Portal

"Momentum, a function of mass and velocity, is maintained between portals. In layman's terms: speedy thing go in, speedy thing come out."

-GLaDOS

Portal is a standalone licensed pinball adaptation of Valve Corporation's Portal video game duology, known for its mix of platforming and physics-based puzzle-solving. Initially released in the spring of 2015 and available for Zen Pinball 2, Pinball FX 2 and Pinball FX 3, this table recaptures the events of the 2011 sequel, Portal 2, in which the test subject Chell explores the Aperture Science Enrichment Center, using a portal gun and knowledge of physics to overcome obstacles, before eventually coming into conflict with the facility's malevolent supercomputer, GLaDOS.

Table overview[]

The upper half of the table[]

The "head" of GLaDOS, the main antagonist of the Portal duology, hangs from a structure mounted from the back half of the table's left wall. On the back half of the opposite wall is a platform where figures of the robots Atlas and P-Body, playable characters of the co-op mode of Portal 2, would stand. A large orbit wraps around most of the lanes, but it is only possible to take the ball around it in a clockwise direction via the left orbit, as the right orbit diverts the ball up one of two converging ramps that drop the ball beside a right-facing mini-flipper on a raised platform that can be used to access a looping crossramp leading to a habitrail destined for the leftmost inlane. Failure to make a cross shot will cause the ball to drop down onto the main playfield.

The right orbit's ramp to the abovementioned mini-flipper curves under Atlas and P-Body's platform, while the other merging ramp belongs to the table's left ramp, which loops near and under GLaDOS on its way to the mini-flipper. Underneath the left ramp's entrance is a saucer that's placed midway in a mini-orbit dedicated to the robot Atlas. It wraps around a target that can be struck to generate a portal right in front of it that teleports the ball to the right mini-flipper (from the right orbit's path), and this mini-orbit's entrance is right next to it. The exit of this mini-orbit takes the ball down the left orbit. The portal target can collapse to reveal a sinkhole that functions as a ball locker.

To the right of the entrance of Atlas' mini-orbit is the elevator chamber that transports Chell to a testing chamber. Right next to it is another mini-orbit dedicated to the robot P-Body, which takes the ball down the right orbit. Perpendicular to its entrance is the entrance of a crossramp that takes a very sharp hairpin turn leading to a habitrail destined for the table's inner right inlane. Between this crossramp entrance and the right orbit entrance is a small triangular structure with a target bank on the side facing the table's front end that spells LAB. The multiplier hold lamp is placed directly on this triangular structure.

The lower half of the table[]

At the left side of the left orbit's entry is a left mini-flipper used to access the abovementioned crossramp. Behind this flipper is a short passageway into an automatic launcher placed right beside the table's left wall that propels the ball down the right orbit. The right orbit's entry passes through a bumper area, with the leftmost bumper containing a side-facing target bank spelling RAT, while the frontmost bumper contains a single target representing the "cake" that GLaDOS promised to Chell in the first game, which Doug Rattmann warns is part of her deception. This bumper can rise to expose a sinkhole that takes the ball to the mini-playfield.

There are 2 rebounds, 2 main flippers and 6 returns lanes that can spell different 6-letter phrases like PORTAL, LASERS or GLADOS. Each outlane contains a low-power spring-loaded kickback. The outhole in front of the flippers is some sort of incinerator furnace where the ball is promptly destroyed in the event of a ballout. Each rebound contains a pivot cube that rotates to shape the trajectory of a laser emanating from just above the table's left outlane, and the cubes can rotate every time the rebounds are struck. The left apron is a Relaxation Vault where Chell first awakens after being in cryostasis in the first game. Lamps for score multipliers are placed on its edge.

The mini-playfield[]

This table has a mini-playfield built underneath the table. It either represents the Turret Factory or Rattmann's den, depending on the mode. Regardless, its structure remains the same: it consists of a large orbit wrapping around the entrances of two ramps that each take the ball down the nearest of the mini-playfield's two return lanes and a central target that can collapse to reveal the mini-playfield exit. There are 2 rebounds and 2 flippers in this mini-playfield, and it has its own ball saver.

The plunger[]

The plunger is a spring-loaded mechanism that launches the ball up a straight jump ramp. At full strength, the ball will jump to the exit habitrail of the crossramp and drop to the inner right inlane. Three panels from the right table wall will unfold, where a single orange portal will appear on one of them, cycling between the three after every few seconds. The goal of the skill shot is to determine the correct plunger timing and power such that the ball will land into the orange portal and teleport to the right mini-flipper for a chance to hit the looping "jump" crossramp for a skill shot bonus worth a base of 2 million. A super skill shot worth double the score award can be lit later on, as well.

