Board 13: Magma Peak

This picture shows a bleak, black and rocky landscape under a dark sky. Lava bubbles up on the right side of the picture and runs in a couple of rivulets down to a small magma lake.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 104 total - Pro target 300k)

The first design features a couple of wavy lines that follow the main magma trails in the picture. Round pegs cover the rocks and there are diamond-shaped pegs surrounding the eruption itself.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 396,240 

• An unexpected finish but the last ball scored plenty of points so it wasn't a problem. I picked up a few lucky catches along the way which helped, but overall not too tricky. I had lots of balls in hand at the end.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 106 total - Pro target 325k)

The second design features five curved lines that follow the lines of the hills. There are three on the left and two on the right. A couple more short lines lay over the rocks in the magma stream, and single round pegs are scattered all over.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 447,300 

• I thought I had no chance about half way through this one. I was down to my last ball still with five or six red pegs left, and the catches I was playing weren't working very well. Some outrageously lucky catches later, I was back in the game. Quite a turn around.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 101 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 350k)

The third design looks like a set of connecting plates with a speckling of round pegs inside each plate.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 649,500 

• I probably got a bit lucky again at times, but there were lots of played for catches in there as well. It all seemed to go off quite smoothly. I was hoping for a total clearance but didn't quite make it.

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 114 total - Pro target 375k)

The fourth design looks like an expanding set of shock waves from an epicentre based on the point of eruption.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 884,490 

• So far so good. Four levels, four lives, four pro scores and no power ups. Again, it was touch and go at times, but as the pegs began to clear, the catches became easier. Three pegs short of a total clearance.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 113 total - Pro target 400k)

The fifth and final design features a regular pattern of round pegs arranged around seven square black jewels that act as obstacles.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 439,770 

• This one was a bit trickier, but with a bit of luck I managed to pick out all the red pegs and grab just enough bonuses along the way for a pro score. I needed a big final bucket and got the biggest. That's the first time since I started this blog that I've beaten the first 5 pro scores in 5 lives with no power ups. I've done the first four a few times but never the fifth as well.

Level 6 (Clear 35 red pegs from 101 total - Pro target 500k)

The same design as level 3, but with 10 more red pegs and 150k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 421,070

• Not a bad effort. Only two or three red pegs left at the end and my catching could have been better.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 838,530 

• Luck was with me again that time as I went all the way to a total clearance with a couple of balls to spare.

Level 7 (Score 350k with 25 red pegs and 79 blue - Pro target 450k)

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: 499,840 

• Another one that was touch and go for a while. I had to be patient towards the end and wait for the right purple pegs to come along, but by waiting for the best peg and then picking it off, I managed to sneak over the line.

Level 8 (Clear 35 red pegs from 113 total, with a 5s shot-clock - Pro target 500k)

The same design as level 5, but with 10 more red pegs, 100k on the pro target, and a five second shot-clock.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 415,030

• Three red pegs left at the end, so not too bad. I didn't pick up many catches, but that's probably to be expected. This one could be tricky without power ups, but I'll give it another go.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 249,550

• Nowhere near that time. Only four pegs left at the end, but they were all awkward and I was a long way short of the pro target.

Attempt #3 - Big Bounce. Score: 265,660

• Five red pegs left. The Big Bounce was only vaguely helpful. I needed more catches, really. I might try with the laser ball. There must be a path for it somewhere that works.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 491,520

• I missed out on a pro score by less than 10k which was annoying. I found a great path for the laser ball by aiming high to the left.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 383,630

• Just one red peg left which I could have taken, but I was over 100k short of the pro target so there seemed little point. I failed to reproduce the laser ball of the previous attempt.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball. Score: 544,080 

• I found the right angle for the laser ball this time. I played it high off the left wall, between the obstacles to bounce off the bucket in the centre, and then ricochet around the obstacles a bit. I missed a few shots altogether at the very end, but the game took pity on me and kept letting me play them again. I eventually found the bonus I was looking for so I could take the final red peg with confidence of reaching the pro target.

Level 9 (Score 450k with 25 red pegs and 81 blue - Pro target 550k)

The same design as level 2, but with 225k on the pro target, and just a score to go for.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 430,290

• Two red pegs left. I tried to play fine off one of them for a catch, but missed it altogether and missed the catch. Worth another try.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 683,200 

• One or two lucky bonuses in the endgame boosted me usefully towards the pro target. I missed out on a total clearance by one peg. I tried to ricochet onto it from the last red, but just missed it. I deleted the recording by mistake so had to redo it. It took a couple more attempts but in the recording I improved my score slightly to 734,810 although I missed more pegs.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 84 blue - Pro target 600k)

The same design as level 4, but with 225k on the pro target, and all pegs now needed.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 746,120

