The "Jack in the Box" pinball machine, produced by Gottlieb in February 1973, is an electro-mechanical game designed by Ed Krynski with artwork by Gordon Morison. This four-player game features a circus/carnival theme, complete with vibrant and playful artwork.
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Jumping Jack
Quickie Version:
Drop targets all day, but if you have the ball cradled on a flipper and the opposite-side upper center saucer is lit, go for the saucer instead.
Go-to Flipper:
Balanced
Risk Index:
Very High
Skillshot(s):
Shoot the lit saucer. Important: you usually do this by having the ball drop through the lane opposite from the lit saucer, not on the same side! Most of the time, the ball will hit the metal rail above the saucer and bounce over the top post to the other side. The lit saucer scores 3000 and lights the drops for 1000 each in bonus. Those are way more important than going through the lit lane at the top for 500 vs. 50. The center lane, worth 500, is too great a risk of not going into the lit saucer and not worth the risk. In any case, if your ball is about to go somewhere other than into the opposing top lane, try to nudge it to not cross over [if same side] or roll to the lit side [center lane]. But don’t tilt!
Full Rules:
Strategy: when the ball is on the flipper on the side opposite the lit saucer, shoot the top arc for the saucer. When the ball is on the same side, shoot for the drop targets. The upper flippers are good for shooting drop targets, and you can sometimes do a back-and-forth shot or two where the rebound off the target goes to the opposite upper flipper. Whenever possible, hold up the upper flippers to cradle the ball and try to get it to roll up the lanes above those flippers. Completing the drop targets twice scores the accumulated bonus [either 10x100 or 10x1000] and pops the targets back up. Completing them twice scores an extra ball. Balls in the bumpers will come back into play more often than not (unless that particular machine is run down). When you see the ball heading for the top of a bumper, though, try to nudge so that it bounces up where one of the upper flippers can hit it. If your game has really lively bumpers, you may want to hold up the flipper on the side where the ball is rattling around the bumper - - if it comes out to the center quickly, the bumper can smack it down the middle before you can react. A raised flipper is a bit of a drain shield in this case.
via Bob's Guide
Jack In The Box
Quickie Version:
Drop targets all day, but if you have the ball cradled on a flipper and the opposite-side upper center saucer is lit, go for the saucer instead.
Go-to Flipper:
Balanced
Risk Index:
Very High
Skillshot(s):
Shoot the lit saucer. Important: on most JITBs, you do this by having the ball drop through the lane opposite from the lit saucer, not on the same side! Most of the time, the ball will hit the metal rail above the saucer and bounce over the top post to the other side. The lit saucer scores 3000 and lights the drops for 1000 each in bonus. Those are way more important than going through the lit lane at the top for 500 vs. 50. The center lane, worth 500, is too great a risk of not going into the lit saucer and not worth the risk. In any case, if your ball is about to go somewhere other than into the opposing top lane, try to nudge it to not cross over [if same side] or roll to the lit side [center lane]. But don’t tilt!
Full Rules:
Strategy: when the ball is on the flipper on the side opposite the lit saucer, shoot the top arc for the saucer. When the ball is on the same side, shoot for the drop targets. The upper flippers are good for shooting drop targets, and you can sometimes do a back-and-forth shot or two where the rebound off the target goes to the opposite upper flipper. Whenever possible, hold up the upper flippers to cradle the ball and try to get it to roll up the lanes above those flippers. Completing the drop targets twice scores the accumulated bonus [either 10x100 or 10x1000] and pops the targets back up. Completing them twice scores an extra ball. Balls in the bumpers will come back into play more often than not (unless that particular machine is run down). When you see the ball heading for the top of a bumper, though, try to nudge so that it bounces up where one of the upper flippers can hit it. If your game has really lively bumpers, you may want to hold up the flipper on the side where the ball is rattling around the bumper - - if it comes out to the center quickly, the bumper can smack it down the middle before you can react. A raised flipper is a bit of a drain shield in this case. [I also recommend this tactic on Satin Doll, Sharpshooter, Coney Island and similar games with bumpers close to the flippers.]
via Bob's Guide
