Royal Guard / Palace Guard pinball rules and strategy
The Strategy
In Royal Guard or Palace Guard, hit the colored targets on the moving center rail first. A hit lights the matching upper standup or pop bumper, depending on the rail position. After most features are lit, keep shooting up top and nudge toward lit standups and missing A-B-C-D-E lanes.
The goal
This is a deferred upper-playfield game: improve the upper scoring with controlled rail hits, then stop challenging the rebound-heavy center. The five top letters light matching drain lanes; prioritize C so a center drain can at least score its higher value.
Plunge for C first when possible, then collect a different A-B-C-D-E top lane on later balls.
Shoot the moving center rail while its rebound is controllable, prioritizing colors whose upper standup is still dark.
After most upper targets and bumpers are lit, stop shooting the moving rail.
Send the ball up top and Move the cabinet briefly so the playfield shifts under the ball, changing its speed or path after contact with a post, rubber, or wall. bumper exits toward lit standups and missing top letters.
On Palace Guard, finish all target lights, all bumper lights, or A-B-C-D-E to add a ball when that feature is enabled.
Need to know
- Moving colored targets
- Light same-color upper standups when the rail is left and same-color pop bumpers when it is right.
- A-B-C-D-E lanes
- Each top lane lights the matching drain lane; C corresponds to the center drain.
- Royal Guard
- Uses the lit features and drain lanes primarily for scoring.