Travel Time / Summer Time pinball rules and strategy
The Strategy
Travel Time / Summer Time is a timed game rather than a fixed number of balls. Plunge the center lane for more time, complete either letter set while the clock is stopped, then dribble the ball into the lit upkicker for 25 time units and use its feed into the center saucer to stop the clock again.
The goal
Plunge the center lane for time on every ball. Complete either letter set, dribble the ball into the lit upkicker for more time, and use the resulting center-saucer feed to stop the clock before building the next set.
Plunge the center lane for 10 time units every time the ball reaches the shooter lane.
Read the upkicker feed on the first cycle and confirm whether it reliably lands in the Stop Clock saucer.
While the clock is stopped, finish the nearer either letter set set with controlled shots.
Let the ball dribble from a flipper into the lit upkicker instead of firing a hard direct shot.
Collect 25 time units and 5,000 at the upkicker.
Use the upkicker's feed into the center saucer to stop the clock again.
Repeat the letter-set, upkicker, and Stop Clock cycle while the feed remains reliable.
Alternative route: Recovery: Skill-shot and drain loop
Recovery pivot: Use this when the upkicker misses the Stop Clock saucer or the playfield is too slow to earn time faster than it expires.
- Make the center-lane skill shot for 10 time units.
- Do not Hold a raised flipper so a slow ball settles against it, giving you time to plan your next move. while the clock is running.
- Take one immediate useful shot or let the ball drain quickly.
- Use the next plunge to add another 10 time units.
- Return to the main loop only if the kickout feed improves.
Need to know
- Timed game
- The game starts with 1 minute 30 seconds and ends when the clock expires instead of after a fixed ball count.
- Center-lane skill shot
- Every center-lane plunge adds 10 time units before the ball enters normal play.
- Stop Clock saucer
- The center saucer stops the running clock and scores 5,000 when lit.
Travel Time / Summer Time repeats one clock-management loop. Use every shooter-lane return for the center-lane time award, finish the nearer letter set while the clock is stopped, and enter the lit upkicker softly. Let its center-saucer feed stop the clock again, but delay another time collect when the clock is already near its 2:55 maximum.
The goal
Plunge the center lane for time on every ball.Complete T-R-A-V-E-L or T-I-M-E, dribble the ball into the lit upkicker for more time, and use the resulting center-saucer feed to stop the clock before building the next set.
- Plunge the center lane for 10 time units every time the ball reaches the shooter lane.
- Read the upkicker feed on the first cycle and confirm whether it reliably lands in the Stop Clock saucer.
- While the clock is stopped, finish the nearer T-R-A-V-E-L or T-I-M-E set with controlled shots.
- Let the ball dribble from a flipper into the lit upkicker instead of firing a hard direct shot.
- Collect 25 time units and 5,000 at the upkicker.
- Use the upkicker's feed into the center saucer to stop the clock again.
- Repeat the letter-set, upkicker, and Stop Clock cycle while the feed remains reliable.
Builds toward: Self-sustaining clock loop
- Add time with the center-lane plunge.
- Stop the clock at the center saucer.
- Complete T-R-A-V-E-L or T-I-M-E while time is stopped.
- Collect 25 time units at the upkicker.
- Land the kickout in the Stop Clock saucer and repeat.