Building Foundations

Beginner

Casual player who knows the basics but wants to develop proper technique and ball control.

Mission

Develop reliable ball control and learn passing techniques to set up intentional shots from either flipper.

11 drills

Start sprint

Skill: Launching & Aiming

Aiming and Shooting

Consistent launches set the tone for every ball.

Skill Shot Consistency

Medium

Practice launching to hit the skill shot target. Vary your pull distance to find the sweet spot.

Goal: Hit the skill shot 6 out of 10 launches

Skill: Ball Control Basics

Cradle

The cradle is your foundation — every advanced technique builds on trapping the ball.

Extended Cradle Hold

High

Trap the ball and hold it for 5+ seconds. Practice on both flippers.

Goal: Hold stable cradles on both sides for 5 seconds each

Cradle Aim and Shoot

High

Trap, pick a target, shoot. Alternate between left and right flipper.

Goal: Hit your chosen target 4 out of 5 times from cradle

Skill: Ball Control Basics

Shielding

Shielding saves balls that are too fast to aim — just hold the flipper up.

Shield or Flip

Medium

For every fast incoming ball, decide: is it aimable or should I shield? Hold the flipper up to redirect wild balls.

Goal: Correctly shield 4 out of 5 fast balls

Skill: Ball Control Basics

Dead Bounce

Dead bouncing transfers the ball without flipping — the key to controlling the game.

Resist and Bounce

High

When a fast ball arrives, keep the flipper DOWN. Let it bounce naturally off the rubber to the other flipper.

Goal: Dead bounce 5 out of 8 fast balls successfully

Bounce to Trap Combo

High

Dead bounce from one side, then immediately cradle on the other. This is the most important combo in pinball.

Goal: Complete bounce-to-trap 4 times in a row

Skill: Flipper Techniques

Micro Flips

Micro flips give you precise control for short-range redirection.

Tap Control

Medium

With a slow ball, give the smallest possible flipper tap. Observe how little force moves the ball.

Goal: 5 controlled micro flips in a row without over-flipping

Skill: Flipper Techniques

Extending the Flippers Reach

Learn to hit extreme angles by timing your flips earlier or later.

Early vs Late Flip

Medium

Flip earlier than normal to send the ball to the far side, or late to hit near targets. Experiment with timing.

Goal: Hit both a near and far target by varying flip timing

Skill: Basic Passing

Post Pass

The post pass transfers the ball between flippers using the slingshot post — your first real passing technique.

Gentle Post Shot

High

From a cradle, shoot the ball gently into the slingshot post. It should bounce across to the other flipper.

Goal: Successfully post pass to the other flipper 3 out of 5 times

Post Pass to Cradle

High

Post pass from one side, then trap on the other. This gives you control from either flipper.

Goal: Complete post-pass-to-cradle 3 times in a row

Skill: Basic Passing

Ski Pass

The ski pass lets the ball roll down one flipper and across to the other — a smooth, controlled pass.

Roll and Release

Medium

Hold the flipper up and let the ball roll down slowly. As it reaches the tip, the ball slides across to the other flipper.

Goal: Successfully ski pass 3 out of 5 attempts