Riddle Me This: Learn to Play SEGA's 1995 Release Batman Forever

One of SEGA's specialties as a pinball company was obtaining big licenses thanks to their head marketer Joe Kaminkow, and creating pinball machines based on them; this practice would continue into the SEGA era. The company’s first machines under new management introduced a massive DMD display and were widebodies that played similarly to the SuperPins that Williams attempted. These early SEGA tables are some of the best the company ever put out, and Batman Forever pinball is no exception.

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Paul Leslie’s only pinball design credit shares similarities to the Williams pinball machine, Star Trek: The Next Generation, but I wholeheartedly prefer this machine to it as I feel that the flow and shots on it are smoother, even if some of the modes lack the incentive of playing them out that the former’s artifact rule encouraged. This machine received a code update in late 2024 that vastly improved its scoring. While it might be a tough table to maintain with a myriad of toys and unique shots, playing the table in working condition makes it clear that SEGA absolutely knew what they were doing.

About Batman Forever Pinball

Batman takes Robin under his tutelage and must put a stop to the Riddler & Two-Face’s schemes. Based on the 1995 film directed by Joel Schumacher.

• Manufacturer: SEGA
• Release Year: 1995
• Design: Paul Leslie, Joe Kaminkow
• Code: Brian Rudolph, John Carpenter
• Art: Morgan Weistling, Jeff Busch, Mark Raneses
• Displays: Kurt Andersen, Jack Liddon, Mark Raneses
• Music / Sound: Brian Schmidt

Batman Forever Playfield Overview

It might be tough to figure out where the ball is coming from on this table thanks to all the green translucent plastics around the playfield! Batman Forever contains four different ramp shots, a VUK, two orbits, and many targets flanking the areas between the ramp shots.

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The left side of the playfield contains four drop targets that spell out CAVE and light the multiball lock at the VUK when completed. Above the CAVE targets is a model of the Batcave which can hold up to 3 balls, and is loaded by the VUK. If a ball enters the VUK when lock isn’t lit, or at the start of multiball, this model will release the balls and send them flying above the right slingshot into the bumper area.

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Directly above the “E” drop target is the left orbit, which depending on the strength of the shot, can either feed around to the upper flipper or enter the BAT top lanes. Below the top lanes are three bumpers, and above the “B” lane is a saucer that starts the Gotham Event modes when lit, though it can only be hit with strong right orbit shots. In front of the bumpers is a steep left ramp shot comparable to the right ramp on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Shooting the ramp either feeds the left flipper or the Batwing cannon, which can launch balls and aim for specific shots when the auto-plunger button is pressed. The side ramp passes through the same path as the left ramp and feeds the right flipper instead, and is the toughest shot on the game requiring a late flip from the upper right flipper to hit consistently.

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The right side of the playfield contains four shots, two of which can be backhanded from the right flipper, and all of which can also be hit using the Batwing cannon. The mini-ramp makes a quick U-turn to feed the upper flipper and can also be shot with an early flip from the left flipper, while the VUK is used to send balls into the Batcave for ball locks and can be hit via either lower flipper. Shooting the unlit VUK also advances towards lighting super laser kick (unlimited kickback).

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The right ramp can be hit from the left flipper and sends balls at reasonably high speed to the right flipper, encouraging ski passing to make repeated ramp shots; and the right orbit, which feeds the back saucer to start Gotham Events or advance towards lighting super laser kick, and allows balls to enter the bumpers. The right orbit is also where new balls are plunged into play.

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Five “?” targets are scattered throughout the playfield, two near the left and right ramps, and one near the mini-ramp. Hitting all five will light the next Gotham Event. There are also four Two-Face standup targets that are “locked in” once one is hit and must be “matched” by hitting the corresponding target on the other target bank. One target bank is in the center of the playfield and the other is located to the far right.

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Scoring on Batman Forever is average for its era with modes often scoring above 100M if played well, and multiball scoring over 300M if the player can collect both jackpots and the double jackpot. Bonus can also be worth substantial amounts of points. Like all Data East & SEGA pinball machines, the maximum attainable score is 9.9 billion.

