Wild Fyre is a solid-state pinball machine released by Stern Electronics in October 1978. Designed by Harry Williams, this game is set against a backdrop of Roman chariot racing, which is reflected in its thematic elements and gameplay design. The machine features two flippers, three pop bumpers, multiple kick-out holes, and both 3-bank and 4-bank drop targets.
Quickie Version:
UTAD.
Go-to Flipper:
Mild bias right
Risk Index:
High; pay close attention to how balls hit the dividers on either side of the center-most pair of return lanes! Also watch out for balls coming down the right side or free-falling from the top 3 drop targets.
Full Rules:
Wild Fyre games are won more by long ball times than by strategy per se, but your best move is to try to repeatedly build up and collect bonus during each ball. Bonus is advanced in 2K increments by the three small red rollover buttons above the return lanes, the outer right return lane, the top right and middle right stand-up targets, and the outlanes, which randomly give more than one advance. Bonus multiplier, just 2X, is earned by getting either the three top left drop targets twice or by shooting three arrows, from either top right orbit or mid-right standup target shots. Bonus can be collected at the top right saucer at any time, not just when the base is at maximum like on most games with a collect feature. Bonus resets when collected, but any multiplier stays lit. The spinner value is irregular: rather than increasing in value due to making specific shots, it goes up from 100 to 1000 solely based on your current base bonus value. It’s only worth 1K when your bonus is 2K, 8K, 14K and 20K, i.e. in 6K increments or three bonus advances. It will pay you to keep watch on your current bonus value; when you’re on one of these magic numbers, switch goals to shoot the spinner while the higher value lasts. Wild Fyre has a sometimes-cruel drain feature on your final ball. Once you have your double bonus, the game toggles back and forth between 2X and 5X on switch hits. This can actually provide an incentive to deliberately drain! If you have enough bonus to win with 5X but not enough to win at 2X and have the 5X on at the moment, draining is better than playing on - - provided you can drain without hitting a switch to toggle it back to 2X first. It’s possible for you to outplay your opponent but lose because they drain with 5X lit while you drain with only 2X. Top saucers are 3K each, but after you get all three on one ball, the center one becomes worth 7K. Ignore the WILDFYRE targets, which merely light Special when completed; they don’t even advance bonus.
via Bob's Guide