Absolutely, the 3x shot is huge. Even without a juicy mode shot, it can be great to use if you’re shooting the river on a good hold 'em hand (especially with boosted pot value) + city completion. Maybe throw a combo (chip trick) into the mix too… those can become unexpectedly valuable on a good ball.
I definitely think this is the most underrated game of the past decade. Tour de force ruleset by @keefer. It really forces you to play the entire field for big scores, and use a combination of slower controlled play and faster flow play. And I love the triple-drop-target-ricochet shots and upper playfield action. Shame about the crappy artwork, but I can overlook that for a game that plays great.