ULTRAMAN RULESHEET
-Layout-
Outlanes: Standard layout.
Inlanes: Standard layout but there are “lifter mechanisms” in each of the inlanes, which return the ball to play from the games extensive subway system. They remind me of the pitcher mechanism in an old pitch and bat game.
Baltan Scoops: A series of three scoops on the far-left side of the playfield. Shooting each of these scoops will start Baltan Multiball.
Left Orbit: Full orbit that is used during several modes and is required to reactivate the center drop targets. The orbit will also qualify combos during standard gameplay.
Left Ramp: The left ramp can be shot from either flipper. The ramp feeds a habitrail which runs underneath the buildings and returns cleanly to the left inlane. This ramp is one of the more repeatable shots in the game and can be useful for collecting combos.
Drop Target Bank: A bank of three individually lit drop targets in the center of the playfield. Because they are individually lit, there are moments where you are required to hit a specific drop target, while avoiding the others. The main purpose of the drop targets is to lights Quick Battles at the Beta Capsule.
Center Ramp: The center ramp is directly behind the drop target bank. The diverter at the top of the ramp will either send the ball back down to the habitrail on the left side of the playfield or send the ball to the upper playfield. The number of shots required to switch the diverter to the upper playfield will be listed on the display.
Right Ramp: The right ramp is a bit hidden from the players perspective but can be shot from either flipper. It feeds the ball quickly to the middle playfield.
Beta Capsule Scoop: The scoop can be lit to cash in your collected Spacium on various awards. Perhaps more importantly the scoop will be lit to start and end Quick Battles. These battles are the main modes in the game. In addition to being shot directly from either flipper the scoop can be collected by letting the ball fall off the middle playfield.
Right Orbit: Full orbit that is used during several modes and is required to reactivate the center drop targets. The orbit will also qualify combos during standard gameplay.
Science Patrol Drop Target: This drop target acts as a ball lock on the far-right side of the playfield. Locked balls can be released at any time as an add-a-ball or keep them locked and they will function as a physical ball save.
Middle Playfield (Upper Playfield #1): The middle playfield is where you will start the battle with kaiju Bemular. In the center of the playfield there is an illuminated drop target flanked by two smaller standup targets. Behind the drop target there is a scoop which is used to start Bemular Multiball. If you include going back down the right ramp, which I do, there are four unique exits off of this playfield.
Upper Playfield (Upper Playfield #2): The upper playfield represents the Science Patrol Headquarters. This is where you will start the battle with kaiju Jirahs…who just so happens to look like another famous kaiju licensed by Stern Pinball. The playfield features two spinners, which can be collected with a single shot to the right spinner. Keep the flipper held up and the ball will travel in a figure-eight pattern around the left spinner. This shot was jokingly referred to as a “butt pretzel” by Jack Danger of Deadflip. It may take some tweaking, but it is extremely important that these spinners are dialed in on your game. When enough spins have been completed the drop target can be knocked down to complete the crossing ramp to the magnetized drop ramp.
-Skill Shots-
Skill Shot: Prior to plunging the ball, you can select your own skill shot with the flipper buttons. The current skill shot will be illuminated red and the point value for a successful shot will be listed on the display. The point value is based on the apparent difficulty of the shot, with the middle drop target the most valuable. When setting a drop target as the skill shot, you must hit that individual target alone in order to collect the value.
Secret Skill Shot: Shooting the standup target behind the Science Patrol drop target will award a Secret Skill Shot; locking the current ball. Depending on the individual game setup, it may be possible to complete this without flipping. On some games, simply letting the ball deadflip from the left flipper to the right flipper will send the ball into the Secret Skill Shot. If you are good at live catching it’s also useful to gain control the ball off of the plunge and shoot the Secret Skill Shot that way.
-Quick Battle Modes-
The battle modes are the main modes in the game. They are lit at the Beta Capsule scoop by completing the center drop targets. Shoot the lit scoop to access battle selection menu. Use the flippers to select the kaiju and double flip to start the battle. Quick Battle Modes can be stacked with any of the multiballs. If you start the multiball prior to starting a mode, you will be unable to select a mode and the easiest, non-completed mode will be started automatically.
