First Steps

Beginner

New to pinball or casual player looking to learn proper technique from the ground up.

Mission

Build a solid foundation of ball control so you can keep the ball in play and make intentional shots.

12 drills

Start sprint

Skill: Launching & Aiming

Aiming and Shooting

Every game starts with a launch — learning to control plunger strength lets you aim for skill shots.

Soft Launch Drill

High

Pull the plunger to different distances (1/4, 1/2, 3/4, full) and observe where the ball lands each time.

Goal: Consistently hit the same target 3 times in a row at each distance

Skill Shot Practice

High

Find the skill shot target on the machine and practice launching to hit it repeatedly.

Goal: Hit the skill shot 5 out of 10 launches

Skill: Ball Control Basics

Cradle

The cradle is the most important fundamental — trapping the ball gives you time to aim your next shot.

Basic Trap

High

Hold the flipper up and let the ball roll into the crook where the flipper meets the base. Keep it still.

Goal: Hold a stable cradle for 5 seconds without the ball rolling off

Cradle-and-Shoot

High

Trap the ball, pause for 2 seconds, then shoot at a specific target. Repeat.

Goal: Successfully trap and shoot 5 times in a row

Skill: Ball Control Basics

Shielding

Shielding lets you deflect fast balls heading for the drain by simply holding a flipper up.

Hold and Redirect

Medium

When a ball comes down fast toward one side, hold that flipper UP instead of flipping. Let it deflect to the other side.

Goal: Successfully shield 3 out of 5 fast drain balls

Shield Decision Drill

Medium

For each ball coming down, decide: flip or shield? If the ball is too fast to aim, hold the flipper up to shield.

Goal: Make the right shield vs. flip decision 4 out of 5 times

Skill: Flipper Techniques

Micro Flips

Micro flips give you precise short-range control with tiny taps instead of full flips.

Gentle Tap Practice

Medium

With a slow-rolling ball on the flipper, give the tiniest possible tap to nudge it just slightly. Don't full-flip.

Goal: Make 5 controlled micro flips without the ball flying off wildly

Short Target Aim

Medium

Use micro flips to redirect a slow ball toward a nearby target like an inlane or short ramp.

Goal: Hit a nearby target using micro flips 3 out of 5 times

Skill: Ball Control Basics

Dead Bounce

Dead bouncing transfers the ball to the other flipper without flipping — essential for setting up shots.

Don't Flip Drill

Medium

When the ball comes toward a flipper, resist the urge to flip. Keep the flipper DOWN and let the ball bounce off the rubber to the other side.

Goal: Successfully dead bounce 3 out of 5 balls to the other flipper

Dead Bounce to Cradle

Medium

Dead bounce from one flipper, then trap/cradle on the other flipper. This is the core two-step combo.

Goal: Complete the dead-bounce-to-cradle combo 3 times in a row

Skill: Save Techniques

Slap Save

The slap save is your last resort to rescue a ball draining down the center between the flippers.

Double Slap Reaction

Medium

When a ball heads straight down the center, slap BOTH flippers at the same time. The goal is to nudge it to one side.

Goal: Save 2 out of 5 center drains with a slap save

Speed Recognition

Medium

Practice recognizing when a ball is heading for a center drain early. The sooner you react, the better the slap save works.

Goal: React within half a second of the ball heading center