Abra Ca Dabra / Team One

Balanced

Risk Index:

Very High

Shots to Master:

The center stand-up target to reset the drop targets; shooting the ball up through the outer 1 and 4 lanes.

Skillshot(s):

Whichever number you don’t already have. Try for something other than the 4 on ball one, since you can always soft plunge for the 4 later if needed. On a few Abras, a plunge into the 1 or 4 lane will occasionally drain down the middle; if yours does that, go for the 2 or 3 instead.

Full Rules:

You want to do two things here: hit the lit targets and try to get the ball to go through all four numbered lanes, either at the top or near the flippers at the bottom. The “bonus value,” shown in the bottom center of the playfield, is what hitting a lit target is worth - - 1K to 5K - - vs. 500 for unlit targets. Switch hits change the lit target, so it will eventually cycle to light each of them in turn. Finishing 1-2-3-4 instantly scores the bonus value and raises it to the next level until it maxes out at 5000. So, like some other EM games, scoring certain lanes or lane sets first make [some] targets worth more. The other way to raise the bonus value is to knock down all of the drop targets on both sides, then shoot the center standup target. If the flippers are in good condition, it IS possible to shoot the ball up the 1 and 4 lanes directly, but you’ll find that you can also go up the 2 and 3 lanes! This can happen when you have knocked down the center couple of drop targets on either side and then shoot the ball that way again: it can hit the rubber behind where the targets were and rebound towards and up the 2 or 3 lane off the curved center divider. You can also use shatzing to get the 1 and 4 lanes at the bottom of the game. If you are close to completing all of the drop targets, go ahead and shoot the remaining few, even if none of the remaining ones are lit, to raise the bonus value and reset the bank so that at least one target standing on each side will be lit. Numbers carry over from ball to ball, so finish the set a.s.a.p. Shoot up the 1 and 4 directly if you can, and bank the ball off the drops up the 2 or 3 if you can. Abra Ca Dabra, when playing fast with strong flippers, is a good tournament game, rewarding precision drop target shooting.

via Bob's Guide

Team One

Quickie Version:

Get all six numbered lanes, then shoot the lit drop targets all day [soccer ball symbol above target indicates lit status]. Shoot the center stand-up target whenever it’s lit [lights by completing either bank of drop targets].

Go-to Flipper:

Balanced

Risk Index:

Very High

Skillshot(s):

Whichever number you don’t already have. Try for something other than the 4 on ball one, since you can always soft plunge for the 4 later if needed.

Full Rules:

Team One is designed as add-a-ball, but the add-a-balls can be converted to scoring points [usually 50000], and this is how the game is most often set for competition play. The playfield is very similar to Abra ca Dabra, but with a few additions and some different rules. On a few Team Ones, a plunge into the 1 or 4 lane will occasionally drain down the middle; if yours does that, go for the 2 or 3 instead. The game may also be set so that getting the 2 or the 3 gives you both numbers, which makes it even more desirable to get one of them. You want to do two things here: hit each star target when the soccer ball above it is lit and eventually compete all of the 10 targets and try to get the ball to go through all six [vs. four for Abra Ca Dabra] numbered lanes. Lanes 1-4 are at the top; lanes 5 and 6 are near the flippers at the bottom. There are also two pad targets, a 5 and a 6, hidden behind the top drop targets on each side. This provides one other way to get the 5 and 6. As on Abra, you can shoot the ball up the 1 and 4 lanes directly [flipper strength permitting], and up the 2 and 3 lanes via bank shots off the rubber behind the drop targets. Numbers carry over from ball to ball, so finish the set a.s.a.p. For the targets, like Abra, the lit target is worth more, but here, it’s a fixed 5000 lit vs. 500 for unlit targets. Switch hits change the lit target, so it will eventually cycle to light each of them in turn. Finishing 1-6 scores 50000 and raises the target values by a factor of 10 to 5000 for unlit targets and 50K for lit ones. If you are close to completing all of the drop targets, go ahead and shoot the remaining few, even if none of the remaining ones are lit, to set up raising their value. Once you finish the drops, in order to reset them, you must either hit the center standup target or get the ball through one of the two outer return lanes. I’ve found that on a Team One with decent flippers, I can backhand the upper drop target (or the number behind it, once exposed) from a cradle on the flipper. If that target is a one number you still need, or is lit, go for it. Team One is a good tournament game, rewarding precision drop target shooting.

via Bob's Guide