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Pinball Rule Sheets

A repository of rulesheets for pinball machines

The Princess Bride

Game Information:

Vendor: Multimorphic Released: 2024 Wiki update based on Code Rev: 1.1.4.1 (please update the Code Rev when you make changes to the Wiki)

Team

Gameplay Overview:

Immerse yourself in the world of The Princess Bride as you join your favorite characters in reliving each iconic scene as Modes and Multiballs, played out before your eyes. Shoot the three shots marked as Castle, Florin, and Guilder to choose different Story Modes. Collect 6-fingered glove shots to play Prepare to Die Multiball and spell TRUE LOVE at the side targets to play True Love Multiball.

After you master the basics, enjoy exploring the myriad ways to enhance your ability to further progress through the story and increase your scoring via both traditional stacking and thematically interwoven boosts between the Shot Features, Story Modes, Multiballs, and Skill Shots.

Playfield Walkthrough:

From left to right:

Flipper Button Functions

Skill Shots (Farm Boy)

The game has 3 levels of Farm Boy skill shot combos available. Completing each combo sequence awards one use of As You Wish, which allows for the GUILDER modes to be played as a two-ball multiball. The skillshots must be achieved in order. Once a skill shot sequence is collected, subsequent balls will restart on the last uncollected sequence, wrapping around back to the first skill shot combo after completing the third combo. It is possible to complete and collect multiple skill shot combos in a single ball, with each consecutive skill shot becoming more lucrative.

The skillshots do not immediately turn off if some non-combo minor switches are hit, and it is possible to recover and complete the sequence. Follow the Westley icons at the top of the playfield screen which light the shots, and will turn off when Farm Boy is no longer available.

Character Progress

Completion of Modes and collecting Multiball super jackpots awards Character progress for the Westley, Buttercup, Inigo, and Fezzik in the given scene. In order to unlock the final wizard mode, Four White Horses, you must collect 4 segments (adjustable) of each Character’s progress as indicated on the scoreboard displays. The notes below will outline what Character(s) will be earned by completing each mode and multiball.

Character Progress & Narrative Streak Reference Table

Mode/Multiball | Narrative Order | Region | Westley | Buttercup | Inigo | Fezzik — | — | — | — | — | — | — True Love Multiball | N/A | N/A | X | X | | Prepare to Die Multiball | N/A | N/A | | | X | Shrieking Eels | 1 | Florin | | X | | X Cliffs of Insanity | 2 | Guilder | | | | Battle of Steel | 3 | Guilder | X | | X |
Battle of Strength | 4 | Guilder | X | | | X Battle of Wits | 5 | Guilder | X | X | | Fire Swamp (Mini Wizard) | 6 | Guilder | | | | Buttercup’s Nightmare | 7 | Castle | | X | | There Will Be Blood Tonight | 8 | Florin | | | X | X Guide My Sword | 9 | Florin | | | X | X Miracle Max (Mini Wizard) | 10 | Florin | | | | Mawidge | 11 | Castle | | X | | Storming the Castle | 12 | Castle | X | | X | X To The Pain (Mini Wizard) | 13 | Castle | | | | Four White Horses | 14 | | | |

Story Modes

Modes in The Princess Bride are tied to the three regional shots (CASTLE, FLORIN, GUILDER) and are qualified by hitting the shots a number of times (default settings: 2 for the first mode, 3 for the second+ mode in each region). The final shot will prompt you to pick a mode from that region’s selections.

Each region has 3 modes to select from initially, plus a 4th mini wizard mode to select after the respective three regional modes have been played once. These modes do not need to be completed to unlock the 4th mode.

