Fallout

Stern Pinball, 2026 — shot-by-shot rules and strategy guide.

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Keith Elwin's Fallout turns a pinball machine into a role-playing game. Before the first launch you pick Lucy, Maximus or The Ghoul, and each one plays differently: Lucy has an easier time in the vaults, Maximus gets more out of his power armor, and The Ghoul shrugs off radiation. The layout gives you left, center and right ramps, a left loop and right orbit, a Pip-Boy shot on the upper left, a mutated upper flipper that feeds a long outer loop, a Nuka-Cola bottle-cap spinner that rises and falls, a single pop bumper, and a Deathclaw bash toy on the right.

HP, quests and legendary weapons

Your HP is the clock. Every main quest runs one second per point of HP, so you eat at the yellow Pip-Boy shot until you have at least fifty, then start the blinking quest at the right scoop. The quests range from two-ball multiballs like Wedding Day and The Kings to shot modes like Radscorpion Attack, Mind Control, NOVAC and Find the Target. Finishing one earns a Legendary Weapon, a perk that lasts the rest of the game.

Into the vault

Spell VAULT at the lit letter shots and Open Vault lights at the center ramp. On Premium and LE machines the ball is held while a real vault door swings open, and you go through to a lower playfield for one of several vault modes. On the Pro, you bash the door and play Find the Lunchbox instead. Lunchboxes alternate between Vault Multiball, a three-ball march of jackpots from left to right, and another Legendary Weapon.

The wasteland economy

Caps, junk and fusion cores drive everything else. Light both Nuka-Cola inlanes, slide the flashing one under the ball with the flipper buttons, and rip the dropped spinner for caps to spend at the Sundries shop. Junk upgrades your weapon for a permanent playfield multiplier and unlocks the next Deathclaw Multiball. The pop bumper charges your fusion core, and holding the action button puts on power armor for timed double scoring. A short press uses your Trusty Companion's ability instead.

Multiballs and danger

Time your Deathclaw bashes to cripple its four limbs and start Deathclaw Multiball. Clear the shooting gallery with the Fat Man launcher (or, on the Pro, the left flipper and the mini-nuke stand-ups) for Wasteland Multiball. Watch the radroach stand-ups: a blinking one is a kill, but a solid one is a radiation pool that cuts your max HP until you drink radaway.

Editions

Fallout comes as a Pro, Premium and Limited Edition. The Premium and LE add the moving vault door with its magnetic lower playfield and the multi-axis Fat Man firing into an upper target gallery. The software is still early, and its wizard modes are shown on the playfield but have not been added to the game yet.

How Fallout plays

Fallout is a Keith Elwin role-playing game: pick Lucy, Maximus or The Ghoul, keep your HP up, and run quests, vault trips and multiballs while collecting caps, junk and legendary weapons that make you stronger as the game goes on.

The loop

1. Eat at the yellow Pip-Boy shot to raise HP, because HP is the clock for every quest.
2. With 50 HP or more, start the lit quest at the right scoop; finishing one earns a Legendary Weapon.
3. Spell VAULT at the lit letter shots and break into the vault at the center ramp for lunchboxes and Vault Multiball.
4. In between, gather caps, junk and fusion cores so you can upgrade your weapon and wear power armor -- both multiply everything else.

