Changing 73' Bally Monte Carlo logic?

I recently picked up a 73 Bally Monte Carlo and found an easy way to rack up points that I’d like to change. Once I hit the center saucer it ejects to the left flipper, then I can bounce over to the right flipper, trap up, and reliably make the scoop again. Over and over at 5k per shot.
I’m wondering if anyone here has ideas for changing the logic to make the game more difficult in this regard? My machine has a swapped odds and evens playfield so I do have an extra relay available (alternator) for potential rule expansion.

Maybe just turn off the “5,000 when lit” point collection? I’d like to do something more clever than that like maybe making the 5k collectable on one of the gate lane switches. Anyone have any ideas?

Try taking the clear plastic off the top of the center saucer shot. It will make it harder for the ball to come to a rest in the saucer from a direct flipper shot.

I have odds and Evens and you can do this on that game as well. However, I feel this takes skill to set up so I’m against trying to nerf it.

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Making the center shot harder to land would mostly add the difficulty I’m looking for, as it stands just hitting the center once and then repeating the sequence is way too easy to rack up points. Bigger rubbers on the surrounding posts would help too I’m sure.

I’m just trying to think of a way to nerf that particular strategy more than the shot itself, I don’t necessarily want to make it harder to put up the center post, (because the outlanes are cruel enough) just harder to continuously get the 5k.

You can always try to adjust the kickout so it is less controllable. If you want to be really cruel you could even aim the kickout into a slingshot rather than a flipper.

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Add a Surf N’ Safari style saucer cover :slight_smile:

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What do you suggest going for outside of that center saucer? Not much else to go for once all numbers have been collected.

If the put back to the center saucer was 100% guaranteed I’d tend to agree. But it’s not guaranteed from the odds and Evens and Monte Carlos I’ve played.

Also another thought is make the flipper cabinet switches crazy sensitive to make it harder to tap pass and set up another saucer shot.

Also try and adjust the saucer kickout so it hits the post directly and not a flipper.

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I need (want) to change some of the play field text to monte carlo rules at some point so I guess I was looking for something more drastic than adjustments as I’ll be changing the play field anyway.

Aiming the scoop towards the bottom of the sling seems like the way to go for now, I’ll post an update here at some point if I ever do anything more interesting. Thanks for the replies!

I’ve got a similar situation with Old Chicago. The eject from the center bonus collect will bounce to a nice trap 80% of the time and causes that saucer to dominate scoring. What have people done to make this kick or shot more difficult?

FWIW the 5K UR saucer is doing everything it can to make up for its generous center brother: 90% of its kicks go SDTM. I’ve never seen a more accurate long-range FU eject in any other EM.

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Push the kickout arm up through the playfield with your hand. Then with the other hand bend the arm one way or the other. Just slightly will completely change the direction of the ball when it’s kicked out.

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This exactly. I’ve done this on my old Sure Shot before due to the ball ejection patch being SDTM.

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Not that familiar with this game, but could you introduce another step somewhere so that you would have to requalify the lit scoop each time?

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The saucer awards an odd number (for bonus) and raises the center post, when all odd numbers are collected it lights for 5k a shot.
I could turn off the ‘spot’ number award at the scoop but it would then be REALLY difficult to get all odd numbers. It could make things interesting I suppose. The only way I could think of re-qualifying it otherwise is to have it collect the bonus which might not be possible.