Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 102 total - Pro target 350k)
The first design follows the lines of the main four tepees in the picture plus a general scattering of single round pegs in various places.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 833,880
- I picked up a few useful catches, ricochets and bonuses. Some of them were played for, and some were not. It got me all the way to a total clearance for double the pro target and then some. A good way to start the board. Rather annoyingly though, the video didn't work properly, so I had to do it again. It took me another four attempts to get it without power ups, and even then it was much less convincingly. This time I only scored 416,550 and that was a struggle.
Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 116 total - Pro target 325k)
The second design looks a bit like a sort of stylised tepee. It's a symmetrical pattern of curves and single pegs.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 288,370
- Just one red peg left, but I ran out of balls trying to make a path through to it. I was a little short on score anyway, although within range with a decent final bucket.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 715,210
- I picked up quite a lot of lucky catches at the start. I must have been four or five shots in before I missed one! I was going for a total clearance at the end, but when the last red went off an unexpected deflection, I still had quite a fewe blue pegs left, so it wasn't looking likely. I was already double the pro target at the time though, so it didn't matter.
Level 3 (Clear 30 red pegs from 109 total - Pro target 375k)
Another symmetrical pattern. This one consists mainly of rectangular pegs arranged in a diamond formation with single round pegs around the outside and in the centre. Actually the pegs in the centre aren't quite symmetrical.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 969,060
- Well I don't know if I just got very lucky there, but that seemed very easy indeed. I flew past the pro target and took a comfortable total clearance.
Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 118 total - Pro target 400k)
This symmetrical pattern has two large curves to the far left and right, and lots of short two peg curves inside making a sort of star pattern.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 706,380
- Another one that seemed to go very smoothly without too much effort. I didn't get a total clearance, only 92%, but I still had balls in hand when the last red went accidentally, so I might have managed it if I'd needed to.
Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 95 total, with only 6 balls - Pro target 350k)
The final design is a symmetrical arrangement of single round pegs with a couple of teleport portals in the bottom corners that transport to a receiver in the top at the centre.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 374,010
- This one was a little harder due to the lack of balls at the start. I picked a few god ricochets at the start due to balls being repeatedly caught by the teleports. Plus I picked up some catches as well. I didn't expect to finish quite when I did, but the red peg might have been awkward to get to, and it gave me enough points, so I'm happy with that.
Level 6 (Clear 40 red pegs from 109 total - Pro target 475k)
The same design as level 3, but with 10 more red pegs and 100k more on the pro target.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 1,051,530
- I took a few unnecessary risks here to get a total clearance and a seven figure score, but the risks were relatively minor ones. It's really not a difficult layout.
Level 7 (Clear 50 red pegs from 118 total - Pro target 525k)
The same design as level 4, but with 20 more red pegs and 125k on the pro target.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 347,110
- I had about three red pegs left at the end, but didn't make many catches. I can do better.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 473,760
- Only two red pegs left that time, and a better score, despite making even fewer catches. I just had better ricochets.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 748,070
- Got it that time. I made a lot more catches that time, plus I had some good bonuses and ricochets along the way. I kept going all the way to a total clearance.
Level 8 (Score 425k with 35 red pegs and 81 blue - Pro target 525k)
The same design as level 2, but with 10 more red pegs and 200k on the pro target.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 478,730
- I managed to keep the endgame going for an age with single peg catches, but I eventually ran out of balls with just two pegs left.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 900,050
- I had a few useful ricochets and bonuses that time, and no doubt a few lucky catches as well. I fell short of a total clearance, only getting 94%, but I was way over the required score for pro so it didn't matter.
Level 9 (Clear 25 red pegs from 95 total, must play Bank shots - Pro target 475k)
The same design as level 5, but with four more balls, 125k on the pro target, and every shot now must be a bank shot.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 442,120
- I was going pretty well there. I only missed one red peg, and I'd just taken out the peg right in front of it with my last shot, so I even had the right angle. I just needed one more ball and I would have had it. Plus I would have had enough points for pro had I had that extra ball. Pretty good for a first attempt.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 423,490
- One red peg left again, but I couldn't find an angle that would get me to it. Shame, because again, I had a good chance at the pro score, and spare balls at the end.
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 308,670
- I didn't get the luck that time. I missed five red pegs and was well short of the pro target.
Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 462,250
- Another near miss with just one red peg left and within touching distance of the pro target. I've not used a power up with this board yet, so I'm reluctant to use one now, but I may have to before too long. I've been close several times, though, so it must be possible without using any.
