Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

"Do, or do not. There is no try."

- Yoda

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back is one of the three tables in the original Star Wars Pinball DLC pack for Zen Pinball 2 and Pinball FX2, later ported to Pinball FX3. The table is based on the 1981 film of the same name, depicting the Rebel Alliance's struggles to defeat the Empire at a time of immense crisis across the galaxy.

Main objective[]

Relive the events of The Empire Strikes Back by playing all six scenes.

Starting scenes & general info[]

To start a scene mission, the player must shoot the STAR & WARS standup targets once each, then shoot into the center sinkhole. If the targets aren't currently active, shooting the left ramp will raise them. The player can then select any mission they desire using the flippers and launch button.

The missions on this table are split into different sections; each completed section acts as a checkpoint in case the player fails the next part of the mission, and a bonus score is collected upon reaching checkpoints worth a base value of 10 million points + 500,000 per shot to the STAR & WARS standup targets across all missions. All mission sections are timed for either 60, 40, or 30 seconds, with each successful shot during 30-second missions adding 5 seconds to the timer, and the timer stops if the ball is in the bumpers. All six missions must be successfully completed to light the Grand Finale wizard mode at the left orbit. Winning three scenes lights an extra ball.

Multiball modes (outside of JEDI Multiball and SITH Multiball) can only be started during missions if the behavior of the center platform doesn't take priority over the mission, or if the shot that starts the multiball isn't required to win the mission. For instance, Hyperspace Multiball can be played during Scene 1 and Scene 3, but not during other scenes due to their rules taking priority over the rules for the multiball.

Scenes[]

