I had the opportunity to see how my Pinball Arcade practicing translated into real life last weekend at INDISC.
Creature From the Black Lagoon was the first one. On PA, I can consistently hit the snack bar scoop from the right flipper. If I try to hit it on the left flipper, chances are it will hit the post next to the scoop and go STDM.
IRL it was completely the opposite. Trying to hit the scoop with the right flipper would result in STDM, but going off the left flipper was much more successful.
And then there's the left ramp. You know how you can hit the left ramp almost too much on PA? I couldn't make the damn shot ONCE. On the other hand, I was rocking the right ramp IRL whereas I have trouble making it on a regular basis on PA.
Then I tried my luck with Twilight Zone. Hooooo boy. I can safely catch the ball coming out of the slot machine scoop every single time on PA. Tried that sh!t on the real deal and the ball rolled off my flipper, up the inlane and over to the outlane. And then I was like, eff Twilight Zone, there's no way I'm coming close to Robert Gagno's 5 bazillion point high.