"Triple Strike," released by Williams Electronic Games Inc. in August 1975, is an electro-mechanical pinball machine with a bowling theme. Designed by Steve Kordek with artwork by Christian Marche, the game is known for its layout that mimics a bowling alley, featuring two flippers, one pop bumper, two slingshots, four drop targets, and an array of ten rollover buttons arranged like bowling pins.
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Quickie Version:
UTAD.
Go-to Flipper:
Right.
Risk Index:
Very High
Full Rules:
Similar in layout to Triple Action / Star Action, except that here, there’s only an orbit to the top on the left; the right side is closed off. The A-B-C-D oversized drop targets [again like Star Action or Big Ben] are one key; completing them increases the value of the return lanes and the three left orbit rollover buttons from 100 to 1000, and the top saucer from 500 to 5000. This bowling-themed game uses 10 button rollovers for your ten pins. The buttons advance your bonus to a maximum of 39,000. You can hold your bonus as well: if you collect the top saucer three times during a ball, it activates hold bonus. I prefer the UTAD strategy on this game, especially until you have your hold bonus activated. While you can shoot for the A-B-C-D targets, you’ll probably get the A and B eventually via bounces off the bumper from balls coming down from the top of the game, and you may get C and D from ball-saving shots with the flippers. Likewise, shooting the ten rollovers is largely unnecessary since balls falling from above will go over them. I tend to only shoot at rollovers or letters when I just need one or two to finish the set. The huge side outlanes on this game; while there’s plenty of room for the ball to bounce off the side walls into a return lane, those walls may be pretty dead wood now, 40+ years after the game was made. If your walls are dead, you’ll have to bump the game to have a chance to save balls heading out the side. One other thing you can try on this game is shatzing the wide return lanes; with strong enough flippers, you’ll score the return lane and the ball will continue up into the C or D drop target. It’s fun to do, but only worth the risk if the rebound off the C or D proves to be safe.
via Bob's Guide
