Action Button Master List

Action Button Master List

I’ve seen a lot of people wondering what the action button does on current pinball machines, so I figured creating this thread with links to each guide and quick info about what each action button does would help ease the pain a little as pretty much every game uses a different function for it!

Stern Pinball:

Game Color Should I Slam It While Draining? Function 1 Function 2 Function 3 Function 4
The Uncanny X-Men Red (1), Blue (2) Yes When held: moves a blue shot around the playfield. When released: uses up Bishop to spot the shot. Up to 3 shots can be spotted at a time. During The Future, the button determines whether or not shooting Cerebro will return the player to the past.
John Wick Red (1), Pink (2) No Activates Lights Out 2x scoring for 30 seconds once YAGA has been spelled and turns off all playfield inserts. If Lights Out is already running and YAGA is spelled again, uses a motion sensor to reset the Lights Out timer and briefly light up part of the playfield.
Jaws Orange (1), Green (2), Yellow (3) Situational Lights the left outlane for Life Ring for a short time, lit by the far right target. The ring must be deployed before the ball enters the outlane. When held: During multiball modes, if a ball is being held at the mini-flipper, activates Flip-Lock for a timed period. Holding the button while the ball is locked will release it again. (Prem / LE) Selects the wheel award after spinning the lit steering wheel on the upper playfield.
Venom Red / Yellow (1), Orange (2), Red (3), Green (4) No If held: Activates Spider-Sense during any battle by lighting a random shot white. Hitting the shot immediately makes tons of progress on the active mode. If Sleeper has been brought into a mode, adds a ball or adds time. If Hybrid has been brought into a mode, spots all shots and boosts playfield X by +2x. If playing as Hulk, spots all shots in place of the Spider-Sense rule.
Foo Fighters Yellow, Green, Red (1) Situational UFO button spots shots during modes and is qualified via captive ball hits. Up to 3 uses can be stacked (red button); if 2 are available it’s green, and if only 1 is available it’s yellow.
James Bond 007 Pink (1), Blue (2), Yellow (3), Green (4) Situational Activates the currently lit playfield multipliers. Flippers toggle between this and function 2. Uses a smart missile to spot a lit shot. Flippers toggle between this and function 1. If held: adds a ball to any multiball mode, once per ball. Qualified by completing Outer Space Hijack. (Prem / LE) If held: Swipe-a-ball releases balls during any multiball, if they were locked for Bird 1 multiball earlier. The locks must be collected again if they were used up.
Rush Red (1), Blue (2), Green (3) Situational Changes the path of the ramp diverter and which direction The Weapon spots shots in. If held: Mode-related Weapon: spots all shots during the current mode. Qualified via making the correct combo prior. If held: Multiball-related Weapon: adds a ball. Qualified via making the correct combo prior.
Godzilla Cyan (1), Green (2), Red (3) Yes If held: Activates Heat Ray to spot all currently lit shots after enough center spinner hits. The amount of time it must be held increases with each use. Uses up Anguirus and adds a ball if the ally was collected and a multiball is running. Selects the background music at the start of Godzilla Multiball.
The Mandalorian Orange (1), Green (2), Red (3) No If held: Uses up the flamethrower. It spreads from right to left and all shots “on fire” score 2x for one shot only. Re-qualify by selecting it from the Foundry. If held: If amban rifle was selected from the Foundry, adds a ball to any multiball. Completes the currently active encounter level.
Led Zeppelin Green (1), Red (2) Situational Uses a Band Boost, collected by completing or changing songs. Completes the currently active combo for 5x value at the lowest value target bank. Spots an Icarus target hit towards add a ball during multiball. If 3 Band Boosts are stacked: Uses a super band boost worth 10x the current combo value at the two lowest value target banks. Adds a ball during multiball.
Avengers: Infinity Quest Blue (1, 2), Purple (3), Red (4) Situational Uses the Mind Gem power if available to spot a range of playfield shots depending on the level of Avenger it is on. If Mind Gem is placed on the drop targets: moves the currently lit grid square automatically. Uses the Space Gem power if available to change the positions of lit infinity stones. Hit the shot with Space Gem on it to qualify. During Change Gems, locks in the position of the current infinity stone.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Red (1) Yes During pizza eating contest, the button must be mashed 40 times to complete the mode. The lighting turns a vibrant red when this occurs.
Stranger Things Red (1), Cyan (2) Situational Uses a Demogorgon bomb. Once per game this instantly kills the Demogorgon if one is available to defeat. (Prem / LE) Swipe-a-ball releases balls during any multiball, if they were locked for telekinesis multiball earlier. The locks must be collected again if they were used up.
Elvira’s House of Horrors Context-sensitive (1), Yellow (2), Red (3) Situational If the atomic raygun trunk award is available, spots a shot in a currently running mode. Releases the ball from the crypt kicker after defeating a Deadhead. Selects the Hand of Fate award when a ball drains down the lit left outlane.
Jurassic Park (Stern) Green (1), Cyan (2) No While in any paddock, uses a super tranquilizer to temporarily stop the dinosaur. Re-qualified after enough tower ramp shots. Changes the lit smart missile award while the ball is being held at the left inlane.
Black Knight: Sword of Rage Red (1) No Uses the Magna-Save at the right outlane to save balls that drain there. Re-qualified by completing the right drop targets. It also cashes out the super jackpot award built up from super modes.
The Munsters Blue (1), Red (2) Yes Increases the Zap meter after hitting any purple targets. Each Zap meter increase awards bonus “zap jackpots” alongside every jackpot award during multiballs. If held: when super jackpot is being awarded, cancels out the award so that more super jackpots can be stacked.
Deadpool Yellow (1), Orange (2), Red (3) Situational BOOM button spots a shot after completing BOOM at the inlanes / outlanes. If big BOOM is available (function 3), the button must be held to use this function. If Berzerker Rage is running, using the BOOM button will award the current spinner / bumper value along with spotting a shot. If 4 BOOM button uses are stacked, a big BOOM is used that collects all lit playfield shots.
Guardians of the Galaxy Yellow (1) Situational Uses the Hadron Enforcer to spot mode shots. Complete the yellow targets to qualify 3 uses of it at a time.
Star Wars (Stern) Yellow (1), Red (2), Orange (3), Blue (4) No Toggles the shot multipliers from being on (green) or off (red). While off, the flippers will move the shot multipliers around. After scoring TIE fighter hurry-up, the lighting will dim and an alarm will sound. Mash the button to destroy additional TIE fighters with each hit. If held: adds a ball during any multiball, after completing the FORCE targets. During video mode, activates the hyperspace boost and speeds up the Falcon’s speed for a short time.
Aerosmith White (1), Green (2) Situational Uses a smart missile to spot a mode shot. Earn them by making hidden / super skill shots. When toys in the attic multiball is about to start, cancels the multiball so that more balls can be locked (up to 6).
Batman 66 Yellow (1, 2) Situational Uses a gadget, qualified at the left targets, to spot a mode shot. If villain multiball lock is lit and the ball is about to release from the left eject, opens the lock briefly to allow for “gadget locks”.
Game of Thrones Various Situational Every house has a unique button ability, more than can be listed in this guide! Click on the rulesheet link to view them all.
The Walking Dead Red (1), ? (2, 3, 4) Situational (Prem / LE) Fires the crossbow when a ball is loaded into it. (Prem / LE) If first aid is collected while prison doors are open: uses a prison bomb that spots a shot towards prison multiball or counts as a jackpot during it. (Prem / LE) If weapons is collected: during Horde, uses a horde bomb that can be used to kill a walker during Horde. (Prem / LE) If food is collected and well walker is active: uses a well walker bomb that spots a shot towards well walker multiball or counts as a jackpot during it.
Mustang Context-sensitive (1) Situational (Prem / LE) Uses nitro boost to spot a mode shot. Earn them by hitting the CAUTION drop targets after completing any mode.
Star Trek (Stern) Red (1) Situational Activates proton torpedoes qualified at the right standup targets. Proton torpedoes deal 1 shot of damage to the Vengeance.
AC/DC Red (1), ? (2) Situational Uses a VIP pass, qualified via super skill shots, to spot a mode or multiball shot (or the bell shot if qualified via enough tunes 'n stuff awards).