Getting Started with Batman Forever

• Select a skill shot award at the start of each ball. Prioritize either lighting lock or starting a Gotham Event.
• Gotham Events are the main modes, they are started at the right orbit and relit by hitting all five “?” targets. Lock in a mode, preventing bumpers from changing it, by pressing the launch button. Play all seven modes and complete the two tasks described below to light Forever wizard mode.
  
  • Shoot either Two-Face target bank to lock in a good or bad head then shoot the other target bank to match the head. Matching good heads awards bonus held and matching bad heads awards 22M. Both can only be awarded once per wizard mode cycle.
  • Collect the lit Bat Signal shots that rove around the playfield to collect 5M + 5M per signal spotted. Spot all of them to light the right orbit for circus countdown (a hurry-up starting at 100M).
• Spell CAVE at the drop targets to light multiball locks at the VUK. During multiball, shoot the two ramps for jackpots, then the side ramp for double jackpot, then the mini-ramp via the Batwing cannon for super jackpot.
• Load the Batwing during normal play by hitting enough ramp shots and then shooting the left ramp. Each new target hit using the Batwing scores 10M and extra ball is scored after hitting all six in one game.
• Shoot the mini-ramp to light the VUK for Mr. E award.
• Light laser kick (kickback) by spelling BAT or collecting Two-Face heads. Super laser kick (unlimited kickback) can be earned by shooting any combination of the VUK or right orbit saucer five times.

Skill Shot

Instead of a proper lane skill shot, Batman Forever is like several other SEGA machines of its time where the player gets a choice between four awards seen on the display. The left and right flipper change which award will be given when the player plunges the ball. From left to right, the awards are:

• Light Lock (at the VUK; if all locks are lit, then 25M will be awarded in its place)
• Mr. E Mystery Award (from the same pool as the mystery awards lit via the U-turn ramp)
• Start Gotham Event (the currently lit mode; if all are completed, it will spot good heads, bad heads, or all bat signals sighted in that order)
• Two-Face 2M Pops (bumpers are worth 2M per hit for the rest of the ball)

Gotham Events

Gotham Events are the main modes of the game, and all are timed for 30 seconds unless otherwise noted. There are a total of seven modes and you can’t stack any of them, nor make progress towards any other game features during the modes until the mode ends.

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Gotham Event starts lit at the right orbit on every ball. To relight it, complete the five “?” standup targets, or spot them with shots to the side ramp. Change the lit Gotham Event by hitting the bumpers; if there’s a mode you particularly want to play, press the launch button when the mode you want is flashing and the mode will be locked in.

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From approx. left to right, top to bottom, the Gotham Events are:

• Rooftop Chase: Video mode – use the flippers to navigate the Batmobile up the building. The phases alternate between avoiding obstacles on the roofs, and then ascending upwards and collecting 10M per barrier hit. The video mode starts out slow to accommodate the learning curve of the controls but increases in speed at the second phase. There is a “flawless” bonus of 50M for avoiding all the obstacles and collecting all the 10M barriers!
• ????? (Too Many Question Marks): Shoot the ? standup targets for multi-millions. The shot value starts at 20M and increases by 3M for all targets every time one is hit. This mode can’t be completed and it’s very tough to recover from those ? targets, so unless you’re in need of some quick points, time this mode out.
• Face Two-Face: The two sets of coin targets are lit. Hit each coin target twice to score increasing millions: 12M + 2M for every lit target shot. Complete both target sets twice each to defeat Two-Face on the helicopter and score a 60M completion bonus. Like the ????? mode, Face Two-Face is not worth playing unless you want some quick points.
• Crime Spree: A twist on the usual frenzy mode, Crime Spree is all about hitting the right ramp to cash out jackpots built up by switch hits. The switch value starts at 250k and increases by 250k each time 8 switches are hit, and every switch is added to the jackpot that can be scored at the right ramp. The jackpot never resets until the mode ends, so ski passing the right ramp (by holding up the right flipper and then hitting it again from the left flipper) can pay off heavily during this mode.
• Brain Drain: Save Robin from the Riddler by spelling CAVE in order, from bottom to top. Hitting the targets in the correct order scores 20M + 20M for each successive hit, but hitting the wrong target will score 10M and reset the targets. If all four shots are made successfully, a 50M completion bonus will be awarded and the mini-ramp will light for extra ball hurry-up; shoot it within 15 seconds to collect an extra ball. This is a fun and very difficult mode, but the risk of shooting the CAVE targets means it should be timed out in competitive settings.
• Safe Trap: Save the guard and escape the boiling acid by hitting all four ramps: the left ramp, side ramp, U-turn ramp, and right ramp. Each ramp shot scores 35M when hit the first time and there is a 50M completion bonus for making all four shots before time runs out. This mode is a great pick as the ramp shots aren’t too difficult to recover from; 4 easy shots for a total of 200M makes this mode worth playing out or locking in using the launch button.
• Light Extra Ball: Does exactly as the name implies, lights the extra ball at the U-turn ramp. As this is obviously the most beneficial mode of the seven, you cannot lock this mode in using the launch button (the game will just say “I don’t think so” if you try to do this), so try and pick up this award without shooting the bumpers to guarantee that it’s scored.

