Game Information & Overview:
- Manufacturer: Spooky Pinball
- Release Date: January 2017
- Original Wiki Rulesheet hosted on Tilt Forums
Rules Overview:
Layout:
Upper Playfield area
- Left Orbit - Orbit entrance on left side of playfield. Feeds to top of playfield, CORE Rollovers, and right orbit.
- Left Spinner - Spinner directly inside Left Orbit Entrance
- CORE Rollovers - At top of orbit is four rollovers labeled C, O, R, E. The orbit has two controlled gates on either side of the rollovers. The rollovers feed to the Reactor playfield area
- Reactor Core - Playfield area at the top half of the game that is entered through the Rollovers and the ball exits at bottom of area near the scoop. The Reactor area has elements on all sides. The bottom is a mini flipper, with the exit directly to the right of it. The left edge above the flipper is a rubber ring, and the panel above it is a rubber ring with kicker (like a slingshot). The top is the CORE rollovers. To the right are three stationary targets labeled 1, 2, 3. Continuing around, the last side is a rubber ring with kicker.
- Right Orbit - Orbit entrance on right side of playfield. Feeds to top of playfield, CORE Rollovers, and Left orbit.
Lower Playfield
Lower playfield is your classic Italian flipper setup with 2 standard flippers, two triangle slingshots, and one inlane and one outlane per side.
Inlanes/Outlanes - Each lane is labeled labeled S, A, V, and E from left to right. Lit inserts can be moved with each flipper button. Used to qualify and collect ball saves.
RAD Targets - Three white stationary targets directly above the left inlane area. Each with a matching triangle insert, labeled R, A, D. Used to qualify mystery award and destroy reactors.
Destroy Targets - Red square stationary targets at left and right corners of the lower playfield area. Inserts say DESTROY. Used to destroy reactors.
Scoop - Main Scoop on Playfield. Can be shot from either flipper. Is the shot for Collect Mystery and Start Reactor. Watch out for how quick the scoop fires the ball back!
Grid - Three yellow stationary targets at top center of lower playfield. In front of the targets is a 3 x 3 grid of circular inserts. The inserts are lit by hitting the corresponding target above each column. Used to qualify a reactor and for reactor jackpots
Lock Targets and Lock Scoop - The set of 3 in-line drop targets. Behind the 3rd targets is a scoop.
Pop Bumper - Single pop bumber along the right side of the playfield, about halfway between the right orbit entrance and the right inlane
Rules
Total Nuclear Annihilation (TNA) is a perfect example of âSimple to learn, difficult to masterâ. The game play is deceptivly simple, but is loaded with behaviors aimed to press the competitiveness of the game in a head-to-head scenario. Timing, pressure, and reaction are the reoccurring themes in TNA.
Skill Shot
Hands-Free Skillshot
At the start of a ball, one of the CORE rollovers will be lit. The lit letter can be moved with the flippers PRIOR to plunging the ball; once the shooter lane switch opens, the selected letter is locked in. Landing the plunged ball into the lit CORE rollover will score the âHands-Freeâ Skill Shot. If you move the selected lane with the flippers AFTER the ball is plunged, you will be downgraded to the regular skillshot.
Making a Hands-Free skill shot will complete the Reactor grid, spot a full lane ball-save level, and award 100000 points. If the reactor is already running, the player will get a Reactor Jackpot.
Regular Skillshot
Using the flippers AFTER the plunge will move the lit rollover and change itâs color to yellow. Doing so will disqualify the Hands-Free Shot, and making the lit rollover will score a regular Skill Shot.
Making a regular skill shot will spot a whole lane ball-save level and award 50000 points.
Secret Skill Shot
With less than 2 balls locked, full-plunge the ball passed the rollovers then flip the ball into the lock lane. 100000 are awarded and the ball is locked.
