Quick Links
Skill Shots
- Plunge into the flashing top lane for a Skill Shot. Scores 250k + 50k per skill shot.
- Plunge without touching the flippers (even changing modes) to earn a hands-free skill shot worth twice the value of a normal skill shot.
- Hold the left flipper and full plunge around the loop. Shoot the flashing white shot (either Orb, right ramp, or right orbit) within a short time for a super skill shot. Super skill shot scores 1M and increases by 250k.
Modes
At the start of any ball, if a mode is not running, you can choose to start any mode that hasn’t been completed yet using the flipper buttons. If a mode is not running during the ball, shoot the right scoop to start one. During modes, shoot the flashing shots, and take note of the characters involved in each mode, as their corresponding shots on the playfield (marked by the flashing character insert) will be permanently lit for advances. Making shots as combos scores 2x the shot value. At any point, you may shoot the right scoop to Upgrade the mode once, altering and / or making the shots required for the mode more valuable.
Completing a mode will start the 2nd level of the mode. These are “super modes” that will continue, untimed, for the rest of the ball, or until the number of shots are completed. Once a level 2 mode ends, it cannot be restarted until the second cycle of modes. Completing a mode also adds approximately 10% of the mode total to end-of-ball bonus for the rest of the game and qualifies the mode’s corresponding character shot as a 5x jackpot shot during Groot Multiball.
The timer and progress bar for the currently active mode is shown at the top left of the score display. Progress is saved if the mode times out or you drain in every mode (excluding Sanctuary). Mode timers are tightly coupled with the length of the movie scene in question, and as such, always remain active.
Make it halfway through all modes and start both multiballs to qualify Immolation Initiative. Complete four modes (excluding multiballs) to qualify Cherry Bomb Multiball, and complete all modes and multiballs to qualify Save Xandar.
Start 3 modes, and complete 6 modes, to light the scoop for extra ball.
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Antiquities Shop (cyan)
- Duration: 61 seconds
- Shots: 7
- Corresponding Shot: Orb
- This is a switch-based mode; along with shooting the flashing shots to make progress (including the Orb and one other shot that changes each time it is made), collecting 20 switch hits will also progress through the mode and count as one of your seven shots. The orbits will divert to the pop bumpers during this mode. Shots start at 500k and advance by 250k per shot.
- Upgrade reduces the switch threshold required to spot each shot.
- Completing Antiquities Shop will increase the scoring of each individual switch for the next 100 switch hits.
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Knowhere (red)
- Duration: 85 seconds
- Shots: 8
- Corresponding Shot: Right Orbit
- Hit 8 red shots to complete the mode; either orbit, or either ramp, though the orbits score more. Shots start at 400k and increase by 400k per shot.
- Collecting Upgrade during this mode lights all of the shots for one advance, making the mode easier to complete, and increases the base scoring at the orbits.
- Completing Knowhere lights Super Loops for 10 shots; the orbits will always send the ball towards the flippers and be lit for the highest value collected during this mode.
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Escape Kyln (orange)
- Duration: 85 seconds
- Shots: 7 (6 can be spotted using Hadron Enforcer, one can’t)
- Corresponding Shot: Rocket
- Complete all of the flashing Nova Corps lanes and Groot, then shoot Rocket (without using Hadron Enforcer) to complete the mode and light a free Shot Multiplier. The orbits will divert to the pop bumpers in this mode, allowing you to complete the two top lanes. Rocket remains permanently lit and spots a lit lane when shot.
- Collecting Upgrade during this mode increases the base scoring for each lane.
- Completing Escape Kyln awards Super Lanes for 10 shots, for the highest value collected during the mode.
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Pod Chase (blue)
- Duration: 154 seconds
- Shots: 10
- Corresponding Shot: Left Ramp
- Make 10 blue ramp shots to complete the mode. Shots start at 300,000 and increase by 200,000 per shot.
- Collecting Upgrade during this mode lights all the shots, making it easier to complete, and increases the base scoring at the ramps. Each shot lit via Upgrade can only be made once.
- Completing Pod Chase lights Super Ramps for 10 shots, for the highest value collected during the mode. These values can be doubled if they are made as a combo.
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Quill’s Quest (light orange)
- Duration: 166 seconds
- Shots: 12
- Corresponding Shot: Scoop
- The first time this mode is chosen per mode cycle, 2-ball multiball will start, with 2 random shots and the right scoop lit to collect a 500k hurry-up value that increases by 250k per shot. Collect 12 hurry-ups to complete the mode. After playing this mode once, it will be a single-ball affair - although you can still stack either multiball with it, which can’t be activated the first time this mode is played. The first playthrough of the mode automatically ends when the multiball ends.
- Collecting Upgrade during this mode increases the base value of the hurry-ups permanently.
- Completing Quill’s Quest lites the scoop for a potentially massive hurry-up, with a starting value of 10% of your score, which can be multiplied via all applicable multipliers.
