Board 134: Twilight Lily Pad

This picture depicts a fairy sitting on a lily pad, and she appears to have just captured a pink butterfly as she has it on the end of a pink rope.

Level 1 (Clear 30 red pegs from 96 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 525k)

The first design features two big curves at the bottom - one that follows the leading edge of the lily pad, and another just beneath and parallel to it. Each curve has a line of round pegs below it. There are six more curves, three on each side, at the top of the design.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 874,330 

• A pretty good start to the board. Lots of curves make for some good early sweeps, and I managed to keep the catching going all the way to the end for a total clearance and comfortable pro score.

Level 2 (Clear 30 red pegs from 97 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 400k)

The second design comprises entirely of single round pegs. They are in a pattern of circles like ripples in a pool but all emanating from different points. It looks like a tricky one.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 199,040

• Layouts like this with all single round pegs are generally a nightmare for catching. I didn't make a single one here.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 401,500 

• I got a bit more luck that time, and managed to take a few catches. I stretched the game out to 18 shots, so I guess I must have made about 10 catches, but most of those came towards the end. In the end I managed to scrape up to 297k, but I was pushing my luck so I took the final red hoping to pop out from the cluster into the centre bucket, and that's just what happened.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 93 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 550k)

The third design looks like a couple of leaf tips with drops of water hanging from the ends.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 258,630

• About six red pegs left having only taken one catch, I think. It's another tricky level for catches. Not because of single round pegs, but because the design all slopes in towards the centre, so most balls end up there where catching is hardest. I'll give it one more try to see if I get lucky.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 298,990

• I made a lot more catches, but it didn't help much. I was still a long way from both clearing the reds and reaching the pro target. I'll add a laser ball, although I'm not sure how well my standard path for it will work.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 222,630

• I forgot to add the laser ball. I came closer to clearing the reds - I only had a cluster of three left - but the score was worse, so it wouldn't have done me any good.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 567,760

• I probably should have taken the last red peg when I had the chance, as I had a shot at deflecting off it into the 100k bucket. But I was confident of taking a catch off the purple peg which would have put the pro score beyond doubt. The ball went right into the corner, though, and only deflected off the edge of the bucket.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 564,320 

• I got it that time. There were a few lucky catches in there, but most were at least semi-planned. I took the last couple of red pegs off the side wall to ensure a pro score.

Level 4 (Clear 25 red pegs from 115 total - Pro target 450k)

The fourth design follows the lines of the picture. It uses the lily pad itself, the butterfly, and various other bits of leaf and grass.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 565,730

• No problem with the pro score, but catches were tricky, so clearing the reds was the problem. I had two left at the end.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 488,190 

• I just about squeaked through that time, although I needed to avoid the 10k bucket at the end. I got the 50k so that was enough. I concentrated more on clearing the red pegs this time, than on scoring bonus points and it paid dividends.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 127 total - Pro target 500k)

The fifth and final design is a close up of the pink butterfly in the picture. It's quite a complex picture, using quite a lot of pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 282,040

• I could have cleared the red pegs, but I was a long way short on points, so there didn't seem much benefit. I wasn't very lucky with the red peg placement, though.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 314,780

• A better score, but four red pegs left. I’d better use a laser ball.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 931,960 

• A lot easier with the laser ball, as is so often the case. Particularly on closely packed layouts like this one. I was closing in on a seven figure score, and possibly a total clearance when the last red went out off an unexpected ricochet. I was running out of balls anyway, though, so I doubt I'd have got either.

Level 6 (Score 675k with 25 red pegs and 71 blue, with only 7 balls - Pro target 750k)

The same design as level 1, but with five less red pegs, one less ball, 225k on the pro score, and just a score to aim at.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 417,000

• I cleared the red pegs, but that wasn't the target. I didn't make the regular target, let alone the pro one. Worth another try before I add a laser ball.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 357,650

• I cleared more of the pegs in total, but for a lower score. Annoying when I got such a good score on level 1. I'll add a laser ball.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 285,740

• I forgot to add the laser ball, and my score was even worse. I definitely need to add a laser ball.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 969,240 

• Once again, a lot easier with the laser ball. I was going for a total clearance but missed the last three pegs. Two of them were reds, but that doesn't matter on a score only level.