Scene 1: The Empire has discovered a rebel base on Hoth thanks to one of their probe droids. Luke attempts to investigate the probe droid himself.
- Chapter 1: 60 seconds. Luke is caught by a wampa while trying to investigate the probe droid. To escape, the player must first shoot the left sinkhole three times via the left orbit or any shot that feeds it (either upper orbit, or the raised right ramp). The left orbit will always divert balls to the bumpers during this part of the chapter. Afterwards, the player must shoot behind the VADER standup target three times to defeat the wampa.
- Chapter 2: 40 seconds. Luke has barely survived the fight with the wampa, and Han must find him. All 8 major lanes will be flashing; a random lane will hide Luke, which must be shot to win the chapter.
- Chapter 3: 60 seconds. Han fends off the probe droid while Luke rests. The player must shoot the left orbit (or the lowered right ramp) such that the ball hits the probe droid spinner, which raises and lowers throughout the course of the chapter. Both shots divert to the plunger during this mode, to make shooting the probe droid less difficult. Hitting the probe droid spinner 3 times wins the chapter and the scene.
Scene 2: The Empire attempts to destroy the Rebel base on Hoth, but the Rebels have plans of their own.
- Chapter 1: 40 seconds. Fight against one of the Empire's many Stormtroopers by hitting the figure on the center platform with the ball. The Stormtrooper will always be firing at either center orbit shot - so the player must shoot the orbit he's firing at, then use the opposite upper flipper to defeat him. Alternatively, the player can shoot the right standup target and use the kicker by not using the mini-flipper, which automatically sends the ball towards the center platform. The Stormtrooper must be hit 3 times to win.
- Chapter 2: 60 seconds. Defeat the AT-AT Walker by making five passes - 4 shots to either center orbit, and one final shot all the way around the left orbit. Making all five passes will finish the chapter and the scene, as the Rebels are forced to escape the clutches of the Empire.
Scene 3: Han and the rest of the Rebels try to escape the Empire, while Luke travels to Dagobah in hopes of becoming a Jedi Knight.
- Chapter 1: 60 seconds. The Millennium Falcon has to pass through an asteroid field to successfully escape. Pilot the Falcon by shooting the ball up the jump ramp without hitting either asteroid or the TIE Fighter flying above the center platform. To count as a successful shot, the ball must land in the left sinkhole. Repeat this process 3 times to win.
- Chapter 2: 30 seconds. Luke begins his training with Yoda, and learns to use the Force to his advantage. Use the Force to stack three stones by first shooting the right standup target, then shooting the flashing entrance to the mini-loop. Shooting the unlit entrance won't count as a shot and won't add time, so the lit entrance must be shot 3 times to win the scene.
- Chapter 3: 60 seconds. The Rebels' escape goes from bad to worse when mynocs invade the Falcon. Defeat all six mynocs by shooting the flashing major shots (excluding the upper orbits). 10 seconds after a shot has been made, the shot will relight, so the player must be quick to shoot all six major shots to win the scene and the chapter.
Scene 4: The Rebels head to Cloud City in hopes of finding safety from the Empire, but find themselves in trouble.
- Chapter 1: 30 seconds. Lando won't let just any ship land in his city - and he knows a good ship when he sees one. Shoot the flashing lanes alternating between the left, center, and right sides of the playfield a total of 8 times to ask Lando for permission to land the Falcon.
- Chapter 2: 60 seconds. Vader outsmarts Lando by forcing the Rebels into Empire custody, knowing that Luke will try to save them. Attempt to bargain with Vader by repeatedly shooting the ball up the jump ramp so the ball hits the figure of Vader on the center platform. Making 6 shots to Vader during this chapter will finish the scene.
Scene 5: The Rebels fight their way out of Cloud City.
- Chapter 1: 60 seconds. Chewbacca uses his brute strength to defeat the Empire's soldiers. Shoot the lowered right ramp to feed the ball to the bumpers (which score 50,000 points per hit during this chapter), then quickly shoot any of the TIE standup targets using the mini-flipper. Repeat this sequence three times to win the chapter.
- Chapter 2: 30 seconds. Luke arrives to help the Rebels escape Cloud City, against his mentors' will. The first phase of this chapter is 30 seconds, and requires the player to use the flippers to divert the lightsaber eject so the lightsaber deflects the laser blasts fired by the Stormtrooper on the center platform. After this phase, the timer will reset to 30 seconds, and the player must shoot both orbits followed by the VADER standup target to finish off the Stormtrooper and win the scene.
Scene 6: Luke & Vader take part in a climactic duel over Cloud City, where Luke learns the horrifying truth about Vader...
- Chapter 1: Untimed. This is a first-person video mode similar to the Training Mode described in side modes, where the player must use the flippers and launch button to deflect 5 of Vader's lightsaber swings. Vader attacks much quicker than the probe in the Training Mode did, so the player must be on guard at all times. Failing to deflect 5 total lightsaber swings ends the chapter in failure.
- Chapter 2: 60 seconds. Vader quickly overpowers Luke during their battle, using the Force to manipulate the room around him. Evade all the objects Vader throws by shooting one of three randomly lit lanes a total of 8 times. Every 5 seconds, the lanes will alternate to new locations.
- Chapter 3: 30 seconds per phase. Luke is separated from his lightsaber and must put in a last-ditch effort to evade Vader. First, shoot either spinner a total of 30 times to overpower Vader and get the percentage on the scoring display to 100% (which gradually decreases over time); then, shoot all three randomly lit lanes twice to end the battle. Luke learns that Vader is his father, meaning his transition to the Dark Side might be inevitable; he chooses to avoid his fate out of desperation by escaping the reactor shaft, as the Rebels save him.

Yoda's Hideout & Grand Finale[]

After playing through all six scenes, the next shot to the left orbit will divert the ball into the left sinkhole and start Grand Finale. By default, Grand Finale is a 2-ball, 60-second timed victory multiball where two random shots are lit to score 5 million point jackpots, which change positions to two different shots after both have been made. The multiball ends after the timer runs out, and the player can play through the missions and attempt to reach Grand Finale again afterwards as the mission progress resets.

