"Thanos now has the unbridled power of a god."
- Silver Surfer
Infinity Gauntlet is one of the four Marvel pinball tables included in the Avengers Chronicles Pack, originally released in 2012. Based on the 1991 comic miniseries of the same title, this table focuses on the efforts of Adam Warlock to unite the superheroes who survived Thanos' use of the Infinity Gauntlet and lead them on a mission to take it back from him.
This is the first pinball table based on this plot line; Stern would release Avengers: Infinity Quest in 2020, a physical table that also took inspiration from the miniseries.
Objective[]
Help Adam Warlock unite the heroes who survived Thanos' Infinity Gauntlet, and help them take back the Gauntlet to reverse Thanos' destruction by taking each of its six gems. To collect each gem, the heroes must fight against Thanos in a total of six missions.
Starting missions & general info[]
To start a random mission, the player must hit any of the three Gauntlet ramps three times (but after Warlock Frenzy has been played once, four shots will be required). The center ramp will be blocked by the monument at the start of the game, and the monument will have to be destroyed to access it. Each non-multiball mission has a time limit that resets when shots are made, and will fail if time expires or the ball is lost. If the player hasn't collected a gem, collecting a super jackpot during Half of the Universe Multiball will spot the furthest left, uncollected gem.
After each mission, regardless of failure or success, the bumpers will light for soul pop bumpers for 30 seconds; winning a mission will activate a magnet that repeatedly sends the ball into the bumper area on the upper playfield, but the player will otherwise have to use the flipper to shoot the bumpers. Completing a mission also scores 6 million points in addition to the points scored from the mission, and adds points to end-of-ball bonus.
Gauntlet Multiball and Monument Multiball can be started during the Time Gem, Space Gem, and Reality Gem missions, but otherwise can't be stacked onto missions, as the other missions are either multiball modes or prevent multiballs from being started during them.
Successfully completed missions cannot be repeated until Warlock Frenzy has been started, and the player has no control over which mission to complete, as they are decided at random by the table. There are two wizard modes; Thanos Frenzy will be qualified at the right ramp when all missions have been started, while Warlock Frenzy will light at the center ramp once all missions are completed successfully.
Missions[]
Missions are listed from the left to right side of the playfield.
- Time Gem: Thanos takes advantage of the Time Gem to trap Silver Surfer; the player must free him a total of 3 times by first shooting any of the standup targets, then hitting either side of the monument orbit. The player has 20 seconds to complete each phase of the mission. Right after each monument orbit shot and at the start of the mission, Thanos will slow down the table speed for about a second.
- Space Gem: Outsmart, trap and attack Thanos to take the Space Gem - the trap phase is timed for 30 seconds, and the latter two phases are 20 seconds each. To trap Thanos, the player must shoot one of the three ramps determined at random, which changes with every activation of the first phase. After shooting the flashing lane, the player must quickly shoot a random flashing target lane, then shoot the ball into a small purple portal that appears on the main playfield to attack Thanos. The mission is successfully completed once Thanos has been hit 3 times.
- Mind Gem: Free two balls trapped on the main playfield with a blue ball representing the Mind Gem, whose loss will result in failure of the mission. Once both balls are freed, a multiball will start and the player must hit any combination of the Gauntlet ramps six times, with the final three hits locking the balls; however, during this mission, the flipper button mechanics will be reversed - when the flipper buttons are not pressed, the flippers will be locked in the raised position and pressing the buttons will lower them. Locking all three balls will end the mission in success.
- Reality Gem: Restore reality by shooting any of six lit target lanes that change once they are hit successfully, while the table is turned upside down to make play more difficult. Each successful target lane hit adds 10% to the percentage level seen on the scoring display, which must hit 100% before the 60-second timer expires; each bumper hit will also add 1% to the percentage level and temporarily freeze the timer. An unlimited ball saver will be available for the duration of the mission.
- Power Gem: Turn Thanos' usage of the Power Gem against him by charging Adam Warlock's strength with 30 bumper hits. Making the required bumper hits will spawn two additional balls, and start a 3-ball multiball where the player can destroy the "GOD" monument in the middle of the table by shooting it with the balls. Approximately 15 hits to the structure are required to win the mission in success. The mission will fail if the player drains down to a single ball or drains during the bumper phase.
- Soul Gem: Adam Warlock is forced to battle and defeat Kray-Tor during his search for the Soul Gem. This mission takes place on the Court of Kray-Tor mini-playfield, where two rows of 6 drop targets will spawn on both sides of the playfield, with a large drop target in between the drop target sets. The player must spell GUILTY twice by knocking down the 12 drop targets using the magnets, then strike down Kray-Tor by hitting the center target of the mini-playfield to open the exit, which must then be shot to complete the mission successfully.
Wizard modes[]
There are two wizard modes - one for starting all the main missions but not completing them, and one for successfully completing them. If the player completes all six missions on the first try (or collects the last, uncollected gem from Half of the Universe before starting Thanos Frenzy), both wizard modes will be available to play.
