I noticed something interesting today concerning the priority of Mystery award to the final ball lock and awarding Batcave Multiball vs. the Minor Villain award. So, today I had a really great game after about 10 dismal games yesterday. I had two balls locked, two Minor Villains captured, and the TV insert lit on the left orbit along with Mystery insert lit. I hit a solid left orbit and was hopeful, obviously, to start a Minor Villain and then soon follow up and get a right orbit shot afterwards to get multiball going. But, the Mystery award was the third ball lock and the game went straight to Batcave multiball without giving me a chance to start the Minor Villain. So, I thought okay, I don't like that but it does make sense, as the sequence is Mystery award first and then TV insert/Minor Villain award.
But in that same game, on the next (extra) ball I had all Major Villains collected and was in a similar but not the same situation. The Villain Escape bat signal was flashing and that same unawarded as yet TV insert was lit on the left orbit to start a Minor Villain. So, I hit a solid left orbit and voila, I got to select the Minor Villain "before" going into Villain Escape, which was great, until I played my sorriest ever Villain Escape round and ended the game without ever capturing that last Minor Villain. But that's another story.
So, to sum it up. If you have Mystery award and TV insert lit at the left orbit and you have two balls locked, you'll probably go straight to multiball and not get a chance to select your Minor Villain on the same left orbit shot. If you have Villain Escape bat signal flashing and the TV insert lit at the left orbit, you'll get to select and start your Minor Villain prior to starting Villain Escape. Obviously, I wish we could get the Minor Villain going first in that Mystery award of multiball situation as well. Or, pause the multiball until we can get to select the Minor Villain, since both are allowed to be selected on the same left orbit shot in all other scenarios. Has anyone else experienced this scenario, and if so, what do you think about it?