Mode Scoring Boost Reference Table

Region | Mode | Boosted by | In-Mode Boost
— | — | — | — Castle | Buttercup’s Nightmare | The Promise of a Woman | Castle | Mawidge | Rugen Ramps | Outer shots shift points between Character shots Castle | Storming the Castle | Dread Pirate Roberts Spinner | After final shot lit, shoot more scoops (if enabled) Castle | To The Pain (Mini Wizard) | # of completed Castle modes | Complete marked shots in order
Florin | Shrieking Eels | Cliffs Double Scoring | Immediate Side Loop Florin | There Will Be Blood Tonight | Rhyme Time | After final shot lit, more spinner Florin | Guide My Sword | Crossing Swords | Speed Florin | Miracle Max (Mini Wizard) | # of completed Florin modes | Phase 2: Side Loop worth 4x Guilder | Cliffs of Insanity | | Left Ramp Guilder | Battle of Steel | As You Wish Multiball | Captive Ball multiplies next shot Guilder | Battle of Strength | As You Wish Multiball | Immediate Side Loop doubles scoring Guilder | Battle of Wits | As You Wish Multiball and Unique Combos | Don’t switch the goblet shots Guilder | Fire Swamp (Mini Wizard) | # of completed Guilder modes | Avoid hazards

Castle Modes

Castle modes are qualified and started at the left ramp.

Buttercup’s Nightmare

Buttercup’s Nightmare is played as a two-ball multiball. To complete the mode, you must survive the entire time of the mode (~40 seconds) without losing either of the balls. Buttercup’s Nightmare starts with a significant ball saver that covers about the first half of the mode. To make matters more difficult, you are unable to hold any flipper up! Pressing a flipper button will quickly activate then deactivate the flipper.

Points are awarded at lit shots and targets. The upper flippers are active during this mode, so it might be possible to use those to your advantage! It’s also a good strategy to start this mode when True Love Multiball is already lit at the Max’s Hut (note: you can’t make progress toward TLMB during this mode), and if you can stack on the additional multiball about halfway through the mode, you should have enough ball save time to return any balls and successfully complete the mode.

Completion of this mode currently also awards Pit of Despair; or – if Pit of Despair is already qualified – a Miracle Pill!

Mawidge

This mode is all about whuv. Twoo Whuv. But you want to move Buttercup and Humperdinck away from each other, because he’s not Buttercup’s twoo whuv. Hit indicated shots for Humperdinck and Buttercup to collect a letter in MAWIDGE. After collecting shots, Humperdinck shots will move left and Buttercup shots will move right (excluding the side loop). Hitting indicated Shift Points shots will move points to that side’s next Buttercup or Humperdinck lit shot.

Once six shots are collected, a new short timer begins to complete the mode by hitting the castle shot and collect a hurry-up worth the sum of the mode shots.

Storming the Castle

Prepare to storm the castle by hitting roving scoops. Scoops will pop up from left to right, wrapping back around to the left. Hitting two scoops will increase the speed of the scoop sequence. After 4 made scoops, hit the left ramp to complete the mode.

To The Pain

Coming to the end of the story and Westley is still feeling the effects of being Mostly Dead, so this mode starts with a longer ball save, and long timer, and very weak flippers. Hitting indicated side target banks will slowly add power to the respective flippers, making it easier/possible to hit shots.

Florin Modes

Florin modes are qualified and started at the left orbit.

Shrieking Eels

Hit shots indicated by the Buttercup icons that are scattered around the playfield to help Buttercup swim away from the eels and reach safety. While there is a shorter initial timer (15 seconds) to hit the shots, each shot adds time to the mode and lights different shots (it is not possible to repeat the same shot back-to-back – except for the side loop – and make progress). Hit five shots to light the escape shot at the Cliffs worth half the sum of your total Buttercup shot values. You can choose to continue shooting more Buttercup shots to score more points, add more time, and increase your final escape shot value. Later shots add less time.

Scoring for this mode can be doubled by quickly hitting the green-lit side loop one time when the ball is first launched into play.

There Will Be Blood Tonight

Time to sober up Inigo! TWBBT has two phases, each with distinct timers:

Scoring for this mode can be doubled by quickly hitting the green-lit side loop one time when the ball is first launched into play.

Guide My Sword

A P3 classic! Time for the walls to come up and to hit the indicated scoop, with a twist! One scoop will be the location you need to shoot (indicated in yellow). Your current position of your sword will be the scoop indicated in blue (the large sword on the playfield also points to your current position).

Move your sword left and right by hitting the side targets on the corresponding side of the playfield, and the wall to the yellow scoop will drop, the scoop will turn green, and you will make progress by hitting the scoop. Be careful! It is possible to “overshoot” at which scoop your sword is pointed by hitting more side targets than needed.