• Just three pegs left having kept the last few balls going for ages. I'll try again.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 1,112,490 

• Quite a comfortable victory that time. I never really felt in danger. Several early lucky catches helped me keep lots of balls for the endgame.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	104	Reds	10	-	300k	1	396,240	396,240
2	25	106	Reds	10	-	325k	1	447,300	447,300
3	25	101	Reds	9	-	350k	1	649,500	649,500
4	30	114	Reds	10	-	375k	1	884,490	884,490
5	25	113	Reds	10	-	400k	1	439,770	439,770
6	35	101	Reds	10	-	500k	2	838,530	629,800
7	25	104	350k	10	-	450k	1	499,840	499,840
8	35	113	Reds	10	5s	500k	6	544,080	391,578
9	25	106	450k	10	-	550k	2	683,200	556,745
10	30	114	All	10	-	600k	2	1,112,490	929,305

Board 14: Acropolis Heights

This picture shows an acropolis standing on a raised stone plateau at night.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 109 total - Pro target 350k)

The first design consists of a solid line across the top of the acropolis, and three more solid lines across the steps at the bottom. These three are all touching so it becomes one thick line. Columns of single round pegs cover the columns of the structure, and more are scattered across the rest of the picture.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 345,060

• The last red peg went off an accidental ricochet when I still had a couple of balls in hand, and a 10k final bucket meant I missed out on a pro score by just under 5k.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 327,070

• I was getting no luck there at all. Nothing was going in the bucket.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 816,070 

• I picked up a lot more catches that time. In fact I went all the way to a total clearance.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 106 total - Pro target 375k)

The second design is a pattern slightly reminiscent of mosaic tiles. It has two horizontal lines of staggered rectangular pegs, and between the two there is a meandering path of round pegs. There is another line of round pegs across the bottom and half a dozen more at the top.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 296,700

• I still had a couple of red pegs left at the end. But not too bad for a first attempt.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 406,490 

• That one went a little better, well enough to get me over the line.

Level 3 (Clear 30 red pegs from 70 total - Pro target 400k)

The third design shows two constellations - Orion & Taurus. There are round pegs for the stars and rectangular pegs connecting them together.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 168,350

• A dreadful effort. The ball just didn't want to go in the bucket.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 866,730 

• That was a lot better. I really got my eye in for catches in the endgame. I got down to three red pegs left among 23 in total, and three balls to get them with, but rather than just take out the reds, I picked off the purple one each time, and took out all 23 pegs for the total clearance for the loss of only one more ball.

Level 4 (Clear 35 red pegs from 103 total - Pro target 450k)

The fourth design has an upright line on each side of the acropolis, and five rows of round pegs between them. Two long curved lines lie underneath with a few extra rectangular blocks sitting on top of the curves.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 362,520

• I kept the last ball going for a while, but it wasn't enough. I was still left with a cluster of four red pegs.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 463,020

• Just one red peg left and a high enough score for pro, so very nearly there.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 533,870 

• Another improvement. I had a few balls to spare at the end so I picked up a few purple extras, although I had to make sure I cleared a path through the final red peg.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 112 total - Pro target 425k)

The fifth design is of two pillars with a few loose round pegs between them.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 121,980

• My mind really wasn't on that one. The hour is late and fatigue has caught up with me. Off to bed for me and I shall try again tomorrow.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 300,970

• A much better effort than the last one, but still a way to go. I'll give it one more try.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 500,790 

• I got lucky at the end there. I didn't think there was a path through to the final red, so I played towards it, thinking the ball would take out a blue that was in front of it. Only it missed the blue and hit the red. I thought that meant I would finish short of the pro target, but the ball managed to escape the corner and finish in the 100k bucket.

Level 6 (Clear 45 red pegs from 109 total - Pro target 500k)

The same design as level 1, but with 20 more red pegs and 150k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 947,490 

• I jumped straight in with a laser ball, and got a yellow peg nicely at the top so I could play it straight away. I picked up quite a few lucky catches, and quite a few that were played for as well. I took it all the way to a total clearance.

Level 7 (Clear 55 red pegs from 103 total, with a 5s shot-clock - Pro target 650k)

The same design as level 4, but with 20 more red pegs, 200k on the pro target and a five second shot-clock.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 793,640 

• It took me a few shots to get to the yellow peg, but the laser ball did OK considering the reduced number of pegs by that time. I picked up some lucky catches, but most were played for and I needed to make quite a few to make it all the way to another total clearance.

Level 8 (Clear 45 red pegs from 106 total - Pro target 600k)

The same design as level 2, but with 20 more red pegs, and 225k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 568,680

• That was clumsy. I didn't look at my points before I took the last shot. I thought I had enough, but I didn't. I should have taken another purple or two before I finished it.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 887,100 

• Another total clearance. It took a few shots to get through to the yellow peg, but my catching today is going pretty well, and this was no exception.

Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 45 blue, with only 7 balls - Pro target 475k)

The same design as level 3, but with 5 less red pegs, three less balls, 75k on the pro target and a total clearance now required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 185,560

• Only a 73% clearance, so some improvement needed. A new path for the laser ball would be a good start as my standard one doesn't work very well.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 631,280 

• The new path for the laser ball was a big improvement, and my catching was back up to its usual standard.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 87 blue - Pro target 600k)

The same design as level 5, but with 175k on the pro target and a total clearance now required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 891,990 

• The yellow peg was available immediately, and the laser ball worked well. After that it was just a matter of making lots of catches, which I did. Some of them were lucky, of course, but most were intended.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	109	Reds	10	-	350k	3	816,070	496,066
2	25	106	Reds	10	-	375k	2	406,490	351,595
3	30	70	Reds	10	-	400k	2	866,730	517,540
4	35	103	Reds	10	-	450k	3	533,870	453,136
5	25	112	Reds	10	-	425k	3	500,790	307,913
6	45	109	Reds	10	-	500k	1	947,490	947,490
7	55	103	Reds	10	5s	650k	1	793,640	793,640
8	45	106	Reds	10	-	600k	2	887,100	727,890
9	25	70	All	7	-	475k	2	631,280	408,420
10	25	112	All	10	-	600k	1	891,990	891,990

Board 130: Viking's Voyage

This picture shows a Viking galley in full sail with oars out, coming through a choppy sea.

Level 1 (Clear 30 red pegs from 112 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 400k)

The first design follows various lines of the picture. It uses the hull of the galley, the oars, the outline of the sail, plus various lines in the sky representing clouds. There are also some round pegs in the sea.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 360,200

• Just one red peg left, and not far off the pro target. Not bad for a first attempt. Certainly worth another try.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 405,880 

• I had balls in hand at the end and when the ball unexpectedly ricochet between the last two red pegs on opposite sides of the screen, and dropped in the 10k bucket, I thought I'd been robbed, but the score was just enough to scrape over the line.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 106 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 450k)

The second design features a line of seven interconnecting circles, like the shields on the side of the ship.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 451,900

• I had the points for a pro score, but I still had seven or eight red pegs left.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 638,280 

• I had a better handle on the angles that time, and got a better run of luck which always helps. I got to play quite a few purple pegs after I got down to one red peg.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 128 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 375k)

The third design features a big curvy X, made up entirely of single round pegs. Lots of them.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 518,010 

• These levels consisting of only single round pegs are always a bit of a lottery, needing plenty of luck. I got the luck this time and made it through the red pegs with a score big enough for pro.

Level 4 (Clear 25 red pegs from 113 total - Pro target 425k)

The fourth design is another diagonal line of circles, only these are quite large, so there are only three of them, and they don't interconnect. Each shield has a different rune inside, made up generally of diamond-shaped pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 488,880 

• The angles in this one didn't seem too bad to judge, particularly in the endgame. Maybe I just got lucky again. Certainly most of the red pegs seemed to go very quickly.

Level 5 (Clear 30 red pegs from 96 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 475k)

The fifth and final design is of a longboat viewed from above. Two curves make up the hull, and twelve straight lines - six on each side - make the oars.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 243,640

• Not particularly near either clearing the red pegs or the pro target. Catches here seem nearly impossible to judge, so I don't think it's worth trying this again without a power up.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 551,590 

• The laser ball made a big difference. I got the yellow peg with the second shot, and then cleared a lot of pegs with the laser ball, even without a decent rim bounce. It made catches in the endgame much easier to judge. I accidentally deleted this recording, so I had to do it again. It took me two further attempts to beat it again. On the second of these, I couldn't resist taking the last few blue pegs before the last red one for the total clearance - despite being down to my last ball. It gave me a score 777,510.

Level 6 (Clear 40 red pegs from 106 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 650k)

The same design as level 2, but with 15 more red pegs, one less ball and 200k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 1,037,410 

• I'm not sure I actually needed the laser ball there as I was doing quite well before I activated it. It did take out quite a lot of the pegs that were left though, so it certainly helped me go all the way to a total clearance for a seven figure score.

Level 7 (Score 525k with 25 red pegs and 88 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 675k)

The same design as level 4, but with two less balls, 250k on the pro target and just a score to go for.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 308,890

• My catching wasn't so good that time. Worth another try.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 729,570 

• A few good sweep and some lucky catches early on, followed up with some more solid catching in the endgame.

