Not to be confused with Space Shuttle (Zaccaria, 1980), Space Mission/Odyssey (Williams, 1976), or Space Station (Williams, 1987).
Try to always be in multiball. Lock one or two balls at the curved lanes in the lower part of the table, then knock down the drop target in front of the center ramp and shoot the center ramp itself. During multiball, or for a limited time during single ball after hitting the center drop target, the ramp is worth a constantly changing Stop 'n Score value of up to 99,990 points. The spinner just right of the center ramp is also valuable, worth 1,000 a spin and increasing when the drop targets on the side of the spinner lane are cleared, which also reopens the right out lane gate.
Lanes always score 2,000 points and a bonus advance. Roll through an unlit lane to light it. Lit lanes can be rotated via lane change with the right flipper only. Light all three lanes to spell U-S-A and increase the bonus multiplier. When the bonus multiplier reaches 5x, the in lanes light for Spot Shuttle Letter. When the bonus multiplier reaches the maximum of 7x, the dead-end right ramp lights for extra ball.
Lit bumpers score 1,000, unlit bumpers score 100. One bumper is lit at the start of each ball. Hitting any bumper rotates which one(s) are lit. Each completion of the spinner lane drop targets lights one more bumper.
The spinner starts off at a value of 1,000 points per spin. Along the left edge of the spinner lane is a 3-bank of drop targets. Each target down in this bank scores 1,000 points. Completing this bank increases the spinner value by 1,000/spin up to a maximum of 7,000/spin, reopens the right out lane gate if it was closed, and lights one bumper. If the spinner reaches its max value of 7,000 points per spin, the dead-end right ramp lights for extra ball.
A spinner worth 3,000 or more is usually valuable enough to become the main strategy on this game if you are concerned strictly with points. The drop targets are basically impossible to hit from the left flipper intentionally, needing a bounce off a post or the right wall of the spinner lane. Try backhanding the drop targets for slightly more consistency. On some Space Shuttle copies with strong flippers and loose drop targets, it may be possible to sweep the entire bank with a backhand shot and still make it through the spinner and up to the top lanes; if possible, practice to see if this works, and try to execute it repeatedly if you can.
S-H-U-T-T-L-E is spelled by the three left standup targets, the center ramp drop target, and the three right standup targets. Hitting any target scores 1,000 points. Hit an unlit target to light it and earn a bonus advance. Hit all 7 targets to spell Shuttle and earn the currently lit award in the center of the playfield. If the center drop target T is the last letter you need, it will flash instead of being lit or unlit, and hitting that target last scores an extra 100,000 points.
The Shuttle value is randomized at the start of each ball. It can be re-randomized at any time during gameplay by shooting the dead end right ramp. Possible awards are 20,000, 50,000, or 100,000 points; 50,000 + hold bonus; 100,000 + light out lanes; extra ball; or special. Extra ball and special can have their probability set to anywhere from 0-20% by the operator, so if you're fishing for extra balls, they may be impossible or require you to be very lucky.
During single ball play, knock down the center ramp drop target to qualify Stop 'n Score for about 15 seconds. Or, Stop 'n Score is always running during multiball. Whenever Stop 'n Score is running, the three players' score displays not corresponding to the current player will rapidly increase from 20,000 to 99,990 then loop back to 20,000. Making the center ramp during this time scores the currently displayed value and raises the Head Shield center post between the flippers for 10 seconds. As a nice cosmetic touch, the 3x5 grid of dots that forms this game's bonus ladder will briefly light up the digits of however many thousands of points you score from a Stop 'n Score collect.
If there is only one ball in play and no balls are locked, the center ramp drop target willl re-raise when Stop 'n Score ends.
During single ball play, locks are always lit. Lock a ball in either curved side lane to score 20,000 points and 3 bonus advance. Whenever at least one ball is locked, a full shot to the center ramp will release all locked balls for multiball. Other than the fact that the center ramp is always open for Stop 'n Score, there are no unique scoring opportunities or playfield multipliers during multiball. Use multiball as an opportunity to hit more Shuttle targets or more spinner lane drop targets. Locked balls persist from ball to ball and player to player, so lock stealing is in play. You do not need to be the one who locked a ball to start a multiball. Locked balls are automatically kicked out at the end of the game, however. Balls cannot be locked if there are multiple balls in play.
Space Shuttle has a conventional in/out lane setup. In lanes score 3,000 points, and are lit to spot a letter in Shuttle if the bonus multiplier is at least 5x. Out lanes score 15,000 points, as well as the current Shuttle award if they have been lit by the corresponding previous shuttle award.
A gate in the right out lane will redirect the ball to the right in lane when open. The gate is open at the start of each ball, closes when used, and can be reopened by completing the 3-bank of spinner lane drop targets.
There is a large center post between the flippers that, when raised, completely blocks a center drain. The post raises for 10 seconds any time the center ramp is made.
Bonus is advanced by any top lane or lighting a Shuttle letter. Putting a ball in a lock saucer at any time awards 3 bonus advance. Max bonus is 69,000 points. Bonus multiplier is advanced by completing the U-S-A targets, one at a time up to a maximum of 7x. Full max bonus, then, is 7x 69,000 = 483,000 points. This is very difficult to achieve since bonus multiplier can never be carried from ball to ball. Base bonus can be carried, however, by the corresponding Shuttle award. There is no mid-ball bonus collect.
Special can be set to points according to the game manual, but I have not determined the exact value of this. It is likely 50,000 or 100,000 points. Extra ball cannot be set to have a point value.
The spinner can be set to be unlit at first, having a value of 100 points/spin until the spinner lane drops are completed once to raise it to 1,000. The spinner value extra ball can be lit at the right ramp as soon as the spinner value reaches 7,000, or after one further drops completion past 7,000. The spinner value can also be held between balls instead of resetting.
The in lanes can be lit at 4x, 5x, 6x, or 7x bonus. Default is 5x. The right ramp extra ball can be lit at 7x bonus or require one further U-S-A completion past 7x.
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