PINBALL FIELD GUIDES
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Scared StiffStranger ThingsBeatles 007Austin PowersBatman ’66SpongeBobTOTANCupheadSimpsonsGuardiansPiratesParty MonstersMedieval MadnessLord of the RingsAddams FamilyFunHouseTheatre of MagicCreatureTNATwilight ZoneBlood MachinesAvengersStar Trek TNGIndiana JonesMonster BashWhoa NellieFish TalesSpider-ManX-MenBeatles Stern RulesCirqus VoltaireAttack from MarsRoad ShowWalking DeadBreakshotBig Bang BarStar Trek LEBride of Pin·BotWorld Cup SoccerNo Good Gofers
TechniquesDictionary

Forty tables. One practical technique school.

I’m terrible
at pinball.

I made these guides to learn the rules and, hopefully, get better. Maybe they’ll help you too. Who knows?

I mostly play VPX on a custom-built virtual pinball cabinet, but these guides are meant to help on real pinball machines too.

Illustration for No Good GofersWilliams · 1997

No Good Gofers

Lock balls behind Bud and Buzz, score ramp jackpots, then launch airborne Hole-in-One shots.

Open the guide →Illustration for World Cup Soccer ’94Bally · 1994

World Cup Soccer ’94

Score goals, build multiball and beat ranked teams, or visit nine cities for the Final Match.

Open the guide →Illustration for Star Trek LEStern · 2013

Star Trek LE

Complete missions, build multiballs, and reach the Five Year Mission.

Open the guide →The Walking Dead — restyled cabinet backglassStern · 2014 · LE / Premium

The Walking Dead

Gather supplies, survive the modes, and build toward Last Man Standing.

Open the guide →Red & Ted's Road Show — restyled cabinet backglassWilliams · 1994

Red & Ted's Road Show

Travel west with Red and Ted, build a valuable bonus, and reach Super Payday.

Open the guide →Attack from Mars — restyled cabinet backglassBally · 1995

Attack from Mars

Destroy saucers, master multiball, and complete the six goals to Rule the Universe.

Open the guide →Cirqus Voltaire — restyled cabinet backglassBally · 1997

Cirqus Voltaire

Complete nine circus marvels, defeat the Ringmaster, and earn your place in the troupe.

Open the guide →The Beatles — Stern Rules Edition — restyled cabinet backglassCustom · Stern rules reconstruction

The Beatles — Stern Rules Edition

Advance five song modes, conquer Beatlemania and qualify four-ball Taxman.

Open the guide →X-Men LE — original cabinet backglassStern · 2012

X-Men LE

Recruit heroes, defeat villains, and carry the fight into Magneto Multiball.

Open the guide →Spider-Man Classic — original cabinet backglassStern · 2007

Spider-Man Classic

Fight four villains, build Black Suit Multiball, then survive Battle Royale.

Open the guide →Fish Tales — restyled cabinet backglassWilliams · 1992

Fish Tales

Build the boat, start multiball, then land jackpots through the Fish Finder.

Open the guide →Monster Bash — restyled cabinet backglassWilliams · 1998 · VPWmod

Monster Bash

Start six monsters, collect their instruments and headline Monsters of Rock.

Open the guide →Indiana Jones — original cabinet backglassWilliams · 1993 · VPWmod

Indiana Jones

Play twelve adventures, raid the idol and unlock Eternal Life.

Open the guide →Star Trek: The Next Generation — restyled cabinet backglassWilliams · 1993 · VPW Mod

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Complete seven missions, gather artifacts and enter the Final Frontier.

Open the guide →The Avengers — original cabinet backglassStern Pro · 2012

The Avengers

Build all six heroes, win their battles, then defend the Helicarrier and Earth.

Open the guide →Twilight Zone — restyled cabinet backglassBally · 1993

Twilight Zone

Light all fourteen panels of the Door, then shoot the Player Piano once more for Lost in the Zone: six balls loose for forty-five seconds.

Open the guide →Total Nuclear Annihilation — restyled cabinet backglassSpooky · 2017

Total Nuclear Annihilation

Start a reactor, heat it to 100 percent, then hit the flashing targets to destroy it.

Open the guide →Creature from the Black Lagoon — original cabinet backglassBally · 1992

Creature from the Black Lagoon

Spell F-I-L-M to start the movie.

Open the guide →Theatre of Magic — restyled cabinet backglassBally · 1995

Theatre of Magic

Spell THEATRE, play Theatre Multiball, push the clock to midnight and start all eight illusions.

Open the guide →FunHouse — restyled cabinet backglassWilliams · 1990

FunHouse

Push the clock in the middle of the table to midnight, put Rudy to sleep, then shoot the ball into his open mouth.