Level 8 (Clear 40 red pegs from 128 total, with only 6 balls - Pro target 525k)

The same design as level 3, but with 15 more red pegs, three less balls and 150k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 318,970

• Six balls is not very many, and I didn't get particularly close. I'll add a Big Bounce.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 448,460

• Even with both power ups working quite well and a few lucky catches to boot, I still missed out on six red pegs. This could be a tricky one.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 305,290

• Eight red pegs left that time. This is going to need a lot of luck to get through.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 561,590

• Ten red pegs left that time, but then I never managed to find a path to the green peg, and the ricochets just weren't going my way.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 403,470

• Only five red pegs left. I started better with several lucky catches, but some unpredictable bounces in the endgame cost me my last few balls.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 421,360

• Five red pegs left again. I'm surprised I got that close as it took several balls to get to the yellow peg, and the green peg didn't go until I had one ball left.

Attempt #7 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 634,550 

• Success. Although it didn't start well. I was down to three balls left by the time I got my hands on the laser ball. I caught it though, in a Triple Score Bucket, so that boosted my score a bit. I was back down to three balls again when I got the Big Bounce, but thanks to the laser bonus I was already up to 432k and had 12 red pegs left. The Big Bounce managed to take out 8 of those 12 and push my score past the pro target. That just left me three balls to get four red pegs, and they were all in clear line of sight, so one catch was was good enough.

Level 9 (Clear 40 red pegs from 96 total, with only 6 balls - Pro target 675k)

The same design as level 5, but with 10 more red pegs, two less balls, and 200k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 864,180 

• Six balls again didn't seem very many for what was a slightly awkward layout last time around. The key to this one is getting rid of the central boat shape. Once that is out of the way, it's quite easy to pick off the oars one at a time from the inside out. I was down to my last ball when I took out the last tricky peg. That still left me 15 pegs in total, but I was confident that I could pick up a total clearance, and I did.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 82 blue, with only 7 balls - Pro target 700k)

The same design as level 1, but with two balls, 300k on the pro target and a total clearance now needed.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 615,210

• Only an 84% clearance, but then I didn't take many catches, or even pick up many decent ricochets.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 844,520 

• I added a Big Bounce and that was just about enough. I had to hold it together a bit at the end, picking off the last seven pegs with the final ball, but I got the job done.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	30	112	Reds	9	-	400k	2	405,880	383,040
2	25	106	Reds	9	-	450k	2	638,280	545,090
3	25	128	Reds	9	-	375k	1	518,010	518,010
4	25	113	Reds	10	-	425k	1	488,880	488,880
5	30	96	Reds	8	-	475k	2	551,590	397,615
6	40	106	Reds	8	-	650k	1	1,037,410	1,037,410
7	25	113	525k	8	-	675k	2	729,570	519,230
8	40	128	Reds	6	-	525k	7	634,550	441,955
9	40	96	Reds	6	-	675k	1	864,180	864,180
10	30	112	All	7	-	700k	2	844,520	729,865

Board 15: Highland Idols

This picture shows a couple of moai, such as the ones found on Easter Island, with some more in the distance. The heads stand on remote grassy hills.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 105 total - Pro target 425k)

The first design is a semi-circle around the main statue's chin, with lots of single round pegs in a pattern around the head that makes them look is if they're radiating out from it.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 619,950 

• That went a lot better than it might have. After the obvious first sweep shot, you're just left with a bagatelle type board, full of single round pegs. These boards are very unpredictable and you need a certain amount of luck. Well luck must have been on my side as I took a lot of catches, and ricochets picked out the reds early on. I got to play purple pegs for quite a while before I got down to my last ball and had to take out the final red.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 101 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 375k)

The second design is more radiating pegs, but a combination of straight lines and round pegs this time, all coming from the mouth and chin of the main moai.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 332,670

• I kept the last ball going for ages before missing the very last catch. It's a tricky layout, but I'll give it another try.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 290,210

• I couldn't keep the catches going that time and finished with three or four red pegs left and a lower score. I'll switch to a laser ball.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 335,370

• I struggled to get to the yellow peg, and then my catching was clumsy and the reds awkwardly placed.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 720,460 

• The yellow peg looked tricky to get to, but I found a deflection with my first ball that took it out. The laser ball did quite well, and my catching was working well. I picked my way all the way to a total clearance.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 101 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 350k)

The third design features three slightly angled parallel lines against the background only. There are breaks in the lines where they pass behind the heads and the rest of the picture is covered with a scattering of round pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 365,100

• I missed too many early catches to give myself a fighting chance there. Before I knew it I was down to about two balls still with loads of red pegs left.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 250,270

• Three red pegs left and a lower score. The same problems again with few early catches. I'll add a laser ball.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 743,350 

• It took a couple of balls to get to the yellow peg, but the laser ball worked pretty well. My catching was on target and I cleared all the pegs.

