Let's Play Pinball

Pinball is not a luck testing game but a game in which you can test your "Technique". Because LittleWing pinball is a real time simulation game which calculates ball motion in accordance with the physical law, a ball rolls on the playfield reflecting the player's skill accurately. When you get familiar with the basic techniques introduced here you will be able to enjoy another charm of pinball which you have never experienced when you played without exact objects.

A player can control a ball by three methods that are; 1) Plunger shot, 2) Flippers, 3) Nudging (shaking the playfield). The flipper techniques which are introduced here are actual techniques that are used for arcade pinballs. When you master these techniques by LittleWing pinball, please try your technique with arcade machines. You will be surprised that the arcade pinball machine responds so differently with your "improved" techniques.

Also we recommend you to watch a game if you find a "pinball wizard" in an arcade from his back. Maybe he pretends he is unaware of you watching. But he will be pleased to show you his super techniques if he finds you reflected in the back glass. Pinball is also a game to watch.

General Pinball Technique

How to Defence

"Double Flip" is a typical flipper operation of novices which means to flip up both flippers at the same time (fig. 1). With Double Flip, a big gap appears in center though It looks easy to hit a ball to do it. Please compare the gap made when you flip a one of flippers (fig. 2). Double Flip doesn't do any good. Only considering this should make the score much higher.


fig.1 Double flip	fig.2 Good defence

Holding

It is called "Holding' to hold a ball with a flipper. It is a basis of the attack. Please practice to aim at the target from this position.

Deflect Pass

When a ball is rolling downwards in dangerous course, you can save the ball by the Deflect Pass. Hold a flipper up to touch the ball to change its course and shoot it by another flipper. If you feel there will not be enough power by the touch, you should flip the right flipper (example of fig. 3) at the very moment of the touch to give it more power. The point of this technique is to flip down as quickly as possible at the moment of touch. Otherwise, the ball may be shot down to out hole by the flipper shown as fig. 4 (Beat down ).


fig.3 Deflect pass	fig.4 Beat down

Reverse Pass Flip

When a ball is rolling downwards in dangerous course but a flipper on the same side can not reach it to do the Deflect Pass, you can save a ball by the Reverse Pass Flip. Flip the opposite flipper to pass the ball to another flipper.

Dead Flipper Bounce

This is a technique that requires bravery. Just keep a flipper down to bounce a ball to another flipper. You should arrange the operation for each aspect. For example, flip the right flipper to hold the ball after bouncing it on the left flipper. Nudging is also useful with this technique.

Holding Lift

With a ball coming to a flipper in a certain course, catching it with a flipper up can make the ball go to a return lane.

Deflection Post Transfer

Passing a held ball to the flipper of the other side is called "Deflection Post Transfer". It can be done by flipping the flipper which holds a ball down and up very quickly. Missing the timing to flip may cause dropping the ball between the flippers. To avoid this, only "practice" is the solution.

Trapping

This is a technique to stop the motion of the ball which comes to a flipper with much force. You wait the ball with a flipper up and flip down at the very moment of impact. To make it is very difficult but it is very impressive to see the success because the ball looks like "sticking" to a flipper as it trapped. It is not very effective for slow balls. It is called "Stop Shot" to shoot the ball with a flipper down from the trapping position.

Intercept

This is a defensive technique for multiball. When a ball is going out of the reach of flippers, you can change its course by hitting the ball by another ball.

Slide and Hit

When a ball is dropping to the out hole so close to a flipper, nudging playfield timely can send the ball to a position where flippers can reach. It is very effective to use this technique with other technique such as Pass Flip. In arcade pinball, sometimes a ball can be slid over six inches.

Tapping

You can shoot a ball like "floating" by continuous quick flipping. The timing is also critical. In LittleWing pinball series, this technique works well as tapped ball from the right flipper can pass the ball to the right position for the left flipper.

Power Shot

You can give a ball more force by nudging at a very moment of a shot by a flipper. It is called Power Shot.

TIPS

When you are aiming at targets in the left direction and a ball comes from the left return lane, it is not possible to aim at the targets with an ordinary shot. In this case, you can shoot the right sling shot to bounce the ball to the left targets.