TZ Tactics and Strategies

[clembo2021]

At least on my machine, attempting to shoot the slot machine from the left flipper is just asking for a center drain.

Yeah, that's how the TZ's I've played work too (like the ones at PAPA). It's like trying to shoot the Mansion shot from the right flipper on Addams Family. Doable, but not worth the risk/reward.

 

[Zaphod77]

Well, yeah any shot can drain if you miss. but i find it worth learning to hit both of those shotsespecialyl since trying to set up a shot from the lower left flipper at the chair isn't always easy.

 

[clembo2021]

It's about risk/reward man. Watch the pros play. Keith Elwin and Zack Sharpe (the two greatest pinball players around) wouldn't attempt a Mansion/Slot Machine shot from the opposite flipper most of the time. And they're faaaaaaaaar more accurate than me or you. But if you lose just 1 ball from a bad shot like that in competition, it's too many.

 

[vikingerik]

So we all know how left - right - piano is the soul of strategy on this game in TPA. But that's not the entire story. What happens after that omni-combo? From the tame slot kickout, you can trap on either flipper and shoot pretty much anything you like on the table. There's at least four options:

- Left - right - piano again
- Slot machine
- Lock
- Gumball

Which of those do you take?

I think the best priority order is lock, then L-R-piano again (skip the skill shot and trap again.) Don't shoot the slot machine, a miss is too risky. Let Gumball loads accumulate until either Spiral is running or Collect Bonus is next at the camera, and only then take the PB Manias. Gumballs will wait as long as you like so save them for one of those higher leverage spots.

L-R-piano all day is tempting, but the lock is worth collecting. You need points from somewhere, and a good multiball with several jackpots can score a LITZ-like 300M. It's a pretty safe shot and easy to recover from a miss. Finally, you need to shoot the lock to clear GUM-BALL to allow lighting another gumball.

 

[vikingerik]

Got two more tips.

Easy Bonus Multipliers: The right inlane is hard to hit to light the bonus multiplier, except with this tip. Hold the right flipper when the Powerball is ejecting from the slot kickout and it will bounce into the right inlane. It's also timed well to shoot the left ramp on the fly to collect the multiplier. (Messing around with the Powerball like this may or may not be a good idea, but could be worthwhile if Collect Bonus is lit at the camera or if the PB happens to be in play during a multiball.)

Easy Spiral Awards: The left inlane isn't the only way to light and score the Spiral Award. Shooting the right Spiral twice quickly also scores it (first shot lights it for the second, just like Funhouse's Gangway.) And here's how to shoot it twice quickly: just load the gumball, then from the slot kickout dead pass and quickly shoot it again from the left flipper. Don't cradle or hold at all on the left flipper, just shoot it on the fly right after the dead pass, but this is actually pretty easy, and is fast enough to catch the Spiral still lit.

That means an additional reliable way to get an Extra Ball, if you can do it six times on one ball. So save all the gumball loads until you need an EB. Because it needs two sequential shots, this only works once per Powerball trip through the gumball machine. It doesn't work when the Powerball is the ejected ball because the extra animation makes the Spiral time out. So you have to play Powerball Mania six times (or else put the Powerball out of the way in the lock) but that's not a bad thing.

I just put up a 78B score, and only figured that out right towards the end of the game. I always haven't quite been able to go infinite with extra balls, but this trick might put me over the top past 100B to the #1 slot. Will try again sometime this week.

 

[vikingerik]

So you have to play Powerball Mania six times (or else put the Powerball out of the way in the lock) but that's not a bad thing.

Yes it is. The problem with this strategy is surviving the end of Powerball Mania six times. PB Mania tends to end while the last ball is on the Powerfield, which always puts it at risk of falling into the bumpers and outlane. To chase that Spiral EB, you really do want to get the Powerball out of the way and just pound gumballs until the EB is lit. It feels horrible to waste gumballs that could be a billion points worth of PB Mania, but the EB is worth more.

Also, that Spiral EB is temporary. Unlights if you drain before collecting it. No points for guessing how I found that out.

 

[Zaphod77]

More fun tricks.

Hold the upper right flipper up form a lock feed to ptu the bal to the light gumball machine inlane. every time. you can then shootit back into the lock. fn to do during fast lock.

I'm still lousy at the piano shot. and i nearly double litzed off the slot machine. it IS consitently hittable both from a trap on the left (if it happens to be lit) or from after a left ramp shot (if it's not).

Or you can relight it with the lock shot as described above.

 

[nuclearkevin]

Got two more tips.

Easy Bonus Multipliers: The right inlane is hard to hit to light the bonus multiplier, except with this tip. Hold the right flipper when the Powerball is ejecting from the slot kickout and it will bounce into the right inlane. It's also timed well to shoot the left ramp on the fly to collect the multiplier. (Messing around with the Powerball like this may or may not be a good idea, but could be worthwhile if Collect Bonus is lit at the camera or if the PB happens to be in play during a multiball.)

Easy Spiral Awards: The left inlane isn't the only way to light and score the Spiral Award. Shooting the right Spiral twice quickly also scores it (first shot lights it for the second, just like Funhouse's Gangway.) And here's how to shoot it twice quickly: just load the gumball, then from the slot kickout dead pass and quickly shoot it again from the left flipper. Don't cradle or hold at all on the left flipper, just shoot it on the fly right after the dead pass, but this is actually pretty easy, and is fast enough to catch the Spiral still lit.

That means an additional reliable way to get an Extra Ball, if you can do it six times on one ball. So save all the gumball loads until you need an EB. Because it needs two sequential shots, this only works once per Powerball trip through the gumball machine. It doesn't work when the Powerball is the ejected ball because the extra animation makes the Spiral time out. So you have to play Powerball Mania six times (or else put the Powerball out of the way in the lock) but that's not a bad thing.

I just put up a 78B score, and only figured that out right towards the end of the game. I always haven't quite been able to go infinite with extra balls, but this trick might put me over the top past 100B to the #1 slot. Will try again sometime this week.

Thanks for that Spiral tip Vikingerik and congratulations on breaking the 100B mark! Well done Now Im going to have to return and try to get that #1 spot back! Only thing is a game like that takes soooooo long. 10 or 11 hours...