Foo Fighters pinball rules and strategy
The Strategy
Foo Fighters lets New Orleans run through All My Life and Rock-O-Meter 2x. Shoot one white V-A-N arrow, then the left ramp to choose New Orleans; repeat each lit shot to finish its pair. Hit both Overlord flank targets, lock a ball at Overlord, then hit the captive ball three times for All My Life. Shoot the right orbit or plunge through lit BATTERY lanes three times to start 2x.
The goal
Use white V-A-N arrows for Hit a lit major shot. Only that shot stays lit. Hit it again to complete its pair., the Overlord for Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit. Multiball, and BATTERY for Roll through the lit battery lane three times. Use the right orbit or the timed plunge. 2x.
How to start a mode
Shoot white VAN arrows until the left ramp lights, then shoot it and choose purple Hit a lit major shot. Only that shot stays lit. Hit it again to complete its pair..
Recommended mode: New Orleans
Choose it because it can run with Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit. Multiball and both features share useful major shots.
How to play it
Hit a lit major shot and repeat it. The side loop and side ramp each complete their pair with one hit; finish the required pairs, then shoot the Overlord.
Start All My Life Multiball
Hit both targets beside the Overlord shot, then shoot Overlord to lock a ball. Hit the locked captive ball three times to start Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit. Multiball. Shoot the left ramp, right ramp and center spinner for Jackpots. Next, shoot the left crossover and right orbit, followed by the side loop and side ramp. Shoot the Overlord for the Super Jackpot. For Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit. on default settings, Overlord hits can spot the missing flank targets, left first. Competition Install disables this shortcut; it also does not apply to later Overlord multiballs.
Start 2x playfield scoring
Shoot the right orbit while BATTERY is lit. If BATTERY goes out, hit the paddle behind the center drop targets to relight it. Three lit right-orbit shots fill Roll through the lit battery lane three times. Use the right orbit or the timed plunge. and start 2x playfield scoring.
Alternative route: Area 51 Multiball (Pro)
On Pro, use this separate multiball route instead of the Overlord route.
- Shoot the right ramp five times. The fifth shot starts Area 51 Multiball. On Pro, shoot lit major shots for eight Jackpots. Then shoot the right ramp followed by the UFO captive ball as a combo for the Super Jackpot. The Super relights the Jackpots; repeat while multiball continues.
Need to know
- Main route
- Prepare Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit. one hit from starting, begin Hit a lit major shot. Only that shot stays lit. Hit it again to complete its pair., then add Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit. and Roll through the lit battery lane three times. Use the right orbit or the timed plunge. 2x.
- Long goal
- Complete three city modes.
- Safer fallback
- Pro alternative: Hit a lit major shot. Only that shot stays lit. Hit it again to complete its pair. with Area 51: On Pro, use Hit a lit major shot. Only that shot stays lit. Hit it again to complete its pair. with Area 51 instead of Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit..
Foo Fighters lets New Orleans run during All My Life Multiball and Rock-O-Meter 2x. Hit both Overlord flank targets, lock a ball at Overlord, and hit the captive ball twice. Shoot one white arrow and the left ramp to start New Orleans. Hit the captive ball a third time for All My Life. Complete the city shot pairs while collecting the multiball’s ordered Jackpots. Shoot the right orbit through the lit BATTERY lane three times to start 2x scoring.
The goal
Prepare Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit. one hit from starting, begin Hit a lit major shot. Only that shot stays lit. Hit it again to complete its pair., then add Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit. and Roll through the lit battery lane three times. Use the right orbit or the timed plunge. 2x.Score both feature ladders during the stack.
- Hit both Overlord flank targets. Shoot the Overlord to lock one ball. Hit the locked captive ball twice. Stop before the third hit.
All My Life qualification and All My Life shortcut rules
- The two flank targets light the lock. The Overlord locks one ball. Three captive-ball hits start the multiball.: The two flank targets light the lock. The Overlord locks one ball. Three captive-ball hits start the multiball.
- On default settings, shoot Overlord to spot a missing flank target, left first. Competition Install disables this assistance; use the flank targets then. It does not apply to later Overlord multiballs.: On default settings, shoot Overlord to spot a missing flank target, left first. Competition Install disables this assistance; use the flank targets then. It does not apply to later Overlord multiballs.
