Rush

Stern Pinball, 2022 — shot-by-shot rules and strategy guide.

Designer: John Borg. Theme: travel through Rush's music history in a "Time Machine." Three editions (Pro / Premium / LE) share one rule flow; the only genuine rules-level edition difference is the Premium/LE Freewill 20-second captive-ball hold jackpot-booster. Other differences are physical toys (motorized ramp diverter, motorized Clockwork Angels clock, Far Cry subway lock, Dead End vertical up-kicker, three-bank musical drops).

The Big Goal

Collect 100 Years, complete both Cygnus X-1 mini-wizard books, and reach the final wizard mode 2112.

Time Machine & Years (core hub)

The center Time Machine ramp is the hub. Every 10 Years upgrades it (rest-of-ball perks, easier RUSH targets, Light Extra Ball at 2062, +balls/ball-save for multiballs, 2x ramp count-up, and 2112 unlocked at 100). Each upgrade also reduces the shots needed to start the next Time Machine multiball by 1. Years come from completing modes (+5, or +10 if the mode scored 80M+), multiball super jackpots, combos (+1 each), the 6x Instrument Bonus (+5), and Bastille Day.

Skill Shots

Soft-plunge to the upper flipper — NEVER full plunge (bumpers are deadly). Lit target: side loop = 1x, side ramp = 2x, side scoop = 3x. Super Skill Shot = side loop then combo into side ramp OR side scoop = 2x value + double ball-save. Every skill shot adds ball-save time.

The Six Multiballs

Three Time Machine MBs — Red Barchetta, Subdivisions, Fly By Night. Power up the Time Machine ramp (base 6 shots, −1 per decade), then one more to start; shoot Dead End to change which one is lit.
Far Cry MB — hit the two green LIGHT LOCK targets by the right ramp, shoot the right ramp to light lock, lock 2 balls (subway on Premium/LE, virtual on Pro). Collect 15 colored jackpots (blue 1x → red 5x) then Time Machine for the Super. Super triggers One Little Victory (6-ball victory laps).
Headlong Flight MB — advance the Clockwork Angels drum clock to midnight via pop bumpers, start at the right orbit. The ONLY multiball that stacks with others.
Freewill MB — collect all 3 instruments (bass/guitar/drums) on the drop bank, activate, then shoot the instrument lane.

The Six Song ("Planet") Modes (untimed)

Collect flashing colored records, then shoot the Time Machine (red-lit) to start; the color you have most of picks the song. Tom Sawyer (cyan), Working Man (orange), The Spirit of Radio (blue), The Big Money (pink), La Villa Strangiato (purple, 12-shot combo), Limelight (green). Completing a mode = +5 Years and a Rainbow Record. All six done lights Cygnus X-1 Book 2.

1-2-3 Combos & the 10 Albums

Shoot the flashing 1 → 2 → 3 inserts in order to light the Combo Jackpot at the Time Machine, then the Side Ramp for the Combo Super Jackpot (2x). Farm the Side Loop during the Super (500K + 100K/shot up to 1M, x shot multipliers). Each unique 1-2-3 sequence awards one of 10 albums; matching an album to the active mode/MB arms The Weapon (spot all shots, or add-a-ball). Hemispheres (Right Ramp → Right Orbit) is the only 2-shot album and is farmed as a reserve Weapon.

Multipliers

Rainbow Records — completing any mode lets you place a permanent 2x shot multiplier; stack them on safe inner shots (inner loop, dead-end, spinner, right ramp). They vanish on drain.
Bonus X — spinner-driven, up to 25x (doubled with Guitar active).

Wizard Modes

Cygnus X-1 Book 1 "The Voyage" — start all 6 multiballs.
Cygnus X-1 Book 2 "Hemispheres" — complete all 6 song modes.
2112 — 100 Years + both Cygnus books; ~15-min finale with a 6-ball Overture and six phases.

Strategy Doctrine

Complete modes without draining so Rainbow-Record multipliers stack; prioritize Far Cry MB and keep Headlong Flight stacked on everything; soft-plunge every ball; light outlane ball-saves early via RUSH targets.

Goals in Rush

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

Skill Shot (3x Side Scoop) skillshot · Easy

Soft-plunge to the upper flipper and hit the side scoop for the highest 3x skill-shot value plus extended ball save.

Reward: Base skill value x3 + added ball-save time
Super Skill Shot skillshot · Medium

Hit the side loop then combo into the side ramp or side scoop for double value and double the ball-save bonus.

Reward: 2x skill value + double ball-save time
1-2-3 Combo Jackpot combo · Medium

Shoot the flashing 1, then 2, then 3 inserts in order within the combo timer, then bank the Combo Jackpot at the Time Machine.

Reward: Combo Jackpot + one album + 1 Year
Rush Album Combo combo · Medium

The signature flow combo Left Orbit to Side Loop to Side Ramp — awards the Rush album (ties to Working Man).