Objective and missions[]

The goal of this table is to help Chell complete six different lab tests administered by GLaDOS and eventually defeat her so that she can escape. Each test is a timed mission; the player must hit the elevator chamber at the middle of the back end of the table to open the elevator, then shoot the ball inside the elevator chamber to enter and choose a lab test to start using the flippers. (Missions usually involve a series of steps and actions that are commonly used; these are marked in italics and are defined and described in detail in the "Common actions" subsection.) Each mission must be completed successfully in order to unlock the wizard mode. The second mission and fourth mission feature checkpoints for each completion of the mini-playfield and the first turret destroyed, respectively. All other missions are subject to the following rules:

The missions must be completed without losing a ball.
Most steps have a time limit. A few seconds will be added back every time any lane is shot. Running out of time after activating a device will deactivate the device, immediately rolling back mission progress to the step where the player must activate the device again. Running out of time again, or in a step before the "activate the device" step will result in mission failure.
At the end of each mission, the player must shoot the elevator to finally finish it, as this is the exit of each test chamber Chell passes through. There is no time limit for this step. (In the fourth test chamber, only one of the two balls in play needs to enter the elevator to finish the mission.)

Missions score the mission completion value upon completion. The value starts at 10 million at the beginning of a session, and increases by 500,000 points for every three shots to the left cross-ramp, to a maximum of 25 million points. Shooting the left cross-ramp while the mission completion value is at max will award a 2 million bonus.

The following six missions must be completed to access the wizard mode:

Test Chamber 1 - Advanced Portal Training: To overcome the obstacles and get around places in the facility easily, Chell must master the use of the portal gun, which is used to create two portals that she can place anywhere to teleport to an otherwise unreachable area. To pass this test, Chell must use the portal gun to get to an unreachable switch that enables an aerial faith plate that she must then use to reach the exit. To reach the unreachable area and activate the aerial faith plate, the player creates a pair of portals, activates the aerial faith plate, executes a portal warp made possible with the plate and lastly, hits the left cross-ramp once more within 20 seconds.
Test Chamber 2 - Ratman's Den: "Ratman" is the only surviving Aperture Lab scientist who was able to avoid GLaDOS' deadly neurotoxin attack; he has managed to find and create hidden rooms to evade her surveillance, and Chell can use one to secretly destroy sentry turrets. This mission takes place entirely in the mini-playfield. To destroy a turret, the player must shoot all four lanes in a certain sequence seen on the display to open a sinkhole that can be shot to disable the turret. This must be repeated 3 times to clear the mission, and the destruction of each turrent marks a checkpoint for the mission if the ball is drained in the mini-playfield.
Test Chamber 3 - Thermal Discouragement Beams: Some test chambers contain deadly red lasers that Chell must manipulate with portals and special deflector cubes to activate mechanisms or destroy obstacles and make a way out. To complete this mission, the player must create a pair of portals, activate the aerial faith plate and then shoot the left cross-ramp within 20 seconds to use it. Then, the player must create another portal, shoot the right cross-ramp within 30 seconds to manipulate the pivot cube on the left slingshot, such that once the laser is activated with one shot into the automatic launcher within 25 seconds, the laser will bounce into the portal created in the left table wall, warp to the opposite table wall and destroy the obstacle. Then, the player must finally create another pair of portals and execute a portal warp.
Test Chamber 4 - Sentry Turret Training: Sentry turrets installed throughout the facility are programmed to terminate Chell if she takes one false step, forcing her to find ways to circumvent or destroy them. This is a 2-ball multiball mission and both balls must be kept in play while completing the mission, and there is no time limit for completing any of its steps. With both balls in play, the player must first create a pair of portals, then execute a portal warp. Then, the player must destroy the turrets with 10 bumper hits, then create another pair of portals and execute another portal warp, then shoot one ball into the automatic launcher.
Test Chamber 5 - Hard Light Bridge Training: Light Bridges can generate bridges that Chell can walk on, providing extra platforms to make previously inaccessible areas accessible. To clear this mission, the player must create a pair of portals, shoot the left ramp to collect a companion cube (no time limit) and then dump the cube into a sinkhole behind the portal target as it collapses. The player must then activate the hard light bridge, then hit the looping crossramp within 20 seconds to cross it. Then, the player must create another pair of portals, execute a portal warp, activate another hard light bridge and hit the looping crossramp within 20 seconds again to cross it.
Test Chamber 6 - Excursion Funnel Training: Excursion funnels are machines that can cause anything caught in it to lose gravity and float off in a certain direction. To complete this mission, the player must create a pair of portals, activate the excursion funnel, then create another pair of portals to use the funnel. The player must then hit the looping crossramp within 20 seconds to get near the exit elevator.

