The Ultimate Machine: Learn to Play Pin*Bot Pinball

The best pinball designers had to start somewhere. One of the earliest games in Python Anghelo’s extensive history of pinball design was a space-themed pinball machine by the name of Pin*Bot. Space had been a prominent theme in pinball up to this point, of course, but Pin*Bot aimed to combine the theme with an original character and story about a visored robot sent to explore the galaxy. Without pinball machines like this or High Speed, we wouldn’t have a basis for the wider scope of current pinball machines.

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Pin*Bot has held up in tournaments just as well as it has on location, with its simple rules lending themselves well to players of all skill levels and a layout unlike any other from its era. Read on and learn how to play this trendsetting cosmic creation from the brilliant Williams designers.

About the Pin*Bot Pinball Machine

Guide a robot with a mysterious visor through the galaxy and towards the sun.

• Manufacturer: Williams Electronics
• Year: 1986
• Design: Barry Oursler, Python Anghelo
• Code: Bill Pfutzenreuter
• Mechanics: Joe Joos Jr.
• Art: Python Anghelo
• Music / Sound: Chris Granner, Bill Parod

Pin*Bot Playfield Overview

Pin*Bot is a simple pinball machine with most of the shots positioned on the left and center of the playfield. On the far left of the playfield are three drop targets that advance the lit planet when completed, with one lit drop target raising the ramp entrance for a shot at the energy value. The ramp itself is located directly above the drop targets and is the most important shot on the game, as it builds the solar value by 50k and collects the solar value once it has been qualified during multiball.

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There are three saucers on the playfield. The first is located under the ramp entrance and has four inserts marked with different score values – it can be lit for them by rolling through the right inlane. The other two saucers, however, are tougher to see because they’re contained within Pin*Bot’s visor! The visor takes the form of a colorful 5-bank standup target that lowers when all 25 inserts in front of it have been completed. Another row of standup targets marked in similar colors is located perpendicularly to the visor and serves to complete the insert grid while the visor is lowered.

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Uniquely for a pinball machine of this era, the upper right side of the playfield cannot be directly hit with the ball; it is instead occupied by three bumpers, a bagatelle-styled upper playfield that directs balls exiting the ramp, and of course, the vortex ramp. Balls enter the vortex off the plunger, which contains three holes marked with different point values that increase every time the player plunges a ball (for the current ball in play). The final “major” shot on the playfield is a small standup target at the far right that advances the lit planet when lit, without having to complete the three drop targets.

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Scoring on Pin*Bot is standard for its time, rolling over at 10M, though the score is easier to reach on this game than others thanks to the ever-increasing vortex ramp scoring and the solar value being held across games.

Getting Started with Pin*Bot

• Plunge the ball into the middle vortex exit for the most points off the skill shot. The vortex multiplier increases every time a new ball is plunged, but resets once the current ball is drained (though it is held across extra balls).
• Hit the lit row or column in front of the visor to instantly lower it and light the locks at the visor. Otherwise, the full grid must be completed to lower the visor. Multiball starts after locking both balls there. During multiball, lock one ball in the visor and hit the ramp with the other ball before time runs out to score the solar value, built up by prior ramp shots.
• Complete drop target banks or hit “advance planet” when lit to advance through the galaxy. Each planet scores 20k in end-of-ball bonus. Reaching Jupiter awards a special, and reaching the Sun lights the advance planet target for special.
• Hit the lit drop target to light energy value below the ramp. The energy value increases with bumper hits and resets once scored.
• Light the saucer by rolling through the right inlane. Scores 25k, then 50k, then 75k, then light extra ball.
• Increase the bonus multiplier and solar value with ramp shots.

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Skill Shot (Vortex)

At the start of each ball, a strong plunge will send the ball up the vortex ramp and drop into one of three holes. The lowest hole scores 20k, the middle hole scores 100k, and the highest hole scores 5k. Every time a new ball is plunged, either by locking a ball or falling into the plunger off the ramp, the vortex multiplier increases by 1x up to a max of 10x. This multiplier is maintained on extra balls but otherwise resets.

