Pioneer

This is the 2-player version of Spirit of 76.

Focus on the drop targets, although if extra balls are on, the lanes can become important, too. More than half of your points in a game can come from bonus, especially if you can double it. Base bonus is 15K, advanced by hitting a drop target or triggering a lit star rollover. Each lettered lane lights a star rollover [the one nearest each lane]. Scoring all five letters lights the center saucer for Extra Ball on a digit cycle; all 8 drop targets lights the saucer for double bonus on the cycle; completing both the targets and the lanes lights it for special on cycle. There’s a way to get 4x bonus: light double bonus in the saucer, score it, relight double bonus in the saucer, shoot it. Since you already have double bonus lit, it instead awards you 4X bonus. This is the most valuable shot in the game. End of ball bonus is doubled if you’ve made the doubler shot.

The rebounds from hitting the drop targets are risky, but you need to shoot them, so plan on quick reflex nudging to save drain-bound bounces.