Attack from Mars

Bally, 1995 — shot-by-shot rules and strategy guide.

Open Attack from Mars in the Pinball Genie app →

Attack from Mars (Bally 1995, designed by Brian Eddy with software by Lyman Sheats) is a fast, open "fan" layout where every major shot radiates from two standard lower flippers. There is no upper flipper, no spinner, and no captive ball. The Chicago Gaming Company 2017 remake ships in Classic, Special, and Limited editions, but all three run the identical original ruleset — editions differ only in trim, lighting, display, and topper. The only meaningful gameplay variable is code version (v1.13 changes Stroke of Luck for tournaments).

The Layout

Left to right, the five "fan" shots are the Left Orbit (Capture), Left Ramp (Big-O-Beam), Center/Lock Ramp, Right Ramp (Tractor Beam), and Right Orbit (Atomic Blaster). Dead center sits the signature flying-saucer toy, guarded by a motorized 3-target force field; behind it are a rear drop target and a sinkhole. Around the playfield are green M-A-R-T-I-A-N standups, three jet bumpers feeding the Stroke of Luck scoop, and top Bonus X lanes above the jets.

Skill Shots

The regular skill shot feeds the top lanes — steer the flashing light onto the ball's lane for points and +5X bonus multiplier. The Super Skill Shot (hold the left flipper on launch) routes the ball down the left orbit; hit any major shot within ~2 seconds for 50M and an instant award spot on that shot.

Attack Waves & Conquer Mars — the spine

Not timed and persistent across drains, Attack Waves are the heart of the game. Knock down the force field, damage the exposed saucer via the drop target, then shoot the sinkhole to destroy it. Values escalate: 1st saucer = 200M, then +100M each (up to the 5th). Destroy all five cities (Washington, Berlin, London, Rome, Paris) to open Mars — 10 hits at 100M, the 10th destroys Mars for 2.5 billion. Afterward every saucer hit pays a flat 100M for the rest of the game. Golden rule: saucers are worth more than jackpots, and you must start a wave BEFORE multiball so saucer destruction stacks under jackpots.

Multiballs

• Multiball (3-ball): lock three balls at the center ramp; all five major shots light for jackpots (60M, +10M). Collect all five to light a roving Super Jackpot (250M, +250M/super, cap 1B) that travels the shots with unlimited time.
• Martian Multiball (2-ball): spell M-A-R-T-I-A-N, start Martian Attack at the scoop, then kill the four wiggling Martians. The only multiball during which combos still count.
• Total Annihilation (4-ball): the money mode. Complete three lamps on each of the four TA shots; the 3rd lamp on each starts a saucer hurry-up that stacks 100M → 300M → 500M → 1B, the fourth auto-starting TA. Inside, all shots stay lit; farm the safe right orbit and cash the center-ramp Annihilation Super Jackpot (sum of jackpots since the last super). Never scales harder — routinely ~2B.
• Strobe Multiball: awarded by Stroke of Luck; the lights go dark and you bash the force field for 50M/hit (Extra Ball at 10, +250M at 20).

Stroke of Luck

Light the steerable inlane/outlane rollovers, then collect at the scoop for a mystery award (points, Light Extra Ball, Light Lock/Start Multiball, Start Attack Wave, +5X or Hold Bonus, Strobe Multiball, Video Mode, Sneak Attack, Martian Bombs). On v1.13 code, enabling the tournament/competition setting neuters Stroke of Luck to a flat 50M award every time — the headline change that makes v1.13 tournament-friendly.

Combos, Super Jets & Multipliers

Any ramp starts the generic combo counter; chain lit ramp/orbit/lock shots before the fixed timer expires. Orbits only continue a combo when their TA lamps are complete, the gate is open, and Super Jets is off. A 5-Way Combo is a Rule the Universe objective. Super Jets lights at 100 jet hits (3M each). AFM has no playfield multiplier — the big multiplier is the bonus X, advanced via the top lanes and +5X skill shots (caps 250X), with Hold Bonus carrying it between balls. End-of-ball bonus = 5M + 250K per Martian destroyed, times the multiplier.

Wizard Mode — Rule the Universe

Complete six objectives in one game: a Super Jackpot, Total Annihilation, Martian Multiball, Conquer Mars, Super Jets, and a 5-Way Combo. Start at the scoop for a 4-5 ball multiball with a long ball saver where everything scores. Reach 5 billion before draining to one ball to win a flat +5 billion and log your initials, then run Victory Laps on the lit combo arrows.

Strategy in Brief

Beginners should play control-first: bank +5X skill shots, feed the center ramp for Light Lock, and let Stroke of Luck start Attack Waves so you avoid the dangerous center. The high-EV opener is a Super Skill Shot into ramp progress, then destroying the first two saucers for the easiest Extra Ball. Tournament players farm Total Annihilation — make each TA shot 3x, stack the free billion, then loop the right orbit and cash center supers.