To enhance the scoring of Grand Finale before starting the wizard mode, the player can shoot for Yoda's Hideout. Every time the right ramp raises during normal play, the shot will briefly light for 10 seconds to collect a letter in the word YODA. Spelling YODA by making this shot four times will allow the player to use the flippers and launch button to choose a Force power. Each Force power can only be selected once, have to be recollected after playing Grand Finale, and are as follows:

Force Rush increases the 60-second timer for Grand Finale by 15 seconds.
Force Jump awards a bonus jackpot for every completed jackpot wave during Grand Finale.
Force Rush increases the jackpot value by 1 million points.
Lightsaber Throw adds an additional jackpot lane, requiring three shots to be made before they relight.

Side objectives[]

FORCE Hurry-Ups are split into their own section.

FORCE Hurry-Ups[]

Shooting the right standup target five times to spell FORCE will add around 20,000 points to the Force Jackpot, which starts at 100,000 points, and start one of six randomly selected, 60-second hurry-up modes described below. Each hurry-up mode can only be played once until all six have been played, and playing through all six will light an extra ball. Hurry-up modes can be stacked onto each other if FORCE is spelled during the currently active hurry-up, but their timers won't reset.

AT-ST Rush: The left and upper left orbits will divert into the bumpers during this hurry-up. All bumper hits score 50,000 points until time runs out.
Cloud City: The right ramp lowers and the diverter into the spinning Cloud City tower activates. Shoot the spinning tower as many times as possible to score 100,000 points + 50,000 points per spin. This hurry-up takes priority over lighting the locks for Cloud City Multiball.
Probe Shooting: The left and upper left orbits will divert the ball into the plunger during this hurry-up, for a chance to hit the probe droid spinner; the lowered right ramp will also behave this way. Shooting any of the listed shots will result in the ball hitting the probe droid, for 1 million points + 1 million points per collection.
Star Wars Frenzy: All major lanes light to score jackpots worth 500,000 points + 100,000 points per jackpot. Lit lanes can only be shot once, but can be relit by making all major shots.
TIE Ambush: Repeatedly shoot the TIE fighter standup targets from the mini-flipper for 100,000 points + 50,000 points per target hit. This hurry-up takes priority over lighting the locks for Imperial Multiball.
Use The Force: Shoot the right standup target to collect the Force Jackpot value as many times as possible until time runs out.

Side modes[]

Training Mode: Every other shot to the left ramp will lower the STAR & WARS standup targets, and open up the mini-loop. Shooting the mini-loop 8 times during normal play to spell TRAINING will light the center standup target to start the Training Mode, a video mode depicting Luke's lightsaber training on the Falcon. The player must use the left and right flipper buttons, along with the launch button, to move the lightsaber and deflect the laser blasts fired by the probe droid. The mode ends in failure after 5 failed attempts to deflect the laser, and ends in success after deflecting 5 laser blasts. The value for winning the Training Mode starts at 3 million points and increases by 2 million points per successful completion. Winning Training Mode the first time will light an extra ball.
AT-AT Hunt: Spelling SKYWALKER at the top rollover lanes will qualify the next shot to the raised right ramp during normal play to start the AT-AT Hunt mode; if the ramp is lowered, it must be raised again by shooting the right standup target. During AT-AT Hunt, the player must make three shots to either center orbit within 30 seconds to defeat the AT-AT for 1 million points. Every time the mode is started, one more shot to the center orbits than before will be required to win the mode.
Vader Frenzy: Spelling VADER with five shots to the center standup target during normal play, then shooting the target again, will magnetize the ball as Darth Vader walks onto the table's center platform. Within 30 seconds, the player must shoot the ball up the center jump ramp as many times as possible to score 100,000 points + 50,000 per shot, with each shot causing Vader to destroy the ball. The mode ends as soon as the timer runs out.
Saber Awards: Shooting both spinners a total of 50 times each will fill up the lightsabers seen on the scoring display. Once both are filled, a 30-second timer will start and the left orbit will light for the first Saber Award, worth 250,000 points. Shooting the left orbit will then light the raised right ramp for the same value, followed by the center sinkhole for double the value. The player can repeatedly shoot for Saber Awards until the timer runs out.
R2-D2 Astro Jets: Shots to the left orbit that send the ball into the bumpers will collect letters in R2-D2 and light one of the four bumpers under the Cloud City tower; each lit bumper hit increase the value they score during Astro Jets by 2,500 points. After R2-D2 is spelled, the bumpers will light to score 10,000 points + the increased value from before for 30 seconds.

