I put my games on 4.... 3 on Black rose is a quick game, it's a drain machine, so I need it to set it at enough balls to be fun and not just frustrating. It also depends how good you are and how fast you have your machine set up. I set mine up to play fast, and I'm really not that great of a player. So whatever trips your trigger. Oh also I have a 5 and 7 year old at home, and they need it to be interesting as well, and 3 balls definitely doesn't get them anywhere in the game.