It is a hard thing to do but once you get in the habit of spelling April to continue to get that ball save, it goes quickly. Just make sure you finish one April per mode.

6.8

I've only had all five April hurry-ups once (that I know of). It was a long game and they pretty much just started on their own from random bounces or missed shots. It isn't anything I ever concentrate on starting, but when I hear the music I try to hit the ramp. I regularly get 2-3 at least in a decent game without trying.

I can’t make the liar shot ever. I took the glass off and can’t make it with either flipper no matter how I tried. I really suck at pinball.

I couldn't the first few days. I wouldn't say I got it "down" with practice but it's doable. Although may favorite is making it accidentally during multiball. The Lair is such a simple, cool concept. Hats off to Borg.

It doesn't want to go in as easily as the "away mission" shot from Star Trek...but i can now get it in there almost everytime I want to. 70% success. It helps a to to close the left flipper the instant the ball gets past. (gives it an extra nudge)

I don't understand how getting a high score in this game works. But I know one thing it's not related to progression which I feel is... counter intuitive.

Also has anyone ever. In the world, got to cowabunga mode? Seems stupidly impossible to get too. Can't even find a video on YouTube of anyone ever getting it. Maybe that needs to be relaxed?

I love the way the game feels I just think it needs some tweaking in the rules.

It can be a game of survival, esp. in the beginning. Donatello has Turtle Power MB lit on the right ramp, so it's easy to start. It's a good way to start and get a feel for the game before diving into modes.

Next part I'm not 100% sure of but I believe I did this...

If you're more adventurous, at start try to begin 1-2-3 Foot, which overrides Turtle Power MB on the right ramp. If you hit the right and left ramps, the game will still let you qualify a mode without starting TPMB. Hit the pizzeria, start a mode, start TPMB.

Modes are big points. 2x is key. Turtle Power MB is pretty low on the scoring side for me. Great to bring and finish a mode in the MBs.

Jackpots during multiball score big points, and if you have pepperoni topping in NPMB it adds +250k to each jackpot. If you can hit a triple mondo jackpot (consecutive shots to the krang loop) it seems to more than double and triple the jackpot score each time. You can relight mondo jackpot if you shoot enough blue (foot clan) shots and subsequently relight super jackpot. Rinse and repeat.

Also, if you are going for score, the training mode becomes more important, each successful training mode will give you certain score multipliers in specific modes depending on the turtle. I know Mikey level 3 or 4 gives you 3x ninja pizza multiball, which is significant.

Yes, cowabunga seems difficult, you can get 3 or 4 of the objectives during a single multiball though...(triple mondo, max krang, 123 foot, weapon hurry up). Reaching final battle is proving difficult for me.

I’ve had a few games where I’ve qualified everything except final battle. To score BIG you HAVE to bring in pizza frenzy (octopus) into pizza multiball. It’s a frenzy that lasts the ENTIRETY of your pizza multiball and can be worth an easy 10-15m! I’ve had a few games where I’ve been on 1 or 2m before starting pizza MB with frenzy looked up and boom 20-30m.

I’ve found it hardest to get to final battle but I think I’m concentrating too much on the side stuff rather than just the missions.

Yup, this is my Donnie strategy. On top of that, I try NOT to complete 1-2-3 so I can do it later for big points.

There are a LOT of scoring strategies that all seem viable. My biggest games are all with Leo, probably because I almost always start at level 2 after hitting the skill shot, and how quickly he gets into 2x playfield.

Episode progression can be worth a lot as long as you are completing the modes successfully. Each completed episode increases the value of the next one. They also give bonuses to Team Up which can rack up decent points.

My current strategy is to get Ralph to level 3 to make 2x playfield worth 3x at level 3. I don't think I've accomplished it once lol.

Be patient. Also practice from right flipper. At first it was unmakeable and always bounced out from right flipper. But if you time it right, you shoot from right flipper from a cradle start and just as it enters lair you let go of left flipper to lock it in and keep it from bouncing out. I used to only backhand it and now I rarely backhand it. Probably hit it 50% now from right flipper.

Well this is a new bug. Ball crept up into the pizza parlor. Screen blank. Won’t even enter ball search. Tilting the machine and getting the ball out first help. Had to press restart.

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Deadflip said he did once but on earlier code, he also death saves frequently on games.

THAT WAS EPIC

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It's all about timing. Off the tip of the right flipper with the left flipper open and then timing the release of the left flipper to trap it in there. It sucks to do at first but over time you'll get it.

I only play as leonardo because I love that lair shot. I use it to finish modes from a craddeled position because I find it so consistent.

I'm not claiming to be amazing at the game, its just I've practised that shot more than anything else on this machine.

Backhanding it from the left flipper is the most consistent way, with practise I'm like 90% accurate. Right flipper like 30% total crapshoot.

happened to me once and never happened again. Hope the same for you!

If you play co-cop with friends or family you will get there. Me and my sons made it on 3 ball, each taking a turtle. I feel Cowabunga is meant as a co-op party!

I almost got there once. I came out of Final Battle with everything lit except for the Triple Mondo Jackpot. Then I played Turtle Power MB and Ninja Pizza MB without getting it and then drained while trying to play 4 episodes to re-qualify my multiballs.

I don't really play trying to get Cowabunga because that would be a fools errand. But I think the biggest key is to focus on playing through the episodes and make sure to collect the April Hurry-Ups, especially while in MB. You should be able to play 4 Multiballs + Team Up by the time you play Final Battle so that should give a decent number of opportunities to light and collect it.