Multiball modes[]

JEDI & SITH Multiball: The upper left and right orbits are marked with inserts spelling the words JEDI and SITH, respectively. As soon as the player spells out either word with 4 shots, a quick 2-ball multiball will begin where the player can shoot the left ramp (JEDI) or right ramp (SITH) to score jackpot values worth 100,000 points + 100,000 per jackpot. The multiball that wasn't started can be started while the other is running; doing this will start a 3-ball Balance Multiball, where both ramps are lit to score jackpots, and collecting an equal number of jackpots at both ramps will light the center sinkhole to score a super jackpot worth 1 million times the number of collected jackpots.
Hyperspace Multiball: Shooting the lowered right ramp while its diverter is set up to feed the ball to the right flipper will collect letters in HYPERSPACE, seen to the left of the plunger. Spelling HYPERSPACE with 10 shots will begin Hyperspace Multiball, as two balls are launched from the plunger and continuously spin around the mini-loop as the camera angle shifts to reveal the ship jumping into hyperspace. The player can score jackpots worth 500,000 points by shooting either center orbit. Collecting 5 jackpots will light the left orbit for the Hyperspeed Jackpot, worth a base of 1 million points plus 10,000 points for every spinner hit. This process can be repeated until the multiball ends.
Imperial Multiball: Every shot to the TIE fighter standup targets during normal play collects a letter in TIE; spelling TIE, with three shots, lowers the targets to reveal a lock that can be shot to lock a ball for Imperial Multiball. Once 3 balls have been locked this way, Imperial Multiball will start, where a TIE fighter will be seen flying around the table's center platform. The player must shoot both sides of the mini-loop to score jackpots worth 500,000 points, then shoot the TIE fighter using the center jump ramp to score a super jackpot worth 2 million points. Shooting the center sinkhole during this multiball will increase the jackpot values by 50,000 points.
Cloud City Multiball: Shooting the spinning Cloud City tower six times during normal play, using the lowered right ramp, lights the tower to lock 4 balls for Cloud City Multiball; the player can release balls from the tower into the bumpers by pressing the launch button. After locking all 4 balls, the multiball will begin with all four balls spinning in the tower, and a figure of a Stormtrooper will walk onto the center platform. To score jackpots worth 100,000 points, the player can shoot the right ramp - then the player can score super jackpots by using the center jump ramp to hit the Stormtrooper. Super jackpots are worth 1 million points + 50,000 points per spin of the Cloud City tower, and reset in value once collected.

Perks[]