Attempt #5 - No power ups. Score: 987,780
- It was worth persevering because I smashed it that time! I thought I was in trouble when I had a couple of red pegs left high and central, but I managed to find an angle of a blue peg near the side wall that took both of them out. I got very lucky in this one, with many fortunate catches and fabulous ricochets. I went all the way through for a total clearance with balls in hand at the end. I even finished with a maximum 200k final bucket bonus just to top it off.
Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 77 blue, with only 8 balls and a 5s shot-clock - Pro target 500k)
The same design as level 1, but with two less balls, 150k on the pro target, a five second shot-clock and all pegs now required.
Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 353,380
- Only a 71% clearance, and this is going to be very tough without any power ups. If I'm going to do it then I'll need a lot of luck.
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 232,290
- Only a 62% clearance that time. I'm not getting any luck at all at the moment. Clearly I used it all up on level 9!
Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 498,310
- Up to 95% clearance that time, but then I kept the last ball going for a huge length of time. I got down to my last ball still with 23 pegs remaining, and managed to get that down to just 5 before I missed a catch.
Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 258,840
- By contrast to the previous attempt, I don't think I took a single catch this time, getting just a 59% clearance.
Attempt #5 - No power ups. Score: 148,970
- No catches and no luck here. Only a 53% clearance.
Attempt #6 - No power ups. Score: 251,910
- I started off quite well with several lucky catches, but I wasn't getting the ricochets or the bonuses and the catches soon ran out. A 75% clearance.
Attempt #7 - No power ups. Score: 75,730
- Oh dear, that one really was bad. A 74% clearance, but I just couldn't pick up any bonuses anywhere.
Attempt #8 - No power ups. Score: 206,510
- Only a 62% clearance again. There is going to have to come a point when I admit that I'll need a power up to finish this one. I'm pretty sure I'll need a huge amount of luck to get through this one otherwise.
Attempt #9 - No power ups. Score: 202,130
- OK, that's enough. Just 54% clearance that time. I'm not even getting close without power ups. It's no doubt possible this way, but I might have to try it another 50 times to get there. I'll use a laser ball.
Attempt #10 - Laser Ball. Score: 488,230
- 93% with the laser ball. It still isn't easy, but it's very easy to allow yourself to be rushed by the shot clock unnecessarily.
Attempt #11 - Laser Ball. Score: 438,660
- Only 83% that time, but the yellow peg was trickier to get to. Even with the laser ball this one still needs some good ricochets and catches.
Attempt #12 - Laser Ball. Score: 760,090
- Just one peg left that time. I missed the very last catch. Very annoying. And a big score too.
Attempt #13 - Laser Ball. Score: 352,170
- Rubbish! Just a 72% clearance with hardly any catches or ricochets to speak of.
Attempt #14 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 449,020
- Two pegs left that time after adding a Big Bounce. I probably should picked the order I took the last few pegs in better.
Attempt #15 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 675,910
- I got there eventually, although it took me 15 attempts all told - only two less than the other nine levels put together. Plus it cost me eight power ups when the other nine levels took none at all. This time both power ups worked quite well, and I kept my catching going all the way to the end without allowing myself to be flustered by the shot-clock.
SUMMARY
Level | Reds | Pegs | Target | Balls | Clock | Pro | Attempts | Record | Average | Video |
1 | 25 | 102 | Reds | 10 | - | 350k | 1 | 833,880 | 833,880 | |
2 | 25 | 116 | Reds | 10 | - | 325k | 2 | 715,210 | 501,790 | |
3 | 30 | 109 | Reds | 10 | - | 375k | 1 | 969,060 | 969,060 | |
4 | 30 | 118 | Reds | 10 | - | 400k | 1 | 706,380 | 706,380 | |
5 | 25 | 95 | Reds | 6 | - | 350k | 1 | 374,010 | 374,010 | |
6 | 40 | 109 | Reds | 10 | - | 475k | 1 | 1,051,530 | 1,051,530 | |
7 | 50 | 118 | Reds | 10 | - | 525k | 3 | 748,070 | 522,980 | |
8 | 35 | 116 | 425k | 10 | - | 525k | 2 | 900,050 | 689,390 | |
9 | 25 | 95 | Reds | 10 | Bank | 475k | 5 | 987,780 | 524,862 | |
10 | 25 | 102 | All | 8 | 5s | 500k | 15 | 760,090 | 359,476 |
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