Hotdoggin'

Each lane, drop target and stand-up target gives you a different letter. Two of the return lanes also spot a letter at all times, two others do so when lit. Bonus is 2K per letter. Completing them all lights the 30K bonus light and lets you start a second set of letters. Bonus base value is held each ball. Bonus multiplier is advanced via the inline drop targets in the upper left: 3X, 4X and 5X (there is no 2X); multiplier resets each ball. Maximum bonus is 57K base and 5X for 285K total. No, it’s not 60K; if you complete all the letters again, they reset and you’re back to just 30K base, so stop before you finish the second set. First inline target lights the spinner at the top right for 1K per spin.

You’ll find you can make the inline drop targets with either flipper, although to do so from the left, you must not-quite-post-pass to get the ball to roll partway out along the flipper towards the tip, then make your backhand shot as the ball starts to roll back toward the flipper’s elbow.

Hotdoggin’s unique feature is its “disappearing kicker” bonus collect. While there’s no direct shot for the chute, if you have the kicker lit, you should try to nudge the ball in there, especially if you’ve built up a large bonus. The kicker turns off once triggered and must be relit by getting the K lane at the top again.

If the kicker is not lit, the ball will fall down through the chute towards the right outlane. The small pin below the chute can deflect the ball back into play towards the right return lanes. Any time the ball enters the chute without the kicker active, try to make sure it hits that pin as it exits with a well-timed slap to the right side of the game.

Finishing S-K-I lights the S and I for 5K and raises one bumper value to 1K for each SKI completion. SKI \+ HOTDOGGIN raises the saucer value to 25K. Each bank of drop targets goes up in per-target value the first time completed. The DOGG letters are best shot from the extra upper right flipper, but it’s often better to get them via spotting with the inline drops or lanes since shots with that flipper can easily end up in the left outlane either directly or after left bumper action.

Once you finish your inline drops and light the saucer, it awards points for special and extra ball, then reverts to a constant 25,000 per shot. At that point, you can either continue to backhand shots to the saucer from the left flipper or shoot the spinner.