Reading the lights

• QUEST Inserts (status) — lit: The yellow QUESTS inserts on both sides of the playfield are the main quests; the BLINKING one is the next quest the scoop will start. The yellow Pip-Boy shot is lit while food is on offer. · flashing: The blinking quest insert is the one queued for the scoop. · then: Get above 50 HP at the Pip-Boy shot, then hit the right scoop to start the blinking quest. HP becomes its timer, one second per point. Finish it for a Legendary Weapon -- a permanent perk for the rest of the game. · control: Either flipper button: the flipper buttons pick which quest is queued (only once Charisma reaches level 2 -- before that, hitting the Junk target is how you swap the queued quest)
• VAULT Letters (letters) — lit: A lit VAULT letter insert marks a shot that will give you the next letter; once all five are in, OPEN VAULT lights on the center ramp. · then: Take the lit letter shots until VAULT is spelled, then shoot the center ramp. Premium/LE holds the ball, swings the door open and sends you through to a vault mode in the lower playfield; Pro plays Find the Lunchbox. Every lunchbox pays: odd ones start Vault Multiball, even ones give a Legendary Weapon.
• Deathclaw Limbs + FIRE! (ladder) — lit: The four limb inserts under the Deathclaw sweep left and right; the lit one is the limb your next bash will cripple. Crippled limbs stay crippled. · flashing: All four plus FIRE! flashing means the multiball is ready -- the next bash starts it. · then: Time each bash for an uncrippled limb (on Premium/LE, hitting a crippled one fires the ball back at you). Cripple all four, then bash once more for Deathclaw Multiball. Upgrading your weapon unlocks the next Deathclaw Multiball.
• Nuka-Cola Inlanes (lanes) — lit: Each Nuka-Cola inlane light stays on once you roll through it. With both lit, the Cap Stash is ready and one of them FLASHES. · flashing: The flashing Nuka-Cola is the lane that drops the spinner. · then: Roll the flashing inlane and the Nuka-Cola spinner drops. Rip it from the right flipper for caps; it stays down while it keeps spinning and rises after a pause. Caps buy fusion cores, stimpaks, radaway and junk at Sundries. · control: Either flipper button: a tap of a flipper button moves the flashing Nuka-Cola to the other inlane so you can put it under the ball (once both inlanes are lit and Cap Stash is ready)
• Companion / Stimpak Inserts (shot arrows) — lit: These three shots carry flashing inserts for two different awards: YELLOW is a Trusty Companion and WHITE is the stimpak outlane save. · then: Make all three while yellow flashes to recruit a companion (each has a perk plus an action-button ability). Make them while white flashes to light an outlane ball save.
• Radroach Targets (shot arrows) — lit: A SLOW-BLINKING radroach light is a live radroach. A SOLID one is a pool of radiation left by a kill. · then: Kill the blinking one for points and loot at the scoop -- another spawns somewhere else. Stay off the solid ones: they give you RAD, which cuts your max HP until you drink radaway. Kill all four for a glowing radroach.
• Green Radaway Shots (shot arrows) — lit: A green arrow on a ramp means radaway is on offer after you've taken RAD. Its value counts down, so sooner pays more. · then: Drink it to restore max HP. Three radaways flash the green Pip-Boy shot for the Radaway Hurry-Up: make all three ramps, then repeat the outer loop from the mutated flipper for 10 seconds.
• Fusion Core Meter (ladder) — lit: The column of lights next to the pop bumper is your fusion core charge; it climbs as you hit the bumper and drains while power armor is on. · then: Suit up when a good shot sequence is coming: armor adds +1x to the playfield on top of your weapon multiplier until the core runs out. · control: Action button: hold to put power armor on, hold again to take it off and save what's left (once the core has the minimum charge)
• Music-Note Inserts (status) — lit: When the radio signal is at full strength, the music-note inserts light up in different colors. Each color is a different song, and so a different radio mode. · then: Hit the music-note shot showing the color of the song you want to start it, then make enough shots during the song to light the radio jackpot. The song length is the timer and you can't stop it by holding the ball.

Lane change: the flipper buttons move the lit lane. Once both Nuka-Cola inlanes are lit, a tap of a flipper button moves the flashing Nuka-Cola light to the other inlane. Put it under the ball, roll through, and the Nuka-Cola spinner drops so you can rip it for caps.

Start scoring

• Ball one — Start with the Cap Stash skill shot, eat at the Pip-Boy shot and start a quest. Charge the fusion core on the pop bumper and recruit a companion so you have armor and an ability ready. — Skill Shot -- Cap Stash, Fill Up on HP and Start a Quest, Recruit a Trusty Companion, Suit Up in Power Armor
• Building — Upgrade your weapon with junk for a permanent multiplier, cripple the Deathclaw for its multiball, and spell VAULT to work through vault modes and lunchboxes. — Upgrade Your Weapon, Deathclaw Multiball, Spell VAULT and Open the Vault
• The big one — Vault Multiball and Wasteland Multiball are the big payoffs -- play them with power armor on and an upgraded weapon so every jackpot is multiplied. — Vault Multiball, Wasteland Multiball

The Action Button on Fallout

Center of the lockdown bar.

