Rick and Morty Season 4 comes out tomorrow on DVD, and I’m sharing an idea for a Vat of Acid adventure. I tried to map something out that embodies the spirit of the episode, while including risk reward and a novel idea for multiball (which I don’t think has ever been done before). Here’s my idea (just for fun, but if elements can be used by Spooky, then great!):
The Adventure has three stages and would work as a Morty’s choice.
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Stage 1: Morty has fun – build up the mini counter near the car
-Morty uses the reset device and proceeds through 5 short vignettes from the show (falling in the manhole, eating cheese balls etc).
-The mode starts and the player has 10 flips total across both flippers.
-5 shots are lit. Completing a shot adds more 10 flips (like a reset)! And shows a vignette.
-The goal is to increase the number of available flips. This earned number will be used again in Stage 3 – the higher the number the better.
-Mode ends if all flips are used.
-Mode proceeds to Stage 2 if all 5 shots are hit. The remaining number of flips is stored on the mini display counter – this will come into play in stage 3.
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Stage 2: Morty finds love and relationship blooms – build up the score bank
-More shots are lit, to proceed through Morty’s relationship with the girl.
-Shot starts at 300,000 and counts down quickly over time, for 5 more shots (similar to underwater doom on Shadow), quicker shots accrue more points. They are applied to the player's score.
-The points for each of the 5 shots are added up and the sum becomes the jackpot shot for phase 3.
-The stage ends by shooting for the center car shot and the airplane is boarded and crashes.
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Stage 3: Morty needs to get rescued without the reset button being pushed.
-Each stage 3 shots uses jackpot value from Phase 2, and accrues points to a bank, only claimable from the center shot.
-The pop bumper is deactivated for stage 3 – at first ☺
-Hitting shots build up the bank to a higher sum – hitting the center shot will give the player an option to play on and continue growing, or cash out and end the mode (being rescued). If the player wants, they could theoretically aim for the center shot and collect the banked amount and end the mode.
-And as for the number on the mini display counter from Stage 1 (remaining flips from stage 1 are converted to seconds)... Well when stage 3 starts, there is a count down in the mini display… While counting down, Morty has infinite life (ball save)
-GI is bright at first, and dimmer and dimmer as it gets to zero (life fading) BUT…
-As the count down gets to 0 this is where things get interesting.
-The pop bumper activates at zero; the pop bumper is represents pressing the reset button on the reset device (Which you DON’T want to hit). It pulses red. Hitting the active pop will end the mode, and the accrued Stage 3 bank of points will be lost completely.
-When zero happens the player could continue on scoring and building, but hitting the pop will end the mode without any points from Stage 3 (only those in Stage 2 would be persistent). This would be risky.
-And here’s the kicker…. When zero happens, not only does the pop bumper “reset device” become active. The second ball in the portal trough comes out… A negative two ball multiball, difficult to manage, and if either of the two balls touch the reset device pop bumper, Stage 3 banked points is lost! RESET!! Mode Ends.
-If the player at any time collects the bank without hitting the reset device, it also ends (as a win and being rescued).
Obviously points balance need to be configured, and I’m sure Spooky could come up with something better, but sharing ideas if any of the elements could work. What do you think?
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Also, I made mylars for my Rick and Morty, one in the inner orbit to prevent any wear, and another for the scoop. These have been sized and designed in illustrator. I designed the shape to remain relatively invisible and fit in with the megaseed curve in the inner orbit and the black border to the mini display.
I'm sharing the template below for others to use if they would like to measure and cut their own. – print to 100%. Feel free to reach out directly if you want the pdf (there might be issues with how Pinside renders/resizes). Enjoy! It's free, note there are no warranties or guarantees provided, and are used at one's own preference.
RM Mylar shapes_v2.pdf