at which players play a game of virtual pinball.
The Basic Game
Two players face each other from opposite ends of the table.
The virtual game is projected onto the table top. Each side of
the table has a (physical) plunger and two (phyical) buttons that
players use to begin the game, launch the (virtual) ball, and
manipulate (virtual) flippers. The table top is at an angle (both
physically and virtually) with the highest point at the center.
The ball can cross from one side of the table to the other if it
is moving with enough velocity to cross the center line.
In all variations, players propel a ball onto the table and then
control flippers to keep the ball in play as long as possible.
Players earn points by hitting bumpers, which are invisible
until they are first hit. In all versions save multiball, there are
four levels. Players complete a level by hitting all the bumpers
on the table at least once. Each bumper is worth more points
at higher levels.
The Variations
Players can select from among four variations of the game.
In the cooperative version, both players share a score and lives.
Each player controls two flippers on his/her side of the table
and one additional flipper on the far side. The players lose a life
when either player allows the ball past his/her flippers at the
end of the table. The game ends when the players lose six lives.
In the synchronized version, the rules are the same as the
cooperative version, but each player controls half the range of
motion of all the flippers. Thus, to fully 'flip' a flipper, both players
need to hit the relevant button at the same time.
In the competitive version, each player has three lives and scores
points by hitting bumpers on the near side of the table. A player
can progress a level on his/her side of the table by hitting all the
bumpers on the near side of the table, and a player loses a life by
allowing a ball past the flippers at the edge of his/her side of the
table. The game ends when one players loses all three lives. The
surviving player's score is doubled, and the winner is the player
with the most points.
In the multiball version, there are no lives and no levels. The
game begins with two available balls, and players gain points
by hitting bumpers on the near side of the table. If a player
loses a ball, the ball moves onto the other player's side of the
table. Further, if there are fewer than five balls on the table,
an extra ball is added to the board on the other player's side.
The winner is the first player to reach a set point total.