Fallout's action button does two jobs, set by how long you hold it. A short press fires your Trusty Companion's ability; a long press puts on (or takes off) power armor. On Premium/LE it also fires the Fat Man.

• Companion recruited: Short press to use their ability -- Victor drops the spinner, Protectron spots radaway, Dogmeat grabs lit junk, Mr. Handy spots a Deathclaw shot.
• Fusion core charged: Hold to suit up in power armor for a timed 2x playfield; hold again to take it off and save the charge.
• Fat Man loaded (Premium/LE): Fire the launcher at the lit gallery target or 3-bank light.

Goals in Fallout

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

• Skill Shot -- Cap Stash skillshot · Medium

  Time the launch so the ball rolls over the flashing Nuka-Cola inlane, then rip the spinner while it is down.

  Reward: 3M base plus a value per spin and a few seconds of ball save; each repeat raises both

• Pick Lucy, Maximus or The Ghoul progression · Easy

  Before the first launch, the flipper buttons choose who you play as. Each character carries a perk and two S.P.E.C.I.A.L. bonuses.

• Fill Up on HP and Start a Quest mode · Easy

  Quests run on HP as their clock. Eat at the yellow Pip-Boy shot until you have at least 50 HP, then take the right scoop.

  Reward: A quest mode; finishing it awards a Legendary Weapon

• Wedding Day multiball · Medium

  A two-ball quest. On Premium/LE the lower vault joins in: main-playfield shots light the vault's shots and vice versa, and making every main-playfield shot opens the vault for the super. On Pro, blue shots light yellow shots, and yellow shots build toward the super.

  Reward: Super jackpot and a Legendary Weapon

• Radscorpion Attack mode · Medium

  Any lit shot lights the center jump ramp at double value, and extra shots grow it. Land four jumps and the final blow lights -- on Premium/LE you deliver it with the Fat Man at the lit target.

  Reward: Mode total and a Legendary Weapon

• The Kings multiball · Hard

  A two-ball quest built on combos. Every lit shot is a jackpot; chaining them starts a killing spree and raises the multiplier. Three sprees -- or a maxed multiplier -- light the super jackpot.

  Reward: Super jackpot and a Legendary Weapon

• Mind Control mode · Medium

  Lit ramps drop the Nuka-Cola spinner for a short window; rip it enough times to pass each of three tests.

  Reward: Test values and a Legendary Weapon

• NOVAC mode · Medium

  A ramp mode. Lit ramps score 2M plus 250K per shot, an upper loop raises the multiplier on your next ramp, and six or more mode shots light the Pip-Boy finish.

  Reward: Double-value finish and a Legendary Weapon

• Find the Target mode · Medium

  Search four different yellow shots to locate the target, then hit whichever shot's insert blinks faster than the rest. Other shots raise its value first if you want. Another phase follows once it's hit.

  Reward: Mode total and a Legendary Weapon

• Spell VAULT and Open the Vault mode · Medium

  Collect VAULT letters at the lit shots to light Open Vault on the center ramp. Premium/LE sends you into the lower vault for a vault mode; Pro plays Find the Lunchbox.

  Reward: A lunchbox: odd ones start Vault Multiball, even ones give a Legendary Weapon

• Play a Vault Mode mode · Medium

  Premium/LE only. Inside the vault, the lower playfield's three stand-ups and loop are the whole mode. The vault number shown as the door opens tells you which mode you got.

  Reward: A lunchbox

• Find the Lunchbox (Pro) mode · Easy

  Pro only. After opening the vault, several shots light blue. Hit any one to find a lunchbox -- that shot drops out of later rounds -- then open it at the scoop.

  Reward: A lunchbox

• Deathclaw Multiball multiball · Medium

  Cripple the Deathclaw's four limbs with timed bashes to start its multiball. There are three, played in order. The first has you build the jackpot on red shots and cash it at the Deathclaw; the second has you charge your weapon on red shots and switches before each jackpot.

  Reward: Jackpots and supers; a weapon upgrade unlocks the next Deathclaw

• Wasteland Multiball multiball · Hard

  Hit the 3-bank to earn mini-nukes and load them with the left loop, then clear the shooting gallery -- the Fat Man's upper gallery on Premium/LE, the same 3-bank fired from the left flipper on Pro. Clearing it starts the multiball: wipe out enemy waves at lit shots to light the super.

