KISS pinball rules and strategy
The Strategy
KISS begins each ball with a selected untimed Song, and each completed Song raises playfield scoring for the rest of that ball. Choose Deuce before plunging, shoot the lit left orbit or STAR, follow the two lit shots as they move right, then loop the center ramp when the arrows begin to rove. Completing Deuce starts 2x playfield scoring. Build the STAR meter while Deuce runs, finish the Song, then shoot the lit right ramp to start Love Gun Multiball (on Pro, the STAR saucer can also start it). During Multiball, repeat each Jackpot shot immediately for its Double Jackpot.
The goal
Use After the lit pair crosses the playfield, the two arrows rove back and forth. Loop the center ramp until the mode ends. for a song, Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards. and the Shows Love Gun right ramp on the KISS playfield. The right ramp starts Love Gun and collects its Triple Jackpot. for Love Gun Multiball, or the Shows Demon disc and lock on the KISS playfield. The Demon area collects locks, jackpots, and the Double Super Jackpot. shot for Shows Demon disc and lock on the KISS playfield. The Demon area collects locks, jackpots, and the Double Super Jackpot. Multiball.
How to start a mode
Choose After the lit pair crosses the playfield, the two arrows rove back and forth. Loop the center ramp until the mode ends. before the plunge. Shoot the lit Shows Left orbit on the KISS playfield. The left orbit can register the slow-plunge mode shot and collects the ARMY hurry-up. or Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards., follow the lit pair as it moves right, then loop the Shows Center combo ramp on the KISS playfield. The center ramp loops back for mode progress and lights 2x on the next left-flipper shot. when the arrows begin roving.
Recommended mode: Deuce
Choose it for a visible left-to-right lit-shot sequence that finishes on the Shows Center combo ramp on the KISS playfield. The center ramp loops back for mode progress and lights 2x on the next left-flipper shot..
How to play it
Shoot the lit Shows Left orbit on the KISS playfield. The left orbit can register the slow-plunge mode shot and collects the ARMY hurry-up. or Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards., follow the lit pair as it moves right, then loop the Shows Center combo ramp on the KISS playfield. The center ramp loops back for mode progress and lights 2x on the next left-flipper shot. when the arrows begin roving.
Start Love Gun Multiball
While the song runs, hit Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards. until Love Gun is ready, then shoot the lit Shows Love Gun right ramp on the KISS playfield. The right ramp starts Love Gun and collects its Triple Jackpot.. Prioritize the song's lit shots; after any Jackpot, repeat the same shot for its Double Jackpot.
Alternative route: Demon Multiball
Use this when the Shows Demon disc and lock on the KISS playfield. The Demon area collects locks, jackpots, and the Double Super Jackpot. and Light Lock targets are safer than Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards. and the Shows Love Gun right ramp on the KISS playfield. The right ramp starts Love Gun and collects its Triple Jackpot..
- Shoot the Shows Demon disc and lock on the KISS playfield. The Demon area collects locks, jackpots, and the Double Super Jackpot. to spell D-E-M-O-N, or hit both Light Lock targets whenever Lock is unlit. Shoot the Shows Demon disc and lock on the KISS playfield. The Demon area collects locks, jackpots, and the Double Super Jackpot. each time Lock is lit; the third lock starts Shows Demon disc and lock on the KISS playfield. The Demon area collects locks, jackpots, and the Double Super Jackpot. Multiball.
- Shoot each of the six major shots twice. The sixth and twelfth Jackpots are Supers; then shoot the roving Double Jackpot and the Shows Demon disc and lock on the KISS playfield. The Demon area collects locks, jackpots, and the Double Super Jackpot. Double Super Jackpot.
Need to know
- Song modes
- Choose a song before plunge, finish its lit sequence, and start later modes at the Shows Backstage Pass scoop on the KISS playfield. The left-center scoop starts later song modes and collects Backstage Pass. when no mode runs.
- Mode Playfield X
- The first completed mode starts 2x playfield scoring for the ball; later completions raise it to 3x, 5x, then 10x.
