Surf Champ / Surfer pinball rules and strategy
The Strategy
In Surf Champ or Surfer, rolling over the five center stars raises the upper-right hole to 5,000 and lights the side-lane Bonus X award. Collect all five stars, repeat the upper-right hole while its kickout is controlled, then roll through a lit side lane for 2x Bonus (or 3x on the final ball).
The goal
Collect the five center stars to raise the upper-right hole to 5,000. Repeat the hole. Use a lit side lane for 2x, or 3x on the final ball.
Test the left-orbit feed, upper-right-hole kickout, side-lane exits, and the spinner rebound. Plunge a lit top lane when its feed is safer than the left orbit.
- Surfer is the two-player version of Surf Champ. Both games have the same playfield rules.
Shoot through the five center star rollovers. Use paths that continue to a drop target or the upper-right hole.
- Star rollovers: Each collected star changes the hole through 500, 1,400, 2,300, 3,200, 4,100, then 5,000.
- All five stars also light the spinner for the rest of the ball and light the Raises 1x to 2x on normal balls. On the final ball, which starts at 2x, it raises bonus to 3x. award.
After several stars are collected, shoot the upper-right hole from the left flipper. Repeat it at 5,000 when the kickout is controlled.
Send the ball up the left orbit or through safe upper shots. Use lit top lanes to build base bonus faster.
- Top lanes: Each scores 500. An unlit lane adds one bonus step. The one lit lane adds two, three, or five steps, based on settings.
- Spinner hits move the lit top lane.
After all five stars are collected, roll through a lit side lane to raise Bonus X once on that ball.
- Raises 1x to 2x on normal balls. On the final ball, which starts at 2x, it raises bonus to 3x.: Raises 1x to 2x on normal balls. On the final ball, which starts at 2x, it raises bonus to 3x.
- The award can be collected only once per ball.
Roll through the top lanes and upper-left lane until base bonus reaches 15,000. Protect it at 2x, or 3x on the final ball.
- 30,000 on normal balls and 45,000 on the final ball. Base bonus and Bonus X reset after collection.: 30,000 on normal balls and 45,000 on the final ball. Base bonus and Bonus X reset after collection.
Alternative route: Bonus and left orbit
Use this when the upper-right hole rejects or its kickout is not controlled.
- Repeat the left orbit when its return is safe.
- Roll through the top lanes and upper-left lane until base bonus reaches a useful value.
- Collect a lit side lane for 2x, or 3x on the final ball.
- Do not force the upper-right hole.
Need to know
- Main route
- Collect the five center stars to raise the upper-right hole to 5,000.
- Long goal
- Collect all five stars and repeat the upper-right hole.
- Safer fallback
- Bonus and left orbit: Use this when the upper-right hole rejects or its kickout is not controlled.
In Surf Champ or Surfer, each center star raises the upper-right hole, and all five stars light the spinner and side-lane Bonus X award. Complete the stars, repeat the 5,000 hole, then collect a lit side lane for 2x Bonus (or 3x on the final ball). Use top lanes and drop targets to build 15,000 base bonus before the drain.
The goal
Collect the five center stars to raise the upper-right hole to 5,000.Repeat the hole.Use a lit side lane for 2x, or 3x on the final ball.
- Test the left-orbit feed, upper-right-hole kickout, side-lane exits, and the spinner rebound. Plunge a lit top lane when its feed is safer than the left orbit.
Test the left-orbit feed, upper-right-hole kickout, side-…
- Surfer is the two-player version of Surf Champ. Both games have the same playfield rules.
- Shoot through the five center star rollovers. Use paths that continue to a drop target or the upper-right hole.
Star rollovers setup and scoring
- Star rollovers: Each collected star changes the hole through 500, 1,400, 2,300, 3,200, 4,100, then 5,000.
- All five stars also light the spinner for the rest of the ball and light the Raises 1x to 2x on normal balls. On the final ball, which starts at 2x, it raises bonus to 3x. award.
- After several stars are collected, shoot the upper-right hole from the left flipper. Repeat it at 5,000 when the kickout is controlled.
- Send the ball up the left orbit or through safe upper shots. Use lit top lanes to build base bonus faster.
Top lanes scoring details
- Top lanes: Each scores 500. An unlit lane adds one bonus step. The one lit lane adds two, three, or five steps, based on settings.
- Spinner hits move the lit top lane.
- After all five stars are collected, roll through a lit side lane to raise Bonus X once on that ball.
Side-lane multiplier scoring details
- Raises 1x to 2x on normal balls. On the final ball, which starts at 2x, it raises bonus to 3x.: Raises 1x to 2x on normal balls. On the final ball, which starts at 2x, it raises bonus to 3x.
- The award can be collected only once per ball.
- Roll through the top lanes and upper-left lane until base bonus reaches 15,000. Protect it at 2x, or 3x on the final ball.
Maximum bonus scoring details
- 30,000 on normal balls and 45,000 on the final ball. Base bonus and Bonus X reset after collection.: 30,000 on normal balls and 45,000 on the final ball. Base bonus and Bonus X reset after collection.
Top-player proof
- At INDISC 2023, Gene Lewin used the five-star progress into the upper-right-hole route while building bonus and looking for the lit side lane multiplier, finishing with 73,230.
Builds toward: Repeatable 5,000 hole and 45,000 final-ball bonus
- Collect all five stars and repeat the upper-right hole.
- On the final ball, collect the lit side lane for 3x.
- Roll through the top lanes and upper-left lane until base bonus reaches 15,000. Drain without tilting.