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 that rewards players who can consistently make difficult shots on the fly. Many of the shots can be hit from either flipper, so don’t be afraid to try a backhand even if it doesn’t look feasible.
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 - scores 500k and +5 second ball save
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 the 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. Playing (not necessarily completing) two missions lights the right ramp to start One Shall Fall, while playing all five missions lights the VUK for Rescue Optimus mini-wizard mode.
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 - two adjacent shots are lit at a time. Shooting quickly flashing blue shots scores 3x.
- Energized: Shoot five blue arrows or targets to light final blow.
- Rusted: Only one shot is lit to advance at a time, but will always be the 3x shot.
- Microbots: Shoot any ramp 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 shot.
- 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 2 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: Requires 3 cyan target hits to light captive ball.
- Prime Target: Optimus has been captured by a hunter. Shoot the lit ramps and bash Optimus to increase shot value. Make 6 lit ramps to light the final blow.
- Energized:
- Rusted: Shoot lit ramp, each combo is +1X. Shoot Optimus to build value and relight ramps.
- Golden Lagoon: Lit yellow shots add to spinner value, collect 25M from the spinner to light final blow shot. Spinner value begins at 60K/spin.
- Energized: Collect 10M to light final blow shot.
- Rusted: Collect 50M to light final blow shot.
Dinobot Missions:
Shoot the Grimlock targets gating the left orbit to light the left orbit to start a Dinobot Mission. Complete each Dinobot Mission by scoring a total of 3 Dino Jackpots, lit at the left orbit after hitting the shots indicated on the right side of the display.
Scoring 3 Dino Jackpots across any mission lights the VUK to start Dinobot Desertion. If the player scored 3 Dino Jackpots in all 3 missions, the VUK will instead start Super Dinobot Desertion.
- War: Hit lit slingshots or bumpers to light jackpot. Only one slingshot or bumper is lit at a time.
- Island: 2-ball multiball. Shoot 50 switches to light jackpot at the left orbit. Clear all major shots for add-a-ball.
- S.O.S.:
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 for 20 seconds 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, 6, etc. 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, the shots all start purple for Decepticon awards, then turn red for Autobot awards, then start flashing red / white to score jackpots. This means that shooting the same shot 3 times will score a jackpot there. Jackpots are multiplied by however many jackpots are currently lit (ie. a 4x jackpot would be scored if 4 jackpots are currently available). Collect two jackpots to light super jackpot at the side ramp, worth the combined value of all prior jackpots.
Combiner Multiball:
Earn Combiner parts by shooting the side ramp. Each Combiner has five parts to collect; the color of qualified parts changes based on the most recent tech spec part scored. Combiner parts are also awarded after scoring 3 tech specs of the same color. Complete 3 Combiners to light the space bridge shot for Combiner Multiball, once no other modes are running.
Combiner Multiball starts by showing the player the Combiners they have completed. If they wish to delay the multiball, pressing the action button will skip the multiball and requalify it at the next Combiner completed.
During Combiner Multiball, shooting the spinner or holding the action button will cycle the grid of Combiners shown above the mission grid. If the player lands on a Combiner they completed, jackpots will light at the upper flipper shots, center spinner, Megatron, and right ramp. The jackpot value starts at 5M (for 3 Combiners) and caps out at 10M (for 5 Combiners), but if the player lands on a Combiner they don’t have, the jackpot will reset to base value.
Score 2 jackpots in a wave to light the side ramp and space bridge shots for super jackpot worth the total value of all prior jackpots scored, and reset the process so another Combiner can be selected using the spinner or action button.
Other Scoring:
Autobot Hurry-Up:
Light the left inlane after completing the Megatron drop targets, and roll through the lit left inlane a total of 3 times to light this hurry-up mode at the left ramp.
3 shots are lit pink to collect the hurry-up value, shared across shots and starting at 15M: the right ramp, center spinner, and side ramp. The mode ends once the value reaches its minimum or all 3 hurry-ups are scored.
Starscream Frenzy:
Light the right inlane after completing the Megatron drop targets, and roll through the lit right inlane a total of 3 times to light this hurry-up mode at the right orbit.
