Happy Clown pinball rules and strategy

The Strategy

Complete the five C-L-O-W-N targets once for 10 Times Value, then complete them again for one 100 Times Value target hit. Use the upper 50-point rollovers, side clown targets, or kick-out holes to spin the projected values. When a reachable letter target shows a star, hit it for Shoot Again if that award is enabled.

The goal

Spell C-L-O-W-N twice to build from ordinary target values to 10 times and then one 100 Times Value hit; use Spin Roto switches to change the projected numbers and find a star for Shoot Again.

  1. Hit each of the five C-L-O-W-N targets once to complete the first word and light 10 Times Value.

  2. Use an upper 50-point rollover, side clown target, or kick-out hole when you need to spin the Roto unit and change the projected target values.

  3. Complete C-L-O-W-N a second time to light 100 Times Value for one target hit.

  4. Collect the live 100 Times Value at a letter target; after that hit, begin the C-L-O-W-N progression again.

  5. Whenever a reachable letter target displays a star, hit it for Shoot Again if the installed settings allow the award.

Need to know
First C-L-O-W-N
Hit all five letter targets once to light 10 Times Value for the letter targets.
Second C-L-O-W-N
Complete all five again to light 100 Times Value for one letter-target hit.
Spin Roto
The two upper 50-point rollovers, two side clown targets, and two kick-out holes change the values projected at the letter targets.

Machine setup

  • Confirm Gottlieb Happy Clown model 214, OPDB exact variant G5WbJ-MQVn8, the November 1964 four-player EM and sole catalog edition.
  • Check three- or five-ball play, replay thresholds, tilt response, and whether Shoot Again is enabled or converted under the installed event settings.
  • Test all five letter targets, both upper 50-point rollovers, both side clown targets, both kick-out holes, Roto indexing and projection, multiplier relays, carryover state, and the Shoot Again award before competition play.
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