There are currently six battles, two of each difficulty: easy, medium, and hard. Spooky Pinball has already promised expert modes with future code updates. Pay special attention to the shots that are illuminated during the selection process. These will be the shots required during the battle. Each of the battles will be explained in detail below.
For those unfamiliar with the television series, the Beta Capsule is a device used by Science Patrol member, Shin Hayata, to transform into Ultraman. Thematically, when you are shooting the lit scoop to choose a battle you are becoming Ultraman.
At the conclusion of each battle, you must shoot a final shot to the scoop to finish off the kaiju. You will receive a bonus for defeating the kaiju and standup targets will be lit blue for a few seconds. The number is dependent on the difficulty of the mode. Shoot these targets to collect Spacium, which can be turned in at the scoop for various awards.
The drop targets do not reset automatically after a battle. Orbits must be hit to relight the drop targets to proceed towards the next battle. One orbit shot is required after the first kaiju, plus one additional orbit shot per kaiju completed that ball.
Ragon (Easy): An aquatic kaiju that grew to enormous size following the accidental destination of an atomic bomb. To complete the mode, you must shoot the left orbit, left ramp, center ramp, and right orbit in any order. Shoot them as combo shots for huge points. If you successfully combo next shot the arrows will light green, otherwise they will light red. After the final flow shot, you will need to shoot the scoop as a hurry-up to collect the final combo. Post below if you’ve completed all the combos, I find that to be a challenge. It’s worth over 7,000,000 points if you collect them all.
Gamora (Easy): Scientists capture Gamora to put on display at the World’s Fair. As you probably guessed, that’s not a great idea. During the mode you are tracking and battling the escaped kaiju. Shoot the purple shots to progress through the mode. Don’t be caught off guard when the ball goes to the upper playfield. This is part of the mode.
Red King (Medium): While on expedition the Science Patrol discover many kaiju on a remote island. They witness Red King battling another kaiju, so they know its powerful. In this mode you mush shoot a series of green shots while avoiding the red shots. The green shots alternate between the left ramp plus surrounding targets and center ramp plus surrounding targets. Shoot too many red shots the mode will end in failure.
Zarab (Medium): An alien, who can impersonate Ultraman, is trying to take control of Earth. For this mode the player must shoot each of the standup targets. During earlier versions of the code these targets had to be hit in order from left to right, but with current code they can be collected in any order. Uncollected shots will be flashing pink.
Zumbolar (Hard): Following the destruction of its homeland, Zumbolar is on a rampage of revenge. This mode alternates between hitting a specific drop target and resetting the drop targets with a shot to the orbits. For the shot to count, only the green drop target can be knocked down. Knocking down any of the other drop targets will reset them all. The final center drop target can be quite tricky.
Pester (Hard): Pestor has been attacking oil tankers and it’s up to you to stop it before it strikes again. Shoot the roaming pink shot before it reaches the red arrow. Repeat this five times to complete the mode. This is a challenging mode, but has the largest completion bonus.
Dada (Expert): Dada is the first expert mode added to the game, currently it is started automatically after the completion of two quick battles. At the start of this mode you will need to keep a close eye on the playfield inserts. One will flash blue for a short period of time. Shoot this shot within 15 seconds to light the flow for jackpots (250,000). Each jackpot collected will also lower Dada’s health. After 20 seconds you will need to shoot one of the physical locks on the game. This returns us to the original phase of the mode, where one of the playfield inserts will light blue. Repeat this pattern until you defeat Dada.
Neronga (Expert): Neronga is the second expert mode added to the game. This mode is all about protecting Tokyo’s power system from the giant kaiju. The lightshow at the beginning of the mode will help highlight the different areas of the playfield. Each of these areas represents a different section of Toykyo. Neronga will always be draining power from one of these sections. Shooting shots in these sections will help restore power. Maintain a high power lever across the entire playfield for maximum scoring.