- Thanos Frenzy: Qualified at the right ramp, Thanos Frenzy is a 60-second timed 2-ball multiball where all shots score jackpots starting at 1 million, incrementing by 100,000 per jackpot collected. However, rocks will descend over the flippers and block them off from view for the entirety of the mode, although an unlimited ball saver will be available. Once this mode ends, the player will have another chance to retry the failed missions to try and unlock the true wizard mode discussed below.
- Warlock Frenzy: After the monument blocking the center ramp has been destroyed, a shot to the center ramp after collecting all six gems will start Warlock Frenzy. This is a 4-ball multiball mission with a 120 second timer, depicting Warlock leading the final attack on Thanos to take the Infinity Gauntlet. The player has to defeat Thanos through the following procedure, with each shot scoring 50,000 x the seconds remaining:
- Shoot any of the three Gauntlet ramps 6 times
- Hit any flashing lanes a total of 15 times
- Lock all 4 balls at the center ramp to win the mode for 10 million
- During the first two major steps, a random table effect will make it difficult to play, although it will be compensated with an unlimited ball saver. Possible effects include blocking or inverting the flippers, magnetically moving the balls around the playfield, or the table appearance being turned upside-down. The player is only allowed one attempt at this mode before the mission progress resets.
Side modes[]
Timed modes[]
- Uatu Scoring: Uatu, a Watcher, observes the efforts to retake the Infinity Gauntlet. If the player spells UATU on the rollovers, whose lit positions cycle with the flipper buttons, a 30-second timer will start where the player can hit any of the three Thanos targets or the HERO target bank for 100,000 points + 100,000 points per shot. The value resets every time the mode is started.
- Ride the Board: After the ball drains down the exit from the bumper area 5 times (+1 per activation) the Silver Surfer will be able to automatically send the ball up the giveback lane for 30 seconds, with each shot made granting 1 million points + 500,000 per shot (this value resets after the mode ends, and maxes out at 5 million). This can be accomplished by bringing the ball to him via either the left standup target or the right orbit. 10 successful shots across multiple playthroughs of this mode will light an extra ball.
Multiballs[]
- (Note that Monument Multiball & Gauntlet Multiball can be stacked, but no more than 4 balls can be play at once.)
- Monument Multiball: Thanos has constructed a monument of his dear love, Death. Normally, the center ramp is blocked by Death's monument, which must be destroyed with a total of 5 shots to it followed by a shot up the center ramp. Once the monument has been destroyed, the player must rebuild it by collecting 100 spins at the spinners in front of the monument orbits, then shoot either orbit to start a quick 2-ball multiball. Jackpots worth a base value of 500,000 points can be collected by shooting the center ramp, and can be increased up to 1.5 million by shooting the spinners.
- Gauntlet Multiball: Hitting the pop bumpers when they are not lit a total of 30 times (+15 per activation, to a max of 60 hits) will light a lock for Gauntlet Multiball at any of the three Gauntlet ramps. Once all 3 balls are locked, a 3-ball multiball will start, and one 1 million point jackpot will be available on each of the three Gauntlet ramps; after a jackpot has been collected, a flashing Thanos standup target must be hit to relight the jackpot, and increase the jackpot value by 250,000 points per target shot to no known limit.
- Half of the Universe Multiball: With the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos wishes for the annihilation of half of all life in the universe. Once 1 billion souls have been captured through soul pop bumpers, this quick 4-ball multiball mode can be started at the right sinkhole. During this multiball, all but one lane will be blocked off, and the player must shoot unblocked lanes to score jackpots worth 500,000 points + 100,000 points per shot - each shot removing a barrier. Once all barriers have been removed, the player must shoot the center ramp for a super jackpot worth a maximum of 20 million points and resets the barriers. The first super jackpot per multiball activation will also award a gem that hasn't been acquired yet, from the left to right side of the playfield, and reset the jackpot value. The amount of heroes collected from completions of the HERO target bank determines the number of balls that will be saved during this mode; once the count reaches 0, lost balls are gone for good.
Perks[]
- Skill Shot: The skill shot is determined by a roulette on the scoring display that spins faster after the end of each ball. It is not possible to fail the skill shot, and possible awards from the skill shot are soul pop bumpers, 1 million points (+1 million per collection maxing out at 3 million), starting an Impress the Mistress combo, +2x bonus multiplier or a chance to execute a super skill shot. The super skill shot is collected by shooting either the giveback lane or the HERO targets from the upper left flipper within 5 seconds, and scores 1 million points multiplied by the ball number (+1 million per collection).
- Powershot: Balls can be sent to the Powershot plunger off of one of the many gauntlet pathways. To collect a Powershot, the player must plunge with full strength when the diverter is in the right position and the desired shot is flashing so the ball will hit either the HERO target bank or the giveback lane. The score for a Powershot oscillates between 1 and 2 million, increasing by 1 million per successful Powershot and maxing out at 5 million; the value will be halved for making the HERO target bank. Collecting 5 Powershots in a game lights an extra ball.