Goals in Attack from Mars

Every goal below is tracked step-by-step, with shot paths drawn on the playfield map, inside the app.

• Regular Skill Shot skillshot · Easy

  Plunge with no button held and steer the flashing top lane onto the ball for points and a bonus-multiplier boost.

  Reward: Points + 5X bonus multiplier

• Super Skill Shot skillshot · Medium

  Hold the left flipper on launch to route the ball down the left orbit, then hit any major shot for 50M and an instant award spot.

  Reward: 50M + spot one shot's award

• 5-Way Combo combo · Easy

  Chain five consecutive ramp/orbit shots before the combo timer expires. One of the six Rule the Universe objectives.

  Reward: 5-Way Combo (RTU objective)

• Total Annihilation Jackpot Farm combo · Hard

  Inside Total Annihilation all shots stay lit — pump the safest shot, then cash the center-ramp super. The game's #1 money loop.

  Reward: ~2B routine, repeatable

• Multiball Super Jackpot (Roving) combo · Medium

  Collect all five lit jackpots in regular Multiball to light a traveling Super Jackpot, then fire when it lands on your best shot.

  Reward: Super Jackpot 250M, +250M/super, cap 1B

• Post-Conquer-Mars Saucer Farm combo · Medium

  Once Mars is conquered every saucer-hole hit pays a flat 100M — a safe, repeatable center shot for late-game padding.

  Reward: 100M per hit, repeatable rest of game

• Multiball (3-Ball) multiball · Medium

  Light and lock three balls at the center ramp to start the 3-ball Multiball with all five major shots lit for jackpots.

  Reward: 3-ball Multiball

• Martian Multiball multiball · Medium

  Spell MARTIAN, start Martian Attack at the scoop, then kill the four wiggling Martians to launch the 2-ball multiball.

  Reward: Martian Multiball (2-ball)

• Total Annihilation (4-Ball) multiball · Hard

  Complete three lamps on each of the four TA shots, stack the saucer hurry-ups, and finish the fourth for a billion and 4-ball multiball.

  Reward: 1 Billion + 4-ball multiball

• Strobe Multiball multiball · Medium

  Win Strobe Multiball from Stroke of Luck, then bash the force field in the dark for 50M a hit.

  Reward: 3-ball Strobe Multiball (+ EB at 10 hits)

• Attack Waves / Conquer Mars mode · Medium

  Drop the force field, damage the exposed saucer, then shoot the sinkhole to destroy it — five cities then Mars itself.

  Reward: 200M->600M per saucer; Mars = 2.5B

• Stroke of Luck mode · Easy

  Light the inlane/outlane rollovers and collect at the scoop for a mystery award — on v1.13 tournament code it is neutered to a flat 50M every time.

  Reward: Mystery award (EB, Strobe MB, Attack Wave, Video Mode, +5X, Lock...)

• Video Mode mode · Medium

  A 'Sabotage'-style shooter won from Stroke of Luck; shoot down descending saucers, clear the screen once with Launch.

  Reward: Up to ~635M + Extra Ball pod

• Super Jets mode · Easy

  Rack up 100 pop-bumper hits to light Super Jets at 3M each — a Rule the Universe requirement.

  Reward: 3M/jet + RTU objective

• Build Bonus Multiplier multiplier · Easy

  AFM's only multiplier is the bonus X — advance it through the top lanes and +5X skill shots for a huge end-of-ball payout.

  Reward: Higher end-of-ball bonus (up to 250X)

• Hold / Boost Bonus X (Stroke of Luck) multiplier · Medium

  Steer Stroke of Luck to +5 Bonus Multiplier or Hold Bonus Multiplier so a large bonus survives a drain into the next ball.

  Reward: +5X or Hold Bonus X

• Rule the Universe — Qualify wizard · Hard

  Complete all six objectives in one game to light the wizard mode, then start it at the scoop.

  Reward: Lights Rule the Universe

• Rule the Universe — Victory wizard · Hard

  Start the 4-5 ball wizard multiball where everything scores, and reach 5 billion before draining to one ball.

  Reward: +5 Billion, Victory Laps

• Aggressive Opener — Extra Ball Rush strategy · Medium

  Super Skill Shot into ramp progress, then destroy the first two saucers for the easiest Extra Ball in the game.

  Reward: Early Extra Ball + multiball queued

• Beginner First 30 Seconds strategy · Easy

  Control-first opener: bank a safe multiplier, feed the center ramp, and let the scoop do the dangerous work.

  Reward: Safe, game-lengthening start

• Tournament Money Plan (TA Farm) strategy · Hard

  The consensus high-EV plan: make each TA shot 3x, stack the free billion, then farm right-orbit jackpots and cash center supers.

  Reward: ~2B+ safe and repeatable

• Extra Ball Sources strategy · Medium

  Three separate systems hand out extra balls — know all of them so you never leave a free ball on the playfield.

  Reward: Multiple Extra Balls per game