Every so often the drop targets will rise, representing an attack from Neronga. While attacking all power drains will be doubled. Clearing the drop targets slow the power drain and score the remaining hurry-up value. After three attacks the crossing shot on the upper playfield will be lit to collect a Super Jackpot…ending the mode. Players can stay in the mode as long as they want, but the speed of the power drain will increase after each attack.
This mode is qualified by collecting a minimum of three Science Patrol Assists. More assists can be collected prior to starting the mode and for every assist you collect will be rewarded with the ability to bring sections of the playfield back on line after it is offline. If available, these shots will be lit orange on the playfield.
-Multiballs-
Baltan Multiball: Shoot each of the scoops on the left of the playfield to begin a three ball multiball. During the first phase you must shoot either the left ramp or targets next to the scoops to reveal a Baltan. The toy figure will swing outward for approximately 10-12 seconds. Shoot the corresponding scoop to collect a Baltan Jackpot. Collect a Jackpot at each of the scoops to light the middle scoop for Super Jackpot. Collecting the Super Jackpot will resume the original multiball with an add-a-ball. Only one ball is added, even if multiple Super Jackpots are collected. The multiball mode will end when down to single ball play. If you fail to collect a Super Jackpot a hurry-up will be offered at the Beta Capsule to restart Baltan Multiball.
Bemular Multiball: You will battle Bemular on the middle playfield. This mode will be started as a single ball mode by shooting the drop target and scoop on the middle playfield. When the ball is ejected from the scoop the goal is to complete the two “wheel standup targets” followed by the drop target and scoop on the middle playfield. While it will not start right away, at this point, you’ve qualified multiball which will start whenever the ball exits the middle playfield. You ideally want to exit from the “headlight shot” which feeds the shooter lane.
During the two ball multiball, all the standup targets on the main playfield will be lit for Jackpot (225,000). Collect all six to light a Super Jackpot (500,000) back at the scoop on the middle playfield.
Jirahs Multiball: You will battle Jirahs on the upper playfield. The upper playfield is accessible from the The mode will also be qualified automatically if you complete Baltan Multiball and Bemular Multiball. Finally, there is also “dirty pool” shot in the game. If you manage to lower the center drop target, without hitting either of the other drop targets, the center target will light blue. Shoot the center ramp directly through this gap, again, without hitting either of the other drop targets, to advance directly to Jirahs. Either way, once qualified the diverter will open to the upper playfield and the next shot to the center ramp will start the battle with Jirahs.
At the start of the mode take note of the two health bars on the screen. One of the health bars is for Ultraman and the other health bar is for Jirahs. Your goal during this phase is to lower Jirahs’ health. This is accomplished by shooting the spinners on the upper playfield. Both spinners can be collected with a single shot to the right spinner. Keep the flipper held up and the ball will travel in a figure-eight pattern around the left spinner. Avoid hitting the drop target when it is illuminated red. Hitting the drop target will deplete Ultraman’s health. If Ultraman runs out of health, the mode will end. Thankfully, you can restore Ultraman’s health with the standup targets on the middle playfield.
When Jirah’s health reaches zero the drop target will illuminate purple. Shoot this drop target and then the crossing ramp to start the next phase, which is a three ball multiball. During this phase all the orbits and ramps will be lit for Jackpots. The crossover ramp is lit for Super Jackpot. During this multiball the Super Jackpot starts at 2,500,000 and increases by 250,000 for each Jackpot collected. Spinners will also increase the value by 25,000 per spin. Collecting the Super Jackpot will reset its value and relight all previously collected Jackpots.
-Spacium-
Spacium is lit at the standup targets after completing the drop target bank or completing the quick battles. Collect the Spacium before it’s gone. After you have collected three or more Spacium you cash it in for various awards including, points, extra tilt, double playfield value, etc.
-Combos-
During normal gameplay you can complete combos at any of the flow shots: left orbit, left ramp, center ramp, or right orbit. Once collected as part of the combo the shot will be unlit, so no more spamming the ramps over and over.
-Wizard Modes-
Zetton Wizard Mode – TBD
Ultra Brothers Wizard Mode - TBD