The Red Max pinball rules and strategy
The Strategy
The Red Max turns lit hits on three numbered mushroom bumpers into T-H-E-R-E-D-M-A-X letters and a growing collect. Plunge the upper-left lane to light the bumpers, relight them with the center mushroom or captive ball, then shoot the upper-right saucer after all nine letters are complete.
The goal
Plunge the upper-left lane to light the three numbered mushroom bumpers. Relight and hit those bumpers to spell THEREDMAX, then collect the letter bonus at the upper-right saucer.
Plunge through the upper-left lane to light all three numbered mushroom bumpers.
Hit the mushroom right of the captive ball to raise the center post.
Hit each lit numbered mushroom bumper to add a THEREDMAX letter.
Use the center mushroom to relight bumper 1.
Drive the captive ball fully backward to relight bumpers 2 and 3.
Repeat the relight-and-hit cycle to raise the letter bonus.
When the built bonus justifies the shot, shoot the upper-right saucer to collect it.
Alternative route: Saucer-miss upper recovery
Use this plan when a controlled upper-right saucer shot passes over or around the saucer.
- Follow the ball into the upper area after the missed saucer entry.
- Move the cabinet briefly so the playfield shifts under the ball, changing its speed or path after contact with a post, rubber, or wall. toward the upper-left lane to relight all three numbered bumpers.
- If that lane is unavailable, use a white rollover to light a pop-bumper pair.
- Let the ball approach the saucer from above instead of forcing another direct shot.
Need to know
- Upper-left lane
- The upper-left lane lights all three numbered mushroom bumpers and is usually available only on the plunge.
- Bumper relights
- The center mushroom lights bumper 1, while a full captive-ball hit lights bumpers 2 and 3.
- THEREDMAX letters
- Each lit numbered-bumper hit adds one THEREDMAX letter and turns that bumper off.
The Red Max turns lit hits on three numbered mushroom bumpers into T-H-E-R-E-D-M-A-X letters and a growing collect. Plunge the upper-left lane to light the bumpers, use the center mushroom and full captive-ball hits to relight them, and collect each T-H-E-R-E-D-M-A-X letter. Hit the right-side mushroom to raise the center post before shooting the saucer for the completed bonus.
The goal
Plunge the upper-left lane to light the three numbered mushroom bumpers.Relight and hit those bumpers to spell THEREDMAX, then collect the letter bonus at the upper-right saucer.
- Plunge through the upper-left lane to light all three numbered mushroom bumpers.
- Hit the mushroom right of the captive ball to raise the center post.
- Hit each lit numbered mushroom bumper to add a THEREDMAX letter.
- Use the center mushroom to relight bumper 1.
- Drive the captive ball fully backward to relight bumpers 2 and 3.
- Repeat the relight-and-hit cycle to raise the letter bonus.
- When the built bonus justifies the shot, shoot the upper-right saucer to collect it.
Builds toward: THEREDMAX 27K bonus collect
- Plunge the upper-left lane to light the numbered mushroom bumpers.
- Relight and hit them until THEREDMAX is complete.
- Hit the mushroom to the right of the captive ball to raise the center post before the collect attempt.
- Shoot the upper-right saucer to collect the 27K letter bonus.