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Pinball Rule Sheets

A repository of rulesheets for pinball machines

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye

Game Information & Overview:

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye is Elliot Eismin’s first pinball machine as lead designer and the first machine to be based on the original G1 incarnation of the Transformers franchise. The machine features a unique layout that rewards players who can consistently make difficult shots on the fly. Many of the shots can be hit from either flipper, so don’t be afraid to try a backhand even if it doesn’t look feasible.

Layout:

Skill Shots:

Short plunge the ball to the upper flipper, then hit any shot from the upper flipper to score a skill shot and extend the ball save timer. 5 seconds are given to retry the skill shot if the player plunges with too much or too little strength.

Main Modes:

In the search for Energon, the Autobots and Decepticons have crash landed on Earth. 4 million years later, the robots have reawakened. The Decepticons plan to pillage Earth’s energy sources, while the Autobots must protect the new world they have been sent to at all costs.

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye features two sets of main modes, which can both run at the same time and brought into multiball modes as described below if a mode is started before the multiball.

Missions, Energon & Cosmic Rust:

Knock down the drop targets in front of Megatron, then shoot the scoop behind them to start the currently flashing mission. The first two missions of a game require one shot to Megatron’s scoop to start, but the remaining missions require two shots. Mission selection, shown on the lower playfield inserts, can be cycled using the flippers. The drop targets in front of Megatron only reset if the player hits all three before shooting Megatron’s scoop.

There are five different missions to play through, timed for 60 seconds, that light different shots on the playfield for progress, with a final blow available at Megatron if the player makes enough lit shots. Increase the final blow by 1M by hitting Megatron’s scoop at any time in the mission (so long as it isn’t currently lit). The player doesn’t need to make the final blow to “complete” the mission, only make the required shots before time runs out.

Scoring the final blow of any mission will apply a 2x shot multiplier to a random shot on the playfield, that only activates when a tech spec is lit to collect at that shot. Playing (not necessarily completing) two missions lights the right ramp to start One Shall Fall, while playing all five missions lights the VUK for Rescue Optimus mini-wizard mode.

If the player fails a mission by draining before time runs out, or failing to complete the required shots in time, their progress will be saved the next time the mission starts.

Shooting the spinner fills up the Energon cube on the display and the insert lights under the spinner. Once the cube is full, on the next mission start, using the flippers will make a choice on whether the next mission will be easier to complete but score less. Completing a mission without using the Energon cube will allow you to apply cosmic rust to the next mission, which makes it more difficult to complete but scores more per shot. The mission goals change based on the use of Energon and Rust.

The five missions are:

Dinobot Missions:

Shoot the Grimlock targets gating the left orbit to light the left orbit to start a Dinobot Mission. Complete each Dinobot Mission by scoring a total of 3 Dino Jackpots, lit at the left orbit after hitting the shots indicated on the right side of the display.

Scoring 3 Dino Jackpots across any mission lights the VUK to start Dinobot Desertion. If the player scored 3 Dino Jackpots in all 3 missions, the VUK will instead start Super Dinobot Desertion.

Multiballs:

Add-A-Ball: Add-a-ball behaves uniquely on this machine compared to other Sterns of its era. Once per game, the space bridge shot will be lit to add-a-ball and hold the ball in place for 10 seconds. Shooting the captive ball before time runs out will start 2x scoring for all multiball scores for 30 seconds and release the ball, but the opportunity disappears once time runs out. Add-a-ball can be relit from a mystery award, and if the Bumblebee 2x scoring is brought into a multiball with add-a-ball enabled, shooting the held ball will boost the 2x scoring to 3x.

Transformers Multiball:

Shoot the center VUK to light the lock, then again to lock a ball. For subsequent multiballs, Optimus must be hit 4, 6, etc. times to light the VUK to start the lock process. If lock is already lit, further Optimus shots will increase the jackpot value for the multiball by 250k. Lock 3 balls (with a total of 6 VUK shots for the first multiball) to start Transformers Multiball.

During multiball, the shots all start purple for Decepticon awards, then turn red for Autobot awards, then start flashing red / white to score jackpots. This means that shooting the same shot 3 times will score a jackpot there. Jackpots are multiplied by however many jackpots are currently lit (ie. a 4x jackpot would be scored if 4 jackpots are currently available). Collect two jackpots to light super jackpot at the side ramp, worth the combined base value of all prior jackpots.

Combiner Multiball:

Earn Combiner parts by shooting the side ramp. Each Combiner has five parts to collect; the color of qualified parts changes based on the most recent tech spec part scored. Combiner parts are also awarded after scoring 3 tech specs of the same color. Complete 3 Combiners to light the space bridge shot for Combiner Multiball, once no other modes are running.

Combiner Multiball starts by showing the player the Combiners they have completed. If they wish to delay the multiball, pressing the action button will skip the multiball and requalify it at the next Combiner completed.