- Shoot white V-A-N arrows until the left ramp lights. Shoot the left ramp and choose Hit a lit major shot. Only that shot stays lit. Hit it again to complete its pair. on the city map.
City qualification and New Orleans rules
- The first city needs one white shot. Later cities need up to three white shots.: The first city needs one white shot. Later cities need up to three white shots.
- Hit a lit major shot. Only that shot stays lit. Hit it again to complete its pair.: Hit a lit major shot. Only that shot stays lit. Hit it again to complete its pair.
- The side loop and side ramp each give two progress units with one hit. Complete up to 14 units. Then shoot the Overlord.
- Progress survives a failed attempt. A one-visit completion earns the FooBot left leg.
- Hit the locked captive ball a third time to start Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit. during Hit a lit major shot. Only that shot stays lit. Hit it again to complete its pair..
All My Life and Premium/LE first Area 51 rules
- Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit.: Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit.
- Next, collect the side loop and side ramp. Shoot the Overlord for the Super Jackpot.
- The Super Jackpot scores the total jackpot value. The multiball ends when one ball remains.
- Area 51 can progress and start during Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit.. Combotron cannot start during it.
- Each right-ramp shot also spots upper-playfield qualification progress. Competition Install turns this off, and later Area 51 starts require the upper targets, spinner, loop, and Secret Files normally. This is not the Pro's five-ramp rule.: Each right-ramp shot also spots upper-playfield qualification progress. Competition Install turns this off, and later Area 51 starts require the upper targets, spinner, loop, and Secret Files normally. This is not the Pro's five-ramp rule.
- For Hit a lit major shot. Only that shot stays lit. Hit it again to complete its pair., hit a lit major shot and repeat it. The side loop and side ramp each complete their pair with one hit.
- For Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit., first collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Next collect the left crossover and right orbit. Finish with the side loop and side ramp, then shoot the Overlord for the Super Jackpot.
All My Life jackpot ladder setup and scoring
- Complete the three lower shots, the crossover and orbit, then the two upper-flipper shots.: Complete the three lower shots, the crossover and orbit, then the two upper-flipper shots.
- The Overlord Super Jackpot scores the total jackpot value.
- If Roll through the lit battery lane three times. Use the right orbit or the timed plunge. is one advance from 2x, shoot the right orbit after Hit a lit major shot. Only that shot stays lit. Hit it again to complete its pair. and Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit. begin.
Rock-O-Meter scoring and timing
- Roll through the lit battery lane three times. Use the right orbit or the timed plunge.: Roll through the lit battery lane three times. Use the right orbit or the timed plunge.
- The third advance starts 2x playfield scoring. Requalify during 2x to reset the timer and start 3x.
- Requalify during 3x to add ten seconds. Playfield X combines with the ray-gun shot multiplier.
Top-player proof
- At UK Open 2023, Markus Virtanen combined Hit a lit major shot. Only that shot stays lit. Hit it again to complete its pair., Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit., and Roll through the lit battery lane three times. Use the right orbit or the timed plunge. 2x before collecting 114,000,000 from Washington, D.C.
- At the Stern Pro Circuit Championship 2023, Escher Lefkoff combined Hit a lit major shot. Only that shot stays lit. Hit it again to complete its pair., Collect the left ramp, right ramp, and center spinner. Then collect the left crossover and right orbit., and the playfield multiplier during his winning 600-million game against Jared August.
Builds toward: Austin or Washington, D.C.
- Complete three city modes. At the left-ramp city map, choose Austin when its displayed starting jackpot is above 1.5 million; choose Washington, D.C. otherwise.
Pro / Premium differences
- Area 51 Multiball qualificationPro: Shoot the right ramp five times; later attempts need nine. The final right-ramp shot starts multiball.Premium / LE: Enter Area 51 at the right ramp, then complete the upper targets, spinner, loop, and Secret Files. Secret Files starts multiball.
- Area 51 jackpot and SuperPro: Any lit major shot scores a jackpot. The right ramp and adjacent bot targets raise the base jackpot.Premium / LE: Collect eight major-shot jackpots, then shoot Secret Files for the Super Jackpot.