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 118 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 425k)

The fourth design features five circles of varying sizes with a varying number of single round pegs inside each. Two slanted straight lines at the bottom are covering a couple of barriers.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 204,250

• At least half a dozen red pegs left at the end, so not very good.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 249,320

• A slight improvement. Only three red pegs left, and a slightly higher score, but still not what you'd call close. I'm not sure that either of my standard two power ups would be of much help, though.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 325,190

• Another slight improvement, but I don't fell that I'm getting significantly closer to completion not to mention a pro score. I'll have to add a power up. I'll try a laser ball, but I'm not convinced I can find a decent path for it.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 184,410

• The laser ball didn't really seem to help at all. My score this time was considerably worse than previous attempts.

Attempt #5 - Big Bounce. Score: 369,090

• The Big Bounce worked quite well, although only because it managed to avoid getting stuck beneath one of the bars. Something that could happen all too easily. Only one red peg left, and not too far from the pro target.

Attempt #6 - Big Bounce. Score: 71,040

• I think I made one catch, and had very few bonuses. A dreadful effort.

Attempt #7 - Big Bounce. Score: 263,940

• The Big Bounce didn't work particularly well. It triggered a Split Ball, but both got stuck under a barrier. I think I need to add another power up, but I'm not sure which.

Attempt #8 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 717,880 

• I went for a traditional power up pairing and it worked pretty well. Maybe I should have tried it earlier. In fact I wasn't far off a total clearance. I got very lucky with early catches which meant I still had plenty of balls left after the power ups had been used. I dread to think what this one will be like the next time around. This has been about the hardest 'first-time-around' board I can remember for a long time.

Level 5 (Clear 35 red pegs from 107 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 475k)

The fifth design features a couple of short wavy lines down each side of the main moai, plus lots more scattered round pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 354,810

• 5 red pegs left, all in a cluster. It's another tricky level, although not as bad as the last one. I got quite lucky in this one to get as close as I did, so I'd better add a laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 552,590

• Two red pegs left, but a much bigger score with the laser ball. I shouldn't need to add another power ups - the laser ball ought to be enough.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 462,230

• Four red pegs left. This is not turning out to be an easy board at all. Much harder than I remember it.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 382,210

• Two red pegs left. Again, I got the yellow peg straight away, and did OK with the laser ball. But I just couldn't do enough with the remaining pegs to clear the rest of the red pegs. I'll add another power up.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 713,810 

• I'm not sure if the 2nd power up made the difference, or if I just got a bit luckier. The Big Bounce didn't seem to add a great deal, but I did find it much easier to finish this time.

Level 6 (Clear 40 red pegs from 101 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 550k)

The same design as level 3, but with 15 more red pegs, and 200k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 765,010 

• A comfortable victory with just the laser ball that time. Luck was on my side a little with a few catches and ricochets going my way.

Level 7 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 80 blue - Pro target 500k)

The same design as level 1, but with 75k on the pro score and a total clearance now required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 610,310 

• Another comfortable victory just with the laser ball. It was touch and go at times as to whether the balls I had in hand would last the distance, but they did.

Level 8 (Clear 30 red pegs from 59 total, with a 7s shot-clock - Pro target 450k)

This level, unusually, features an entirely new sixth design consisting of not many pegs, but lots of barriers. Half a dozen thin straight barriers, plus a couple of rocky outcroppings, one on each side of the screen.

Attempt #1 - Big Bounce. Score: 332,020

• Well I cleared all the red pegs, but I was 120k short of the pro target. The Big Bounce got stuck under one of the bottom barriers though.

Attempt #2 - Big Bounce. Score: 280,450

• Three red pegs left and a lower score. I might try adding a Gravity Ball. I've not used one of those in ages, but this level might suit it quite well.

Attempt #3 - Big Bounce & Gravity Ball. Score: 195,550

• The green peg was in the most awkward place possible and I just couldn't find a path through to it. I wasted all my balls trying.

Attempt #4 - Big Bounce & Gravity Ball. Score: 473,720 

• When I saw the ball disappear into the 10k bucket at the end, I thought I'd missed the pro score, but I'd gotten a Crucial Bounce when I hit it and that made the difference. The Gravity Ball did quite well, taking out quite a few extra pegs. The Big Bounce could have been better. I needed some luck with the last few balls, but I got just enough to see me through.

Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 71 blue - Pro target 550k)

The same design as level 2, but with 5 more red pegs, one more ball, 175k on the pro target, and a total clearance now needed.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 711,370

• Just two red pegs left. I'd managed to keep the last couple of balls going for ages, but I think I just rushed the last shot slightly. So near, yet so far.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 593,960

• Only a 93% clearance that time. A few misjudged catches in the endgame. I'll add a Big bounce to try and clear a few more pegs.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 952,300 

• I just missed the yellow peg with my first ball, but got it with the second. But even after both power ups had been used, I still had 37 pegs left and seven balls. I lost a few balls quickly, but kept the last two or three going much better.