During Combiner Multiball, shooting the spinner or holding the action button will cycle the grid of Combiners shown above the mission grid. If the player lands on a Combiner they completed, jackpots will light at the upper flipper shots, center spinner, Megatron, and right ramp. The jackpot value starts at 8M (for 3 Combiners) and caps out at 10M (for 5 Combiners), but if the player lands on a Combiner they don’t have, the jackpot will reset to base value.

Score 2 jackpots in a wave to light the side ramp and space bridge shots for super jackpot worth the total value of all prior jackpots scored, add-a-ball (based on the number of collected Combiners prior), and reset the process so another Combiner can be selected using the spinner or action button.

Other Scoring:

Autobot Hurry-Up:

Light the left inlane after completing the Megatron drop targets, and roll through the lit left inlane a total of 2 times without rolling through the lit right inlane to light this hurry-up mode at the left ramp.

3 shots are lit pink to collect the hurry-up value, which resets with each shot and starts at 15M: the right ramp, center spinner, and side ramp. The second time, these shots are at the left orbit, right orbit, and side ramp, and start at 25M. The mode ends once the value reaches its minimum or all 3 hurry-ups are scored.

Starscream Frenzy:

Light the right inlane after completing the Megatron drop targets, and roll through the lit right inlane a total of 2 times without rolling through the lit left inlane to light this hurry-up mode at the right orbit.

30 seconds of fast scoring are given while Starscream brags about being the new Decepticon leader. Every switch is worth 100k until time runs out.

Tech Specs / Tech Spec Mania:

Shoot the standup targets near major shots to light the shots near them for Tech Specs. There are five colors of tech spec, one for each different Combiner. Tech Specs help spot combiner parts, and if a mission has been completed, will multiply all scores at the mission-specific shot if a Tech Spec is also scored there. Collect 15 tech specs of any color to light extra ball.

Collect 3 tech specs of each color to instantly start Tech Spec Mania, so long as no other modes are running.

Tech Spec Mania is a 3-ball multiball where the player must collect one tech spec of every color. All major shots start out red, but will change colors with hits to the captive ball, and all shots award tech specs including qualifying Combiner parts if the player doesn’t have all 5 parts of the respective Combiner yet. Collecting one tech spec of every color (5 total) lights super jackpot at the side ramp worth 5M.

Bumblebee Double Scoring:

Shoot the lit captive ball to add letters to BUMBLEBEE. Three letters are added to BUMBLEBEE with every lit captive ball hit, so 3 lit captive balls will enable the next captive ball to start 30 seconds of 2x scoring. If the captive ball isn’t lit, hitting the bumper twice will relight the playfield X insert; and if the bumper isn’t lit, advance playfield X can be lit again from a mystery award.

If this form of double scoring is brought into any multiball where add-a-ball can be used, shooting the captive ball at the space bridge will start 3x scoring and reset the 30-second timer.

Mystery Award:

Repeatedly hit the bumper to light the mystery award at the space bridge shot, which can be hit with a late flip from the upper flipper. Mystery awards are dependent on game state.

Mystery awards include:

Soundwave Modes:

Shoot the Cassette target 3 times to start the first Soundwave mode. Afterwards, cassette combos must be made to start subsequent Soundwave modes.

Cassette Combos

Rolling through the left inlane will briefly light the Cassette target to score a Cassette combo award. The combo score starts at 3M.

The player can chain together flashing white shots to increase the multiplier for the combo award (ie. lock VUK - left ramp - Cassette target would score a 2-way Cassette combo). The maximum combo sequence is side ramp - right ramp - left ramp - Cassette target for a 3-way Cassette combo.

Outlane Ball Saves / Countdown to Extinction:

Extra Balls:

Extra balls can be lit at the space bridge by:

End-of-Ball Bonus:

Bonus is calculated by:

Bonus X only affects base bonus.

Wizard Modes:

One Shall Fall (Mini-Wizard Mode):

Light this mode at the right ramp after playing two missions. The player doesn’t have to start it; if they want, they can keep playing missions to make the mode more valuable / easier to win.

A duel between Optimus Prime and Megatron ensues. Shooting purple shots inflicts damage on Megatron. Avoid red shots, which inflict damage on Optimus Prime. Final blow lights at the Megatron scoop after enough purple shots.

The base value for this mode is determined by:

Based on the modes the players started, perks are given that change the rules of the shots:

Win or lose, after the mode finishes, the flippers are disabled and all pinballs drain. A new ball will appear in the shooter lane with the skill shot disabled.

Rescue Optimus (Mini-Wizard Mode):

Play all five missions to light the VUK to start Rescue Optimus, once no other modes are running.

This mini-wizard mode is played in 3 phases, each lasting 70 seconds. 30 seconds of ball save are given at the start of each phase.

Dinobot Desertion (Mini-Wizard Mode):

Light Dinobot Desertion at the VUK by scoring 3 dino jackpots across any dinobot mission. If the player scored 3 dino jackpots in each mission, then the VUK will light to start Super Dinobot Desertion.

The mode starts as a 2-ball multiball.