The Mandalorian Pinball – A Guide to Scoring Big Points
The Mandalorian pinball was released by Stern Pinball in 2021. It features an all-star team of designers, including Brian Eddy (Medieval Madness and Stranger Things), Dwight Sullivan (Terminator 2 and Dungeons & Dragons), and callouts from the legendary Carl Weathers.
Like most modern Stern Pinball machines, a safe tournament strategy is to start a mode, start a multiball, and play both at the same time.
That can definitely work on The Mandalorian. However, if you want to start putting up genuinely big scores, there's something else you should be thinking about:
Getting the playfield multiplier to 6X.
Playfield multipliers have existed in pinball for decades, from games like Comet (1985) to White Water (1993). Nowadays, though, it feels like almost every new pin has some kind of playfield multiplier system.
And on The Mandalorian, learning how to use it can completely change your scores.
How Does the Playfield Multiplier Work?
There are three separate tasks that can each increase your playfield multiplier. Get all three running together and you'll have 6X playfield scoring.
Here's how I approach them.
Boba Fett Targets - Easy
On the far right-hand side of the playfield are two Boba Fett targets.
Hit both targets and you'll immediately add to your playfield multiplier. Completing them will also extend the time on any multipliers you already have running.
This is pretty much the first thing I do at the start of a ball.
It's easy to get, doesn't require setting anything up, and gets your multiplier strategy underway immediately.
Hunter - Medium
Similar to Boba Fett, Hunter starts with the three targets on the left-hand side of the playfield.
Three hits will light one of the inlanes to start Hunter. You can use the flipper buttons to change which inlane is lit.
Once Hunter has started, the corresponding orbit shot will be lit orange. Make that shot and the opposite orbit will light to finish Hunter.
You'll also see the ramps lit orange during Hunter. These shots don't complete Hunter, but they do boost your points and Beskar value.
Complete Hunter and you've got another piece of your playfield multiplier.
Scope - Hard
Last but not least is Scope.
There are three Scope shots:
U-turn/Ambush shot
Left target in front of the right ramp
Right ramp
Make all three shots and you'll light Scope on the left inlane.
Once Scope starts, you'll have a very short amount of time to make one of the three Scope shots. Hit it and you'll be awarded +1X playfield multiplier.
I've labelled this one "Hard" because every successful Scope shot makes the next one more difficult, with that shot won't be available the next time Scope starts.
Once you've completed Boba Fett, Hunter and Scope, you'll have the big one:
6X playfield scoring.
Now it's time to actually light some shots.
Mode + Multiball
Like I mentioned earlier, The Mandalorian is a classic Mode + Multiball game.
Starting a mode requires you to make both ramps and then land the ball in the left scoop. Alternatively, three scoop shots will also start your first mode.
Starting Multiball is pretty straightforward. When the centre shot is lit green, keep hitting it until you qualify Multiball.
If you've already played a Multiball and the centre shot isn't lit, completing Hunter will light the blue Hurry-Up at the centre shot. The Hurry-Up will also light at the beginning of your next ball.
Playing the Hurry-Up will relight the centre shot green, allowing you to work towards Multiball again.
There's one important thing to remember:
Multiball should be the last thing you start.
Modes, Scope and Hunter can't be started during Multiball. The Boba Fett multiplier is the exception and can still be completed while Multiball is running.
So ideally, you've done the setup first. Get your multiplier going. Start your mode. Then start Multiball.
That's when the big points are scored!
Flamethrower + Super Jackpot
I love pinball machines that feature Super Jackpots, and The Mandalorian has multiple opportunities to cash in on them.
If you really want to squeeze every possible point out of the game, there's another trick worth knowing.
When a Super Jackpot is lit at the U-turn, hold the action button for a few seconds to set the shot on fire with the Flamethrower.
Now your Super Jackpot is worth double.
Combine that with 6X playfield scoring and you're looking at potentially a 12X Super Jackpot.
This is exactly why setting up the multiplier before starting everything else can be so valuable.
Try It for Yourself
Getting 6X playfield scoring running on The Mandalorian is simple in theory.
But actually doing it is not as easy.
But that's what makes it fun. Instead of just starting Multiball as quickly as possible, try slowing down and deliberately setting up Boba Fett, Hunter and Scope first.
Then start a mode, bring in Multiball, and see what happens to your score.
If you have a Mandalorian pinball machine or know of one nearby, give the strategy a go.
And if you're in Wellington, you can play The Mandalorian pinball at Ye Olde Pinball Shoppe in Wellington, New Zealand.
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