Jersey Jack Pinball:

Game Color Should I Slam It While Draining? Function 1 Function 2 Function 3 Function 4
Avatar: The Battle for Pandora Purple (1), Orange (2), Green (3) Yes Exchanges arrows earned from the inlanes for the next songcord token required to start a songcord mode. If held: Scraps the most recent songcord token collected. Replenishes arrows when mashed after hitting any lit shot during a mode or multiball.
Elton John Context-sensitive (1) Yes Changes the lit signature stage multiball once ELTON JOHN has been spelled.
The Godfather Context-sensitive (1) No When mashed, increases the weapon playfield multiplier. The multiplier must be increased by hitting the spinners and completing other tasks first.
Guns N’ Roses (JJP) Context-sensitive (1), Blue (2), Red (3) Yes Changes the badge that will be given the next time G-N-R is completed. When a song is about to start, activates the menu that allows the player to select any song from any album. During ignite the flames multiball, locks in the fuse position when the jackpot is available.
Pirates of the Caribbean (JJP) Yellow (1), Red (2) Yes Collects gold when mashed after making lit chapter shots or completing the GOLD targets. When a ball is loaded in the cannon, fires it at the Black Pearl.
The Hobbit Green (1), Yellow (2), Red (3, 4) No Selects the skill shot when a new ball is about to be plunged. Uses the ring, charged up via switch hits. The ring can postpone mode or lock shots, attempt beast backstabs during hurry-ups, or award points if none of the above are viable. Fires the ball from the Windlance kickback when available at the start of modes or during Smaug multiball for the super jackpot. If precious is lit at the right outlane, locks in the line’s position to potentially escape from Gollum and continue play.
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I have Wikified this post.

Thanks for creating it, good idea. I love having a column called “Should I slam it?” :smiley:

I love this as well!

One idea: Perhaps for the “Should I Slam It While Draining?” column, we could put “Situational (Yes on final ball)” for games like Elvira and Foo Fighters where you definitely want to use it up at the end of the game.

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Are there any games where you’re penalized for pressing the button while draining your last ball?

Maybe GoT, does gold contribute to bonus so you’d want to not button while draining ball 3 as Lanister; I’m just guessing.