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| Rock N' Ball |
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Version 1.0 (07/24/2005)
Version History:
-3/27/2006, added 1up as a host.
1.0: Basic Guide Complete - (07/24/2005)
"He stands like a statue/Becomes part of the machine/Feeling all the bumpers/
Always playing clean/He plays by intuition/The digit counters fall/
That deaf, dumb and blind kid/Sure plays a mean pinball"
-The Who
You know, as a collector and a gamer, I can be a real bastard. If I've got the
chance to buy your games for much less than they're worth, I'm going to do it
and I'm never going to bat an eyelash. I acquired this game in this manner, at
a flea market from some poor kids who sold me some titles for rather cheap. But
that's half the story. I love finding games that I'd never heard of before, and
this game was one of them. I've probably seen it a few times in some fleeting
search blinded by a title I was looking for. But the title - Rock 'N Ball,
would enamour me as soon as I was aware of it.
Now, I was impressed when I found out the game was a pinball title - I love
pinball games even though they certainlly aren't my strength. Ever since NES
pinball, I've always found them fun. I'll admit, I was dourcast after a brief
run in the straight-up pinball mode of the game. It's really not as supreme as
some other titles. But I warmed up to it, and play it as much as the others.
What caught my eye playing the game, however, is that it is actually four games
of pinball in one package.
There's a "Plinko" mode that's probably the trickiest to win big/most random
and two head-to-head battle modes. Battle Flipper is a versus match on a
pinball table, Sports gives you a moveable flipper in front of a net. There
are actually "characters" in this game as well, and while I couldn't find any
specific strengths in play, they do add a bit of zest to the versus modes.
Truth be told, I've been considering doing this guide for a month or two now. I
have finally decided to get around to it, so let's Rock the Balls, jes?
Let's start by introducing the characters. Here's they key I will use:
Name: The character's name.
Comments: Some comments about the character's design.
Select: The little jig the character does on the character select screen.
Dance: Their victory dance.
Win: What they say when theyw in, or should I say you lose?
Lose: What they say when you defeat them.
Name: Tom
Comments: A dancing dude with purple hair and a green suit. To be perfectly
honest, he's pretty nondescript.
Select: Smiles while swinging arnms back and forth and wiggling hips.
Dance: Thrusts arm up and down as if to say "YES" while looking at audience.
Win: WOW! I CAN'T HELP DANCING HERE!
Lose: WELL, GOOD LUCK ON YOUR NEXT MATCHES.
Name: Billy
Comments: Ah, an Elvis impersonator. There's nothing else really exceptional
about him other than his condescending victory quote.
Select: Opens and closes mouth and sways hips.
Dance: He wiggles his hips, of course.
Win: BABY, IT IS HARD TO BEAT A SUPERSTAR LIKE ME.
Lose: I BET YOU CAN BE A NEW SUPERSTAR!
Name: John
Comments: Guitar playing dude whom seems a little more relaxed then most of the
other players. His quotes are good. While the others go out of their
way to showboat, he saves his energy for the pinball ring, where his
calm attitude will keep his eyes focused and hands steady.
Select: Nods his head up and down.
Dance: Leans back thrusting arm up and down.
Win: HEY! DID YOU REALLY THINK YOU COULD BEAT ME.
Lose: OH NO! WHAT A GOOD PLAYER YOU ARE!
Name: Paul
Comments: A bald dude on a skateboard. Or perhaps he is actually wearing a
helmet, even though it doesn't seem to go with the character. You see
I figure Paul is a rebel, whom plays by his own rules and never the
book. Besides that, he's a sore loser and an egomaniac judging by his
quotes, so safety probably isn't his bag.
Select: Balances on the skateboard.
Dance: Looks at screen thrusting arm up and down.
Win: COME BACK, WHEN YOU GET STRONGER THAN NOW.
Lose: GEE I WOULDN'T LOSE ON THE SKATEBOARD.
Name: Lisa
Comments: A gal in a dress and a huge bow in her hair. I guess she is supposed
to be cute and perky, but when you look at her quotes, she is just a
misanthrope using her good looks to either taunt you or try to
piggyback on your success. And those quotes are used on everyone,
n'er-do-wells seldom discriminate.
