Skateball has a considerable number of options that make the game play very differently. If the right saucer does not reset its value after being collected, complete the S-K-A-T-E targets exactly twice and then hammer the saucer for a repeated 100,000. Do not complete S-K-A-T-E a third time, or the saucer will light for extra ball, and then everything will unlight after one more collect. If the saucer value resets upon being collected anyway, it can still be the main strategy, but there will also be more of a focus on advancing bonus and getting multipliers from the upper left bank (3 completions) or the 1-2-3 lanes.
Unlit lanes score 1,000 points and a bonus advance. Lit lanes score 5,000 points and 2 bonus advance. Completing 1-2-3 advances the bonus multiplier and lights one bumper. If the bonus multiplier is maxed out at 5X, the next completion of 1-2-3 only scores a special.
The lights on the 1-2-3 lanes can be moved with lane change, but beware the fact that lane change works opposite to how it does on basically every other table. It can only be operated with the right flipper, like normal, but the lights move right to left instead of left to right. Always keep this in mind.
Scores 100 points per spin, or 1,000 point per spin when lit. The spinner lights when both A and B have been collected, on the in lanes.
Each drop target scores 1 bonus advance. Any completion scores 10,000 points. Completing the bank twice lights Spot X on this bank; completing it a third time advances the bonus multiplier if it is not already at 5X.
Hitting a target when it is lit by a flashing yellow arrow locks in that arrow, making it solid. Lighting all three yellow arrows lights the right saucer for a bonus collect.
Score 100 points, or 1,000 when lit. Each completion of 1-2-3 lights one bumper.
Should never be shot for because they're a massive drain risk from any flipper, but I'll explain what they do anyway.
The lights in front of the saucer rotate between the blue 10,000 inserts and the white 20,000 arrows. If the bank is completed when one of the arrows is flashing, that arrow is locked in and becomes solidly lit. If both 20,000 arrows are locked in, the next completion of this bank scores 100,000 points. That sounds impressive, but there are plenty of other ways to score 100,000 in this game that are either less dangerous in the short term or do more to help your success and score on future balls.
Can be shot from either right flipper, but lower is better. Each target down scores 5,000 points and advances the bonus. Completing the bank scores 10,000 and advances the saucer value.
The saucer value is the sum of the lit values; it is always worth 20,000, it is worth 50,000 after one S-K-A-T-E completion, and it is worth 100,000 after two S-K-A-T-E completions. Completing S-K-A-T-E a third time lights the saucer for extra ball, and completing S-K-A-T-E while the extra ball is already lit will in turn light a special on the right out lane.
By default, the saucer will keep its point value when it is scored, but will reset the point value when the extra ball is collected. If this is the case, the optimal strategy is to complete S-K-A-T-E exactly twice, and then collect 100,000 points at this saucer all day long. If extra balls are on, you could collect the EB if you wanted, but there is likely to be a point sacrifice in doing so.
The saucer can be set to reset the point value back to 20,000 after any collect, though. If this is how the game is set up, going for 100,000 collects could be a strategy- and there would be less of a point sacrifice from picking up the extra ball- but be sure to supplement the sheer quantity of drop targets you'll be hitting with some bonus multiplier from the 1-2-3 lanes, since under these rules it takes 10 S-K-A-T-E targets- and therefore 10 bonus advances- to get the saucer up to 100,000.
If extra balls are off, or if an extra ball has been collected on the current ball in play, completing S-K-A-T-E a third time will likely immediately reset the saucer value, so be very careful.
The right saucer can also be lit for Collect Bonus by completing the yellow arrows under the upper left drop targets. Collect bonus unlights after being hit once, so consider building up a good bonus and/or avoiding lighting the collect altogether until it has good value. The collect at this saucer is a full collect of the entire bonus with multiplier, and does not drain the bonus either, so it can continue to be built.
It's very important to know what it's safe to do with a ball being spit out of the right saucer. Holding the upper flipper up could bounce the ball into the left in lane...or the left out lane. Lowering the flipper as the ball hits it could lead to control on a lower flipper...or a center drain with poor timing on the flipper release. Not doing anything with the upper flipper puts the ball at the mercy of a bounce off the top of the right slingshot, and flipping away at the S-K-A-T-E targets is least likely to put the ball under control quickly. Be sure to determine what is most reliable on the specific copy you are playing on.
oh boy
The left in and out lane on Skateball are reversed. The lane closer to the edge of the table curves around and feeds the left flipper, while the lane closer to the flipper drops straight down toward the out hole. There are two one-way gates in this setup: one in the wall separating the in and out lane that gives a ball more time to bounce into, but not out of, the safer in lane on the outside; and a second gate right above the flipper that prevents the ball from rolling up off the flipper into the drain.
The left in lane lights the A if it is not already lit. If the A was already lit, it scores 1,000 points and 2 bonus advance. The left out lane always scores 2,000 points and 2 bonus advance, and can be lit for special when S-K-A-T-E is completed with the extra ball already lit at the right saucer.
The right in and out lane are not reversed, but the right in lane does not run perfectly vertical, and covers less distance than a normal in lane. It's not particularly harder or easier to find the in lane, but what to look for and how to nudge is different than on pretty much any other table.
The in lane lights B if it was not already lit, and scores 1,000 points plus 2 bonus advance if it was already lit. On a stock Skateball, it's possible to trap a ball on the right flipper and make tiny flips to get the ball to rock back just enough that the in lane can be repeatedly hit for a bunch of risk free bonus. If this is possible, try it, but on most Skateballs (especially ones designated for tournament play) the metal that triggers the rollover will be cut so that it only registers if the ball is travelling downward.
The right out lane scores 2,000 points and 2 bonus advance, and can be lit for special in the same way as the left out lane.
Bonus is advanced by any drop target (optionally), any top lane (double when lit), the right saucer, the in lanes (2 advances, only when lit), and the out lanes (2 advances, always). Advancing the bonus to 20, 40, or 60 advances is a super bonus that gets carried forward from ball to ball. Otherwise, bonus is reset between balls. If the bonus is advanced to 60,000, a special will be scored at the end of that ball. If the bonus is maxed out at 70,000, a special is awarded immediately.
Bonus multiplier is awarded by completing the 1-2-3 lanes, or by completing the upper left drop targets three times in one ball. Max bonus is 5x 70,000 = 350,000. Bonus multiplier can be set to carry over from ball to ball, but base bonus does not outside of the super bonuses mentioned above.
The upper left drop targets can be set to carry over a lit "Spot X" light, or not.
The center drop targets can preserve lit arrows between balls, or not.
The yellow arrows in front of the upper left drops can be set to carry over, or not.
The saucer can be set to light the 50,000 lamp and the extra ball lamp simultaneously, or separately. The same setting exists for lighting the extra ball and the out lane special together or separately.
Bonus multiplier can be set not to carry over.
Drop targets can be set not to advance bonus.
The saucer can be set to light an extra ball by completing S-K-A-T-E just once if A and B on the in lanes are also lit.