The "Card Whiz" pinball machine, produced by Gottlieb in 1976, is a two-player version of the "Royal Flush" machine. Designed by Ed Krynski with artwork by Gordon Morison, it features a playing card theme with multiple drop targets and a straightforward yet engaging playfield layout.
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Card Whiz
Quickie Version:
Shoot the left orbit [white lane], trying to get the ball to go through each of the other two colored lanes on the return. Shoot the center drop targets from the left flipper after you have all three colors [keep shooting the left orbit from the right flipper]. Once you’ve got the targets, return to left orbit all day from the right, center 5000 target pad from the left.
Go-to Flipper:
Right
Risk Index:
Very High except for the left orbit
Shots to Master:
left orbit lane.
Skillshot(s):
Go for the white joker lane, the center of the three colored lanes at the top left. This lights the long white lane next to these on the left side for 3000. The pink and green joker lanes are the next-best options; either of these lights the same-colored return lane and outlane for 3000. Try to avoid having the ball come down to the right of the triangular piece at the top of the game - - this can lead to a center drain.
Full Rules:
This is the 2-player version of Royal Flush. Ball on right flipper: shoot left side white lane to get ball back up top into area where you can collect any remaining top color lanes until all three colors are collected. Then shoot drops until finished, then white side lane again. This is most valuable when the left side lane is lit, i.e. after you’ve collected the white top lane, but is still the best strategy even when it’s not lit. Ball on left flipper: transfer to right flipper until you finish all three colored lanes, then you can use it to hit the drops. Oh, shoot the jacks first (!) since the rebound off of them can go into the “open gate” lane on the right side; usually it’s the rebound from the right-hand jack. Optimal order for the drops is 2 jacks, 3 queens, 2 kings, ace, ten. You shoot the drops after you get the colors because the drop value is 1000 + 1000 for each color. Ignore the saucer. If you finish the drops, continue shooting the left side with the right flipper and shoot the center pad from the left flipper. General strategy: shoot up the far left white lane whenever you have the chance; it’s good for 3000 when lit, plus you’ll have a chance to light the other two colors while the ball is up there. You can also sometimes get an up-and-down for 6000 total. Key Feed: left lane below the 3000 switch - - where does it go? Does it bounce off the rubber post below it and come to the right flipper? Stay right of and miss the post and come clean to the left flipper? Ever go SDTM? Hit the post and go to a slingshot? Once you have all three colors lit, you can start shooting drop targets from the left flipper. These advance your end-of-ball card bonus. If the ball is on the right flipper, stick with the far left lane. Shooting the Jack drop targets often rebounds into the right side long lane, opening the gate. The gate saves balls going out the right outlane. This is a good shot to make from the left flipper early in the ball. If you finish the drop targets, you can shoot the center 5000 pad target, again from the left flipper. While you can light each of the white, pink and green lanes with the joker standup targets, don’t shoot at them - - too risky compared to going up the left side. If the ball bounces into one of them to light it, fine. Last ball strategy: since ball 5 is double bonus, the targets become more valuable if you can complete bonus sets, so shifting to target shots sooner is worthwhile.
via Bob's Guide
Royal Flush
Quickie Version:
Shoot the left orbit [white lane], trying to get the ball to go through each of the other two colored lanes on the return. Shoot the center drop targets from the left flipper after you have all three colors [keep shooting the left orbit from the right flipper]. Once you’ve got the targets, return to left orbit all day from the right, center 5000 target pad from the left.
Go-to Flipper:
Right
Risk Index:
High except for the left orbit lane
Skillshot(s):
Go for the white joker lane, the center of the three colored lanes at the top left. This lights the long white lane next to these on the left side for 3000. The pink and green joker lanes are the next-best options; either of these lights the same-colored return lane and outlane for 3000. Try to avoid having the ball come down to the right of the triangular piece at the top of the game - - this can lead to a center drain.
Full Rules:
Ball on right flipper: shoot left side white lane to get ball back up top into area where you can collect any remaining top color lanes until all three colors are collected. Then shoot drops until finished, then white side lane again. This is most valuable when the left side lane is lit, i.e. after you’ve collected the white top lane, but is still the best strategy even when it’s not lit. Ball on left flipper: transfer to right flipper until you finish all three colored lanes, then you can use it to hit the drops. Oh, shoot the jacks first (!) since the rebound off of them can go into the “open gate” lane on the right side; usually it’s the rebound from the right-hand jack. Optimal order for the drops is 2 jacks, 3 queens, 2 kings, ace, ten. You shoot the drops after you get the colors because the drop value is 1000 + 1000 for each color. Ignore the saucer. If you finish the drops, continue shooting the left side with the right flipper and shoot the center pad from the left flipper. General strategy: shoot up the far left white lane whenever you have the chance; it’s good for 3000 when lit, plus you’ll have a chance to light the other two colors while the ball is up there. You can also sometimes get an up-and-down for 6000 total. Key Feed: left lane below the 3000 switch - - where does it go? Does it bounce off the rubber post below it and come to the right flipper? Stay right of and miss the post and come clean to the left flipper? Ever go SDTM? Hit the post and go to a slingshot? Once you have all three colors lit, you can start shooting drop targets from the left flipper. These advance your end-of-ball card bonus. If the ball is on the right flipper, stick with the far left lane. Shooting the Jack drop targets often rebounds into the right side long lane, opening the gate. The gate saves balls going out the right outlane. This is a good shot to make from the left flipper early in the ball. If you finish the drop targets, you can shoot the center 5000 pad target, again from the left flipper. While you can light each of the white, pink and green lanes with the joker standup targets, don’t shoot at them - - too risky compared to going up the left side. If the ball bounces into one of them to light it, fine. Last ball strategy: since ball 5 is double bonus, the targets become more valuable if you can complete bonus sets, so shifting to target shots sooner is worthwhile.
via Bob's Guide
