Anyone have tips for beating Video Mode?

[Gorgar]

One of the few wizard goals I was unable to get in PHOFWC was the "Win Video Mode" in Medieval Madness. I just activated it for the first time in the PS3 version of The Pinball Arcade, and I am still having that problem. I know I can destroy all of the birds on the screen once by pressing the troll bomb/ball launch button, but no matter what I do, they manage to steal one of the babies from me every time. I try to stay close to the middle, but the babies are scattered about, forcing me to chase after the birds to prevent them from stealing babies. Usually, I get a score of 22 or 23 before I lose and sometimes I get the extra ball. So, does anyone have a solid strategy for beating this, or should I just keep doing what I am doing until I get lucky?

UPDATE: Why is it that whenever I make a post asking for help on a specific goal, I get it the very next time I play it? Got the Video Mode goal and made it to Battle For the Kingdom for the first time ever. Yaaaay!!

 

[Peter NYC]

Congrats! I have yet to beat video mode in MM... what tips do you have for us?

 

[Gorgar]

Well, I activated video mode again a few games after I beat it and I did horrible. The birds just kept picking up children. The game where I actually won it, most of the birds were diving down, but missing children. So there is a huge element of luck in it. The only advice I can say is to try not to stray too far away from the middle of the screen and only go out of your way if a bird dives down at a spot that will almost certainly pick up a child. But if it happens too far away from the center, it could already be too late. If a bird picks up a child, you can use the troll bomb once to destroy all birds on the screen. Keep that in mind and good luck.

 

[VMethos]

Keeping close to the center and praying that two birds don't dive at children at opposite ends is about the only strategy there is to it. Unfortunately, a good deal of Video Mode is having a bit of luck and being in the right place at the right time. Also, in case anyone is like me... you're supposed to hold the flipper down to make the guy move in one constant direction as quickly as he can... don't try tapping the button as fast as you can, it won't work well. It took me a few attempts in PHOFWC to realize that.

I'd say on average, I get to the Extra Ball on Video Mode maybe 33% of the time and actually beat Video Mode less than 5% of the time. I didn't know about the Troll Bomb though, so thanks for that tip!

 

[VMethos]

One additional tip that is helpful (was just recently made aware of this):
If you launch the cow from the catapult 3 times, Video Mode replaces the Children with Calves. The calves are heavier and slow down the birds getaway attempts.

This along with a troll bomb have made the last two times of reaching Video Mode very successful. Not sure that launching 3 cows in place of getting the higher point values and working toward Barnyard Madness is really worth it unless your only objective is to beat Video Mode however.

 

[kinggo]

I just wish that this video mode can be activated easier. Let say that 1% of video mode activation from HD would be enough.
I still didn't get it as Merlin's Magic. Not once. And when I do get it with rollovers then I usually drain.

 

[Pinballwiz45b]

You guys do realize you have a Smart Bomb like in AFM's Saucer Attack? Really helps when in a tight spot.

 

[Zaphod77]

I second save the cattle. that's how I did it.

 

[kinggo]

I know. But this video mode is not easy like some others. And it's not easy to activate. In most cases, video mode is given as a reward quite often or easily activated by just playing the game. Spelling F-I-R-E 8 times is a little bit more tricky.

 

[Bowflex]

Tips for winning are good. Tips for activating would be better. I only could ever activate it when the flippers were too bouncy and repeatedly sent the ball from the moat lockout and over the slingshot down the inland. Now it only does it on the opposite slingshot where the ball does not travel from As often or as controlled.