Back to the Future pinball rules and strategy
The Strategy
Back to the Future uses D-M-C for three locks and D-E-L-O-R-E-A-N for a timed Million Round. Leave the word one letter short, start Multiball, finish D-M-C to relight both ramp Jackpot ladders, then start Million Round with the extra balls protecting its ramp shots.
The goal
Complete DMC for each of three locks while leaving DELOREAN one letter short. Start multiball, then shoot a ramp to begin Each non-skill-shot ramp adds a DELOREAN letter. Completing the word starts 12 seconds in which every ramp scores one million; later rounds can start with less time. safely. Complete DMC during multiball to relight both Each ramp scores 500K, then 750K, then 1M. The two ladders advance separately..
Complete DMC to light the first lock. Collect it, then repeat DMC and the lock saucer until two balls are locked.
Repeat controlled ramps until DELOREAN is one letter short. If the next ramp is unsafe, stop the setup and start Multiball; finish DELOREAN with protected ramp shots instead.
- Each non-skill-shot ramp adds a DELOREAN letter. Completing the word starts 12 seconds in which every ramp scores one million; later rounds can start with less time.: Each non-skill-shot ramp adds a DELOREAN letter. Completing the word starts 12 seconds in which every ramp scores one million; later rounds can start with less time.
Complete DMC once more, collect the third lock, and stabilize the three-ball release.
Shoot either ramp during multiball to complete DELOREAN and start Each non-skill-shot ramp adds a DELOREAN letter. Completing the word starts 12 seconds in which every ramp scores one million; later rounds can start with less time. without wasting its timer on the ball release.
- On the first cycle, each DMC completion lights one of three stackable locks. The third collected lock starts three-ball play.: On the first cycle, each DMC completion lights one of three stackable locks. The third collected lock starts three-ball play.
- Each ramp scores 500K, then 750K, then 1M. The two ladders advance separately.: Each ramp scores 500K, then 750K, then 1M. The two ladders advance separately.
Collect both lit ramp Jackpots. Complete DMC to relight each ramp at its next value.
Finish both ramp ladders for the additional one-million completion award. Repeat DMC relights while two or more balls remain.
After multiball, return to controlled ramp shots for another Each non-skill-shot ramp adds a DELOREAN letter. Completing the word starts 12 seconds in which every ramp scores one million; later rounds can start with less time. or rebuild DMC locks.
Alternative route: Ramp Million Round
Use this when lock shots or the saucer feed are unsafe.
- Alternate or repeat the safer ramp to spell DELOREAN.
- Start Each non-skill-shot ramp adds a DELOREAN letter. Completing the word starts 12 seconds in which every ramp scores one million; later rounds can start with less time..
- Repeat the safest ramp for one million per shot until the timer ends.
- Continue ramp progress and preserve any completed DMC letters for later locks.
Need to know
- Million Round
- Spell DELOREAN with ramp shots to start 12 seconds of one-million ramp shots; later rounds can fall to six seconds.
- Back to the Future Multiball
- On the first multiball, each DMC completion lights the next lock and three collected locks start three-ball play.
- Ramp Jackpots
- The left and right ramps have independent Jackpot ladders: 500K, 750K, and 1M.
Each D-M-C completion lights the next of three locks in Back to the Future; the third lock starts Multiball. During Multiball, each ramp advances its own 500K, 750K, and 1M Jackpot ladder, and another D-M-C completion relights both ramps. Ramp shots also spell D-E-L-O-R-E-A-N for a short Million Round, so leave the word one letter short before the third lock.
The goal
Complete DMC for each of three locks while leaving DELOREAN one letter short.Start multiball, then shoot a ramp to begin Each non-skill-shot ramp adds a DELOREAN letter. Completing the word starts 12 seconds in which every ramp scores one million; later rounds can start with less time. safely.Complete DMC during multiball to relight both Each ramp scores 500K, then 750K, then 1M. The two ladders advance separately..
- Complete DMC to light the first lock. Collect it, then repeat DMC and the lock saucer until two balls are locked.
- Repeat controlled ramps until DELOREAN is one letter short. If the next ramp is unsafe, stop the setup and start Multiball; finish DELOREAN with protected ramp shots instead.
Million Round scoring and timing
- Each non-skill-shot ramp adds a DELOREAN letter. Completing the word starts 12 seconds in which every ramp scores one million; later rounds can start with less time.: Each non-skill-shot ramp adds a DELOREAN letter. Completing the word starts 12 seconds in which every ramp scores one million; later rounds can start with less time.
- Complete DMC once more, collect the third lock, and stabilize the three-ball release.
- Shoot either ramp during multiball to complete DELOREAN and start Each non-skill-shot ramp adds a DELOREAN letter. Completing the word starts 12 seconds in which every ramp scores one million; later rounds can start with less time. without wasting its timer on the ball release.
Back to the Future Multiball and Ramp Jackpot ladders rules
- On the first cycle, each DMC completion lights one of three stackable locks. The third collected lock starts three-ball play.: On the first cycle, each DMC completion lights one of three stackable locks. The third collected lock starts three-ball play.
- Each ramp scores 500K, then 750K, then 1M. The two ladders advance separately.: Each ramp scores 500K, then 750K, then 1M. The two ladders advance separately.
- Collect both lit ramp Jackpots. Complete DMC to relight each ramp at its next value.
- Finish both ramp ladders for the additional one-million completion award. Repeat DMC relights while two or more balls remain.
- After multiball, return to controlled ramp shots for another Each non-skill-shot ramp adds a DELOREAN letter. Completing the word starts 12 seconds in which every ramp scores one million; later rounds can start with less time. or rebuild DMC locks.
Builds toward: Completed ramp Jackpot ladders
- Prepare Each non-skill-shot ramp adds a DELOREAN letter. Completing the word starts 12 seconds in which every ramp scores one million; later rounds can start with less time. and three locks.
- Stack the timed million-point round with multiball when the final start is safe.
- Use DMC relights to collect 500K, 750K, and 1M on each ramp.
- Complete both ladders for the additional one-million award.