- Ball Saver: At the start of each ball and during multiball modes, a 30-second ball saver will activate. Once it expires, it can be reactivated as a Kiss of Death award.
- Giveback: If the gauntlet diverter sends the ball to the upper left flipper and the player immediately shoots the giveback lane, a giveback will activate at the left outlane. Repeating this procedure before it is used will activate the right giveback. Both givebacks send balls to the gauntlet diverter, and carry over across balls.
- Gauntlet Saver: Completing the giveback activation process before either one has been used will activate the Gauntlet Saver, which will save the ball the next time the ball drains without a kickback to save it; further activations of the Gauntlet Saver require one more lit giveback lane to qualify, to a max of 5. If Gauntlet Saver and both givebacks are already lit, repeating the giveback activation process will score 2 million points.
- Bonus Multiplier & Heroes: Adam Warlock must help the surviving heroes defeat Thanos. Every shot to the HERO target bank will add a letter to HERO - once the word has been spelled, a hero will be added that acts as a ball save during Half of the Universe, and the bonus multiplier will increase by +2x to a maximum of 10x. It can also be advanced by +2x from the skill shot reward, or maxed out from Kiss of Death. Completing HERO after maxing out the bonus multiplier will light the extra ball, and any further completions of HERO after 10x will score a 5 million point bonus.
- Soul Pop Bumpers: If a mission has ended and the player hasn't drained the ball, the bumpers will light to capture souls. For 30 seconds, random amounts from 5 to 10 million souls can be captured with each bumper hit, which can be fed to by shooting a barrier in front of the upper gauntlet ramp. If the previous mission was completed, magnets in the bumper area will activate to keep the ball there longer. Soul pop bumpers deactivates when the player has collected 1 billion souls, and Half of the Universe must be played to re-enable the feature.
- Impress the Mistress: Shooting any lane during normal play will light up to 5 lanes depending on the shot to Impress the Mistress and score combo points worth 50,000 times the number of combo shots made in the sequence, to a maximum of 200,000 points.
- Kiss of Death: Once 10 combos have been made through Impress the Mistress, a random award can be collected at the right sinkhole. Once the ball is locked there, a random "sweepstake" of prizes will appear on the scoring display, and an award will be dispensed once the player presses the launch button or ten seconds pass. Possible awards include: points (500,000 - 900,000), advancing or maxing out the bonus multiplier, activating Gauntlet Multiball or Monument Multiball (or destroying the monument if the target is still raised), activating soul pop bumpers, activating either giveback or the gauntlet saver, or lighting the extra ball.
- Extra Ball: Extra balls can be lit at the standup target near the upper gauntlet ramp by completing HERO after maxing out the bonus multiplier, making 10 total shots across multiple plays of Ride the Board, performing 5 successful Power Shots, or from a random Kiss of Death award. Each extra ball can only be lit once, until all four extra balls have been collected.
- End-of-ball bonus: Bonus is comprised of: base bonus (50,000) + infinity gem modes bonus (100,000 points x mission played) + built monuments bonus (50,000 x number of Monument Multiball activations) + destroyed monuments bonus (50,000 x monuments destroyed) + Mistress impressed bonus (10,000 x number of Impress the Mistress combo shots) + surfing bonus (10,000 x shots made during Ride the Board) + Uatu bonus (10,000 x number of UATU return lane completions), all multiplied by the bonus multiplier.
Tips[]
- Lighting the givebacks is key to having a long game on this table. Always go for the giveback lane if the gauntlet diverts the ball there; when both are lit, the Gauntlet Saver can be acquired, which can act as an extra ball of sorts during single-ball play.
- Only go for Half of the Universe Multiball if you have 3 or 4 of the gems already, and are having trouble with the last few. The free gem for completing this multiball mode is only given out once per wizard mode run; you might also want to wait until you have one particularly frustrating gem left to go for this mode.
- Max out those bonus multipliers! An extra ball will light after completing the HERO targets 6 times on a single ball, and further completions of the targets will award 5 million points - quite a bit of points on this table.
References & Easter Eggs[]
- The layout shares similarities with the 1995 Gottlieb pinball machine Frank Thomas' Big Hurt. The surfboard exit from the upper playfield behaves similarly to the skill shot exit on Big Hurt, and the center ramp is a jump ramp like the one on that game. Both games also prominently feature gloves - a baseball glove on Big Hurt, and the gauntlet in Infinity Gauntlet.
- Thanos' quote "Time is a one-way tunnel, except when Thanos is involved!" during the Time Gem mode might be a reference to a quote from Bally's 1993 Twilight Zone pinball machine, where at the start of the Clock Chaos mode, Rod Serling says "Tim is a one-way street, except... in the Twilight Zone". Both modes also share an emphasis on making standup target shots to reset the timer.
External links[]
- Official table trailer
- Table waltkhrough by ShoryukenToTheChin (PDF)
- Official table soundtrack on Bandcamp (tracks 12 - 18)
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