- Love Gun Multiball
- Fill Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards., start at the Shows Love Gun right ramp on the KISS playfield. The right ramp starts Love Gun and collects its Triple Jackpot., repeat each Jackpot shot for its Double, then collect the right-ramp Triple and Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards. Super.
KISS uses untimed Songs to supply its ball-long playfield multiplier, and Love Gun's Jackpot ladder scores under that multiplier after the Song is complete. Choose Deuce before plunging, shoot its lit left orbit or STAR, follow the two lit shots as they move right, then loop the center ramp when the arrows begin to rove. Build the STAR meter while Deuce runs, complete the Song for 2x playfield scoring, then shoot the lit right ramp to start Love Gun Multiball (on Pro, the STAR saucer can also start it). Repeat each Jackpot shot for its Double Jackpot. After Multiball, rebuild Love Gun while 2x remains active; start another Song at the Backstage scoop only when it will not delay that repeat.
The goal
Choose After the lit pair crosses the playfield, the two arrows rove back and forth. Loop the center ramp until the mode ends. and complete it for 2x playfield scoring for the rest of the ball.Build Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards. during the Song, start Love Gun after After the lit pair crosses the playfield, the two arrows rove back and forth. Loop the center ramp until the mode ends. is complete, then rebuild Love Gun while 2x remains active.
- Choose After the lit pair crosses the playfield, the two arrows rove back and forth. Loop the center ramp until the mode ends. before the first plunge. Shoot the lit Shows Left orbit on the KISS playfield. The left orbit can register the slow-plunge mode shot and collects the ARMY hurry-up. or Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards., then follow the two lit shots as they move to the right.
Deuce rule details
- After the lit pair crosses the playfield, the two arrows rove back and forth. Loop the center ramp until the mode ends.: After the lit pair crosses the playfield, the two arrows rove back and forth. Loop the Shows Center combo ramp on the KISS playfield. The center ramp loops back for mode progress and lights 2x on the next left-flipper shot. until the mode ends.
- KISS has no normal skill shot. A slow plunge can hang in the Shows Left orbit on the KISS playfield. The left orbit can register the slow-plunge mode shot and collects the ARMY hurry-up. and register Deuce's first left-orbit shot on some copies.
- Complete After the lit pair crosses the playfield, the two arrows rove back and forth. Loop the center ramp until the mode ends. to start 2x playfield scoring for the rest of the ball.
Mode multiplier scoring details
- The first completed mode starts 2x playfield for the rest of the ball. Later completions on the same ball raise it to 3x, 5x, and 10x.: The first completed mode starts 2x playfield for the rest of the ball. Later completions on the same ball raise it to 3x, 5x, and 10x.
- After the lit pair crosses the playfield, the two arrows rove back and forth. Loop the center ramp until the mode ends. progress carries between balls, but the playfield multiplier lasts only for the ball on which the mode is completed.
- While After the lit pair crosses the playfield, the two arrows rove back and forth. Loop the center ramp until the mode ends. runs, hit Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards. until the Love Gun meter is full when its return is controlled. Complete After the lit pair crosses the playfield, the two arrows rove back and forth. Loop the center ramp until the mode ends. before shooting the lit Shows Love Gun right ramp on the KISS playfield. The right ramp starts Love Gun and collects its Triple Jackpot. to start Love Gun Multiball.
While Deuce runs, hit STAR until the Love Gun meter is fu…
- A Pro can also start Love Gun at the Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards. saucer. On Premium and LE, use the Shows Love Gun right ramp on the KISS playfield. The right ramp starts Love Gun and collects its Triple Jackpot..
- The Pro starts with two balls. Premium and LE hold one ball and continue as single-ball play. Shoot Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards. before the hurry-up ends to set the jackpot value and launch a third ball.
- A missed hurry-up gives the minimum jackpot and two-ball play.
- A running song can continue into Love Gun. A new song cannot start during multiball. This route completes After the lit pair crosses the playfield, the two arrows rove back and forth. Loop the center ramp until the mode ends. first so Love Gun scores under 2x playfield.
- During Love Gun, collect a Jackpot, then repeat that same shot for its Double Jackpot.
