Board 22: Neptune's Reef

This picture shows a single fish swimming through a coral reef. The fish has a big beaming smile, in a very Disneyesque manner.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 113 total - Pro target 375k)

The first design follows some of the lines in the picture, specifically those of the coral and plant life to the sides of the picture. The rest of the layout features a sprinkling of loose round pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 293,890

• The red pegs seemed quite awkwardly placed away from the walls, making bonuses quite difficult. Worth another try.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 387,490

• I was in two minds at the end whether to take the final red peg and risk only getting a 10k bucket or to go for one more purple peg first. I went for the purple peg and missed the catch. I still think it was the right decision though.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 803,470 

• It all worked my way that time. The ricohets were coming thick and fast, and I was earning plenty of bonuses and extra balls. It was only an expected ricochet at the end that took out the last red ball that stopped me getting a complete clearance.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 112 total - Pro target 400k)

The second design consists entirely of single round pegs, arranged in three wavt stripes - a thick one at the bottom, an identical one in the middle, and a thinner one at the top with a big hole in the middle around the shooter. An obstruction in the shape of a shoal of fish moves from left to right through each of the two gaps between the stripes. After each shoal moves of the right-hand side, it reappears on the other.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 302,310

• Just one red peg left, but I was short on points for the pro target.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 637,420 

• Again, a lot of ricochets seemed to go my way and the points came without too much trouble. It looked a little tricky towards the end, but I got some catches when I needed them.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 104 total - Pro target 425k)

The third design looks like the head of Neptune's trident.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 312,410

• I seemed to start well enough, but the bonuses soon dried up and the last few red pegs were tricky to get to.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 529,180 

• Much like the previous two levels, I think I learned a few lessons on the first attempt which I could then apply to the second, along with an extra slice of luck. I couldn't risk missing a catch at the end, so I had to leave the final blue peg, although I did try and take it by deflecting off the final red and only just missed it. I got the 100k bonus bucket instead though, which probably scored me more points anyway.

Level 4 (Clear 25 red pegs from 117 total - Pro target 375k)

The fourth design features a couple of curly plants like the ones in the middle of screen at the bottom. Also quite a few single round pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 591,050 

• I left quite a few blue pegs behind, only getting an 85% clearance, but I had the points for what is a very low pro target. Besides, the ending was a little unexpected as the last three red pegs all went in the same shot.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 110 total - Pro target 350k)

The final design shows three little fish swimming around two giant fish-hooks.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 275,390

• There are a lot of pegs here, and picking your way between them all to get to the red pegs is not always easy. The pro target looks very low, but then I didn't reach it this time, so maybe it's harder than it looks. I'll give it another try.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 219,630

• An even worse attempt that last time. Only a 78% clearance, including several red pegs, and a worse score. I'll use a laser ball.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 756,310 

• I did particularly well with the laser ball, getting two rim bounces for 47 pegs and 475k points, and putting me well over the pro target in just two balls. After that I had plenty of balls left to pick off the remaining reds, with plenty spare to take on quite a few purple pegs without putting the victory in jeopardy.

Level 6 (Score 325k with 25 red pegs and 88 blue - Pro target 525k)

The same design as level 1, but with 150k on the pro target and just a score to go for.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 292,930

• This is clearly possible, judging by the evidence of my experience at level 1, but it might take quite a few attempts. I'm probably better off just using a laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 663,720 

• Again, I got a pretty good laser ball, netting me just under 400k for 47 pegs.It left me only 11 red pegs to get with 10 balls, so it was a stroll from there.

Level 7 (Clear 40 red pegs from 117 total - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 4, but with 15 more red pegs and 250k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 543,660

• It took me a few balls to get to the yellow peg and that probably proved my undoing in the end.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 826,120 

• I got on to the yellow peg with the first ball that time, and it made a big difference. I took out most of the red pegs with the laser ball, and it was an easy finish from there.

Level 8 (Clear 45 red pegs from 104 total - Pro target 650k)

The same design as level 3, but with 20 more red pegs and 225k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 700,360

• I probably should have had that one, but I wasted too many balls building my score and didn't leave enough to clear the reds.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 527,190

• I missed nine red pegs in total, so a pretty dreadful effort. It was one of those goes where none of the balls seem to go where you would expect them to, and they keep catching odd deflections.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 937,450 

• I got to the yellow peg quickly and did well with the laser ball. I got most of the catches I went for, and managed to get all the way to a total clearance.

Level 9 (Clear 50 red pegs from 112 total - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 2, but with 25 more red pegs and 225k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 490,470

• The laser ball was a disaster, as I caught the upper cluster of moving fish and the ball was deflected off the bottom of the screen without bouncing off the bucket. I struggled on but I never really looked like I had a viable chance.

Attempt #2 - Big Bounce. Score: 418,760

• I tried substituting the laser ball for a Big Bounce, but I'm not sure it worked that well. I'll go back to the laser ball, I think, but just try and be more careful with the timing.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 379,770

• Again I couldn't get a clean shot on the laser ball. I got a bounce off the bucket, but only into the bottom of the lower shoal of fish and back into the bucket. Maybe I should try using both.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 427,820

• I got a slight improvement using both power ups, but I was well short of points. I got down to the last red peg, but there was no point taking it until I got within reach of a pro score.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 685,880 

• I finally got a laser ball to work passably well. The Big Bounce wasn't brilliant, but at least I caught it. The last two red pegs went in the same shot, which was unexpected, but I had the points for pro by then, so it didn't matter.
  The video didn't record properly when I reviewed it later so I had redo it. In the rerecorded version I just scrape home with 627,590.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 35 red and 75 blue - Pro target 550k)

The same design as level 5, but with 10 more red pegs, 200k on the pro target and a total clearance now required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 1,356,120 

• I took the left-hand sweep around the fish hook before I took out the yellow peg which may have been a mistake. I still got a good score with the laser ball though. I rode my luck with the catches and then some. Every now and then you get a game where there seems to be a magnet in the bucket. The ball can fly all round the screen and still find its way back into the bucket at the end. It doesn't happen often, but it's great when it does.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	113	Reds	10	-	375k	3	803,470	494,950
2	25	112	Reds	10	-	400k	2	637,420	469,865
3	25	104	Reds	10	-	425k	2	529,180	420,795
4	25	117	Reds	10	-	375k	1	591,050	591,050
5	25	110	Reds	10	-	350k	3	756,310	417,110
6	25	113	325k	10	-	525k	2	663,720	478,325
7	40	117	Reds	10	-	625k	2	826,120	684,890
8	45	104	Reds	10	-	650k	3	937,450	721,666
9	50	112	Reds	10	-	625k	5	685,880	480,540
10	35	110	All	10	-	550k	1	1,356,120	1,356,120