Once all 6 testing chamber missions are completed, the wizard mode, GLaDOS, is unlocked and can be started the same way as the previous missions. This is a 4-ball final multiball mission in which Chell must confront and defeat GLaDOS before escaping to the surface. It is divided into two stages:

In the first part, GLaDOS attempts to kill Chell by unleashing neurotoxin from four valves. To cut off the neurotoxin and save herself, Chell must disable four turrets before she is overcome by the gas within three minutes. Each turret is destroyed by creating a pair of portals, using them to portal warp and then hitting the bumpers 10 times. (If the player beat the turret factory mini-game, one to three of the turrets will already be disabled, depending on how many times the mini-game was beaten prior to starting the wizard mode.) A timer bonus is scored following the end of this phase, worth 2.5 million multiplied by the number of seconds remaining.
Once the neurotoxin is cut off, Chell must finally destroy GLaDOS by hitting her with bombs in the second phase of the wizard mode. A bomb can be obtained by shooting the sinkhole behind the portal target as it lowers at the beginning of this phase. Only one bomb can be active and each one can only be used once. GLaDOS requires four bomb hits to defeat, with the first two used with a shot up the left cross-ramp (with the Orange Propulsion Gel perk listed below being constantly active during the second hit) and the latter two used by hitting the hidden sinkhole behind the portal target again. After two hits, the player needs to set up the final two attacks on GLaDOS by creating a pair of portals at the portal target so that when the bomb ball goes through them, they hit GLaDOS, eventually destroying her for 100 million points. But this victory is short lived, as you'll find yourself back at the very beginning of the game for another go-round through her many tests.

The player has only one attempt at this mission and it fails if all balls are drained or Chell succumbs to the neurotoxin. If Chell succumbs to the neurotoxin or GLaDOS is defeated, the flippers will be disabled and all balls will drain.

Common actions[]

To survive the test chambers, it is essential to master certain actions and maneuvers. The following actions must be completed to clear the missions:

Create a Pair of Portals: Chell can fire her portal gun at certain walls to create a pair of portals that can be used to warp to somewhere else. To shoot a portal pair, the player must shoot two of 3 randomly lit lanes within 20 seconds, with the first shot generating an orange entry portal and the second shot generating a blue exit portal.
Activate a Device: There are different devices that Chell can activate, such as an aerial faith plate. To activate a device, the player simply must shoot the elevator within 15 seconds.
Portal Warp: Chell can use the portals to warp to inaccessible areas. The player will be prompted to warp when a portal automatically appears in front of the portal target. Within 15 seconds, the player must shoot that portal, which will teleport the ball near the upper right flipper, then use the upper right flipper to hit the left cross-ramp.

Side modes[]

No side modes are available to start on this table.

Multiball[]

There are three multiball modes that can be activated:

Cooperative Testing: Portal 2 features a cooperative mode set immediately after the events of the story mode in which robots Atlas and P-Body use portal guns to navigate the test chambers of Aperture. If the player spells the name of either robot with shots up their mini-orbits, the portal target will lower to allow the ball to be shot into a hidden sinkhole to lock a ball for each robot. Each name must be spelled once to start a 2-ball multiball representing them in which lit lanes award jackpots, but can only be earned once before the player claims a super jackpot with a shot up the left cross-ramp, which will relight all jackpots. A shot to the elevator after collecting the super jackpot will end the Multiball, light an extra ball, and return to single-ball play. This mode otherwise continues until either ball is lost.
Personality Core Multiball: The Aperture Lab is known for creating spherical machines that house advanced artificial intelligence programs, each with their own personality. Every shot up the hairpin crossramp will open the ball locker behind the portal target for a limited amount of time for a ball to be locked. Once 3 balls are locked in this way, a 3-ball multiball will start, in which lit lanes award jackpots and both crossramps award super jackpots. A skill shot will be available after draining down to 1 ball and ending the Multiball.
Turret Factory Multiball: It is possible for Chell to replace functioning turrets with defective ones. If the player hits the bumpers enough times such that the phrase "turret factory" is completely filled in the scoring display, the frontmost bumper will rise to expose a sinkhole that can be shot in to enter the turret factory mini-playfield, where the player will have a chance to disable a turret to speed up completion of the first phase of the wizard mode. This is a 2-ball multiball inside the mini-playfield, in which the player must hit all four lanes 3 times each, then lock either ball into the opened middle sinkhole to replace a working turret with a defective one. This mode will only fail if both balls are drained.