Level 7 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 85 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 750k)

The same design as level 4, but with 5 more red pegs, two less balls, 300k on the pro target, and a total clearance now required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 670,590

• An abyssmal attempt. Just 77% clearance. The catches just weren't coming.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 652,280

• A similar score to before, and a clearance up to 81%. So a slight improvement there. Not enough though, so I'll add a Big Bounce and see if I can get a bit more luck.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 759,760

• Up to 93% clearance with both power ups in play, and a better score. I still didn't feel like I was getting much luck though. Sometimes you get runs like this, though. It's part of the game. It's frustrating, but you have to just press on and look forward to the next run of good luck that you'll get. It's all swings and roundabouts.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 570,310

• 90% clearance. But still the balls are contriving to find ways to miss as many of the pegs as possible and especially the bucket!

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 880,960

• Up to a 97% clearance that time, and I felt my luck was beginning to turn a little. I'll see how it goes on the next one.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 1,208,580 

• I definitely had better luck that time. Several catches went my way unexpectedly. It made all the difference, although it was still touch and go towards the end. The points were no problem though.

Level 8 (Clear 40 red pegs from 127 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 800k)

The same design as level 5, but with 15 more red pegs, two less balls, and 300k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 970,040 

• This didn't seem that tough with the laser ball. Again, the dense layout makes for a good score with it. I had to make some decent catches towards the end to make sure I cleared the reds without running out of balls, but I managed it.

Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 67 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 600k)

The same design as level 2, but with one more ball, 200k on the pro target, and all pegs now needed.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 524,540

• A 93% clearance as several of the catches I went for in the endgame came off at some unexpected angles.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 726,210

• Up to 96%, so four pegs left. Getting closer.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 734,140 

• I managed to push all the way through to the end this time. I very nearly blew it on the last peg when I missed it altogether, but luckily the game decided to give me the ball back and I made damn sure of it the second time.

Level 10 (Score 600k with 25 red pegs and 68 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 750k)

The same design as level 3, but with one less ball, 200k on the pro target, and just a score to aim at.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 401,620

• A long way short of the target.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 489,220

• An improvement, but still a long way short of the target. I suspect this will need a total clearance, and that was only 89%.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 583,000

• The last red peg went off an unexpected deflection, when I still had blue pegs left and not enough points. Annoying.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 740,120

• Well I got the total clearance that time, but I didn't quite get the final bucket bonus I needed. 100k was what I needed, but I only got 60k and missed out by 10k.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 667,590

• I was going well there and had lots of balls in hand still when the last red peg got taken out by mistake and the game ended prematurely.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 745,940

• Again, the last red peg went too early. I had enough balls still in hand to comfortably clear the remaining blue pegs as well. I thought I had that one in the bag. Anything greater than a 10k final bucket would have been enough, but it wasn't to be.

Attempt #7 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 664,290

• No where near clearing all the pegs, or even the red ones. I got a really good laser ball and should have done much better than I did. I missed loads of catches in the endgame.

Attempt #8 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 742,660

• Again, loads of missed opportunities at the end with hardly a ball caught. This isn't a run of bad luck, just bad play.

Attempt #9 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 487,040

• The laser ball went all wrong that time, getting nothing off the rim bounce.

Attempt #10 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 526,040

• Another relatively poor attempt. My run of poor form continues. This really shouldn't be that difficult.

Attempt #11 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 816,320 

• Finally got it at the 11th attempt, but I don't think that was because of the difficulty, or even a run of bad luck, I just didn't play it very well. This one went a bit better, as I made more catches than previous goes.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	30	96	Reds	8	-	525k	1	874,330	874,330
2	30	97	Reds	8	-	400k	2	401,500	300,270
3	25	93	Reds	9	-	550k	5	567,760	382,466
4	25	115	Reds	10	-	450k	2	565,730	526,960
5	25	127	Reds	10	-	500k	3	931,960	509,593
6	25	96	675k	7	-	750k	4	969,240	507,407
7	30	115	All	8	-	750k	6	1,208,580	790,413
8	40	127	Reds	8	-	800k	1	970,040	970,040
9	30	97	All	9	-	600k	3	734,140	661,630
10	25	93	600k	8	-	750k	11	816,320	623,985