30 seconds of fast scoring are given while Starscream brags about being the new Decepticon leader. Every switch is worth 500k until time runs out.
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 instantly start Tech Spec Mania.
Tech Spec Mania is a 3-ball multiball where the player must collect one tech spec of every color. All major shots start out red, but will change colors with hits to the captive ball. Collecting one tech spec of every color (5 total) lights super jackpot [more info needed].
Bumblebee Double Scoring:
Shoot the lit captive ball to add letters to BUMBLEBEE. If the captive ball isn’t lit, hitting the bumper will relight the playfield X insert.
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.
Soundwave Modes
Shoot the Cassette target 3 times to start the first Soundwave mode.
- Interference: Shoot the roving blue arrows to increase the value of a hurry-up that can be scored at the Cassette target once the mode’s 20 second timer has run out.
Extra Balls:
Extra balls can be lit at the space bridge by:
- Playing all 5 missions
- Starting 2 Dinobot missions
End-of-Ball Bonus:
Bonus is calculated by:
- Base bonus
- 500k x Dino Jackpots
- 400k x Tech Specs
- 1.5M x Energon Cubes
Bonus X only affects base bonus.
Wizard Modes:
One Shall Fall (Mini-Wizard Mode):
Light this mode at the right ramp after playing two missions. The player doesn’t have to start it; if they want, they can keep playing missions to make the mode more valuable / easier to win.
A duel between Optimus Prime and Megatron ensues. Shooting purple shots inflicts damage on Megatron. Avoid red shots, which inflict damage on Optimus Prime. Final blow lights at the Megatron scoop after enough purple shots.
The base value for this mode is determined by:
- 600k x Stored Energon Cubes
- ??? x Rusted Missions started
- ??? x Final Blows
Based on the modes the players started, perks are given that change the rules of the shots:
- Autobot Run: Major shots no longer right red
- Microbots: Purple drop targets are lit
- Solar Needle: Red targets unlight after 2 hits
- Prime Target: Drained balls no longer penalize
- Golden Lagoon: Red slingshot is no longer lit
Win or lose, after the mode finishes, the flippers are disabled and all pinballs drain. A new ball will appear in the shooter lane with the skill shot disabled.
Rescue Optimus (Mini-Wizard Mode):
Play all five missions to light the VUK to start Rescue Optimus, once no other modes are running.
This mini-wizard mode is played in 3 phases, each lasting 70 seconds. 30 seconds of ball save are given at the start of each phase.
- Phase 1: Shoot Optimus to light sets of two shots. The shots disappear after being lit for about 15 seconds. Once four lit shots have been made, shoot the VUK to advance to the next phase.
- Phase 2: The right flipper moves the lit arrow, while the left flipper moves the lit tech spec insert. Shooting a shot with a tech spec insert lit scores 1/2 the award, shooting a shot with an arrow lit scores the base award, but combining both scores 2.5x the award. This award can further be doubled by rolling through a lit inlane before hitting the lit shot. Score 4 lit shots of any type to light the VUK to advance to the next phase.
- Phase 3: Multiball / victory laps, need more info.
Dinobot Desertion (Mini-Wizard Mode):
Light Dinobot Desertion at the VUK by scoring 3 dino jackpots across any dinobot mission. If the player scored 3 dino jackpots in each mission, then the VUK will light to start Super Dinobot Desertion.
The mode starts as a 2-ball multiball.
- Phase One: Shoot switches to build the jackpot. Starts at 1M, spinner increases jackpot by 12k/spin, all other switches increase jackpot by 75k/switch. Shooting Megatron while in multiball starts the next phase with 3x jackpot value. Draining down to 1 ball starts the next phase with 1x jackpot value.
- Phase Two: The left orbit and Grimlock stand-up targets are lit. Stand-up targets score 0.5x the jackpot value. The left orbit scores 1x the jackpot value. Shooting the left orbit lights a combo to the side ramp for another jackpot [more info needed]. If you drained down to one ball during phase one, phase two lasts 30 seconds [more info needed].