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After playing all seven modes listed above, and completing the three tasks listed below this section (matching the Two-Face coins and starting Circus Countdown), the next Gotham Event will be the Forever mode. For the next minute, the player has unlimited ball save and a 4-ball multiball where every switch hit adds 1M x balls in play to the Forever Jackpot, which starts at 50M. The Forever Jackpot is scored by loading the Batwing with a well-timed left ramp shot, as it will be moving from left to right and won’t accept balls that don’t fall into it, and resets to 50M each time it is scored. The wizard mode ends once all balls drain and the ball save has expired.

Two-Face Coins

There are three other tasks required to qualify the Forever mode, which is the final Gotham Event, and two of these tasks are matching Two-Face’s good and bad heads. If all seven Gotham Events have already been played, “Start Gotham Event” from the skill shot will spot one of these tasks instead.

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The Two-Face coin targets are located at the center and far right of the playfield; at each target bank, the left target is the good head, and the right target is the bad head. Once either target bank is hit during normal play, try to match the displayed coin by shooting the other target bank when the correct coin is lit. Bonus held is awarded for matching good heads, and 22M is awarded for matching bad heads, but mismatching them only awards 2M.

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Once you’ve collected either award from matching coins the first time, you won’t be able to score them again until after the Forever mode has ended. Instead, re-matching coins will either relight the laser kick or score 10M if the laser kick is already lit.

Bat Signals & Circus Countdown

The other task required to qualify Forever mode is collecting a Bat Signal at every shot. During normal play, one shot will be moving from left to right across the playfield marked by a Bat Signal insert. Every time one is hit, the insert will turn solid and increasing millions will be scored: 5M + 5M for every signal spotted.

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As soon as the final signal is spotted, Circus Countdown will start. Shoot the right orbit to defuse the bomb and cash out a hurry-up starting at 99M and decreasing over time. The hurry-up doesn’t need to be scored to get credit for the “All Bat Signals Spotted” insert.

Multiball

Light the lock at the VUK by selecting it from the skill shot or by completing the drop targets to spell CAVE during normal play. Multiple locks can be stacked at a time and locking the third ball will start multiball.

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There are three phases to this 3-ball multiball:

• Rescue Chase and Robin by shooting the left and right ramp for one jackpot each. The jackpot starts at 50M, and the CAVE targets or the ? targets near each ramp increase the jackpot by 5M.
• The side ramp is then lit for double jackpot (worth the sum of the two jackpots scored, not just 2x a normal jackpot). If more than one multiball has been played in a game, then the Two-Face coin targets must be completed to light the double jackpot.
• Finally the super jackpot is lit for 300M; shoot the left ramp to load the Batwing, and time your launch button press so that the ball launches through the U-turn ramp. This is a very difficult shot to time, so the game offers compensation if you launch the Batwing held ball and then quickly shoot the U-turn ramp. The jackpot process then resets.

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There is a way to get a 4-ball multiball as well! Light the Batwing by making enough ramp shots, then when the third lock is lit, load the Batwing and send the ball into the VUK with a well-timed launch button press. Multiball will then start with 4 balls in play and the base jackpot value increased to 75M from 50M.