Select: Smiles and swings arms up and down and moves legs in and out.
Dance: Jig. Swings arms back and forth, while swaying hips.
Win: IF YOU WIN THE NEXT TIME, YOU CAN GO OUT WITH ME.
Lose: YOU ARE STRONG! I HAVE GOT A CRUSH ON YOU!
Name: Diana
Comments: Someone call the Mothership! Looking like something out of Parliament
(to some degree at least), Diana has huge glasses/goggles, a green
dress, and purple hair. She's the character I usually use, even
though her lose quote is pretty vacuous.
Select: Blows kisses making little hearts.
Dance: With her hands on her hips, she sways them.
Win: I AM SMART! I AM LUCKY! I AM STRONG!
Lose: I WILL GO BOY HUNTING TO BE IN A GOOD MOOD.
A few things that most people will know from playing other pinball games, but
then it wouldn't be right to assume you've got a history.
In every games except "Sports," the following applies. I will cover Sports
controls in its section.
*Left controls your left flipper while A controls your right.
*Right is your "tilt," you get unlimited tilt.
*When you are starting a round, hold down and release to launch the ball. The
power depends on how long you hold down.
*Holding the ball:
If you hold the flipper's button in, it will stay up. You can hold the ball
like this, and then proceed to lauch it strategically. If you let go of the
button and then soon after pres it again, you will shoot the ball behind the
flipper. IF you let it roll down the flipper before pressing the button, you
will fire it forwards, trajectory depending on from where you let it roll.
Unfortunately, there is no easy way to transfer between flippers. The tilt
just doesn't cut it. In some pinball, you can let the ball roll down the
flipper and tilt to make it jump the gap to the other flipper, but it doesn't
really work that way here. Tilt is best used when you get stuck, or if you're
falling down the side of the stage, a tilt could save you if there's nothing
to block your descent.
*About the guide: I'm going to call areas where the ball drops to its doom or
to the next level "pits" and the black openings you can shoot it into "holes."
This probably isn't the proper lingo, but it works for my guide.
The standard, Pinball is all about the points. It's divided into a top and
bottom portion. When you play with other players, it's a contest to see who can
get the most points, alternating multiplayer. This game can accomodate up to
four players.
*Four Bumpers: Bump into them for points, all fou will light up.
*A loop: This loop is for use with certain lotto prizes.
*A TV screen: This is the lottery. You'll notice there are three plates in
front of this. Knock these out and then play the lotto by hitting the TV.
Now, I find it best to fire backwards from the flipper closest to the screen,
because it lets you save your ball and immediately fire again. Not to mention
it is easier to get the prize you want if you can hold the ball until you want
to fire it.
The lottery is basically changing images on the screen, and depending on which
one you get, a different effect will ensue. Here's the list of happenings:
1. Record: Bat bumper, a bumper worth 500 points will take the place of one of
the four bumpers. It will cycle around the bumpers, taking the place of the
next one in line and restoring the ones before it.
2. Key: A tunnel will appear in the top left. This takes you to the bonus
stage.
3. Shoe: Turtle in top left loop, worth about 10000 points
4. Glass/Drink: Resets active board parts. In other words, any part of the
board you turned on, will be flipped off.
5. Music Note: Top left loop has music notes which are worth about 3000 points
total.
6. Burger: No perceivable effetc.
7. Glasses: Reverse flipper controls.
8. Lips: Purses in top left, worth maybe 20k.
9. Juke/Radio: 7 balls in the top left worth about 14000 points.
10. Jacket: One-up in the top left loop.
11. Flask/Walkman?: Makes flippers disappear.
12. Bow: Balls in the top left, worth around 10k.
*Hole: Exit point of bonus stage.
*Left side pit with "10000" fall down to the lower level via this tunnel to
earn a nice 10000 points.
*Two pits: These holes on either side of the board are useful. Entering them
will put blockers over the pit on the side they are found. These "blockers"
will prevent your ball frome entering the pit once.