Competitive Notes: The controlled gates will both be OPEN on a skill shot making it more difficult to drop into the rollovers. If you short plunge and the ball returns to the plunger, the game will QUICKLY plunge the ball and mock you. Using a short plunge to the right orbit and right flipper can be useful if you intend to hit the Lock lane.
End of Ball Bonus
End of ball bonus is reflected by the grid of inserts above the flippers. Bonus is increased by
- hitting grid targets
- hitting drop targets
- Bonus advance multiplied by playfield multiplier (?)
Different colors in the bonus insert grid simply indicate that youâre over 10k. At 11k bonus, the 10k insert will light white and the 1k insert will light in a different color. At 20k, the 1s digits will light a new color (etc.).
Bonus Multiplier - Completing the CORE rollovers will increase the end-of-ball bonus multiplier. Multiplier will be reflected by the 2x, 3x,4x inserts below the grid.
Mystery Award
Mystery Award is qualified by completing the RAD Targets. Mystery is awarded by shooting the scoop. Mystery awards include:
- +1 Tilt Warning
- 10,000 Points
- 25,000 Points
- 150,000 Points
- Complete Keypad Grid
- Enable Ballsaver (default # of seconds)
- Enable Locks
- Increase Lane Save Level
- Enable Super Spinner (only if not already enabled)
- +1x Bonus Multipler
- Max Out Bonus Multiplier (7x)
Special note: if you are out of tilt warnings, the mystery will always award +1 Tilt Warning.
Spinner
Spinner advances Reactor Bonus. The spinner will have its inserts lit and cycling when the Reactor is started, and will advance the Reactorâs critical state. Super Spinner can also be started (Unknown impact and qualification)
Ball Save
There is a segment display below the flippers that will count down a ball save timer. Ball save is active at ball start. Ball save can also be collected and activated via the rollovers in the inlanes and outlanes. The ball passing over an unlit lane will light it red. Both flippers can be used to cycle the lit lanes. Lighting three S, A, V, E letters qualifies a ball save, and the 4th lane will start flashing. Having the ball trigger a lane with the flashing insert will activate a 10 second ball save timer. If the ball hits the trough during this 10 seconds, a new ball is plunged into play and the timer is shut off.
Additional ball save levels can be stacked. Stacking is indicated by color in this order: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple. There is a bonus of 10K per un-used ball save at the end of the ball.
Reactors
The main feature and objective during the game is to destroy reactors. The game has 9 reactors as indicated by the 1-9 numbered inserts in the middle of the lower playfield. The game starts at Reactor 1, and destroying it, enables Reactor 2, and so on. To destroy a reactor three phases must be completed
1 - Qualify the Reactor and Start it
2 - Advance the Reactor to Critical Status (100% on upper playfield numeric display)
3 - Destroy the reactor by hitting the randomly lit shots
Each Reactor has a starting bonus value, increasing with each reactor level. Each Reactor level is more difficult by increasing the amount the reactor must be advanced, and how many targets are needed to destroy the critical reactor.
Reactor State carries over ball to ball.
Qualifying the reactor
The keypad grid located at the center of the playfield is used to qualify the reactor. The initial configuration of pink/blue lights is random. Hitting a target advances the pink light in that column upwards (pushing out the blue light above it). Filling the grid to all pink qualifies the Reactor Start at the scoop. Shooting the scoop will start the reactor.
Overheat the reactor
Once a reactor is started, the Segment display in the upper playfield will count up to 99 as the player advances the Reactorâs status. The Reactor is advanced by hitting the spinners and all switches/slingshots in the reactor area of the playfield (the upper playfield area). The kicker sides of the reactor advance the status quicker than the other sides. Advancing the reactor status will also advance the Reactor Value. Once the Reactor status surpasses 99, the Reactor is at critical and is ready to be destroyed.
Max reactor value depends on the reactor level. Reactor 1 maxes at 75,000, reactor 2 at 112,500, reactor 3 at 150,000 etc. The Reactor Value can be increased at any time before destroying it. The fastest way to increase the value is hitting the 1,2,3 targets (in order) in the reactor area, but other switches in the area will increase the value as well. Once the lit 3 target is hit, the value is maxed and cannot be increased further.