Open the guide →The Addams Family — original cabinet backglassBally · 1992

The Addams Family

Collect all twelve rooms of the mansion, then shoot the Electric Chair once more to Tour the Mansion: fifty million poin

Open the guide →Lord of the Rings — restyled cabinet backglassStern · 2003 · VPW

Lord of the Rings

Win the films, destroy the Ring and reach Valinor.

Open the guide →Medieval Madness — restyled cabinet backglassWilliams · 1997 · VR

Medieval Madness

Earn six titles and Battle for the Kingdom.

Open the guide →Pirates of the Caribbean — restyled cabinet backglassStern · 2006 · VPX

Pirates of the Caribbean

Build the jackpot, battle the Kraken and sail toward Four Winds.

Open the guide →Guardians of the Galaxy — original cabinet backglassOriginal tribute · 2.1.1

Guardians of the Galaxy

Complete eight missions, both multiballs and the three-part finale.

Open the guide →The Simpsons Pinball Party — original cabinet backglassStern · 2003 · VPW

The Simpsons Pinball Party

Stack seven TV modes under one shared timer and reach Alien Invasion.

Open the guide →Cuphead Perdition — restyled cabinet backglassOriginal · PuP 1.2

Cuphead Perdition

Build Soul Contracts and release the captured ball from Perdition.

Open the guide →SpongeBob Bikini Bottom — restyled cabinet backglassOriginal · VPW 2.1

SpongeBob Bikini Bottom

Nine modes, escalating Pineapple Supers and two alternating wizards.

Open the guide →Batman ’66 — original cabinet backglassOriginal tribute · 1.1.0

Batman ’66

Build the phone, double the coming episode and arrest four villains.

Open the guide →The Beatles_007 — restyled cabinet backglassSea Witch reskin · v0.07

The Beatles_007

Build Bonus X and loop value on one controlled old-school ball.

Open the guide →Stranger Things — original cabinet backglassOriginal · Stranger Edition 1.47

Stranger Things

Finish three rescue multiballs, then feed Eleven for the Demogorgon battle.

Open the guide →Illustration for Pinball Technique SchoolHands-on course

Pinball Technique School

Practice catches, passes, nudges, aiming and multiball control.

Open the guide →Illustration for Visual Pinball Dictionary131 illustrated terms

Visual Pinball Dictionary

Recognize the hardware, ball paths, rules language, cabinet systems and VR vocabulary.

Open the guide →

Open the artwork gallery →

A note on questionable taste.

Pinball has a long history of treating women as decoration, usually with improbable proportions and very little wardrobe budget. The tables below contain sexualized artwork, objectification of women, and innuendo. Some also include nudity.

Rather than omit these machines, we include them in the solemn interest of pinball education. We are appalled, of course. The flipper physics remain excellent.

These guides also use AI-assisted writing and AI-generated illustrations. The illustrations are interpretations, not archival reproductions; the writing can make mistakes. Artificial intelligence has not necessarily improved the taste.

If you are offended by the objectification of women, AI or produce, you should scroll back up.

A painted still life of two cantaloupes and an ivory flower on plum velvet. Still life. Strictly botanical. I understand. Show the tables.Hide the tables.
Illustration for Bride of Pin·BotWilliams · 1991

Bride of Pin·Bot

Wake the Bride, build her voice and eyes, then transform her during multiball for the Big Wheel.

Open the guide →Illustration for Big Bang BarCapcom · 1996

Big Bang Bar

Learn the shared Ramp, play the bar’s attractions, and work toward the four-ball finale.

Open the guide →Breakshot poolhall with four characters and a neon signCapcom · 1996 · VPW

Breakshot

Play the pool games, learn the center pockets and reach Cutthroat Countdown.

Open the guide →Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons — restyled cabinet backglassStern · 2015

Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons

Light the colors, chase the moving 200 and fill the Gobble Hole.

Open the guide →Blood Machines — restyled cabinet backglassVPinWorkshop Original · 2022

Blood Machines

Complete seven missions and three multiballs, then defeat Galdor in the Final Chapter.

Open the guide →Elvira and the Party Monsters — restyled cabinet backglassBally · 1989 · VPX/PuP

Elvira and the Party Monsters

Three locks, two ramps and a neon monster party.

Open the guide →Tales of the Arabian Nights — restyled cabinet backglassWilliams · 1996 · TOTAN4k

Tales of the Arabian Nights

Win seven Tales and jewels, then rescue the Princess.

Open the guide →Austin Powers — restyled cabinet backglassStern · 2001 · VPWmod

Austin Powers

Complete six Evil features and cash the setup at Moonbase.

Open the guide →Scared Stiff — restyled cabinet backglassBally · 1996 · VPW

Scared Stiff

Six Tales, two regular multiballs, the Stiff-O-Meter and Spider Mania.

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