Tiny Tip 6

Look for opportunities to catch a slow moving ball into a cradled position. This won’t be possible in many situations, but looking for opportunities to catch the ball will serve you well as you develop the skill of ball control.

Bounce catches rely on inaction - which is a skill that takes new players time to develop since your instinct is likely to be to flip any ball that approaches your flipper. Instead, allow a ball descending from the upper playfield to bounce off a “dead” or inactive flipper to the opposite flipper. Next, raise the second flipper to catch the ball in a cradled position.

For machines configured with a center post between the flippers, consider trying your luck at a “trust” catch. The trust catch stands out as among the most satisfying of all catches to accomplish - and the most heartbreaking to miss, as the slightest miscalculation will send the pinball straight down the drain. This maneuver is not for the risk-averse!

A post catch requires a well timed flip to trap a ball descending down an in-lane. This is accomplished by flipping the ball backward into the lower post of the slingshot. When executed properly, this will rob the ball of forward momentum and allow it to come to rest in a cradled position.

The drop catch is sometimes compared to a bunt in baseball, where the momentum of the ball is dampened by retracting the bat as the ball arrives. In
pinball, this maneuver is accomplished by releasing the flipper button when the ball reaches the flipper. As the flipper descends, the flipper rubber imparts a small amount of backspin on the ball, causing the ball to stop in place.

Variations on drop catch timing can either deliver the ball back up the in-lane (called a “delayed” drop catch) or dampen the motion of the ball to control the bounce across to the other flipper as described in the bounce catch above.

As with all things in pinball, timing is everything. Experiment and see how timing affects the motion of the ball when you attempt a drop catch.

A live catch describes a catch in which the flipper is raised to meet the ball
at the precise moment the flipper reaches its topmost position. When executed correctly, the ball stops dead in its tracks—all kinetic energy absorbed completely by the counterforce of the flipper.

This catch is a crowd pleaser, a sign of virtuosity, and an indication that you have truly leveled up your pinball skills.