Level 10 (Score 500k with 25 red pegs and 93 blue - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 4, but with 5 less red pegs, one more ball, 200k on the pro target, and just a score to aim for.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 192,510

• Not a very good attempt. I didn't make many catches, and the laser ball was a disaster.

Attempt #2 - Big Bounce & Gravity Ball. Score: 664,980 

• I had to take a big risk at the end, going for a finish, knowing that only a 100k final bucket would be enough for pro. However, it turned out to be a risk worth taking as that's exactly what I got. The Big Bounce was a waste of time as it got stuck under the barrier, but the Gravity Ball did OK. A combination of lucky catches and well-executed ones saw me through.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	105	Reds	10	-	425k	1	619,950	619,950
2	25	101	Reds	9	-	375k	4	720,460	419,677
3	25	101	Reds	9	-	350k	3	743,350	452,906
4	30	118	Reds	9	-	425k	8	717,880	298,140
5	35	107	Reds	9	-	475k	5	713,810	493,130
6	40	101	Reds	9	-	550k	1	765,010	765,010
7	25	105	All	10	-	500k	1	610,310	610,310
8	30	59	Reds	10	7s	450k	4	473,720	320,435
9	30	101	All	10	-	550k	3	952,300	752,543
10	25	118	500k	10	-	625k	2	664,980	428,745

Board 129: Mystic Gateway

This picture shows a mystical-looking wooden door lit by numerous strange purple floating lights. The door sits in a rock wall flanked by shrubs. A glowing key lies on the step.

Level 1 (Clear 30 red pegs from 89 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 500k)

The first design has a scattering of single pegs of various designs. There are round pegs over the door itself, diamond-shaped pegs covering the rough stone doorway, and rectangular pegs where the wall is.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 307,370

• This seems extremely tricky for a level 1. Catches are very hard due to all the weird angles, bonuses are tricky to come by, and yet the pro target is quite high. I'll give it another go, but I can't see this going without power ups.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 336,010

• The red pegs didn't look in a particularly favourable position, so I went straight for the laser ball. It didn't do me any good, as I still failed to clear the red pegs, or get close to the pro target.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 502,660 

• I scraped home by the skin of my teeth that time. Not an easy starter, and I suspect I'll need to add a second power up when it comes round again.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 95 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 500k)

The second design is a picture of the key with concentric circle arcs emanating out from its centre.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 653,190 

• That was a bit easier than the previous one. Two nice outer curves give you two easy starters. Then it's just a matter of picking off what's left without missing too many catches.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 124 total - Pro target 375k)

The third design has solid lines around the edges of the stone blocks that make up the doorway, zigzags down the left and right sides, plus more lines picking out some of the detail on the door itself.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 274,540

• Another layout that's full of horrible angles. I had two or three red pegs left that I couldn't get to. The pro score is quite low, but I was still some way from it.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 377,600

• Luck was on my side that time, as I picked up several lucky catches. I even made enough points for pro. But I still had three red pegs left, none of which were going to be easy to get to. This is going to need a laser ball.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 618,690 

• A comfortable victory with the laser ball. I could take the yellow peg straight away and did quite well with the laser ball. I took a few purple peg catches towards the end before the last red peg went off an unexpected ricochet.

Level 4 (Clear 25 red pegs from 98 total - Pro target 425k)

The fourth design features seven circles in a symmetrical pattern surrounded by a number of single round pegs, and a short diagonal line in each corner.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 409,300

• I took the last red peg but needed to avoid the 10k buckets and didn't. I did take one or two lucky catches, but it's worth another try.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 583,710 

• I had one or two lucky catches again, but my catching overall was probably better than last time. Another comfortable victory.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 119 total - Pro target 500k)

The fifth and final design features three concentric arches on the door, a couple of exaggerated curls in the top corners, and some diagonal lines where the bushes are.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 301,760

• I wasn't particularly close, but I was kind of getting there. It's worth another try.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 205,810

• No closer, in fact probably further away. I'll add a laser ball.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 1,301,950 

• Much easier with a laser ball. It took a couple of balls to get to the yellow peg, but the laser ball worked well, and I picked up several lucky catches after that as well. I went all the way to a total clearance for a big seven figure score.

Level 6 (Clear 40 red pegs from 124 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 3, but with 15 more red pegs, two less balls, and 250k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 465,110

• The yellow peg took several shots to get to, but I actually did pretty well with the laser ball considering. I was quite a long way from either clearing the reds or achieving the pro score though.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 215,030

• Another poor attempt. The yellow peg was again tricky to get to, but then I suspect that will be the case most of the time with this layout. After I'd used the laser ball, I just had too much to do with not enough balls.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 717,710 

• Much better. The yellow peg went straight away, and the laser ball worked well. My catching also worked well, and it turned out a comfortable victory. A little bit of careless catching at the very end prevented the total clearance, but the game was well and truly in the bag by then.