Perks[]

The following perks can be activated:

Ball Saver: At the start of each ball and multiball, a 30-second ball saver will activate. Once it expires, it can be reactivated by shooting the hairpin crossramp 3 times or winning it as a random award from a successful completion of the Lab Rat hurry-up mode.
Kickbacks: Lighting all 6 rollovers will activate a low-power spring-loaded kickback in the left outlane and doing so again will activate the one in the right outlane. Kickbacks stay on until they are used and can also be earned as a random award from a successful completion of the Lab Rat hurry-up mode.
Bonus Multiplier: Shooting any combination of the left orbit or automatic launcher 5 times will advance the bonus multiplier, which is only good for the current ball unless the player earns a multiplier hold as a random award from a successful completion of the Lab Rat hurry-up mode.
Lab Rat Hurry-Up: Ratman is determined to help Chell survive GlaDOS' deadly schemes. If the player spells LAB RAT on the target banks in the bumper area, a hurry-up mode will start where the player has limited time to find a reward left by Ratman by shooting different lanes until it is found. Possible rewards include activation of a kickback, reactivation of the ball save (or extending the timer if already active), increasing the reward for mission completion by 500,000, lighting a lock for Cooperative Testing Multiball, bonus X hold, or an extra ball.
Slingshot Reflex Cubes: Every hit to the slingshots will change the position of the cubes on top of them. If the player activates the laser by shooting the automatic launcher two times, one of five features will start depending on the position of the cubes.
- Blue Repulsion Gel: The Repulsion Gel is capable of bouncing off and deflecting anything that touches it. If the left reflex cube is rotated to the right by 45 degrees, the laser will hit a pipe full of blue repulsion gel near the right orbit, coating it in the gel for 30 seconds. The player can press the launch button while the ball is there to launch from the gel and earn 2 million points.
- Orange Propulsion Gel: The Propulsion Gel is capable of increasing the speed of any moving thing that touches it. If the right reflex cube is rotated to the left by 45 degrees and the left cube is in its normal position, the laser will hit a pipe full of orange propulsion gel near the left ramp, coating it in the gel for 30 seconds. The propulsion gel will boost the ball up the left ramp with such speed that it can clear the left cross-ramp if the upper right flipper is held.
- Super Jets: If the player activates the laser with 2 uses of the automatic launcher while the reflex cubes are in their normal positions, the laser will hit the high energy pellet launcher at the entrance of the right cross-ramp and turn the bumpers into high energy pellet catchers that act as super jets for 30 seconds, awarding 200k points per bumper hit.
- Super Skill Shot: Rotating the right reflex cube 45 degrees to the right and then activating the laser will briefly raise the cake target to reveal the sinkhole underneath it. Shooting the sinkhole within 30 seconds will grant a chance at a super skill shot, worth double the value of the normal skill shot and a 5 million point bonus for shooting the left cross-ramp afterwards.
- Attack GLaDOS: If the player rotates the left reflex cube 90 degrees to the left and then activates the laser with 2 uses of the automatic launcher, the laser will fire and hit GLaDOS herself, granting the player 2,500,000 points.
Extra Balls: Extra balls can be earned by hitting the cake target 30 times to collect all the ingredients, earning it as a random award from a successful completion of the Lab Rat hurry-up mode, earning a super jackpot in the Cooperative Testing Multiball mode, disabling one turret at the Turret Factory multiball mode in the mini-playfield or defeating GLaDOS in the wizard mode. All extra balls are claimed by hitting the cake target.

Tips[]

It is important to master cross-shots to complete missions. The looping crossramp can normally be accessed by shooting the left ramp or right orbit (or by the portal at the portal target if it is active). The hairpin crossramp, while far less integral to beating missions, is useful for reactivating the ball saver and can be accessed via the Atlas mini-orbit, which will drop the ball down the left orbit for a chance to make a cross-shot up the hairpin crossramp.
Increase ball survivability by activating kickbacks, which stay on until they are used. You can also reactivate the ball saver by shooting the hairpin crossramp 3 times.
While most mission steps or parts have time limits, there are ways to overcome them. In main missions, you can extend the time limit of the current step by shooting any lane, but you'll get more time for shooting the correct lanes. The first half of the wizard mode may be difficult to win with just a 3-minute time limit to work with to shut off the neurotoxin, but if you beat the turret factory multiball mode, you can disable up to 3 of the four turrets, one for each successful completion, to increase your chances of getting past the first part of the wizard mode.