The mode completes on the third successfully shot scoop. Note: no multiball progress can be made nor can be stacked onto GMS mode.

Miracle Max

This mode has multiple phases:

Scoring is based on number of completed Florin modes.

Guilder Modes

Guilder modes are qualified and started at the Cliffs shot and always begin with the Cliffs of Insanity mini-mode until COI is completed.
Completing any Guilder Battle mode will also start a Humperdinck Hurry up at the pair of standup targets near the right orbit. The starting value will be correlated with your scoring in the mode, and counting down until hit.

As You Wish Multiball Option

Battle Victory Laps Multiball

Cliffs of Insanity

A mandatory, mini-mode as the first Guilder mode. The ball will be held on the Cliffs mech/magnet and begin climbing the Cliffs. A different ball will be served for Cliffs of Insanity (COI) and you must make three shots to either ramp to make the magnet-ball climb the cliff. Hitting the left ramp awards more points: 2x the value of the center ramp for the first shot, 4x for a second shot, and 6x for the third. After 3 ramp hits, the middle two scoops will pop up. Hit the scoop to complete the mode and earn your Battle mode selection.

Notes:

Battle of Steel

Why are you smiling? Because this mode can be played fully left handed! The left white button will control the right flipper, and the upper flippers are disabled.

Battle of Strength

Scoring for this mode can be doubled at the beginning of the mode by quickly hitting the green-lit side loop.

This mode has 2 phases:

Battle of Wits

Defeat a Sicilian when death is on the line by collecting the letters IOCANE (indicated by orange targets) to build immunity to the poison. Then quickly drink from a cup with Vizzini.

Fire Swamp

Try to survive the fire swamp while avoiding its hazards — it only sounds impossible because no one ever has.

Four White Horses (wizard mode)

Narrative Streak Scoring

Completing the Story Modes in the narrative order (as listed in the book on the playfield display or backbox display, or by holding the left yellow button), including wizard and mini-wizard modes, will provide additional points collected in End-of-Ball Bonus as a % of the points scored during the Modes in the Narrative Streak and increased by the streak’s length.

Multiballs

There are two muliballs in the game that are not tied to any modes: True Love, and Prepare to Die

Multiball Qualify Helper Boost Boost during…
True Love Multiball TRUE LOVE at Side Targets MB Extender via TRUE LOVE again Mawidge  
Prepare to Die Multiball Collect 6 Glove shots Spot jackpot progress via There Will Be Blood Tonight and Inconceivable Loops   More Glove shots before collecting each Jackpot

True Love Multiball

“Well, when does it get good?” Spell TRUE LOVE at the side targets, then shoot Max’s Hut to start. During the multiball, hit ramps/targets to spell TRUE LOVE again, then shoot the right orbit to hold a ball. Last, “kiss” the ball held at the left orbit entrance with another ball for the super jackpot.

“Keep your shirt on. Let me read:” True Love Multiball (TLMB) is qualified by completing the side targets spelling TRUE and LOVE on the left and right sides of the playfield respectively. Once complete, True Love will light at the Max’s Hut shot on the left half of the playfield.

Collecting all the letters turns the side targets pink and allows the letters to be collected again, turning them from pink to red. If you successfully turn all letters red before starting TLMB, your multiball will be extended. This is similar to other famous extended multiballs like in Scared Stiff: when you drain down to one ball, the balls will kick back out to 3 and start a short ball saver, all progress persisted.

Hit lit shots to score jackpots (starting at 10k, increasing by 1k each) and collect a letter in TRUE LOVE. Once complete, hitting the right orbit or inner loop will briefly hold a ball on an up-post in the left orbit entrance. A super jackpot is awarded for kissing (ricocheting) the held ball into the scoop behind the left orbit while locked in that position. It is possible to score a double super jackpot as well with at least 3 balls in play, by completing the “kiss” ricochet shot with 2 balls held on up-post position!

The number of shots required to get to the super Jackpot phase is controlled by difficulty and past progress. On default settings, the first two Super Jackpot phases begin after just 4 ramp jackpots, and subsequent SJP phases require both the 4 ramp jackpots and 4 target jackpots to respell TRUE LOVE.