During Love Gun, collect a Jackpot, then repeat that same…
- The repeated Double Jackpot relights the other Jackpot shots.
- Collect every major jackpot. Shoot the Shows Love Gun right ramp on the KISS playfield. The right ramp starts Love Gun and collects its Triple Jackpot. for the triple jackpot. Then shoot Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards. for the 50,000,000 Super Jackpot.
- Love Gun is easier to start and is useful for finishing songs. Shows Demon disc and lock on the KISS playfield. The Demon area collects locks, jackpots, and the Double Super Jackpot. scores more on average, while a completed Love Gun has the higher ceiling.
- Love Gun and Shows Demon disc and lock on the KISS playfield. The Demon area collects locks, jackpots, and the Double Super Jackpot. Multiball cannot run together.
- After Love Gun ends, hit Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards. until Love Gun is ready again, then shoot the lit Shows Love Gun right ramp on the KISS playfield. The right ramp starts Love Gun and collects its Triple Jackpot. to restart it while 2x playfield scoring remains active.
After Love Gun ends, hit STAR until Love Gun is ready aga…
- Start another song at the Shows Backstage Pass scoop on the KISS playfield. The left-center scoop starts later song modes and collects Backstage Pass. before Love Gun only when After the lit pair crosses the playfield, the two arrows rove back and forth. Loop the center ramp until the mode ends. is complete and the extra mode will not delay the repeat start.
- Shows Demon disc and lock on the KISS playfield. The Demon area collects locks, jackpots, and the Double Super Jackpot. Multiball remains a separate scoring route. Do not interrupt a controlled Love Gun repeat to force the Shows Demon disc and lock on the KISS playfield. The Demon area collects locks, jackpots, and the Double Super Jackpot. or Light Lock targets.
Top-player proof
- At IFPA 20, Viggo Löwgren and Jason Zahler both chose After the lit pair crosses the playfield, the two arrows rove back and forth. Loop the center ramp until the mode ends., used its ball-long 2x playfield scoring, and repeatedly returned to Love Gun Multiball.
Builds toward: Heaven's On Fire
- Hit every KISS and ARMY target to fill the first two rows of the 16-insert grid.
- Roll through the far-left inlane to light bumper advances, then shoot the right orbit to apply the lit advances to the four bumpers.
- When Instrument Power On is lit, shoot the Shows Love Gun right ramp on the KISS playfield. The right ramp starts Love Gun and collects its Triple Jackpot.. Collect the four lit instruments at the Shows Left orbit on the KISS playfield. The left orbit can register the slow-plunge mode shot and collects the ARMY hurry-up., Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards., Shows Center combo ramp on the KISS playfield. The center ramp loops back for mode progress and lights 2x on the next left-flipper shot., and Shows Demon disc and lock on the KISS playfield. The Demon area collects locks, jackpots, and the Double Super Jackpot..
- Complete all 16 grid inserts twice on default settings; some operators require one completion. Then shoot the Shows Backstage Pass scoop on the KISS playfield. The left-center scoop starts later song modes and collects Backstage Pass. to start Heaven's On Fire.
Pro / Premium differences
- Love Gun openingPro: The Shows Love Gun right ramp on the KISS playfield. The right ramp starts Love Gun and collects its Triple Jackpot. or Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards. saucer can start it. The feature begins as two-ball multiball.Premium / LE: The Shows Love Gun right ramp on the KISS playfield. The right ramp starts Love Gun and collects its Triple Jackpot. starts it by holding one ball while single-ball play continues. Shoot Shows STAR mechanism on the KISS playfield. The STAR target and mechanism build and collect Love Gun awards. during the hurry-up to launch the third ball.
Sources and references11 references11 source links and outbound references.
- PinballCards
- Pinball Rulesheets
- Kineticist KISS tournament strategy guide
- Current Stern game-code list
- PAPA tutorial with Bowen Kerins
- Keith Elwin at NYCPC 2018
- Viggo Löwgren and Jason Zahler at IFPA 20
- Zack Parks and Viggo Löwgren on KISS at Pinburgh 2026
- Micro-flip settle technique reference
- Physical caution reference
- Physical caution reference