Which exploits are legal in tournaments and which aren’t? It’s a question that comes up all the time.
Below is (the start of) a list of exploits which are allowed / disallowed in tournament play according to standard IFPA/PAPA rules. (Be aware that Tournament Directors may have their own house rules, however.)
This post is set as a wiki, to allow everyone to contribute to the list, improve descriptions, etc… If everyone adds a few, we’ll have a good list in no time.
This is related to the Deep cuts of semi-useful pinball knowledge thread, but is intended more to track which moves are tournament-legal and which aren’t.
Sometimes, the line between a deep rule and an exploit isn’t clear. When in doubt, put it on the list.
If it’s unclear whether something is allowed / disallowed, please discuss it in separate posts below until consensus is reached.
ADDAMS FAMILY
Name: Double Center Ramp Super Jackpot
Ruling: Allowed
During multiball, hitting two center ramps in quick succession will fool the game into thinking that the side ramp was hit, thereby scoring a double super jackpot.
Name: Free GREED Letter
Ruling: Disallowed (with intent)
Induce a tilt to get a free GREED letter on your next ball.
ATTACK FROM MARS
Name: Dirty Pool
Ruling: Allowed
During any multiball, immediately after destroying a saucer, shoot another ball into the saucer area. If it rattles around without going into the back of the saucer and the barrier raises before the ball comes down, you can play multiball mode with one ball. Hitting the barrier will ricochet the ball into the back of the saucer, automatically destroying the next saucer (but resuming multiple-ball multiball play). If you drain, ball search will release the captured ball.
AVATAR
Name: Link Shakedown
Ruling: Allowed
Shaking the machine aggressively enough can cause the Link captive ball to register, scoring progress or starting Link Multiball without actually hitting the shot.
BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA
Name: Mist Shakedown
Ruling: Allowed
When the Mist mode starts and the Mist-ball is moving on the magnet across the playfield, if you’re unable to hit the magnet off the track, it’s possible to give the machine a sharp shake to break the ball free from of the magnet. If the tilt is set loose enough and if the game is set to the normal two dangers, you’ll be able to start Mist multiball.
CHAMPION PUB, THE
Name: Boxer Nudging
Ruling: Allowed
Shaking the machine aggressively enough can cause the Boxer to register, scoring progress or starting a Multiball without actually hitting the shot.
CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON
Name: Ten Billion Snack Bar Bug
Ruling: Disallowed
Start the 20 million snackbar countdown. Then start multiball. Then drain down to one ball in play before the 20 million snackbar would have timed out. Snackbar will restart, but will count down from 10 billion instead! Fixed in tournament rom release.
DIRTY HARRY
Name: Invalid Playfield Magna-Force Unlimited 10M Collects
Ruling: Disallowed
Selecting the Ramp skillshot and launching the ball collects 10M points. However, the 10M collect target doesn’t validate the playfield. So if you let the ball drain, the machine will relaunch it and you will collect another 10M. This happens repeatedly until other switches are hit to validate the playfield. Note: This can be problematic in tournament where Extra Balls are not switched off and where players are instructed to plunge without flipping.
GAME OF THRONES
Name: Mode Select Skip
Ruling: Allowed
Induce a tilt warning while the mode select screen is up. The warning will free the ball but not force you to light an additional house before choosing again.
Name: Unlimited Ball Save in Blackwater
Ruling: Allowed
If physical locks are on, the game will not start the ball save timer (as well as launch any new balls) until all balls have been cleared from the lock. Feed balls up the left ramp to confuse the game into thinking balls are still in the lock. Also a fun way to give an operator error!
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Name: Groot Triple Add-A-Ball/Lose-A-Ball
Ruling: Allowed
If physical locks are enabled during multiball, any balls added to the Groot lock between shooting the scoop for Add-A-Ball and awarding the Add-A-Ball on the display will add an extra ball into play. Any balls leaving Groot during this time remove a ball from play.
JOKERZ!
Name: Trapped Ball Search
Ruling: Disallowed
Trapping a ball long enough will trigger a ball search. The ball search will lower the ramp, allowing the player to hit it without having to risk lowering it manually.
MEDIEVAL MADNESS
Name: Drawbridge Trap
Ruling: Disallowed
In multiball, use one ball to destroy a castle. Then shoot another ball so that the ball is trapped between the gate and the rising drawbridge. This is disallowed as a stuck ball in multiball.
RADICAL!
Name: Locked Ball Tilt Eject
Ruling: Disallowed
Induce a tilt to get force a locked ball to eject, so your opponent cannot use your locked ball.
SHADOW, THE
Name: Phurba Lock
Ruling: Allowed
In multiball, shoot one of the ramps. With perfect timing, you may be able to move the phurba diverter just as the ball is passing it, thereby trapping the ball against the sidewall of the ramp. You can then continue multiball mode in single ball play. Note: this can damage the machine and the TD may choose not to allow it at their specific event.
SOPRANOS, THE
Name: Stugots Playfield Validation
Ruling: Allowed
Short-plunging the ball will allow the player to gain control and hit the standup target covering the Stugots boat ramp. The drop target is not a playfield-validating switch, so if the ball is lost down the center, it will be returned without starting the ball save. Locking a ball in Stugots will serve another ball to the plunger, allowing the process to be repeated until multiball is started.
SPIDER-MAN [STERN 2007]
Name: Dirty Pool
Ruling: Disallowed
During any multiball, immediately after destroying Sandman, shoot another ball into the saucer. If it rattles around without going into the scoop and the barrier raises before the ball comes down, you can play one-ball multiball.
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
Name: Eternally Q
Ruling: Allowed
Start Q’s challenge and before it times out, start regular multiball. Q’s challenge never times out and repeated Q shots can be made during multiball.
TALES OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS
Name: Genie Nudging
Ruling: Allowed
Shaking the machine aggressively enough can cause the Genie to register, scoring progress or starting a Multiball without actually hitting the shot.
THEATRE OF MAGIC
Name: End-of-Multiball Secret Ball Lock
Ruling: Allowed
Shooting trunk hole as it is spinning back to normal position at the end of multiball can register not only a grace period jackpot but also the secret ball lock. This allows the player to quickly get back into Multiball.
TWILIGHT ZONE
Name: False Powerball Super Jackpot
Ruling: Allowed
During Powerball multiball, if a ball is in the magnetic mini-playfield, shooting another ball on the main playfield into the Camera will fool the game into thinking that the player shot the ball through the top of the magnetic mini-playfield, thereby scoring a super jackpot.
WALKING DEAD
Name: Well Walker Nudge
Ruling: Allowed
Shaking the machine aggressively enough can cause the Well Walker to register, scoring progress or starting Well Walker Multiball without actually hitting the shot.
WHEEL OF FORTUNE
Name: Free Spin Multiball
Ruling: Disallowed
When you have two free spins lit on the same side, it’s possible when a ball drains to roll over both Free Spin switches which awards one ball for each switch. You will now find yourself in a “single ball play” state with multiple balls in play, which is not allowed. You will have to let one of these balls drain out.
