This game has both solid state and electromechanical versions, but both have identical layouts and scoring.
The main strategy on Freedom is to shoot the spinners and try to land in the saucer at the top of the table, but the desired outcome from the saucer is different in a 3-ball vs a 5-ball game. On 3-ball, you will want Light Spinners, which lights both spinners for 1,000 a spin. On 5-ball, those lit spinners are only worth 100 per spin, so it's usually better to get 5,000 points or 3 bonus advance from the saucer. In either case, a strong shatz/alley pass player can use that skill earn bonus advances from the in lanes, which are usually safer than a return feed out of the bumpers/top of the table.
Most scoring on Freedom surrounds the wheel of 10 awards in the center of the table. Landing in either saucer- top or middle right- scores the current lit value. Anything in the game that scores 10 points, which includes the bumpers, slingshots, unlit spinners, and wall switches that direct the ball toward the top saucer, will rotate the lit award one position. The star rollover in the center of the table scores 40 points and advances the lit award 4 positions.
Three awards score 500 points and one bonus advance. Two wedges give 5,000 points, two wedges give 3,000 points and 3 bonus advances, two wedges give 500 points and double bonus, and one wedge gives 500 points and lights both spinners.
In a 3-ball game, lit spinners score 1,000 points. This is by far the best value in the game; if light spinners is the current award, it is worth shooting for the middle-right saucer to try to get it immediately, where that saucer would otherwise be too dangerous and reject-prone to shoot for. Once the spinners are lit for 1,000 a spin, nothing else matters more than shooting spinners.
In a 5-ball game, lit spinners score 100 points. This is okay value, but not worth going out of the way for nearly as much. Instead, preferred awards when the ball lands in a saucer are 3 bonus advance early in a ball (which also gives 3,000 points), or the straight-up 5,000 points once the bonus is maxed out.
The out lanes also score the current lit wheel award. This can be an okay award on the way out of a couple thousand points, or a kick in the teeth as the spinners light while the balls rolls below the flippers.
Always score 10 points. To the upper right of the bumpers is a red standup target that scores 500 points and a bonus advance.
Each target down always scores 500 points and a bonus advance. On liberal settings, the first completion of the bank scores 5,000 points plus an extra ball, and the second completion scores a special. On conservative settings, the first completion just scores the 5,000 points, and the second gives both an extra ball and a special. The third completion of the bank and onward always give a special regardless of settings. I am not aware of a point value that can be assigned to extra balls or specials, even on the solid state version of the game.
Freedom has a conventional in/out lane setup. In lanes score 500 points and a bonus advance. Out lanes score the currently lit wheel award.
Bonus is advanced once by the standup target near the bumpers, any in lane, any drop target, or the 500 + bonus advance wheel wedge awards. Bonus is advanced 3 times by the 3 advance wheel wedges. Bonus is doubled only by getting the double bonus wheel award. Max bonus is 2x 15,000 = 30,000 points. There is no bonus hold, bonus multiplier hold, or mid-ball bonus collect.
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