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You’ll always want to aim for the middle hole on the vortex. Using advice I discussed in my Taxi tutorial, plunge the ball at high strength but not high enough so that the plunger can’t move anymore. Once you’ve figured out the correct strength, commit to where you plunged the ball and you’ll be scoring big points every plunge!

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Multiball / Visor

At the start of the game, the visor will always be lowered, and a flashing column of lights will move on the grid below it: from left to right, then it’ll turn into a row of lights from top to bottom. If you hit the lit target (and *only* the lit target), the visor will instantly lower and allow you to lock balls. Otherwise, you’ll need to hit the targets enough times to fill up the entire grid. The first multiball spots two lights per target hit, but after that only one light is filled per target.

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Once the locks are available, multiball will start after sinking one ball into both of Pin*Bot’s saucers. During multiball, all scores are doubled, but the main goal is to collect the solar value at the ramp by shooting any saucer, then hitting the ramp with the other ball still in play before the timer expires. Once the solar value is scored, the process resets along with the solar value itself.

When multiball starts, get under control as soon as you can. Watch the kickouts from each saucer and catch the balls accordingly. Then return one ball to the saucer with a controlled flip and try shooting for the ramp.

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Extra ball is lit after filling out the visor twice in one game.

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Planets

Planets can be advanced in two ways: by completing the left drop target bank or by hitting the “advance planet” target on the far right when lit via the left inlane. The player starts at Pluto (back when it was considered a planet) and every advance planet moves the player up a planet. Special is awarded when the player reaches the flashing planet (typically Jupiter) or lit at the right target when they reach the Sun.

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Each lit planet also adds 20k to end of ball bonus, but this resets when all planets have been lit and is not subject to bonus X.

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Energy Value

The energy value is built by the bumpers over the course of the game and starts at 50k. Light the target below the ramp to collect the energy value by hitting the lit drop target on the far left 3-bank. The lit target moves from top to bottom over time and a distinctive noise plays whenever the energy value is available. Quickly hit the target before time runs out to score it!

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As the energy value doesn’t reset until collected, it can be very valuable during multiball when all scores are doubled, especially after the solar value has reset to its base.

Left Saucer

The left saucer simply scores whatever award is lit there, which is always scored in the same order: 25k, 50k, 75k, then light extra ball. The saucer is lit to score the next award by rolling through the right inlane. Awards reset once the ball drains after “light extra ball” is scored.

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Alley passing (hitting the right inlane from the left flipper with a late shot) can always help with lighting the left saucer and sets the ball up nicely for possible ramp shots, but the better approach would be simply post transferring the ball off the bottom of the left slingshot and hitting the ramp from the right flipper, hoping that the ball enters the right inlane. Even if it doesn’t feed the inlane this will still increase the solar value.

Bonus X

The maximum end-of-ball bonus is 99k and increases as switch hits are made throughout the game, but this can be multiplied by hitting the ramp prior. Every ramp shot adds +1x bonus to a max of 5x, meaning the “true” maximum bonus is 495k.

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During a long ball bonus X can be a great way to put the hammer down on your opponents, especially if you had a great round of multiball with many solar value collects.

Noah’s Strategies

• As soon as I plunge the ball (ideally picking up the 100k skill shot along the way), I try to regain control and wait for the grid light to move to either the yellow, blue, or orange center target. I then hit the target as soon as this occurs, post transferring from the left to right flipper if necessary. Lighting the grid and reaching multiball as often as possible is a massive part of scoring on this machine and outweighs anything else.
• Solar value is obviously the main goal of multiball, but it can be used to progress towards other rules as well. The left saucer and energy value at the target under the ramp are great to aim for when doubled during multiball.
• Ignore the planets in competitive play. The 20k earned from each one in bonus isn’t substantial enough to consider despite being held across balls, and the far right standup target should be ignored at all costs. Only aim for planets if you’re very close to winning and desperately need the points.