Quick Links:
Game Information & Overview:
- Lead Designer: Elliot Eismin
- Code/Rules: Elizabeth Gieske
- Mechanical Engineers:
- Artwork:
- Display and Animations:
- Sound Design: Jerry Thompson
- Release Date: June 2026
- Wiki Rulesheet based on Code Rev: 0.85
- Edit the Code revision, if applicable, when you make changes
- Original Wiki Rulesheet hosted on Tilt Forums
Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye is Elliot Eismin’s first pinball machine as lead designer and the first machine to be based on the original G1 incarnation of the Transformers franchise. The machine features a unique layout with shots that don’t quite send the ball where you’d expect and an emphasis on high-risk, high-reward scoring.
Layout:
Skill Shots:
Short plunge the ball to the upper flipper, then hit any shot from the upper flipper to score a skill shot and extend the ball save timer. 5 seconds are given to retry the skill shot if the player plunges with too much or too little strength.
- Space bridge - scores 5M and +8 second ball save
- Side ramp - scores 8M and +10 second ball save
- Optimus -
Main Modes:
In the search for Energon, the Autobots and Decepticons have crash landed on Earth. 4 million years later, the robots have reawakened. The Decepticons plan to pillage Earth’s energy sources, while the Autobots must protect the new world they have been sent to at all costs.
Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye features two sets of main modes, which can both run at the same time and brought into multiball modes as described below if a mode is started before the multiball.
Missions, Energon & Cosmic Rust:
Knock down enough drop targets in front of Megatron, then shoot the scoop behind them to start the currently flashing mission. The first two missions of a game require one shot to Megatron’s scoop to start, but the remaining missions require two shots. Mission selection, shown on the lower playfield inserts, can be cycled using the flippers.
There are five different missions to play through, timed for 60 seconds, that light different shots on the playfield for progress, with a final blow available if the player makes enough lit shots. Increase the final blow by hitting Megatron’s scoop at any time in the mission (so long as it isn’t currently lit).
Scoring the final blow of any mission will apply a 2x shot multiplier to a specific shot on the playfield, that only activates when a tech spec is lit to collect at that shot.
If the player fails a mission by draining before time runs out, or failing to complete the required shots in time, their progress will be saved the next time the mission starts.
Shooting the spinner fills up the Energon cube on the display and the insert lights under the spinner. Once the cube is full, on the next mission start, using the flippers will make a choice on whether the next mission will be easier to complete but score less. Completing a mission without using the Energon cube will allow you to apply cosmic rust to the next mission, which makes it more difficult to complete but scores more per shot. The mission goals change based on the use of Energon and Rust.
The five missions are:
- Autobot Run: Help the Autobots win a charity race. Make five blue arrow shots to light the final blow. Shooting quickly flashing blue shots scores 3x.
- Energized: Shoot five blue arrows or targets to light final blow.
- Rusted:
- Microbots: Shoot purple arrows to light a drop target, missed drop targets unlight. Complete 3 drop targets to light final blow shot.
- Energized: Shoot any shot to light drop targets, complete 3 drop targets to light final blow show.
- Rusted: Shoot any ramp to light a drop target for 6 seconds, missed targets unlight, complete 3 to light final blow shot.
- Solar Needle: Deactivate the solar needle by hitting two lit cyan standup targets to light the captive ball. Additional cyan target hits increase captive ball value, red target hits reduce captive ball value. Hit 3 lit captive balls to light final blow shot.
- Energized: Only requires 1 cyan target hit to light captive ball.
- Rusted:
- Prime Target: Optimus has been captured by a hunter. Shoot the lit ramps and bash Optimus to increase shot value.
- Energized:
- Rusted: Shoot lit ramp, each combo is +1X. Shoot Optimus to build value and relight ramps.
- Golden Lagoon: Shots to spinner add to spinner value, collect 25M to light final blow shot. Spinner value begins at 60K/spin.
- Energized: Collect 10M to light final blow shot.
- Rusted:
Dinobot Missions:
Shoot the Grimlock targets to light the left orbit to start a Dinobot Mission.
Multiballs:
Add-A-Ball: Add-a-ball behaves uniquely on this machine compared to other Sterns of its era. Once per game, the space bridge shot will be lit to add-a-ball and hold the ball in place for 10 seconds. Shooting the captive ball before time runs out will start 2x scoring for all multiball scores and release the ball, but the opportunity disappears once time runs out. Add-a-ball can be relit from a mystery award.
Transformers Multiball:
Shoot the center VUK to light the lock, then again to lock a ball. For subsequent multiballs, Optimus must be hit 4 times to light the VUK to start the lock process. If lock is already lit, further Optimus shots will increase the jackpot value for the multiball by 250k. Lock 3 balls (with a total of 6 VUK shots for the first multiball) to start Transformers Multiball.
During multiball, shoot any shot 3 times to score a jackpot on that shot. Collect two jackpots to light super jackpot.
Combiner Multiball:
Earn Combiner parts by shooting the side ramp after having collected enough tech spec parts. Collect enough Combiner parts to light Combiner Multiball.
Collecting tech spec parts also helps advance Combiner progress. Scoring 3 tech specs of one color will score a Combiner part.
Other Scoring:
Autobot Hurry-Up:
Light the left inlane to light this hurry-up after completing the Megatron drop targets.
Starscream Frenzy:
Light the right inlane to light this mode after completing the Megatron drop targets.
Tech Specs / Tech Spec Mania:
Shoot the standup targets near major shots to light the shots near them for Tech Specs. There are five colors of tech spec, one for each different Combiner. Tech Specs help spot combiner parts, and if a mission has been completed, will multiply all scores at the mission-specific shot if a Tech Spec is also scored there.
Collect 3 tech specs of each color to light Tech Spec Mania at the right orbit.
Bumblebee Double Scoring:
Shoot the captive ball to add letters to BUMBLEBEE. Complete his name to start 30 seconds of 2x scoring. Spell BUMBLEBEE again while the multiplier is active to start 30 seconds of 3x scoring.