Real Talk: Are video modes trash?
The year is 2014. The location is Caffetto coffee shop basement. I’m beating the shit out of Alex at pinball (as one does). The game is Dr. Who. Mostly gunning for sonic booms and WHO loops with Dr. 2 locked in, I’ve got a multiplier at 4x. I can do no wrong, and after the third or fourth wave of accidental video modes, I’m getting decent value on those and they’re stupid easy to finish.
Lil’ homie laughs and says, “you’re really good at pinball!” Wait. Did this mfr just invalidate my game by virtue of video mode? Is he right?! I mean, it really stuck with me. In fact, I’ve been chewing on that one for 9 years. You know what? Alex was right. Pinball, being that supernatural blend of cool mechanical toy and playable work of art that it is, is forever engulfed in a sea of subjectivity and opinion of varying degrees of sophistication and understanding. And what a lot of people don’t seem to understand is video modes are mostly trash.
A Checkered past and even checkiery future
T2 was the first video mode, and it’s actually dope because you often can’t finish it and it isn’t game-breaking points. Dracula is cool because you can push it to the 1.5m per wolf, but again it’s pretty difficult to do every shot every time. Points seem fair for clean execution. Best modern (and only) video mode is star wars really in that sweet spot for difficulty. It’s hard af and if you make it through unscathed hitting warp you need to be checked for alien DNA. But you also might need to check your glasses after you check your score if you pop that with a 40x running. Game breaking or deserved?
Johnny Mnemonic
if you can snarf your way past level 2, we’re super impressed. (Once saw a kid get to level 5!) There are a handful of games that get props for implementation, but the bulk of video modes are try-hardy and weird (staring you in the face, Black Rose) or just way too easy to memorize the pattern with no challenge to the player who knows it. In a tournament setting, that doesn’t sit well, but the counterargument—rules knowledge is a critical tool in the skill set—is valid. But why are you in a situation where you have to feel bad because you know the “rules.” of a “video game”? Why am I “doing this with tears streaming down my face” and “wailing apologies to everyone in ear shot”? This is what video modes do to you.
(Editor’s note: at this point, something snapped in Ben’s brain and he just listed off easy hacks for video modes. So enjoy these)
High speed 2: The Getaway
This video mode is worth 30m and change at top speed. On a machine set up for tournament play 30m can be a top score on its own. Stay to the left or right and dodge the cars on the edge.
Star Trek Next Gen
Random video mode for the win! Star Trek Next Gen… LLRRLL quick right LL will get you good points and a dilithium crystal. It’s actually a viable tournament strat to go for in between locks. Gotta know that pattern (there are other routes/patterns worth more or an extra ball, etc).
NBA Fast Break
if you aren’t a 90’s basketball buff, that trivia section is gonna be a 25% chance of getting 10 points vs 1. Free throws? Yeah, you could try to time the shots for 3 pointers, but those in the know will spam the flippers for max points.
Champion pube
Yes, pube spittoon is mostly finishable, but there are times it's not possible to beat it, and the points are way too high for the achievement. NEXT.
Has a video mode ever actually added anything to the gaming experience?
These video modes aren’t just game-breaking, most are straight-up garbage. A comprehensive list of poopy, underwhelming video modes would fill volumes. Search your feelings, Luke, it won’t be hard to rattle off a handful of them you could do without for eternity.
We want to win with made shots and great saves. Not to put too fine a point on it all, the crux of it is this: pinball proper is a game of skills, and video modes diminish that because they’re too easy. They insert something that is definitely not pinball into the game, slowing down and detracting from what we all came here to do.
As arcades reached their peak in the late 80’s and 90’s, video modes became a trendy fad, but so was lots of other stuff. Are we gonna go back to parachute pants and Alf? I can see some of you sick bastards salivating already – but the answer is no! If we’re being real, let’s cut the video mode – pinball, you never needed it in the first place.