  Reward: 3M+ jackpots; the super is 15M times the wave number, plus 2.5M for every jackpot collected

• Fat Man: Clear the Gallery multiball · Hard

  Premium/LE only. The Fat Man fires the loaded ball at the upper shooting gallery: a spinner and two targets. During the multiball, the red Pip-Boy shot loads it for the super.

  Reward: Gallery hits toward Wasteland Multiball, then its super jackpot

• Vault Multiball multiball · Hard

  A three-ball multiball from your first lunchbox. The jackpot marches left to right, one shot per collect, and a final lit shot follows the right orbit; clear the march and the super lights at the vault.

  Reward: 2M+ jackpots and a vault super jackpot

• Radio Modes mode · Medium

  Build the radio signal at the radio tower target. At full strength the music-note inserts light up in different colors -- each color is a different song. Hit the note shot showing the color you want; the song's length is the mode timer.

  Reward: Radio jackpots once enough shots are made during the song

• Cap Stash and the Sundries Shop progression · Medium

  Light both Nuka-Cola inlanes to light the Cap Stash, roll the flashing one to drop the spinner and rip it for caps, then spend caps at the scoop.

  Reward: Caps to buy fusion cores, stimpaks, junk and more

• Upgrade Your Weapon multiplier · Medium

  Gather enough junk and take the scoop to upgrade your weapon. Each level adds a permanent playfield multiplier and bonus multiplier.

  Reward: +0.2x playfield and +1x bonus per level; unlocks the next Deathclaw Multiball

• Suit Up in Power Armor multiplier · Easy

  Charge the fusion core at the pop bumper, then hold the action button to put on power armor for a timed 2x playfield.

  Reward: +1x playfield multiplier while the core lasts, added to your weapon multiplier

• Recruit a Trusty Companion progression · Medium

  When the yellow companion inserts flash, make the left ramp, left loop and right orbit to recruit a companion. Each has an always-on perk and a button ability.

  Reward: Victor, Protectron, Dogmeat or Mr. Handy -- each with a passive perk and an action-button ability

• Light the Stimpak Outlane Save strategy · Easy

  When the same three shots flash white instead of yellow, making them lights an outlane ball save.

  Reward: Outlane ball save

• Radroaches and Radaway mode · Medium

  Kill the slowly blinking radroach at a stand-up, then stay off the solid-lit ones -- they're radiation pools that cut your max HP. A green ramp shot then offers radaway to fix it.

  Reward: Points, loot, and radaway toward the Radaway Hurry-Up

• Radaway Hurry-Up mode · Hard

  After three radaways, the green Pip-Boy shot starts the hurry-up. Make all three ramps, then cash at the outer loop from the mutated flipper -- as many times as you can in 10 seconds.

  Reward: A repeatable jackpot for 10 seconds

• Glowing Radroach mode · Hard

  Kill all four radroaches to spawn a glowing one. On Premium/LE you load the Fat Man and hit the lower-right radroach as the launcher sweeps past it.

  Reward: 20M+ per glowing radroach

• Wasteland Loops and Side Quests mode · Medium

  Shoot the outer loop from the mutated flipper to explore and pick up wasteland items. Loops are the main way to light Nuka-Cola Quantum -- collected at the shot behind the mutated flipper, it doubles XP for a short time -- and enough items light side quests at the scoop.

  Reward: Side quests (Filly, Gulper, Super Duper Mart)

• Hack a Terminal secret · Easy

  The stand-up beside the left ramp is a mystery award when its white light is on. It's also where lit extra balls are collected.

  Reward: Mystery award; extra ball when lit

• Level Up S.P.E.C.I.A.L. progression · Medium

  Your seven S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats each give a perk for the rest of the game. The Pip-Boy screen shows what the next level will do.

• Use VATS strategy · Easy

  Every switch fills the AP bar on the backbox. When it's full, VATS takes a shooting-gallery target for you -- choose it with the flipper buttons.

  Reward: A free shooting-gallery hit toward Wasteland Multiball