When starting the game, each player is given 25,000 points. As switches are hit, points are subtracted from this total. If the point total reaches zero (or below), or if the game is tilted or all balls in play are lost, the game is over.
There are two times prominently displayed on the backglass: Battle Time and Total Time.
Upon launching the ball, the vampire battle will begin automatically. During the battle the walls and scoops (coffin lids) in the center of the playfield will raise and lower to block the shot to the gobble hole. Hitting the gobble hole will slay the vampire, add 10,000 points to the score (the only way to improve score during a battle), move the Battle Timer to the icon of the slain vampire on the backglass, launch another ball into play, and start a new battle against the next foe. There is a short pause between battles where the next vampire is awoken and the coffin lids will start to raise and lower again.
As with the base game, there are multiple sequences that can be completed. Six sequences correspond to a unique tool that can be used against the foes. The player must collect a certain number of each item before it can be used. As items are collected, they will be automatically used during each successive vampire’s battle mode to spot a battle shot. Progress towards completion of the sequences is tracked using on-screen inserts (one per target) as well as the RGB inserts on the playfield module. These inserts remain lit until the sequence is complete. The apron score display and backbox will also display a multiplier for each completion, and the backbox has a persistent progress bar showing how many of that item are needed to automatically injure vampires.
Each vampire has six (or more) unique shots needed to complete their mode. When the mode progresses, more and more light shines on the playfield, until, at full brightness, the vampire is stunned. When the vampire is stunned, both walls and scoops will drop, and the vampire will no longer be able to raise them. When play proceeds to the next battle, different shots will be highlighted and the walls and scoops will raise and lower as before.
The knocker will count off each slain vampire, as well as an on-screen cue to show how many vampires remain. Once all vampires are slain, the game proceeds to victory laps, where all shots score positive amounts of points.
Each slain vampire launches a new ball in play, so absolutely perfect play will result in 16 balls simultaneously!
There are a number of high score tables – highest score, of course, but also lowest score. Number of vampires slain, slaying times (lowest first), and overall game time (lowest first) for a complete run of 15 slain vampires.
As speed is the name of the game, strategies emerge. Staging multiball to slay vampires quickly or between battles becomes more essential. Doing so is a tradeoff: if a vampire is slain before the next battle starts, only one extra ball will be launched instead of two.
Competing for the lowest score is also possible. When collecting items or completing sequences, one-time bonus values are applied to the score. The playfield multiplier may also be increased by hitting the pop bumper five times. The player’s points can be reduced well into the negative by carefully switching between high value tasks (like sweeping a bank of drop targets) and slaying vampires.
Players of the original Drained game software will notice that on-screen hurry-ups, lane change, side target and spotted target awards, orbits, combo shots, and end of ball bonus have been removed in Drained Bite-Sized to streamline the experience for the player and reduce the number of potential bad outcomes when receiving an unexpected reward that pushes the score into negative territory.
Slingshots
The lower slingshots have a moving insert. It will subtract 1000 points when lit and move the insert to the unlit sling’s side. Hitting the unlit side will also move the insert, and subtract 100 points. Hits to the upper or lower slings will perform the same way. Hits to the pop will change the lit sling as well.
Pop Bumper
The pop bumper can be hit in certain modes to stun the vampire or can be hit 5 times to increase the playfield multiplier. The multipliers can be limited on a per-machine or per-profile basis. While negative point values are multiplied, so too are the points received from slaying the vampire.
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