My problem is more of getting the right files out of the zipped folder. On Mac after I download it I’m having trouble pulling out the correct files to flash.. usually I can just open the folder and take the 2 files and drag to the usb stick for a regular code update. This is just confusing me with the windows instructions they gave me.

I see this file when I extract that zip:

turtles_le-1_41_0.Release.8G.sdcard.raw

Take that .raw file and use it to image your SD Card. Are you seeing that .raw file when you double click the .zip file to expand it? It has a "December 23, 2020" last modified date. If your files are sorted by date, it may not be at the top of the list as you might expect it to be.

The downgrade process appears to be quite different than the upgrade process where you're just dragging files onto a thumb drive and inserting it into one of those USB slots. You need to use an SD Card with the already-installed image to downgrade your game.

There is no way to downgrade via the thumb drive process. I would also expect the downgrade process to erase your high scores (though I could be mistaken here)

This is what i got after i downloaded.
turtles_le-1_41_0.Release.8G.sdcard.raw 7.86 GB

after i compress it turns into this
turtles_le-1_41_0.Release.8G.sdcard.raw.zip 2.51 GB

If i double click the zip it expands it back to 7.86 GB

that's where I'm at lol

The .raw file is what you need to create the SD Card image. Only unzip the zip file. Don’t try to unzip or recompress the raw file.

That raw file needs to be used to create an image onto the SD Card. You can’t just copy that .raw file onto the SD Card via drag and drop.

it matters with regard to tournaments. Typically it's a combination of scores over multiple machines. Hence, TMNT will never be in any tournaments because the scoring is too low.

Nope. That is definitely not the case.

What? What tournaments are you playing in? That's not how it works.

How do you relight April after a hurryup? When the lights are just roving. What's the step to allow you to relight them?

You need to start another mode. You can only get 1 April hurry up per mode. That way it forces you to play modes in order to collect the 5 April hurry ups.

Awesome. Gracias.

You can actually potentially get 2 April Hurry Ups per mode. Basically, at game start you can get 2 APRIL awards, the 1st is Battle Again then the 2nd is the Hurry Up. But if you then start a mode to re-enable the April target, your next two April awards will be the hurry up, as long as you keep Battle Again lit.

i've found it strange that people complain about the scoring in TMNT but never complain about the scoring in TNA

5 Apri hurry ups is a lot. I don't think I've ever gotten more than 2.

Same with Rick and Morty. I got the GC at 44million on R&M and I was very happy with that score.

Again though, I think the real complaint is the score balancing. The balance only seems to make sense if you can make it past four or so episodes. Otherwise you can rely heavily on multi-ball scores.

Just wait for when Insider Connected rolls out and Neutrino Pizza Party is (effectively) lit from the start of the game on Connected machines and see what that does to the already unbalanced scoring.

It is probably because there are far fewer of them out in the wild, and they are at a higher price point than a TMNT Pro

I've had a pro for a month or two now and I think I see where people are coming from on the scoring. It's not the relatively low scoring, but the inconsistency. Granted that I'm a very average player, but it seems like any time I've had a high score it's been almost 100% due to ninja pizza multiball. I've had games where I beat four episodes and made it through team up multiball (not won, but made it through) and scored less than games where I got some lucky pizza toppings, had a long ninja pizza multiball and didn't get through more than one or two episodes.

Fortunately for me, I really enjoy playing pinball for progression in modes more than raw scoring so I still love TMNT, but if you were someone that focused on high scores more than "achievements," I could see how the scoring could be frustrating.

Never changed batteries before. Anyone know of a good tutorial with pictures? I tried a search but it was all super specific in-depth issues.

Just be thankful the scoring isn't as crazy as BM66 is. Scores in that game are absolutely meaningless because of how 2 modes are structured to affect the entire game. A few good players have scored over a trillion points on it. Some people like it that way, but I must be one of the few that don't. I don't mind TMNT scoring. Some things you may not necessarily see the points up front, but get better rewarded later on.

Rob

I wish getting to Team Up gave a good payoff, that alone would make episodes more valuable but also reward you for progress. You could do it by giving a good bonus for each completed episode when you start team up or by making each Rescue more valuable based on how many completed episodes you have. A combination of value based on completing episodes and performing well in Team Up would be a huge improvement in the scoring of the game and give players an objective to strive for. Right now, getting to Team Up is basically about re-lighting your two Multiballs, especially when it comes to points but also game progress because stacking episodes and MBs is important.

Really, I have no incentive to not just start but complete episodes, just start two of them with MB and time out the other two, play Team Up, and repeat, then you're at Final Battle. Easier said than done but it doesn't make for a great meta for players focusing on game progress. If you're focusing on points, the MBs are your safest and most efficient bet.

And don't get me started on 123 Foot, Weapon Hurry Up and Krang Kombo and how they could easily help provide practical scoring opportunities and balance.