Scoring a Super Jackpot returns the scoring to the letter collect phase, and the first SJP awards an add-a-ball as well as Character progress for both Westley and Buttercup.

Prepare to Die Multiball

“Let me sum up:” Collect all 6 Glove shots and then start at the left ramp. During the multiball, alternate Glove shots and captive ball bashes for jackpots and add-a-balls. The 6th jackpot will begin the Six-Fingered Duel super jackpot phase.

“Let me explain:” Prepare to Die (henceforth PTDMB) is qualified by first hitting the captive ball during play. Doing so will light a six-fingered glove on playfield shots for collection. Multiple gloves can be spawned at once by hitting the captive ball. Current progress is shown on the banner on the backbox monitor as # shots collected / 6. Collect all 6 gloves and then hit the Castle ramp to start PTDMB.

In PTDMB, the first phase begins with six playfield shots lit with glove emblems and they serve dual purpose during this phase: they can both light a jackpot or build a lit jackpot. Collect 6 captive ball jackpots to advance to the next phase of the duel. Your built jackpot value continues building across subsequent jackpots.

Once you have collected 6 jackpots at the captive ball, regardless of value, the 6-ball MB second phase of PTDMB begins. The number of balls in play will be upped to 6 and all six shots will relight as jackpots to collect at 6x, with the X counting down by the number of balls remaining in play. Completing all six shots lights a Super Jackpot at the captive ball, worth the sum of the 2nd phase jackpots and multiplied by the number of balls still in play. The value of the 6-ball MB phase jackpot is based on your final jackpot of the first phase.

In addition to normal stacking on an eligible already-running mode, PTDMB can be started as a stack simultaneously with a lit Castle mode, making it a good choice for completing the harder-to-complete modes (Mawidge, Buttercup’s Nightmare). If you have simultaneously started PTDMB with a Castle mode, you will see the 6-fingered glove icon on the Castle mode selection screen.

Other Multiballs:

Shot Features and Scoring Boosts

Shot Features are short, (mostly) timed mini-modes that can run concurrently with most Modes and Multiballs. Performing well during Shot Features awards +1x scoring boosts to the next play of certain Story Modes during your game. Timed Features are qualified by repeatedly shooting various shots and run for 30 seconds.

Shot Features Reference Table

(from left to right; Boosts apply to next play only) Feature | Shot | Gives Boost to: | Additional Perk | — | — | — | — | Rugen Ramps | Left Ramp | Mawidge | Rhyme Time | Left Orbit | There Will Be Blood Tonight | Crossing Swords | Standups -> Captive Ball | Guide My Sword | % boost to any next Story Mode The Promise of a Woman | Center Ramp | Buttercup’s Nightmare | Cliffs Double Scoring | Cliffs Drop Target | Shrieking Eels | Timed Playfield multiplier Inconceivable Loops | Side Loop (no scoreboard icon) | Qualifies Pit of Despair | Easier Prepare to Die Multiball The Dread Pirate Roberts Spinner | Spinner | Storming the Castle | Earns one As You Wish Unique Combos | Brief shot markers (no scoreboard icon) | Battle of Wits

Rugen Ramps

Boosts Mawidge

Qualify and start by hitting left ramp. Shoot the left ramp three times to complete.

Rhyme Time

Boosts There Will Be Blood Tonight

Qualify and start by hitting the left orbit. Shoot the left orbit 3 times to complete.

Crossing Swords

Boosts Guide My Sword as well as any next Story Mode

Hit all stand up targets (previously hit targets will be lit solid blue). The final standup target needed will flash blue and have a shot indicator on the playfield monitor to start Crossing Swords.

The Promise of a Woman

Boosts Buttercup’s Nightmare

Qualify by hitting the center ramp. Start at the center ramp and hit the center ramp 5 times consecutively to complete.

Cliffs Double Scoring

Qualify by hitting the Cliffs drop target. Provides a timed 2x playfield multiplier, with the time remaining indicated near the flippers on the monitor as well as by the ball on the cliffs physically “counting down” as it descends. Hitting the Cliffs drops 3 times during the feature will provide the “completion” award of +1x scoring to next play of Shrieking Eels, and each 3 hits to the Cliffs drop adds +10 seconds to the Double Scoring timer (up to max timer of 30).

