Sky Jump pinball rules and strategy

The Strategy

In Sky Jump or Free Fall, each numbered lane permanently lights its matching drop target for 500, and a moving 10x lamp raises one matching target to 5,000. Collect the numbered lanes, hit the target carrying both lamps, and finish the bank when only one or two safer targets remain so every drop resets.

The goal

Collect the numbered lanes for the full game. Then hit the moving 10x target when its matching number is also lit for 5,000.

  1. Plunge for 4 first. Then collect 7 and 5. Do not plunge through 6.

    • Numbered lane: A collected number stays lit for the full game and raises its matching drop target from 50 to 500.
    • Some 3-ball settings award 4 and 7 as a pair, and 1 and 3 as a pair. Read the lamps after each collect.
  2. Shoot up through lane 6 from the left flipper. Use the return to collect another missing number.

  3. When the ball is on the right flipper, hit the drop target that has both its number lamp and the moving 10x lamp on.

    • Double-lit target: The number lamp raises the target to 500. The moving 10x lamp raises that hit to 5,000.
    • A 10x target without its number scores 500. A numbered target without 10x also scores 500.
  4. Use a center-bumper hit to move the 10x lamp when the current double-lit target is down or unsafe.

  5. If one target remains in the bank, finish it for 5,000. The bank resets, so the moving 10x target becomes available again.

    • Scores 5,000 and raises all seven drops for another scoring cycle.: Scores 5,000 and raises all seven drops for another scoring cycle.
  6. Repeat the available 5,000 target. Continue to collect missing numbers whenever no good target is available.

Alternative route: Numbers first

Use this when the moving 10x target is down, its rebound is unsafe, or too few numbers are lit.

  1. Send the ball up top from either flipper.
  2. Collect a new number. The number stays lit for the rest of the game.
  3. Return to the drops after several matching targets are worth 500.
Need to know
Main route
Collect the numbered lanes for the full game.
Long goal
Collect all seven numbers.
Safer fallback
Numbers first: Use this when the moving 10x target is down, its rebound is unsafe, or too few numbers are lit.

Machine setup

  • Identify Gottlieb Sky Jump or Free Fall; scoring and award behavior differ.
  • Confirm ball count and test numbered lanes, drops, bumpers, and side feeds.
Sources and references5 source links and outbound references.
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Sky Jump playfield

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