I’ve been thinking about the update a lot lately and I can’t help but wonder what it would be like if they completely rewrote Smaug Multiball.
I know it sounds crazy and will likely never happen, but it doesn’t have the level of detail or choreography that some of the mini wizard modes have. Into The Fire is a good example, you save party members by collecting shots and battle the beasts while doing it. The light show and sounds are amazing and it really connects you with that sequence in the movie.
Smaug Multiball is just waves of jackpot shots with a super at the end. The video is there on the screen, but the callouts and shots don’t really connect you with what’s happening and it can be tough to know how you’re progressing. What if they connected the stages to the scenes in the movie and did something like this:
Stage 1 - Bilbo searches for the Arkenstone. Complete shots to hide from Smaug and find the Arkenstone. They could incorporate the ring button here to disappear and collect one of the required shots. They could throw in a way to earn that feature through regular game play. Collecting the Arkenstone at the end could be a roving shot that flashes the colors of the Arkenstone.
Stage 2 – Flee from Smaug and relight the furnace. Complete shots to escape from Smaug, lure him to the furnace, and the final shot lights it. During this stage, the Smaug mech could be moving randomly and lighting sections of the playfield on fire momentarily as if he’s spewing fire at Bilbo and the Dwarves (think end of game sequence). Once the furnace is lit, the whole playfield could light on fire with the same effect.
Stage 3 – Covered in Gold. Complete shots to open the casting and cover Smaug in gold. Final shot could show him flying out of the gold with the “I will show you revenge” callout. There could be some cool lighting effects as he shakes off the gold.
Stage 4 - The Black Arrow. Makes shots to get the black arrow to Bard, repair the windlance, and load it. Hearing dialogue between Smaug and Bard after making each shot could be amazing and really suck you in to the final sequence. The final shot stays the same because it’s absolutely brilliant with the drop targets representing the missing scale.
Lighting locks and Locking Balls - This should also stay the same, but use dialogue and video from whatever stage you’re in.
If they did something like this, you would know exactly where you are in the multiball and it could take the experience to the next level.