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Sanctuary (yellow)
- Duration: 68 seconds
- Shots: 5
- Corresponding Shot: Left Orbit
- Complete all 5 of the Hadron Enforcer targets before time runs out to complete the mode (and score 3 free Hadron Enforcer activations). Note that the Hadron Enforcer itself isn’t available to use in this mode. Left orbit shots spot the next lit standup target and send the ball towards the flippers. If the mode times out, the player must attempt this mode from scratch the next time they start it.
- Collecting Upgrade during this mode will increase base scoring at the targets.
- Completing Sanctuary begins Super Targets for 20 shots. A roving light moves around all 5 of the Hadron Enforcer targets. Shoot the flashing target to collect a Super Target award. A hit to a solidly lit target is worth 200k base, while a hit to a flashing target is worth 5x that value.
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Sibling Rivalry (green)
- Duration: 101 seconds
- Shots: 10
- Corresponding Shot: Right Ramp
- Make 10 ramp shots to complete the mode, with combos increasing the base score value per shot.
- Collecting Upgrade during this mode opens up more combo shots to open up; shooting any lit combo shot lights the 4 shots on the left or right side of the playfield, whichever is more natural for the completed shot.
- Completing this mode allows you to shoot the right ramp once to re-collect all the points scored from this mode. This collect can be multiplied by all applicable multipliers.
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Yaka Arrow (white)
- Duration: 54 seconds
- Shots: 8
- Corresponding Shot: “Dead-End” Lane
- Shoot the flashing shots and the bumpers to complete the mode. Collecting 10 bumper hits spots a lit mode shot, and lights another shot to progress through the mode. The “dead-end” lane on the left side is always lit to advance through the mode. Shots start at 1M and increase by 500k per shot.
- Collecting Upgrade during this mode will allow the left two Hadron standups to spot shots.
- Completing Yaka Arrow will light Super Pops for 50 pop bumper hits, and light the Yondu dead-end shot to recollect the mode total. This collect can be multiplied by all applicable multipliers and also disables super pops.
Multiballs
During both multiballs, Mystery will always award an add-a-ball the first time it is collected. Modes can be brought into both multiballs, and multiballs count towards wizard mode progression just like modes do. Both multiballs are mutually exclusive, and progress towards completing Groot MB is saved across balls.
Groot Multiball
Shoot Groot’s mouth to light the lock, then shoot into Groot’s mouth to lock a ball. The first multiball is 3-ball, subsequent multiballs are 4-ball and require more hits to start. If balls have already been locked at Groot during a multiplayer game, or if the mouth mechanism has been disabled, locks will be virtual instead.
During Groot Multiball, all shots will be lit for three jackpots per shot. Jackpots start at 300k and increase by 25k per jackpot. After the 9th and 18th jackpots, Groot will light alone for a Super Jackpot worth the total of the jackpots collected prior, to a max of 25M. If any modes have been completed prior to Groot MB, the shots they correspond to will be worth 5x the value and their character lights will strobe to correlate in accordance to each mode’s “Corresponding Shot”.
When all Jackpots have been collected, a Double Super Jackpot lights at Groot’s mouth, with Groot’s mouth repeatedly opening and closing. Collecting the Double Super Jackpot will complete Groot MB and the Jackpots will relight. The Hadron Enforcer cannot be used to collect the Double Super Jackpot.
You can hit Groot again during Groot Multiball to open Groot’s mouth. Re-lock a ball in Groot’s mouth during MB to get 2x playfield scoring for 20 seconds. Hit Groot again and re-lock another ball in Groot’s mouth during MB to get 3x playfield for 20 seconds. When balls release from Groot’s mouth, a temporary ballsaver will save balls that drain straight from the release. Up to three balls can be locked this way per Groot MB, so you can either have one 2x->3x period and a separate 2x period, or three separate 2x periods. These multipliers can be combined with all other multipliers in the game.
Orb Multiball
Shoot the drop target followed by the standup target behind it to collect an Orb, and temporarily hold the ball behind the drop target. For Orbs 1 & 2, the ball is then released, and Magna-Force will catch it and then release it wildly. Collect 3 Orbs to begin Orb Multiball. Orbs 1 or 2 can also be collected via Mystery.
Orb Multiball will start by holding the ball behind the Orb drop target. A hurry-up will start counting down from 2M (+500k per subsequent Orb MB + 500k per Orb Super) to 500k. Hit the drop target to lock in the hurry-up value for your Orb Jackpots, and free the ball for 3-ball multiball. If you fail to free the ball within a short amount of time, the drop target will lower and you’ll only get a 2-ball multiball. The initial drop target shot has to be made naturally, not by using the Hadron Enforcer.
After the ball is released, all of the shots will be lit for Jackpots worth the value of the Hurry-Up you collected. Shooting the Orb at any time will double the next Jackpot value for about 3 seconds. Completing all of the Jackpots will light the Orb for a Double Jackpot. A hurry-up will then begin at the Orb drop target - shoot it as quickly as possible to collect a Super Jackpot worth the jackpot total, complete Orb MB, and add a ball to the Multiball on the first super jackpot collect. The process of collecting jackpots to light the super jackpot then resets.
