Annoying!
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 480,800
- I found a particularly good path for the laser ball which I shall have to try and remember for when this layout comes up again. It involved a rim bounce though, so it might be hard to replicate. That did most of the damage, to be honest, the Big Bounce added a little but not much. The last couple of reds went by accident, and I thought I'd taken them too early, but I had a couple of balls in hand, and the extra points for them just crept me over the line.
Level 6 (Clear 45 red pegs from 89 total, with only 7 balls - Pro target 700k)
The same design as level 1, but with 20 more red pegs, two less balls, and 275k on the pro target.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 508,330
- I kept the last ball going for quite a while but still got nowhere near it. I'll add a Big bounce.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 583,190
- A slight improvement, but still some way from clearing the red pegs.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 833,620
- This one actually had the least promising start of all three attempts. The yellow peg was awkward to get to, further complicated by the green peg covering the obvious angle, and I needed to avoid that until later on. It took about three or four balls to get to it, but I found a reasonable route for the laser ball, and then when I did activate the Big Bounce, it did particularly well and took out most of the red pegs that were left. I took a total clearance in the end, just because I had the balls in hand to do it with.
Level 7 (Score 575k with 40 red pegs and 81 blue, with only 6 balls - Pro target 775k)
The same design as level 4, but with 5 more red pegs, one less ball, 300k on the pro target, but just a score needed this time.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 852,350
- I found the yellow peg with the first ball, then picked a particularly effective path for the laser ball. I saved the green peg until quite near the end, and it too was quite effective. I reached the pro target with balls to spare.
Level 8 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 51 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 625k)
The same design as level 3, but with 225k on the pro target and a complete clearance now required.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 673,490
- An 88% clearance, but most of the remaining pegs were high round ones to either side of the shooter, and I felt confident about taking catches of those. The were three low round ones, though, and these were trickier, and it was one of these that I missed.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 316,970
- Only an 82% clearance this time. The laser ball did OK, but the Big Bounce was disappointing.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 363,360
- I triggered the Big Bounce before the laser ball, so I was always struggling. I finished with a 88% clearance and took an age to get there.
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 297,680
- I didn't get any luck with that one. I only triggered the Big Bounce with the very last ball and failed to catch it.
Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 465,520
- A 93% clearance. I'd left myself with just a line of round pegs in the top right, in the hope that I could work my way down the line making catches in the bottom left. On another day I might have done just that. But today I missed the very first one.
Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 643,830
- Got it at the sixth attempt. The power ups both worked quite well, but I made the catches I went for this time, and that's what made the difference, particularly in the early part of the game. It meant I had balls in hand going into the endgame which takes a lot of the pressure off.
Level 9 (Clear 45 red pegs from 92 total, with only 6 balls - Pro target 600k)
The same design as level 2, but with 20 more red pegs, two less balls, and 175k on the pro target.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 502,820
- It was a little ambitious attempting this without a power up but I found level 2 quite easy so I thought I'd give it a go. I wasn't far off really. I had 5 red pegs left at the end, and I was on target for a pro score. I think a laser ball is probably needed though, if I'm going to be realistic.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 435,120
- It took several balls to get through to the yellow peg, and that's too long when you've only got 6 balls to start with.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 705,670
- I got the laser ball path just right this time. It got a good rim bounce and took out a load of pegs. I made enough catches after that to see me through to the end.
Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 72 blue - Pro target 700k)
The same design as level 5, but with three more balls, 225k on the pro target, and a total clearance now required.
Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 469,290
- The laser ball was a disaster. I got it back to a 93% clearance but that was the best I could do.
Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 472,570
- Only an 81% clearance. I never managed to activate the Big Bounce, although the laser ball worked quite well.
Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 234,240
- A dreadful effort. The laser ball was a disaster as I missed the bucket altogether. I never even got to the Big Bounce, and the ball just refused to be caught.
Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 498,700
- A 92% clearance. The laser ball could have been better as I didn't get a clean bucket bounce with it.
Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 547,410
- A 94% clearance, which my best yet, but it still never really looked likely. The laser ball worked OK, but the Big Bounce got trapped in a corner.
Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 618,220
- A 96% clearance that time, despite neither power up working particularly well. Maybe I'm starting to get the hang of some of these angles.
Attempt #7 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 462,500
- Another 96% clearance. I do seem to be getting better. If I can get a game where both power ups work well then I might be in business.
Attempt #8 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 699,400
- I don't believe it! A total clearance and just 600 points short of a pro score. Bummer!
Attempt #9 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 819,720
- After such a near miss in the last attempt, at least I only had to wait one more go to hit the pro target. Surprising really, as I triggered the Big Bounce before the Laser Ball, which is normally the kiss of death for a layout like this. Inevitably, the Big Bounce got trapped in the corner and scored very little, but the laser ball did particularly well for me. I still had 37 pegs to clear with 8 balls with both power ups used, mind you, so I needed some good ricochets. I got them though, plus a few lucky catches, although most of them were played for.
SUMMARY
Level | Reds | Pegs | Target | Balls | Clock | Pro | Attempts | Record | Average | Video |
1 | 25 | 89 | Reds | 9 | - | 425k | 4 | 681,380 | 382,922 | |
2 | 25 | 92 | Reds | 8 | - | 425k | 1 | 592,100 | 592,100 | |
3 | 30 | 81 | Reds | 8 | - | 400k | 5 | 534,080 | 350,638 | |
4 | 35 | 121 | Reds | 7 | - | 475k | 4 | 606,060 | 414,355 | |
5 | 25 | 97 | Reds | 7 | - | 475k | 4 | 480,800 | 316,712 | |
6 | 45 | 89 | Reds | 7 | - | 700k | 3 | 833,620 | 641,713 | |
7 | 40 | 121 | 575k | 6 | - | 775k | 1 | 852,350 | 852,350 | |
8 | 30 | 81 | All | 8 | - | 625k | 6 | 673,490 | 460,141 | |
9 | 45 | 92 | Reds | 6 | - | 600k | 3 | 705,670 | 547,870 | |
10 | 25 | 97 | All | 10 | - | 700k | 9 | 819,720 | 535,783 |
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