*Three stars: Light these up by enterting the pits underneath them. Lighting
them up is only good for points.
*Two "Kid" buttons. The two buttons on the right that read "Kid" can be pressed
to get a ball stopper in between the bottom two flippers. This is very useful.
*Pits: They're worth a thousand points just for entering, but don't enter them
if you can help it.
*A tunnel: Enter this for 5000 points and quick access to the top.
*A gap in the right wall leads back to the launch area of the ball. This is the
easiest way to get back to the top, but not worth the points that tunnel is.
If you enter the tunnel the key gives you in the lotto, you'll be treated to a
"Rock" car running down the centre of the stage. You'll then be taken to the
bonus level:
In the bonus level, you will have to hit waves of bald guys, and guys with hats
and glasses for points. On occassion, the car at the top of the screen will
lift up. Fire your ball into the hole it reveals for points. If you can manage
to do this multiple times, you're bound to get some big points.
Okay, teh ranking in this game isn't the standard set-score kind of thing. You
will have your score set against the scores of some other names, each with a
somewhat random score. For example, in one test using Tom I got this readout:
High Scores:
942150 T.O
868950 Y.T
759600 T.S
506530 F.I
414940 AAA
362100 S.K
243960 T.I
15220 H.I
1600 Tom
Yet the next time I played, these names had different scores, and different
ranks. Each game is a competition of sorts, and you'll have to score fairly
high to win it. Also note that your name in the ranking is the name of the
character you chose.
Easily the trickiest game of the bunch, 9 ball is basically Pachinko. There's
not a whole lot that needs to be said about the modes, they all play very much
the same with no stand-out differences. Instead I'll give some general tips on
the game. 9Ball may have up to four players.
-After choosing you mode, there will be numbers appearind and disappearing all
over the screen. Pressing the A button will make this stop, and you may see
1's and 2's on the board. If there are some numbers, place a higher bet, if
there are no numbers, place a lower bet. You get $1000 to bet with.
-One is a multiplier of 2, 2 is a multiplier of three. A 3-hole horizontal line
is a multiplier of 1 and and a 5-hole diagonal is a multiplier of 2. So say you
manage to get a horizontal containing a 2, and you bet $1000, you will get
$3000 from that line.
-You get nine balls to play with.
-The field is dotted with little pegs to randomize the fall of your ball. You
can use tilt to influence the fall to some degree, but it becoems difficult to
get balls where you want them.
-The holes will suck your ball in, so if you manage to land in proximity to
them, you could get in. This also means that getting the line you want could be
difficult if the holes around it are 'stealing' your balls.
-There are flippers at the bottom, but getting the ball into the bottom holes
using the flippers is somewhat difficult. The flippers are best used for the
middle holes.
-The only way to save your ball from falling down either side is tilt, but that
doesn't work all the time.
-If your ball is skimming across the top pegs, tilting will make it fall into
the gaps.
Battle Flippe ris the head to head mode. It's all one field, your flippers are
on one side, the opponents on the other. Gravity rverses depending on what side
you are, drawn towards the pit on either side.
Perhaps what you will _need_ to get use to in this mode is playing upside-down
pinball. Everytime a point is scored, players switch sides. Battle Flipper can
be played with two players, or you can watch two computer players.
Matches can played in 3-set, 5-set, and 7-set, where if you win that many
rounds, you will be the victor. Each round is first to three gets the the win.
You will also see the character quotes in this mode.
Aggressive, but with plenty of space. You have a peg in the middle of your
flippers which isn't too useful and a blocker over each side pit. These may
deflect the ball once.
*There are five bumpers on the field, which can mess up your direction, but are
not overly dangerous.
*The holes, entering them will cause teh ball to exist the corresponding hole
on the other player's side of the field.
*The BOMB tunnels restore the blockers.
*Pressing up/down on the control pad will move your left flipper from its
standard position to near the opponent's entry to the BOMB tunnel. I love this
feature of the Battle Flippers, the movement up and down on the field.