Multipliers
These are the ways to multiply value for features throughout the game besides the Groot Multiball playfield multiplier. Excluding Rocket’s Rampage which simply adds the +2x playfield to other applicable multipliers, the multipliers all multiply each other (ie. Nova Corps + combo multiplier = 4x multiplier for that shot).
The combo multiplier is described in the modes subsection.
Rocket's Rampage 2x Scoring
Hit the Rocket shot to collect a letter in RAMPAGE. Spell RAMPAGE to activate 2x playfield scoring for 45 seconds. As of 0.87, “RAMP” is spotted for free, meaning only three shots are needed to start it. When the E is left, the RAMPAGE insert will slowly pulse. Hitting the Rocket shot while double scoring is active will extend its duration by 10 seconds.
Nova Corps
Complete the five red Nova Corps rollovers to light the shot multipliers. The top right rollovers, the left inlane rollovers, and the right inlane rollover are lane-changed independently (example: lane change only changes the lit insert between the two left inlane rollovers, and doesn’t change the lit insert to the upper lanes or the right inlane similar to Iron Man and Metallica).
After completing the rollovers, shoot any pulsing shot to light it solidly for 2x scoring for the rest of the ball. After qualifying all shots for 2x, a strobing shot will move across the playfield for 3x the value of the shot.
Miscellaneous Features
Hadron Enforcer
Completing the five standup targets scattered throughout the playfield will light the action button for 3 charges of the Hadron Enforcer. When the button is hit, it will spot one shot during the current mode and / or multiball. Hadron Enforcer charges can’t be used to collect certain mode shots (read: Escape Kyln final Rocket shot, Sanctuary any shots), or the final super jackpots during all multiball modes. The Hadron Enforcer prioritizes shots on the leftmost side of the playfield and will give credit for multiplied scoring.
Mystery
Hit the flashing Guardians target several times to advance the end-of-ball bonus multiplier and light Mystery at the right scoop. Each hit spots a letter in GUARDIANS; spelling GUARDIANS will light the scoop. When the S is left, the insert will slowly pulse.
Mystery awards include:
- Add-a-ball (first award during any multiball)
- Advance pops
- Big points (10M)
- Spot RAMPAGE letter
- Orb Multiball lock
Ball Save
Hit the two standup targets to the left and right of Groot to light a virtual kickback on the right outlane. Subsequent completions of the stab targets when the ball save is lit adds to the value collected when the ball save is used. It takes more completions of the targets to re-light the ball save each time.
Extra Balls
Extra Ball lights at the scoop when 3 of the game’s 10 main modes or multiballs have been started, and again after 6 modes have been completed.
If disabled, Extra Ball scores 15M and can be increased by all multipliers (excluding Nova Corps and combo multipliers). Therefore, 75M can be scored as the max extra ball compensation value.
End-of-Ball Bonus
Bonus seems to be calculated from 1k per major shot made this ball + 10% of the total score of every mode completed so far, over the course of the game. The bonus multiplier increases every time the mystery award is lit by spelling GUARDIANS.
Wizard Modes
Cherry Bomb Multiball
Complete 4 modes (excluding multiballs) to light the right scoop for Cherry Bomb Multiball. Shoot the red-pulsing right scoop to start it.
This is a 6-ball, 60 second unlimited ball-save Multiball where all shots are flashing to score 3M (+100,000 per subsequent flashing shot). Shooting a flashing shot lights it solid; subsequent hits are worth 1M. When all 9 flashing shots are completed, shoot into the moving-mouth Groot to score a super jackpot worth the jackpot total and re-light all of the flashing shots. Hadron Enforcers ignore solidly lit shots and only spot pulsing shots, and cannot be used for the super jackpot. Balls are plunged fully around the orbit (not to the upper lanes).
After the 60 seconds are up, the flippers are killed, all balls are drained, and a new ball is served to the plunger to continue normal play with another mode.
Immolation Initiative
Make at least 50% progress on all eight modes and both Groot and Orb multiballs to light the right scoop to start the mini-wizard mode.
Immolation Initiative starts as a 3-ball multiball. Jackpots are collected at yellow shots, and also after certain intervals of switch hits. The super jackpot during Immolation Initiative lights at the moving-mouth Groot after enough jackpots have been made, scores the jackpot total, and adds a ball into play an unlimited number of times.
Save Xandar
Complete all modes and both multiballs to light the right scoop to start the wizard mode.
4-ball multiball. Collect all the purple jackpots to light the Super Jackpot at the right scoop. Shoot the right scoop when flashing to collect a huge super jackpot that adds a ball into play, an unlimited number of times. Just like Immolation Initiative, there are also lots of add-a-ball opportunities.
