Not to be confused with Flying Circus (Gottlieb, 1962), Circus (Bally, 1973), or Cirqus Voltaire (Bally Williams, 1997).
Circus has a relatively straightforward rule set with connected features being lit with the same colour, but the table layout makes strategy a bit of a mess. Collect numbers from the top lanes or roto-target to light individual drop targets for bonus multipliers. Making the two blue lanes on either side of the playfield light the center spinner for 1,000 points and a bonus advance per spin. When base bonus is maxed at 20,000 and multiplier is high, collect your bonus at the lower left saucer.
Numbers can be earned from the top lanes or the roto-target.
The top lanes are lit at the start of the game. Roll through a lit lane to collect that number and unlight the lane. Lit lanes score 5,000 points and a bonus advance, and spin the roto-target. Unlit lanes score 500 points and a bonus advance.
Hitting a number when it is in the center position of the roto-target scores 1,000 points times that number, and spots that number as well. Hitting a star in the center of the roto-target scores 5,000 points and spots all four numbers. Hitting a number when it is off-center scores 100 points times that number (with the star treated as a 5).
Collecting the 1, 2, 3, or 4 lights the first, second, third, or fourth drop targets respectively to advance the bonus multiplier when they are lit. Each target down scores 500 points and a bonus advance, or 5,000 and a bonus advance if lit green by the A-B-C targets. Clearing all 4 drop targets, no matter how many are lit, lights the lane between the mini-playfield's flippers for 5,000 points instead of 500.
Collecting all of 1-2-3-4 and clearing the drop target bank lights the Special at the roto-target. It is collected by shooting the star on the roto-target when it is in the center position only.
Three standup targets around the game are lit for A, B, or C. Hit a lit target to collect that letter and unlight the target. Lit targets score 5,000 points, a bonus advance, and spin the roto-target. Unlit targets score 500 points and a bonus advance.
Collecting A lights the first and fourth targets as well as both out lanes for 5,000 points instead of 500. Collecting B lights the second target and left in lane for the same, and collecting C lights the third target and right in lane for the same. Collecting all of A-B-C in one ball lights the extra ball, collectible at the roto-target only when the star is in the center position.
The two side lanes start out lit blue. They always spin the roto-target and score a bonus advance; they are worth 5,000 points when lit or 500 when not lit. Make a lit lane to unlight it. Collecting both blue lanes lights the center spinner until the end of the ball. Unlit center spinner scores 100 per spin. Lit center spinner scores 1,000 points and a bonus advance on every single spin! This is generally the fastest way to build base bonus safely.
Scores 5,000 points, a bonus advance, and a roto-target spin. When the base bonus is maxed out at 20,000 points, this saucer scores a full collect of the bonus including multiplier, which resets the base bonus to 1,000 points but leaves the collected multiplier intact.
It's impossible to end up here on purpose, but a lane on the right side just below the blue side lane scores 500 points and redirects the ball back to the shooter lane for a replunge.
Circus has what is very close to a conventional in/out lane setup. Owing to the widebody nature of the table, the left slingshot is massive. The right slingshot, instead, is slightly smaller than conventional, and a third full-size flipper is placed such that its hinge backs up to the lower corner of the right slingshot. This third flipper is basically worthless for shotmaking, and should only really be used to help get the ball under control when possible.
In and out lanes score a bonus advance, plus 500 points when not lit or 5,000 points when lit. Collecting A lights both out lanes; collecting B lights the left in lane; collecting C lights the right in lane. In lanes also spin the roto-target, whether lit or not.
Bonus is advanced by basically any lane or target around the game. Bonus multiplier is advanced by hitting drop targets that have been lit following collected 1-2-3-4 numbers. Max bonus is 5x 20,000 = 100,000 points. When base bonus is maxed at 20,000, the lower left saucer will collect the bonus including multiplier, then reset the base bonus (leaving the multiplier where it is). Base bonus and multiplier can never be carried from ball to ball.
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