Magnotron and Duotron are electro-mechanical pinball machines designed by Ed Krynski and released by D. Gottlieb & Co. in 1974. Magnotron is a four-player game, while Duotron is its two-player counterpart. Both machines feature similar gameplay mechanics, including two flippers, three pop bumpers, two slingshots, six standup targets, and a captive ball, offering a classic pinball experience with a focus on building bonuses and strategic shot placement.
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Duotron
Quickie Version:
Choice of UTAD or center semicircle three times, then saucer all day.
Go-to Flipper:
Balanced
Risk Index:
Very High
Skillshot(s):
Make the center A lane; it’s the only place to get the A. You can get B and C via the return lanes.
Full Rules:
This is the 2-player version of Magnatron. Duotron is a basic bonus-build game with a booster shot added. Bonus goes up to 15K, earned by the uppermost side lanes, the outlanes, the A, B and C side standup targets when you’ve lit that letter and the center saucer. Light the standup targets by making the corresponding lettered lane, either at the top or in the return lanes. While you can’t shoot at the upper side chutes directly, the ball can easily get deflected into them from the bumpers. The center semicircle shot will give you five bonus advances if you knock the captive ball around to the opposite side. Three shots and your bonus is at maximum. The center saucer shot opens the ball save gate at the right outlane. It scores 1000 to start and goes up 1K each time you shoot it up to 5K. Unlike most games, this one has two “close gate” switches – balls through either return lane close your gate, as does using it. This makes shooting for the saucer to open the gate less valuable than on other machines. Double bonus is awarded on the last ball and cannot be scored on other balls. Strategy comes down to your accuracy and the way balls come down from the top. If the rebounds from the captive ball shot are safe, that’s the fastest way to build bonus. If not, UTAD is the alternative, but here, your risk is how the ball will eventually fall down from the top. You’ll need to carefully watch how balls roll off the rubbers above the semicircle to the rubbers on each side of that and then down towards the flippers or center drain. Once your bonus is maximized, you have a similar decision: faster points at the saucer or slower but maybe safer points up top. What you don’t want to do is ever shoot at the lettered standup targets; those get you into side-to-side bounces that risk draining.
via Bob's Guide
Magnotron
Quickie Version:
Choice of UTAD or center semicircle three times, then saucer all day.
Go-to Flipper:
Balanced.
Risk Index:
Very High
Skillshot(s):
Make the center A lane; it’s the only place to get the A. You can get B and C via the return lanes.
Full Rules:
Magnatron is a basic bonus-build game with a booster shot added. Bonus goes up to 15K, earned by the uppermost side lanes, the outlanes, the A, B and C side standup targets when you’ve lit that letter and the center saucer. Light the standup targets by making the corresponding lettered lane, either at the top or in the return lanes. While you can’t shoot at the upper side chutes directly, the ball can easily get deflected into them from the bumpers. The center semicircle shot will give you five bonus advances if you knock the captive ball around to the opposite side. Three shots and your bonus is at maximum. The center saucer shot opens the ball save gate at the right outlane. It scores 1000 to start and goes up 1K each time you shoot it up to 5K. Unlike most games, this one has two “close gate” switches – balls through either return lane close your gate, as does using it. This makes shooting for the saucer to open the gate less valuable than on other machines. Double bonus is awarded on the last ball and cannot be scored on other balls. Strategy comes down to your accuracy and the way balls come down from the top. If the rebounds from captive ball shot are safe, that’s the fastest way to build bonus. If not, UTAD is the alternative, but here, your risk is how the ball will eventually fall down from the top. You’ll need to carefully watch how balls roll off the rubbers above the semicircle to the rubbers on each side of that and then down towards the flippers or center drain. Once your bonus is maximized, you have a similar decision: faster points at the saucer or slower but maybe safer points up top. What you don’t want to do is ever shoot at the lettered standup targets; those get you into side-to-side bounces that risk draining.
via Bob's Guide
