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.
How Attack from Mars plays
Destroy the Martian saucers and conquer Mars, then stack multiballs and Total Annihilation to reach the Rule the Universe wizard mode.
The loop
- Knock down the force field to expose the saucer drop target.
- Damage the saucer via the drop target, then shoot the saucer hole to destroy it.
- Destroy all five cities to open Mars, then hit Mars ten times for 2.5 billion.
- Start an Attack Wave before multiball so saucer destruction stacks under jackpots.
- Complete Total Annihilation lamps on all four shots to start the 4-ball multiball and farm jackpots.
Reading the lights
- Bonus X Top Lanes (lanes) — lit: The flashing lane awards the skill shot and +5X bonus multiplier when the ball rolls through it. · then: Shoot the lit lane to collect the skill shot and advance the bonus multiplier. · control: Either flipper button: Moves the flashing lane left or right (after launch while the ball is in the top lanes)
- Inlane / Outlane Rollovers (lanes) — lit: Completing all lit positions lights Stroke of Luck at the scoop. · then: Collect the lit rollovers to light Stroke of Luck, then shoot the scoop. · control: Either flipper button: Moves the lit rollover position (while the ball is in the inlane/outlane area)
- Major Shot Arrows (shot arrows) — lit: A lit arrow indicates a combo shot, multiball jackpot, or Total Annihilation lamp. · flashing: Flashing arrows indicate the next combo shot or the roving Super Jackpot. · then: Shoot the lit arrow before the combo timer expires or to collect jackpots.
- Bonus Multiplier (multiplier) — lit: Each completion of the top lanes advances the bonus multiplier, up to 250X. · then: Keep completing the top lanes and skill shots to build the multiplier before the ball drains. · control: Either flipper button: Moves the flashing lane left or right (after launch while the ball is in the top lanes)
- M-A-R-T-I-A-N Targets (letters) — lit: Each target lights a letter in M-A-R-T-I-A-N; completing the word lights Martian Attack. · then: Spell M-A-R-T-I-A-N to light Martian Attack at the scoop.
- Saucer Attack (mode) — lit: The force field is up; knock it down to expose the saucer drop target. · flashing: When the saucer meter is empty, the saucer hole flashes to signal destruction. · then: Drop the force field, damage the saucer via the drop target, then shoot the saucer hole to destroy it.
- Stroke of Luck Scoop (mode) — lit: The scoop is lit when Stroke of Luck is ready to collect. · then: Shoot the scoop to collect the mystery award.
- Super Jets (mode) — lit: After 100 bumper hits, Super Jets lights for 3M per hit. · then: Keep hitting the bumpers to collect Super Jets points.
Lane change: the flipper buttons move the lit lane. Either flipper button after launch steers the flashing top lane onto the ball's path.
Start scoring
- Ball one — Bank the regular skill shot for +5X bonus multiplier and points, and use the Super Skill Shot for 50M and an instant award spot on a major shot. — Regular Skill Shot, Super Skill Shot
- Building — Stack multiballs with Total Annihilation: lock three balls for Multiball, complete TA lamps for the 4-ball mode, and build the bonus multiplier via top lanes and skill shots. — Multiball (3-Ball), Total Annihilation (4-Ball), Build Bonus Multiplier
- The big one — Complete all six Rule the Universe objectives, then start the wizard mode at the scoop and score 5 billion to win a flat +5B. — Rule the Universe — Qualify, Rule the Universe — Victory
The Launch Button on Attack from Mars
Front right of the cabinet, in the spot a shooter rod would normally occupy — this game auto-plunges.
No lockdown-bar button here; this is 1995. What AFM has instead is a Launch button that pulls double duty. Past firing the auto-plunger, it detonates a Martian Bomb during the attack phase and drops a smart bomb in video mode, and it flashes whenever a bomb is loaded.
- Martians flashing and the button flashing: Detonates a Martian Bomb and kills one of the remaining Martians outright, no shot required.
- One stubborn Martian left, ball just drained: You can still bomb it after an outlane drain — it counts right up until the ball reaches the trough.
- A saucer is about to touch down: Once per video mode, wipes every saucer off the screen. It has nothing to do with your Martian Bombs.
- A cow shows up after a ramp shot: Tap it repeatedly for moos; do that on both the Big-O-Beam and Tractor Beam ramps to unlock Cow video mode.
- Starting a ball for the skill shot: Press with no flipper held to feed the top lanes; hold the left flipper first to route around for the Super Skill Shot.
Goals in Attack from Mars
Every goal below is tracked step-by-step, with shot paths drawn on the playfield map, inside the app.
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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
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Hold the left flipper on launch to route the ball down the left orbit and back to the flippers untouched, then hit the left ramp, the right ramp or either orbit for 50M and all three of that shot's Total Annihilation lamps — a force-field target also pays 50M and lowers the force field. The center lock ramp, the saucer hole and the Stroke of Luck scoop pay nothing here.
Reward: 50M + spot one shot's award
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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)
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Total Annihilation Jackpot Farm
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
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Multiball Super Jackpot (Roving)
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
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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
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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
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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)
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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
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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)
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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
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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...)
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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
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Rack up 100 pop-bumper hits to light Super Jets at 3M each — a Rule the Universe requirement.
Reward: 3M/jet + RTU objective
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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)
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Hold / Boost Bonus X (Stroke of Luck)
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
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Complete all six objectives in one game to light the wizard mode, then start it at the scoop.
Reward: Lights Rule the Universe
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Start the 4-5 ball wizard multiball where everything scores, and reach 5 billion before draining to one ball.
Reward: +5 Billion, Victory Laps
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Aggressive Opener — Extra Ball Rush
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
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Control-first opener: bank a safe multiplier, feed the center ramp, and let the scoop do the dangerous work.
Reward: Safe, game-lengthening start
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Tournament Money Plan (TA Farm)
The 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
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Five separate systems hand out extra balls — the second saucer, ten rollover completions, the Extra Ball that descends in Video Mode, ten force-field hits in Strobe Multiball, and Stroke of Luck itself — so know all of them and never leave a free ball on the playfield.
Reward: Multiple Extra Balls per game
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