Level 7 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 64 blue - Pro target 675k)

The same design as level 1, but with 5 less red pegs, one more ball, 175k on the pro target and all pegs now required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 432,210

• I wasn't looking forward to this one the second time around, and that pro target of 675k looks an absolute beast of a score. I added the Big Bounce from the word go, but still didn't come close. A 94% clearance.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 596,190

• 96% that time, and a much better score, thanks to some reasonable catching and some lucky bonuses. The yellow peg was a nightmare to get to, and the Big Bounce could have been better.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 316,030

• Just 81% clearance that time. The yellow peg was awkward, and the laser ball was killed off by the Big Bucket. The Big Bounce worked reasonably, but it was too little too late.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 662,350

• Gutted! I really thought I had that one. I had to keep the last few balls going for an age to clear all the pegs. I had to show the patience of a saint waiting for the right peg to turn purple to maximise my points. I just had to avoid the double 10k at the end and couldn't.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 656,960

• Another really close one. I needed at least 100k from the final buckets that time, but only managed 60k.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 748,890 

• Both power ups worked OK, and some good catching in the endgame saw me through to the end. I needed better than minimum off the final buckets, but I had a good angle to go into the 100k bucket, so I wasn't worried.

Level 8 (Score 525k with 35 red pegs and 60 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 750k)

The same design as level 2, but with 10 more red pegs, one less ball, 250k on the pro target and just a score to go for.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 236,330

• Nowhere near even the regular target let alone the pro target. I'd better add a laser ball next time.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 1,068,090 

• I took the two obvious sweep shots first, then the yellow peg. I did OK with the laser ball, but this layout isn't ideal for it. I picked up some useful lucky bonuses, not to mention a maximum final bucket bonus of 200k, but the pro target was well and truly passed by then anyway.

Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 68 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 650k)

The same design as level 4, but with 5 more red pegs, one less ball, 225k on the pro target and a total clearance now required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 311,400

• Just a 78% clearance, mainly because it took an age to get through to the yellow peg, and then the laser ball was fairly ineffectual anyway.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 252,670

• The yellow peg was in an even worse position this time, and the laser ball was dreadful. Only a 73% clearance. Dreadful!

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 1,034,950 

• I didn't lose too many balls getting to the yellow peg, and the laser ball worked OK. But it was mainly a much better standard of catching (plus one or two outrageously lucky ones) that got me to the end.

Level 10 (Clear 35 red pegs from 119 total, with only 7 balls and a 3s shot-clock - Pro target 700k)

The same design as level 5, but with 10 more red pegs, three less balls, 200k on the pro target and a three second shot-clock.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 366,300

• There are a lot of red pegs to clear with not many balls and a short shot-clock. I'll add a Big Bounce.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 731,380 

• Well I got it, although I had to ride my luck at times, particularly with the final ball. Quite pleased to get it at only the second attempt; I thought this one might turn out to be a bit of a beast.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	30	89	Reds	9	-	500k	3	502,660	382,013
2	25	95	Reds	9	-	500k	1	653,190	653,190
3	25	124	Reds	10	-	375k	3	618,690	423,610
4	25	98	Reds	10	-	425k	2	583,710	496,505
5	25	119	Reds	10	-	500k	3	1,301,950	603,173
6	40	124	Reds	8	-	625k	3	717,710	465,950
7	25	89	All	10	-	675k	6	748,890	568,771
8	35	95	525k	8	-	750k	2	1,068,090	652,210
9	30	98	All	9	-	650k	3	1,034,950	533,006
10	35	119	Reds	7	3s	700k	2	731,380	548,840

Board 16: Ancient City

This picture shows an ancient seaport in an Egyptian or Mesopotamian style with lots of sandstone blocks. A galley is moored by the harbour steps.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 127 total - Pro target 350k)

The first design features a row of three squares, each set at 45° with a zigzag double row of single round pegs both above and below them.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 387,000

• Two red pegs left which were tricky to get to. I was trying to pick my way through a sea of blue pegs with single peg catches. It worked for a bit, but then I ran out of balls.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 441,920 

• I was left in a very similar position to last time, with two red pegs, one of which was tricky to get to, and only one ball. I played a catch off the one I could see, and missed the catch. By a huge slice of luck, the ball rebounded off the bucket rim, across the screen, where it jiggled about among some more pegs and just brushed against the final red peg to finish the level.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 101 total - Pro target 375k)

The second design follows various lines in the picture. These include the curve of the boat in the harbour, the harbour walls, the roofs of a couple of the buildings and the levels of the larger building in the back left.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 418,010 

• I took a few catches here, but mostly I just blundered my way through it without a huge amount of skill. My last shot took out all three of the final red pegs. I had hoped for two of them but all three was a bonus.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 93 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 375k)

The third design shows a circle with a wave design inside. A curve connects the top of the circle to the left-hand edge of the screen, while another connects the bottom of the circle to the right-hand edge. There are also some single round pegs arranged in curves.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 353,340

• Only one red peg left so not too bad for a first attempt.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 320,550

• I had some better early slides this time, but it didn't help in the long run as I cleared fewer reds and scored less points than last time.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 465,050 

• I got a bit lucky this time, but that's the way it goes sometimes. There were quite a few lucky catches and ricochets throughout the game. I needed to avoid the 10k bucket at the end and found my way to the 100k one.

