Name: Trident
Brand: Stern Electronics

Game Info

"Trident" is a solid-state pinball machine released by Stern Electronics in March 1979. Designed by Mike Kubin, it features a straightforward playfield layout with two flippers, two pop bumpers, and a set of five drop targets, along with rollunder spinners that add to the gameplay dynamics. The machine is built on the Stern M-100 MPU system and does not include features like multiball, ramps, or speech.

Game type: Solid State

Display type: Alphanumeric

Players: 4

MPU: Stern M-100 MPU

Model: 110

Manufactured: Mar 1979

Production: 3,757 units

Tags:Sharks,Myth and Legend,Fish,Stern Electronics,Underwater,1970s,Solid State,Water,Fantasy

Game Info

Design Team

Design: Mike Kubin

Design Team

How to Play

Community rules

Quickie Version:

Stand-up and drop targets until your spinner values and bonus multiplier are maxed, then spinners all day.

Go-to Flipper:

Balanced

Risk Index:

High

Style Alert:

Go with the Flow!

Skillshot(s):

Get the top saucer.

Full Rules:

This is a spinner plus bonus game. Targets have some value, but are more useful for raising your spinner and bonus values. Base bonus goes up to 19K and is earned by hitting the stand-up targets, upper slingshots, both return lanes and the right outlane. For bonus multiplier, shoot the upper left drop targets. The bank starts with only the #2 and #4 targets raised; get those for 2X. The targets reset and now #’s 1, 3 and 5 are up; get them for 3X; next 1-2-4-5 give you 4X; finally, shoot all five to get 5X. The spinner values are increased by the standup targets at the top right. Each is color-coded: the top white target and center orange target add 400 per spin to the left spinner. The green and yellow targets add 400 per spin to the right spinner. The bottom pink target adds 1000 to one of the two spinners; which one alternates with 10-point switches. When all five standups have been hit, the spinner with the 1K light on will be worth 2000 per spin and the other 1000 per spin. The right outlane has a post-return below it; balls falling at the proper speed and alignment will bounce off it and up onto the return lane above the right flipper. Top saucer value goes up one step for each drop target bank completed: 5K, 10K, 20K, 30K. The left return lane value goes up one step for each left rollover button hit: 2K, 4K, 6K, 8K. Strategy is to concentrate on the two target banks at first to build up your spinner values and both base bonus and bonus multiplier. Once those are at high values, abandon the targets and shoot spinners exclusively. Give preference to the spinner which currently has the 1K add-on light lit. Transfer the ball to whichever flipper has the shot for that spinner. Flow Style Alert! Watch out for losing the ball up and out the right side if you try to trap for a cradle with the ball coming too fast to the right flipper or by using a dead bounce to it off the left flipper. You’ll also find that ripping the spinner on the fly as the ball comes down the left chute gives more spins than a cradled shot, so use the ball’s motion to your advantage. There’s normally a center post between the flippers; it may be removed or missing its rubber in competition. Everything resets each ball.

via Bob's Guide