Home Run

This is the add-a-ball version of Playball. The strategy is the same but the scores are ten times higher.

While the game is oriented towards scoring runs more than points, I have seen it in competition, so here it is. If you want points, go up top for the 3000-point triples. Balls falling through those should come down to the same (opposite side) flipper for another shot or, even better, a dead bounce to the other flipper for a controlled mirror shot.

Any time you can get hits on the center bumper when lit or deflect the ball into the side double chutes, do so. The bumpers stay lit once on and may even start the game lit.

Most players should probably ignore the vari-targets; they’re tighter shots than other vari-targets and a missed shot can easily drain. If you can safely forehand or backhand them and push the ball back far enough to score a 5000-point home run, give it a go.

Consistently draining out the sides for 5000 (and a home run) can be big in a low-scoring match.

The game has an autoplunger between the flippers, so there’s no skill shot.

If for any reason you’re playing for runs, each numbered stand-up target puts a runner on that base; these are only worth 100 points each, irrelevant in score play. The strategy is the same.