For the first two reactors, both orbits will be lit pink, indicating that they will both feed the lanes into the reactor area. For subsequent reactors, only one orbit will be lit. This toggles with sling and pop bumper hits.
Destroy the Reactor
Once critical, one or more targets on the lower playfield will have their inserts lit white and flashing. To destroy reactor 1, only one target is lit, higher reactors require hitting more targets. The targets to hit will be randomly picked from the RAD, Destroy, and Pop Bumper. (the Pop Bumber can represent two targets). Hitting all the flashing targets will collect the current Reactor Bonus and reset the Grid for the next reactor.
Reactor Jackpot
Once a reactor has been started, the Grid resets and can be completed the same as qualifying the reactor. But instead of green, hits will fill the grid with red. Completing the grid will collect a Reactor Jackpot which awards a point value 25% of the current Reactor Value.
Multiball
Multiball is qualifed by locking two balls and then releasing the balls by hitting the Lock Target after two balls are locked. Multiball is a 3 ball multiball. Progress towards qualifying, completing, and collecting reactors is possible during multiball.
Ball Lock
Ball locks are collected in the in-line Lock lane. Lock will be lit at the start of each ball and the lock arrows will be lit green. Two balls can be locked by shooting the in-line target lane, and the drop targets will reset to trap a ball behind the first two targets. Hitting the Lock target after two balls are locked will start multiball.
Lock Re-Light
After a multiball completes, the drop targets will maintain their current up/down states. Lock inserts will be blue, and you must work your way back to the scoop behind them to relight the standard lock sequence.
Competitive Note: Ball Lock stealing is possible and encouraged. Players get credit for whatever balls are already in the lock when they start their turn. Backhanding the lock lane is possible, but gets more dangerous the deeper the drop targets are down.
Jackpots
At the start of multiball, all three Lock Targets will be up. Jackpots are hitting the Lock Drop Targets. 1st Target = 1x Jackpot, 2nd Target = 2x Jackpot, 3rd Target = 3x Jackpot, scoop = Super Jackpot (5x Jackpot). The drop targets will cascade back on you every 5 seconds if you do not achieve the next jackpot. Example: Youâve made the 2x jackpot, but do not collect the 3x in time, the targets will reset so only the 1x jackpot is ready.
Competitive Notes:
It is possible to score a quick Super Jackpot when multiball starts by shooting the lock scoop before the targets reset.
Multiball Multiplier
During multiball, playfield values will be multiplied by the number of balls in play. The muliplier inserts will change color and reflect the playfield multiplier during multiball (2x or 3x).
Add-a-ball
During multiball, put the ball in the scoop behind the drop targets for an add-a-ball. This can raise the playfield multiplier to 4x if you still have all other balls in play. Add-a-ball will be awarded if you hit that scoop immediately when the multiball starts, before the drops have been reset to the up position.
Jackpot values
Formula:
[seed value] x [reactor scaler] x [multiball multiplier] x [jackpot multiplier]
Initial jackpot seed is 5000 (boosts?)
Reactor Scaler is multiplier that changes based on which reactor is active (values? Ex: second reactor is 1.5)
Multiball Multiplier = Number of balls in play
Jackpot Multiplier = 1x, 2x, 3x, or 5x
Competitive Notes: The reactor grid is very dangerous to shoot, so being able to qualify the grid with multiball chaos is very attractive. The playfield multiplier is also very attractive to have active before destroying a reactor as the reactor values are the biggest points in the game.
Wizard Mode
Destroy all 9 reactors. Destroying all reactors completes the game and game will terminate. Similar to âbeatingâ a video/arcade game. If there are balls remaining, message on screen says, âFlippers and slings disabledâ and when ball drains, player will be credited with Total Nuclear Annihilation Bonus again.
OK, OK, maybe he canâŚ