Inconceivable Loops (untimed)

Hitting the upper loop shot at any time will score points and various awards for cumulative Loops reached throughout your game. Consecutive Loops multiply that loop’s scoring.
Awards:

The Dread Pirate Roberts Spinner

Boosts Storming the Castle

Qualify and start at the right orbit spinner. Different awards, including a scoring boost to Storming the Castle, an As You Wish, or points, can be awarded by the number of spins in a burst on the spinner. The playfield monitor will show the current number of spins indicated in the upper right, which will reset a second or so after the last spin is counted.

Unique Combos (untimed)

Boosts Battle of Wits

Hitting any playfield “flow” shot will start a brief combo opportunity comprised of different unique shots in the combo. The shots that can continue the Unique Combo will be indicated by a red dot over a yellow diamond shot marker at the top of the playfield screen.

Other Gameplay Elements

Pit of Despair

The Pit of Despair (PoD) is a way to resurrect your ball/turn (including — yes — tilting out!). You can qualify PoD by hitting the side loop, completing Buttercup’s Nightmare, or via Mystery Award. Once qualified, PoD will start when you drain/tilt.

Pit of Despair is a survivor-style multiball and by default, starts as a single-ball mode, and 3 (or 5) shots must be made to save your ball. The first shot is timed, though subsequent shots are not. All successful shots add a ball with no ball-save. If you drain a single ball, you become All Dead, so careful ball management is key.

If you successfully complete the last shot of PoD without losing a ball, you’ll be returned to play as “Mostly Dead.” Be wary, you will lose all your tilt warnings from the ordeal!

If you activate PoD by tilting or if you qualify Pit of Despair a second time after previously completing PoD, Rugen increases your difficulty to Level 50 and it will take 5 shots to complete.

Miracle Pills (Extra Balls)

Miracle Pills acts as an “Extra Ball” in TPB. They are awarded by completing the Miracle Max (Mini Wizard) mode and via the other methods described below. A Miracle Pill is consumed on drain of the current ball and immediately returns the ball to play without tallying an End-of-Ball Bonus and without ending any Mode or Feature that is currently running (think of the spatula save in Weird Al and you’ll get the idea). The resurrected ball will also enjoy a lengthy ball-save.

Miracle Pill interaction with Pit of Despair:

Miracle Pills in Competition Settings: If Competition Settings are enabled, each Pill will instead bank a dynamic value of points at the time you earned the Pill, equal to your current score divided by the ball in play:

Just like the Miracle Pill in Normal Settings, you won’t actually use your Pill (in this case, score your banked Miracle Pill Points) until you drain your ball – so don’t tilt! And just like Default Settings, you can resurrect any Pill Points you tilt away if you succeed at a PoD you also have qualified when you tilt.

Mystery Awards

Mystery awards are qualified and collected by repeatedly hitting the drop in front of Max’s Hut. A non-comprehensive list of awards:

Bonus Multiplier

The bonus multiplier can be increased by completing KISS in the inlanes and outlanes. Use the white auxiliary buttons to rotate the lit letters (configurable to red primary buttons in settings or to cycle with spinner rotations, if you wish). BonusX via KISS caps out at 5x and subsequent collections of KISS will award points instead of further BonusX. After achieving 3x, rolling through a lit KISS letter will unlight it, making further completions more difficult!

It is possible to achieve a 6x Bonus Multiplier, if Bonus Multiplier is advanced through a mystery award!

End of Ball Bonus

Many components comprise the end of ball bonus. Bonus can be multiplied up to 5x by completing the KISS lanes.

General Strategies

[[feel free to contribute]]

Competition Mode

IMPORTANT: notes on two settings the TD/operator will need to change are listed at the end of this section.

The Princess Bride is the rare P3 game that has a Competition Mode option in Settings → Gameplay → General. Turning it on makes the following changes:

Mystery Awards in Competition Mode

If Competition Mode is on, the Mystery Awards should award in a fixed order. The only exception is that, if mystery is hit with less than the default number of tilt warnings, “Tilt Warning Forgiveness” will be the award given, once per game.

Settings that need to be Manually Adjusted