*BOMB buttons: There are two buttons, and if you can get two pictures of the
same thing on screen using these, and effect is activated:
Two exits: Puts an exit on the board, this will give a point. This is very...
cheap? Yes, the exit is close to your flippers.
Two skulls: Makes the opponent's flippers invisible, this doesn't really 'work'
on computer opponents because they'll play just as well when they can't see the
flippers.
Two bombs: Time bomb ball, when it blows up a point is awarded based on what
side. For instance, if it explodes on the red side, blue gets the point.
Two thunder: Temporary Flipper Paralyses, in other words you can change their
position and you can use them to hit the ball... If you know you can get it,
get it when the opponent has their flipper moved down, their central pit will
be wide open!
Thunder is the most basic mode of Battle Flipper. The field is wide open and
there is only one interactive point: the two tunnels.
You start with three blockers in your central pit, between the flippers. These
will bounce the ball back once each. But there's not defense for the side pits.
If it does go down the side, lift the flipper on that side up and hope the ball
bounces off the blocker and back onto the field. The tunnels will restore the
flippers of the colour they are (red tunnel restores yours, blue for the
opponent).
Pressing up and down will move your flippers from the standard position to
having one on the outside of your tunnel and the inside of the opponent's
tunnel.
If you want a lot of space and no-nonsense competition, then take Thunder.
Attack is maybe the most aggressive of the games. When you start playing, you
will notice that from the launch there are two holes above your ball. If you
shoot the ball into the bottom hole, you will be shot out on your side of the
field. If you go to the top hole, you'll be shot out on the opponents side.
Between your flippers, there is a small peg. This doesn't help too much, as the
ball can roll past it, but it can bounce the ball back. Covering the side pits
are two blockers which can deflect the ball once.
There are six pegs in between the two fields, so it can become a hassle to get
to the other side directly, you may have to take a round-about way.
You'll notice arrows that say "GO" before them. These lead to tunnels. These
tunnels aren't as nice as teh ones you are used to. If you manage to shoot the
ball through the tunnel matching your opponent's colours, then their blockers
will be removed.
On either side, there are three buttons: ATTACK, HELP, and STOP.
*ATTACK: A bumper moves back and forth above the standard flipper zone of the
opponent.
*HELP: The peg between your flippers gets bigger. It's more useful but still
not very useful as it doesn't stop the ball from rolling in.
*STOP: Restores your stoppers/blockers.
The two holes on the field will transfer you to the other side of the field.
For example the ball enters in red and winds up in blue.
Pressing up or down will bring your flippers from the standard position to
having one block your opponents attack buttons, and another blocking the route
to your tunnel.
Sports is an interesting game. You get a net, and one flipper. This flipper
will spin around at the press of the A Button. You can move the flipper back
and forth using left/right on the control pad.
You _must_ observe how your flipper works. You want to hit the ball on the side
of the flipper that the flipper will be coming around, towards the opponent.
You _do not_ want to hit it on the side the flipper is travelling towards your
net or you could score on yourself.
So say on the flipper spins a certain direction, move it so the the ball will
be hit on the spin out and not the spin in.
Sports is the same gravitywise as Battle Flipper, and the same one player,
two player, or watch options. 3-Set, 5-Set, and 7-Set also appear, as well as
the characters.
When you are launching the ball in Sports, it can often work out in your favour
to use max force, as it can often trip up a computer opponent.
Soccer puts your nets on the walls. There are two holes near the net, of the
opposing colour. These holes can hold your ball for you until you choose to
shoot it. Get your flipper into position, shoot the ball, and hit it with the
flipper to try and score.
Each net has a goalie, which you can move with left and right. Holding A will
make the goalie deflect teh ball farther than normal.
Thanks go out to my hosts, of course. Also NTVIC for getting this game to us,
regardless of the sacrifice of depth for options, the game is fun. Also thanks
to the people who beefed at me to finsih this... I did it all this morning and
it makes me regret not getting it over with earlier.
Websites with permission to use this Guide:
www.GameFAQS.com
www.neoseeker.com
faqs.IGN.com
www.1up.com
