Contact pinball rules and strategy
The Strategy
Contact uses the top C-O-N lanes to raise the center post and advance three color values. Keep returning the ball upstairs, use the raised post for control, and make the highest color active before the ball ends because only that color becomes end-of-ball bonus.
The goal
Plunge a C-O-N lane to raise the center post, keep sending the ball to the upper playfield, then use the raised post to settle the ball and favor safe deflections over precise shots at the swinging target.
Plunge for the center O lane. Accept C or N rather than missing all three lanes.
Confirm that the center post rises before the ball reaches the lower playfield.
Deflect or flip the ball back toward the upper playfield as soon as a safe angle appears.
Use C-O-N lanes and natural upper-playfield action to advance the three color values.
When the post is raised, let the ball settle against it instead of making an immediate full flip.
Release and repress a flipper very quickly to make a small, precise change to a slow ball. the settled ball onto one flipper face, then send it back up top.
Take a color collect only when its four-bank, horseshoe, or yellow target position is reached from a controlled feed.
Ignore the remaining CONTACT letters when Extra Ball and Special awards have no tournament value.
Alternative route: Raised-post flow play
Use this plan when the four-flipper layout will not permit a stable Hold a raised flipper so a slow ball settles against it, giving you time to plan your next move. or a repeatable aimed shot.
- Roll through a C-O-N lane or shoot the left saucer to raise the center post.
- Let a slow ball stop against the raised post.
- Release and repress a flipper very quickly to make a small, precise change to a slow ball. the settled ball onto one flipper face.
- Flip on the roll and aim only for the broad upper-playfield opening.
- Repeat while the post remains raised.
Need to know
- C-O-N skill shot
- The center O lane scores 5,000 while C or N scores 1,000, and any of the three lanes raises the center post.
- Center post
- The top C-O-N lanes and left saucer raise the post, while the side slings below the saucer and right-side horseshoes lower it.
- Color values
- White, yellow, and green begin at 5,000 and can advance to 40,000 through the C, O, and N lanes respectively.
Contact uses the top C-O-N lanes to raise the center post and advance three color values. Keep the post raised through the top lanes or left saucer, advance the safest color toward 40,000, then make that color active before the ball ends. Favor upper-playfield flow over forcing the swinging target.
The goal
Plunge a C-O-N lane to raise the center post, keep sending the ball to the upper playfield, then use the raised post to settle the ball and favor safe deflections over precise shots at the swinging target.
- Plunge for the center O lane. Accept C or N rather than missing all three lanes.
- Confirm that the center post rises before the ball reaches the lower playfield.
- Deflect or flip the ball back toward the upper playfield as soon as a safe angle appears.
- Use C-O-N lanes and natural upper-playfield action to advance the three color values.
- When the post is raised, let the ball settle against it instead of making an immediate full flip.
- Release and repress a flipper very quickly to make a small, precise change to a slow ball. the settled ball onto one flipper face, then send it back up top.
- Take a color collect only when its four-bank, horseshoe, or yellow target position is reached from a controlled feed.
- Ignore the remaining CONTACT letters when Extra Ball and Special awards have no tournament value.
Builds toward: 40,000 active-color bonus
- Keep the center post raised through C-O-N lanes or the left saucer.
- Use its C-O-N lane, a lit Advance Color position on the swinging target, or the recessed right-side pads to raise the safest color toward 40,000.
- Make that color active before the ball ends.
- Preserve the ball and its active-color bonus with upper-playfield flow play.