Loading the Batwing

The Batwing is this machine’s take on the “cannon” toy from Terminator 2 or the “probes” from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Along with being used during multiball to score the super jackpot as described above, it can also be loaded up and fired at any target or shot on the right side of the playfield during normal play.

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Light the Batwing by shooting any four ramp shots, with the left inlane briefly lighting the right ramp for 2x progress. Then shoot the left ramp to load it, and fire at any lit shot or target to score 10M. Extra ball is awarded if the player hits all six targets from the Batwing during a game.

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You can double the Batwing values by rolling through the outer right inlane, then quickly shooting the left ramp.

Mr. E Awards

Shooting the U-turn ramp 2 times during normal play, then every 3 shots thereafter will light the VUK to the right of it for a mystery award. Mystery awards include:

• Points (10M, 20M, or 50M)
• Mega pops (bumpers worth 3M for the rest of the ball)
• Super laser kick (unlimited kickback for the rest of the ball)
• 20x bonus (very rare and lucrative; normally the bonus multiplier maxes at 10x)
• Light or award extra ball
• Light or award special

Laser Kick

Keeping the kickback or outlane ball save lit is good practice on any pinball machine that has one. Laser kick on Batman Forever is easy to relight; just complete the BAT top lanes (which also increase bonus X up to 10x), or match a set of Two-Face coins that were already matched earlier.

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You can also earn a super laser kick (unlimited kickback) by shooting the VUK or right orbit during normal play, if Start Gotham Event isn’t lit there. Along with a display effect showing a random piece of equipment, collecting 5 pieces of equipment will light the super laser kick. It can also be lit from Mr. E.

Batarangs

Batarangs are not worth going for whatsoever in competitive play, but they’re immensely satisfying to pull off and the machine keeps track of the player who has accumulated the most Batarangs in a game (my best so far is 6!)

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Shooting the left orbit immediately followed by the side ramp scores a Batarang and 10M. If the shot surpassed the previous Batarang champion then an additional 100M will be scored. The “2x Batarang” insert at the inner right inlane multiplies the awarded Batarangs by 2 and scores 2x the value as well.

End-of-Ball Bonus

Bonus is sizable on Batman Forever, especially if you collected hold bonus by matching Two-Face’s good heads during the ball. Bonus is calculated using the following:

• 500k x ramps made this ball
• 2M x Batwing shots made this ball
• 3M x Gotham Events played this ball

All multiplied by the bonus multiplier from spelling BAT, which maxes at 10x (20x from a rare Mr. E award…).

Are You As Blind As A Bat?

Read this far into the article I see? Well, here’s a tip to earn way more points than you would otherwise, so long as you’re paying attention to the display as you play.

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On any ball after the first ball, the score display might be interrupted by a screeching bat. If you press the launch button any time this occurs, 50M will be awarded; otherwise, the Riddler will revel in taunting you. Of course, you won’t be able to just hold the ball and hope for the bat to come up – the screeching bat only comes up rarely after switches are hit, and even then, only once per mode played.

Noah's Strats

• Gotham Event modes in order of preference: Light Extra Ball > Rooftop Chase > Crime Spree > Safe Trap > Brain Drain > Face Two-Face > ????? (Too Many Question Marks). If one of the top 4 is lit, choose “Start Gotham Event” at the start of the ball. Otherwise, choose “Light Lock” and enter the bumpers, then lock in one of the top 4 by pressing the launch button.
• Weigh your scoring opportunities accordingly! Some modes score way less than others or involve shots that are more difficult to recover the ball from. Try timing out the bottom 2 modes listed above by holding a ball on either flipper and waiting for the timer to expire.
• The best shot to hit from the Batwing is the right orbit. Not only will this start Gotham Events for you if it is lit, and advance towards lighting super laser kick, but the timing for the right orbit is also consistent. Simply press the launch button when the Batwing cannon is as far to the right as it can move.
• If you’re on ball 3, ball save is on, and you haven’t started a mode yet, try aiming for the Two-Face good heads for bonus held! Bonus can be worth tons of points and bonus held does properly award bonus twice if the player drains on their last ball. Perfect if you need just a few more points to take down an opponent.