I'm like you more interested by progression but what annoys me still with this scoring is that when you got friends at home for a multiplayer game it kinda ruins the fun to have the higher scoring player just winning on a lucky pizza MB

I think it is a CR2032 coin battery on Spike 2 CPUs. Probably only needs to be swapped every 5-10 years. You likely don't need to yet.

If you take off your translight you should see it in the center of your CPU board. The complete swap probably only takes less than a minute, which is probably why there isn't an in depth guide.

Thank you! And is it true that if you change the battery while the machine is still on it won't lose your high scores?

that may be the case, but i don't think it's a good idea to fumble around on a mainboard that has power.
Best solution will be to stick in USB-Stick and save your highscore under utilities. If they get lost you can then restore them.
Without any dangers.

No example of TMNT needs a battery change anytime soon.....don't "fix" things that aren't broken!

Thanks I have a few others that are older and was more or less asking for them as well. And Pinside keeps reminding me to change them so I wanted to ask the audience

I saved myself $925.00 (plus tax) today - and did stuff.

It's crazy to me how much they want these days for a topper - but to each their own. All in I have about $75.00 and a couple of hours of extreme satisfaction building my own!

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Looks great!

Checking in, love this game

This was my first new pinball table that I bought. It's a great machine, but I find the shots too difficult to hit - especially the lair. It feels like if they'd made the lane entrances wider it would have helped a lot.

The scoring is so inconsistent and the ball drains are aggressive. Just crazy that a children's IP is the toughest pinball game I own.

I find the Lair shot not too bad, but there's a trick to it: I cradle the ball on the left flipper, then I quickly release and depress the left flipper button again, so that the ball bangs off the lower left slingshot post and then rolls up the raised left flipper. When the ball is somewhere between the 3/4 length to end of the left flipper, I quickly flip again, and the ball usually sails right up and into the open Lair shot in backhand fashion (as the 3rd flipper guarding the Lair shot is held open at this point).

Sounds kinda tricky, and I guess it is, but with practice, it's very repeatable for me. If you try to hit the Lair shot from the right flipper, I find it much more challenging, but doable.

I agree with you on the game being brutal, but that's why I love it in my gameroom. It puts up a great fight for a skilled player, but it certainly isn't beginner friendly due to it's toughness. I picked a TMNT Pro as I thought the multiplayer options would be a blast with my friends and family, but none of them appreciate TMNT's brutality like I do.

I agree that its physical difficulty is well suited for skilled players, unfortunately I don't believe the code compliments that difficulty by rewarding the player appropriately (score balancing) but it also doesn't temper it either in any real way either. So I feel like it ends up in a bit of a middle ground between the two.

Hey, thanks for the help.. I got it back to 1.41 problem still persists. Gonna open the topper and check for loos connections next. I’d that don’t work I’ll be sending it back. So not the 1.50 code causing it.

Premium TMNT #310062 reporting for duty! Only issue is I need to adjust the shooter rod because it won't launch the ball up the ramp.

My 1st NIB pin. Not sure what to do with one that works when I get it!

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Anyone think we still have hope for a score balancing update?

I really hope so. There are just a few things that could make this really great

More points for modes.
Mode totals multiply for consecutive modes in 1 ball.
Not locked out when starting 123 foot or weapon.
Comboing into shots increases value.
Krang multiball for “x” inner loop shots.
Pizza frenzy happens outside of multiball.
April hurry up and training option to stack.
Able to relight multiballs a different way instead of playing 4 modes

Loving these ideas. I think some ways to increase bonus scores would be good as well as they feel really meaningless most of the time.

Couldn't we keep pestering the coder?

They should code in a last ronin mode and see how many people still think it's a children's IP

I am wondering if we can skip the new Wifi kit for the Stern Insider and just use Cat cable and hardwire it. Does anyone know?

Great ideas! Personally i just want the option to circumnavigate Turtle power multiball so i can choose to start a mode and stack instead of getting stuck having a solo multiball half the time. i guess they could make it so that if you have the option to hit the ramp to start a mode, turtle power doesn't start until that light is off...that'd be dope.

That’s a good idea. Maybe use the action button to switch between what will be collected by the ramp.

My idea was/is to make it so you can light episode by shooting any 2 of the 3 ramps, so if turtle power was lit, then you could shoot the left ramp and side ramp to light it without starting the MB. You could also just keep the side ramp always lit to spot a shot toward qualifying your episodes.

Well once you purchase the Stern Insider kit, you can run ethernet and not use the wifi. However you'll still need to purchase the insider kit as it comes with other things as well. Like the QR reader and I believe an mini SD card for the software.

Another good idea. I had that same thought. The side ramp should spot a mode start shot for sure.

This looks really nice. Where did you het the pieces for it? Were they all custom made?

Score Match videos now have been replaced:

Should the plunger send the ball around the top loop like the auto launch or just past the wire gate and on to the field.

I took the rod off and everything seems ok.

Seems like it should have a lot more power but I don't know how it is supposed to be.

Thanks!

It should go all the way around and feed the left flipper. Can you take some pictures of the plunger from a few angles so we can compare to a working plunger?