If playing for a high score, nothing matters except the right orbit. Note that the lane is partially obscured by a plastic, so shoot toward the string of lights. The left flipper should always try for this shot. The right flipper can either try to hit the orbit with a rolling backhand (if strong enough), transfer the ball to the left (alley passes are fairly easy), or shoot a transfer shot (left saucer lane works quite well).
If playing for multiball or extra balls: two completions of 1-2-3 lights both locks. Lock 2 balls for 2-ball multiball. Complete the left A-B-C grid to qualify the bonus ball. Bonus ball time is added by completing drop target banks during multiball. Completing the A-B-C grid a second time, or completing all three banks of drop targets in sequence, lights extra ball at the left saucer. Note that this game has 3 different flavors of lane change- right flipper controls 1-2-3, left flipper controls X-Y, pressing both flippers (or pressing either flipper while holding the other) controls A-B-C.
Any 1-2-3 lane scores 1,000 points and a bonus advance, and lights the corresponding number if not already lit. 1-2-3 lights can be rotated with right flipper lane change. Completing 1-2-3 once lights the top lock; completing it again lights the left lock. Also, any completion of 1-2-3 scores and advances the value lit above the lanes. The award given is the sum of all lit lights. The first award is 10,000 points, and each successive completion increases by 10,000 up to a maximum of 150,000 (80+40+20+10). This would be pretty massive scoring on its own, but it truly flies off the handle when 2x playfield is running, which it will be since the right orbit is the only way to return to the 1-2-3 lanes mid-ball.
X and Y lanes score 1,000 points, a bonus advance, and lights the corresponding letter if not already lit. The top saucer scores 5,000 points when not lit; completions of X-Y advance its value to 10,000 - 20,000 - 30,000 - 50,000 - 100,000 points. X-Y lights can be rotated with left flipper lane change. Completing 1-2-3 once lights this top saucer for a lock. If a ball is already locked in the left saucer, shooting this top saucer starts multiball.
The top saucer can be shot from either flipper, but it's quite a bit safer and easier from the left.
Scores and advances the lit value (10,000 if not lit). The progression goes 20,000 - 30,000 - 40,000 - 50,000 - 60,000 - 2x playfield. After starting 2x playfield, the sequence resets, but all values are doubled since 2x playfield is running. The lane value will not advance past 60,000 if 2x playfield is running. This right orbit lane is the only way to get the ball back up to the 1-2-3 lanes to advance their value or light locks.
Going through either in lane will light this right orbit for a bonus multiplier. Depending on your game settings, the multiplier will either stay on until collected, or unlight if it is not collected after 10 seconds. If your preferred method of flipper transfer is the shatz/alley pass, you may be lighting this orbit for bonus X while grinding up its value as well.
This right orbit is a dominating scoring shot in the game. The advancing value, plus the 2x playfield, plus the bonus multipliers, plus the fact that it drops you into the 1-2-3 lanes to advance that value means nothing else compares for earning points. This should be the only thing ever shot with the left flipper on a Cosmic Gunfight. If the ball is on the right flipper, try one of three things:
Scores 5,000 points. Is lit for a lock on the second completion of 1-2-3. Locking a ball here while there is already a locked ball in the top saucer starts multiball. Extra Ball is lit at this saucer by completing the A-B-C grid twice in one game or by completing all three banks of drop targets in sequence at least once in a single ball. Other than that, this saucer doesn't do much other than be a bailout shot for a ball that isn't wanted on the right flipper.
Hitting a target scores 500 points and lights the lamp corresponding to the column of the hit target, and the lit row. For example, hitting the right hand target when the top row is highlighted will light the third A. Anything in the game that scores 10 points (switches behind wall rubbers, and slingshots) rotates which row of A-B-C is lit. The player can also control this with both flipper lane change, which is easiest to do by holding one flipper up and then pressing the other.
Completing the entire A-B-C grid once qualifies that player to play the Cosmic Ball bonus ball at the end of the game. Completing the grid a second time in a game lights the left saucer for an extra ball.
Each target down scores 1,000 points. Completing any bank scores 3 bonus advances and adds 3 seconds to that player's Cosmic Ball time if applicable. If the drop targets are hit in order, a red lamp will light to indicate that that bank has been completed in sequence. (If the In Sequence light is flashing, that means that that bank is still eligible for an in sequence completion.) Completing all three banks in sequence at any time during the game lights the left saucer for an extra ball.
During multiball, each target down scores 5,000 points. A green light will rotate between the three banks of targets; if the green light is on in front of a bank, each target in that bank scores 20,000 points instead. This is the only multiball-specific scoring feature.
Cosmic Gunfight has a conventional in/out lane setup. Out lanes score 5,000 points. In lanes score 1,000 points and 3 bonus advances, and also light the right orbit for a bonus multiplier.
The slingshots are a little smaller than normal and don't extend down as far, meaning the mouth of the in lane near the flippers is very wide. This makes post transfers more difficult, but still possible, and it makes shatz/alley passes much easier.
Bonus is advanced 1 time by the X, Y, 1, 2, and 3 lanes. Bonus is advanced 3 times by the right orbit, either in lane, and any drop target completion. The bonus value in thousands is the sum of all the lamps in the center of the playfield: maximum is 32+16+8+4+2+1 = 63,000 base bonus. Base bonus is never carried from ball to ball.
Going through either in lane lights the right orbit lane for a bonus multiplier. Bonus multiplier is carried over from ball to ball unless it is maxed out at 5x. Maximum full bonus = 5x 63,000 = 315,000 points.
The Cosmic Ball is a timed bonus ball feature, similar to games like Space Station. It is played only by the players who earned one (by completing the A-B-C grid once during the game), in proper turn, and after everyone has played their last standard ball. On default settings, the timer starts at 30 seconds, and 3 seconds are added for any drop target bank completion during the game, up to a maximum of 99 seconds. The bonus ball is a two ball multiball, so be sure to remember to plunge both balls. Any balls that drain during the Cosmic Ball will be re-served to the plunger with no penalty other than the lost time. It is impossible to lock a ball or earn an extra ball during the Cosmic Ball. Completing any drop target bank in sequence during the Cosmic Ball scores an immediate special. When the Cosmic Ball timer ends, the flippers go dead, and the player's turn ends when the balls eventually drain and any bonus earned is counted.
In novelty/competition play, specials score 50,000 points. Extra balls cannot be set to have a point value. In casual play, though, this game does support having multiple extra balls at a time.
The starting Cosmic Ball time can be anywhere from 0-99 seconds. Also, the rules for earning additional time can be set to: anytime during the game, anytime but only after the Cosmic Ball has been won, or no additional time. Finally, the Cosmic Ball can be disabled outright.
The 10,000 lamp for the top saucer value can be set to be on initially. Similarly, the 20,000 lamp for the right lane value can be on initially.
The value of the right lane can be set to be carried over from ball to ball, but 2x playfield scoring will never carry over between balls.
The bonus X on the right lane can either stay on until collected or expire after 10 seconds.
By default, three of the nine lights in the A-B-C grid will be lit, but this can be disabled.
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