Level 4 (Clear 25 red pegs from 102 total - Pro target 400k)

The fourth design shows a pattern of squares tilted at a slight angle. A diagonal row of the squares each old a cluster of three diamond-shaped pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 636,440 

• The luck was still going my way in this one. Plenty of fortuitous ricochets and catches. I probably should have got a total clearance, but I missed a few catches in the last few shots. I left just one peg behind.

Level 5 (Clear 15 red pegs from 73 total - Pro target 300k)

The fifth design features a complex network of copper piping around four teleport portals. These portals essentially serve to shoot the ball out of the receiver at a variety of different angles. A launch tube moves backwards and forwards across a line of five other tubes each of which ends at a teleport at a different angle. Alternatively another portal lies on a different route altogether so it's more pot luck which direction the ball enters it, if at all. The pegs are all single round ones.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 346,830

• One red peg left, and it was proving tricky to get to. This layout needs a certain amount of luck, and power ups may not be much help.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 383,740 

• Some useful ricochets got me through that time with at least half a dozen balls in hand.

Level 6 (Clear 35 red pegs from 93 total - Pro target 450k)

The same design as level 3, but with 10 more red pegs, one more ball, and 75k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 669,400 

• I needed quite a lot of luck to get through this design first time around, so I went straight for the laser ball this time. I got the yellow peg with the first shot and did OK with the laser ball. A bit of luck and some decent catching got me to the finish line after that.

Level 7 (Score 300k with 30 red pegs and 97 blue - Pro target 450k)

The same design as level 1, but with 5 more red pegs, 100k on the pro target, and just a score to go for.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 282,270

• I tried it without power ups just on the off chance, but I didn't really get anywhere near it. I'll use a laser ball next time.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 826,130 

• I got the yellow peg with the first ball without taking out too many other pegs, and I caught the ball as well, which made for a pretty perfect start. The laser ball got a perfect double rim bounce as well. The score was pretty much guaranteed at that point, but I had lots of lives left so I kept going for quite a while building a bigger score.

Level 8 (Clear 40 red pegs from 102 total - Pro target 475k)

The same design as level 4, but with 15 more red pegs and 75k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 870,300 

• I thought this layout would be too tough without any power ups, so I went straight for a laser ball. It made it relatively straightforward. It took a couple of balls to break through to the yellow peg which was right down the bottom, but I had a good rim bounce with the laser ball, and it was plain sailing from there. I took a total clearance.

Level 9 (Clear 25 red pegs from 73 total - Pro target 375k)

The same design as level 5, but with 10 more red pegs and 75k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 390,840

• Three red pegs left, but one or two more catches would have helped. A Big Bounce might help, but I'm not quite ready for that yet.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 436,330 

• I'd all but given up on this one. The last two red pegs didn't seem to be in line with any of the five possible angles, although I hadn't tried the alternative route, and I was running out of balls. But there is always a certain amount of variation in the way the balls exit the pipes, and I picked up both in quick succession, and the ball even bobbled over to the 100k bucket at the end, just for good measure.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 76 blue - Pro target 475k)

The same design as level 2, but with 100k on the pro target and a total clearance now needed.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 699,720 

• Another one I'd all but given up on. It took most of my balls to break through to the yellow peg, so that by the time I had the laser ball, most of the pegs were gone, and so were most of my balls. However, the pro target was fairly low, and my catching went pretty well, so I managed to keep the last few balls in play all the way to the end.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	127	Reds	10	-	350k	2	441,920	414,460
2	25	101	Reds	10	-	375k	1	418,010	418,010
3	25	93	Reds	9	-	375k	3	465,050	379,646
4	25	102	Reds	10	-	400k	1	636,440	636,440
5	15	73	Reds	10	-	300k	2	383,740	365,285
6	35	93	Reds	10	-	450k	1	669,400	669,400
7	30	127	300k	10	-	450k	2	826,130	554,200
8	40	102	Reds	10	-	475k	1	870,300	870,300
9	25	73	Reds	10	-	375k	2	436,330	413,585
10	25	101	All	10	-	475k	1	699,720	699,720