Skill Shot: Plunge the ball such that it hits the probe spinner for 1 million points (+1 million per skill shot) + 100,000 per spin. Then, shoot the center hole for a super skill shot worth 2x.
Ball Saver: The ball saver is activated for 15 seconds at the start of every new ball, and at the start of every multiball mode. The ball saver can't normally be reactivated, although a shot to the TIE fighter standup targets that bounces down the left outlane will be saved.
Kickbacks: The kickbacks on this table are "magnetic shields", which instantly magnetize the ball above either return lane once a drain is registered at either outlane. Spelling LANDO at the return lanes will light the left ramp to activate the left kickback and the right ramp to activate the right kickback for 10 seconds; after lighting a kickback, LANDO must be spelled again to light the other kickback.
Saber Saver: If both kickbacks are already lit, spelling LANDO and shooting both the left and right ramp within 10 seconds will activate the Saber Saver. Saber Saver saves any ball that drains down the middle by ejecting it onto the lightsaber eject, and must be relit after it has been used once.
Bonus Multiplier: Completing SKY, WAL, or KER at the top rollover lanes will increase the end-of-ball bonus multiplier by +1x, to a maximum of 9x (ie. if S and K in SKY are lit, rolling down the left rollover lane will add the W in WAL). Maxing out the bonus multiplier lights an extra ball the first time. The bonus multiplier can be held to the next ball from a random EMPIRE Award.
C-3PO: Every other shot to the left orbit will send the ball all the way around to the right inlane and score a letter in C-3PO. Making this shot four times will award a bonus of at least 2 million, or more if the player quickly made the left orbit shots.
EMPIRE Award: Shooting the left ramp six times to spell EMPIRE will raise the center sinkhole; shooting the ball into it will give the player 10 seconds to select a random character on the display for a random award, using the flippers and launch button. Random awards include: points (between 5 million - 10 million), 30 seconds of double playfield scoring, activating either kickback or the Saber Saver, holding the bonus multipliers, or lighting the extra ball.
Extra Balls: Extra balls are collected at the right standup target, and can be lit by winning three scenes, playing all six FORCE Hurry-Up modes, winning the Training Mode, maxing out the bonus multiplier at 9x, or as a random EMPIRE Award.

Tips[]

The highest scoring feature in the game isn't Grand Finale, surprisingly enough - it's Balance Multiball. It can be easily reached by spelling either JEDI or SITH while one of those multiballs is running, and can score hundreds of millions of points if you can play multiball well. Remember to cradle both balls before making shots, and take a look at the display to determine how many jackpots you need to collect for the next super jackpot. Bringing in a FORCE Hurry-Up or two can help as well.
Keep the kickbacks lit as long as possible, because the Saber Saver is key to having long games on this table. The Saber Saver, despite being more useful in single-ball play, will also activate during multiball - so try to avoid lighting it during multiball, or starting a multiball with it active.
If you want to play for Grand Finale that badly, easy extra balls can be lit by completing three scenes and getting bonus multipliers at the low-risk rollover lanes. And remember - if the STAR WARS targets aren't raised, raise them with a left ramp shot! Training Mode is fun and all and can lead to another extra ball, but subsequent activations aren't worth the risk.

References & Easter Eggs[]

The lightsaber eject, where the ball magnetically traverses the bottom of the lightsaber, has been done in an actual table. Capcom's 1995 Pinball Magic featured a magic wand that could levitate the ball through a magnetic rod in its center, and similarly diverted to different locations at certain times. The lightsaber in The Empire Strikes Back, however, is player-controlled.

Changes[]

Originally, Scene 6 had to be played last, after playing through all five other scenes and before starting Grand Finale. This was changed in Pinball FX3 so that all six scenes can be played in any order.
To light the locks for Cloud City Multiball at the Cloud City tower, 12 total spins were originally required, amounting to about four shots. This was reduced to 6 in Pinball FX3, to make Cloud City Multiball easier to activate.
Due to Balance Multiball's high scoring, scene scoring was boosted in the Pinball FX reboot's version of the table. Originally, scene checkpoints only scored 1 million + 100,000 per STAR or WARS target hit.

External links[]

Star Wars

Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back · Boba Fett · The Clone Wars · Episode VI - Return of the Jedi · Darth Vader · Starfighter Assault · Han Solo · Episode IV - A New Hope · Droids · Masters of the Force · Star Wars Rebels · Episode VII - The Force Awakens · Might of the First Order · Rogue One · Episode VIII - The Last Jedi · Ahch-To Island · Solo: A Star Wars Story · Calrissian Chronicles · Battle of Mimban · The Mandalorian · Classic Collectibles