What I would like to see is each April Hurry-up getting harder to light (less time before timing out the letters, more hits required, etc.) but then make the scoring more clear (a summary when collecting would be nice, because I believe the rule is "the more things happening, the more it's worth" so then you could have something like: "episode running: 200,000, multiball running: 300,000, APRIL Target hits (while mode running):25,000, etc.) then you would have a clear idea of how to score better in the mode. In addition, and especially if each APRIL hurry-up is harder to start than the last, the second one could be 2X and the third could be 3X (and be the qualifier for Cowabunga).

Is this reading taken from on top of the glass or from the playfield?

I find it helps to also time the dropping of the left flipper so the ball doesn’t bounce out. This will significantly help you make more lair shots since it tries to bounce out more often than not.

A lot of people use only the left flipper to make that shot. Once it’s sitting on the left flipper, tap the left flipper gently so it rolls partially up the left inlane. Keep the left flipper up, and once the ball rolls to about 1/2 or 3/4 up the flipper, you can backhand it into the lair.

These turtle statues are on a Deal of the Day at Gamestop today if anyone is looking to make their own topper.

https://www.gamestop.com/deals/deal-of-the-day?#utm_campaign=20210209_NextGenInStock&utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BTN_dealoftheday&utm_term=20210209_j24346_e_d8l&kxconfid=tbxx5hfqc&mi_u=1259643138

You never check on top of glass. I always check at flippers, mid playfield and if possible up towards top. I got mine at 6.5 between flippers and its about 6.7 mid playfield.

These are the ones! Grab them for $70 less than I did. No better figures at this price.

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My start of my topper.

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playfield

That's a very rare bug which has been around a while. I don't know how to reproduce it.

Rob

I never think about Cowabunga either. I've been on a complete pinball hiatus for almost 2 months now. I just dusted off and played some Elvira last night for a bit.

Rob

Yeah after hundreds of plays I had it happen randomly once. I thought I had cradled the ball and looked away to my daughter next to me and look back and the ball drained and the flippers were down. Some lights were off and the screen looked identical to that.

Very odd. Took like 10 seconds and it finally registered that the ball drained. Hope it doesn't get worse and start to happen more.

I just got this set to do the same thing. I'm think of putting each turtle' weapon behind them too.

I have a replacement glider and I've realized that I likely need some sort of special pinball tool to separate the wire connectors that clip together. Is there one recommended for Stern machines, or is it universal? Perhaps there's a recommended set of pinball tools that would cover lots of things?

I could likely pop those connectors apart with a screwdriver, but that seems like a bad idea.

That is an awesome price! Ordered them to build my own topper as well.

That is a really good strat to get to the lair!! Tried it when I got home from work and got it on my first try. (of course the next 5 I couldn't get, but that's because I suck) I had been using the right flipper and it just has such force that even if you trap it in there it gets wedged by the flipper. Sometimes you can nudge it enough to get it back in there. Definitely can make it, just seems like it flies so fast that it only lands a few of them. But then again. I suck.

no special tool needed, it's just heat shrink tubing over the connector, i carefully trimmed it off with a small pair of wire cutters. pictures here: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-club2020-cowabunga-its-pizza-time/page/88#post-5933171

After ball 1...
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After ball 5 (I earned two extra)

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This broke in 1.41. A few of us have posted about it

I already fell in, the statues and sewer cover arrived today. Hoping to figure out a way to mount it all soon lol.

NICE.....

I’ll let you know. Two types at bases I’m planning on trying arrive Friday. We’ll see how they fit. I’ll document it all.

Can't wait to see your results. I'll probably replicate it.

Ok I think we have a winner for the topper base. This is a steel shelf inverted. Add a couple magnets a done. This won’t move. Actually I think 2 magnets is plenty.

Now the shelf is 8 inches deep, but that’s a good thing. It will allow airflow true the existing vents in the back box. We’ll just build up a spacer with some foam on the lower portion of the manhole. The plan is NOT to have to cut the manhole cover.

I prefer the shelf to be black so I may order another.

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You might want to put some thin padding on the bottom of each of those magnets so that the magnets don't scratch/crack the paint on the top of your back box.

Tmnt is my first pinball so I'm not sure how the update process works. But do you all think we'll get more updates to the code?

Yes, we will get more code updates. Final battle speech is broken, so they need to fix that. It's been a while since code updates also so they could be working on updated animations. Personally, I love the theme, the zombie yeti art is amazing and the animations don't overly bother me, except for the god awful job they did on April. Hey Stern, fix our April!

BUG REPORT:
Just had the game completely freeze and reset itself after starting Turtle Power Multi-ball. All balls were deployed, but all the lights cut out shortly after, then about 10 seconds after that the game died and reset.

Question, were you playing as Donatello? I feel like Ive only seen this happen when Ive been Donnie.

I was Raphael this time. All my freezes and resets have occurred at the start of TP Multi-ball, or during TPMB with an April Hurry-Up confusing the game.

Do you have many 'mods' installed that are drawing from the power? I seem to recall somewhere (and this isn't gospel, just a theory) that the current spike systems aren't made for much extra power draw. Perhaps one of the reasons stern also changed their user agreement recently with respect to mods, etc. Lot's going on during multi ball, coils firing everywhere, shaker acting up (if a shaker is installed), etc.

Good point. This is all you need.

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Couldn’t resist a quick test.

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We have occasionally had the same issue and we have no mods fitted to our game. Plenty of Pinsiders have reported the same issue. I think there is a bug in the code or firmware.

I've gotten that bug once. No mods.