Mata Hari pinball rules and strategy
The Strategy
Mata Hari uses four top-saucer collects to reach 5x Bonus, then builds base bonus through the A-B orbits. Repeat the saucer only when its kickout is safe, raise the base to 29,000, and protect the 145,000 end-of-ball collect.
The goal
Test the top saucer, collect it four times for 5x Bonus X only when its kickout is safe, then build base bonus through repeatable A-B orbits.
Try to plunge the ball into the top-center saucer. Watch the kickout before you depend on this shot.
If the kickout is safe, lob the ball into the saucer four times.
- Top saucer: Each collect scores 3,000 and advances base bonus three times.
- Lights 2x and the left outlane for 50,000.: Lights 2x and the left outlane for 50,000.
- Lights 3x and the right outlane for 50,000.: Lights 3x and the right outlane for 50,000.
- Lights 5x.: Lights 5x.
If a kickout heads down the middle, use a small cabinet movement while the ball is in the saucer. Stop if the tilt margin is small.
After 5x is lit, use the A-B lanes and orbits to build base bonus. Each A or B scores and advances base bonus by 1,000.
Shoot the A-B lanes, orbits, inlanes, and safely presented drop targets until base bonus reaches 29,000. At 5x, the end-of-ball bonus is 145,000.
Use the long bottom-to-top orbit when it can collect one letter and feed the ball through the other letter.
Do not force the drop bank. Finish it only when six or seven targets are already down, or after base bonus is full.
Protect the end-of-ball bonus. If the ball enters a lit outlane, accept the 50,000 rather than risk a tilt.
Alternative route: A-B orbit loop
Use this plan when the top-saucer kickout is unsafe.
- Shoot the safer A-B orbit from the bottom toward the top.
- Try to let one orbit collect both A and B.
- Each A-B completion raises its award from 1,000 through 5,000.
- A sixth completion lights extra ball. Later completions can light special.
- If the event converts extra ball or special to points, keep repeating A-B.
Need to know
- Top saucer
- Four collects advance Bonus X to 5x; the second and third also light the left and right outlanes for 50,000.
- A-B
- Completing A and B advances its award from 1,000 through 5,000, then Extra Ball and Special.
- Drop bank
- Completing all eight drops scores 50,000; the second completion also qualifies the target Special award.
In Mata Hari, four top-saucer collects raise Bonus X to 5x, while each A or B lane adds 1,000 to base bonus. Test the saucer kickout before repeating it, then loop A-B toward the 29,000 base maximum. Finish the drop bank only when nearly complete and avoid tilting away the multiplied bonus.
The goal
Test the top saucer, collect it four times for 5x Bonus X only when its kickout is safe, then build base bonus through repeatable A-B orbits.
- Try to plunge the ball into the top-center saucer. Watch the kickout before you depend on this shot.
- If the kickout is safe, lob the ball into the saucer four times.
Top saucer and related rules
- Top saucer: Each collect scores 3,000 and advances base bonus three times.
- Lights 2x and the left outlane for 50,000.: Lights 2x and the left outlane for 50,000.
- Lights 3x and the right outlane for 50,000.: Lights 3x and the right outlane for 50,000.
- Lights 5x.: Lights 5x.
- If a kickout heads down the middle, use a small cabinet movement while the ball is in the saucer. Stop if the tilt margin is small.
- After 5x is lit, use the A-B lanes and orbits to build base bonus. Each A or B scores and advances base bonus by 1,000.
- Shoot the A-B lanes, orbits, inlanes, and safely presented drop targets until base bonus reaches 29,000. At 5x, the end-of-ball bonus is 145,000.
- Use the long bottom-to-top orbit when it can collect one letter and feed the ball through the other letter.
- Do not force the drop bank. Finish it only when six or seven targets are already down, or after base bonus is full.
- Protect the end-of-ball bonus. If the ball enters a lit outlane, accept the 50,000 rather than risk a tilt.
Top-player proof
- At the Fairfax Pinball Open 2014, Trent Augenstein and Brian Shepherd used the top saucer to reach 5x, then repeated A-B to fill the 29,000 base bonus.
Builds toward: 145,000 maximum bonus
- Collect the top saucer four times for 5x Bonus X.
- Shoot the A-B lanes, orbits, inlanes, and safely presented drop targets until base bonus reaches 29,000.
- Drain without tilting to collect 145,000.