Reward: Rush album + Combo Jackpot progress
Hemispheres Combo (The Weapon) combo · Easy

The only two-shot album, Right Ramp to Right Orbit — farmed and held in reserve to arm The Weapon (spot all shots or add-a-ball).

Reward: Hemispheres album; arms The Weapon action button
Combo Super Jackpot & Side-Loop Farm combo · Hard

After the Combo Jackpot, the Side Ramp lights for a 2x Combo Super, then repeatedly farm the Side Loop for the game's biggest repeatable money loop.

Reward: Combo Super Jackpot (2x) + escalating side-loop value up to 6M/loop
Moving Pictures Album Combo combo · Medium

Right Ramp to Spinner to Side Loop — awards Moving Pictures (ties to Limelight, Red Barchetta, Tom Sawyer).

Reward: Moving Pictures album
Time Machine Multiball (Red Barchetta / Subdivisions / Fly By Night) multiball · Medium

Power up the center Time Machine ramp, optionally change the lit song at the Dead End, then shoot the Time Machine again to start one of the three Time Machine multiballs.

Reward: 2-ball MB (upgrades to 3+ balls with Years); super jackpots grant +2 to +5 Years
Far Cry Multiball multiball · Medium

Hit the two green LIGHT LOCK targets, shoot the right ramp to light lock, lock two balls, then start Far Cry — the top tournament priority.

Reward: Colored 1x-5x jackpots; Super = jackpot total +5 Years (Flawless +10); triggers One Little Victory
Headlong Flight Multiball multiball · Hard

Advance the Clockwork Angels drum clock to midnight with the pop bumpers, then start at the right orbit — the only multiball that stacks with any other.

Reward: Jackpots = 1M x clock hour; side loop -> side ramp combo = 3x Super +5 Years
Freewill Multiball multiball · Hard

Collect all three instruments on the drop bank, activate them, then shoot the instrument lane to start Freewill.

Reward: Player-picked Super Jackpots; every 3 unique Supers = +5 Years
Tom Sawyer mode · Medium

Easiest cyan song mode — collect cyan records, start at the Time Machine, then clear three phases (orbits, then ramps, then all shots).

Reward: +5 Years (+10 if 80M+) and a Rainbow Record
Working Man mode · Medium

Orange mode — advance a workday clock from 9am to 5pm with orange shots, then end it by shooting the left orbit at 5pm.

Reward: +5 Years (+10 if 80M+) and a Rainbow Record
La Villa Strangiato mode · Hard

Purple 12-shot combo mode — chain each next shot within 5 seconds to multiply it by the running streak; farm the side loop to spot shots 8-11.

Reward: +5 Years (+10 if 80M+), highest single-mode ceiling
The Big Money mode · Medium

Pink mode — three phases of increasing shot counts feeding the Time Machine; bank or keep multiplying, collect the 3rd Big Money to win.

Reward: +5 Years (+10 if 80M+); max multiplier 13x
Rainbow Record Shot Multipliers multiplier · Medium

Completing any song mode earns a Rainbow Record — place a permanent 2x shot multiplier on a safe, high-frequency inner shot; stack them and never drain.

Reward: Permanent 2x (stacking) shot multiplier until 2112 or drain
Bonus X (Spinner Farming) multiplier · Easy

Rip the spinner to count down the Bonus X ladder up to 25x; doubled if Guitar is active or a shot multiplier sits on the spinner.

Reward: Global end-of-ball Bonus X up to 25x
Cygnus X-1 (Book 1 & Book 2 Mini-Wizards) wizard · Hard

Two mini-wizard modes: Book 1 The Voyage qualifies by starting all six multiballs; Book 2 Hemispheres qualifies by completing all six song modes.

Reward: Book 2 completion is a required step toward the 2112 finale
2112 Final Wizard Mode wizard · Hard

The finale — qualify by collecting 100 Years AND completing both Cygnus X-1 books; a ~15-minute mode with a 6-ball Overture and six phases.

Reward: The game's ultimate wizard mode
Strategy: Points + Safety Opener strategy · Easy

A concrete opening sequence that banks points, extends ball save, and begins Time Machine progress safely.

Reward: Early points + ball-save insurance + MB progress
Strategy: Far Cry First, Stack Headlong Flight strategy · Medium

Tournament doctrine — prioritize Far Cry Multiball, then keep Headlong Flight ready to stack onto any multiball and take risky shots only during multiball.

Reward: Up to +10 Years from Far Cry; stacked multiball scoring
Strategy: Rainbow-Record Stacking Engine strategy · Hard

The dominant high-score engine — complete multiple song modes without draining so Rainbow-Record multipliers stack and ride into every jackpot and combo.

Reward: Compounding universal multiplier + Years toward 2112
Collect an Extra Ball strategy · Medium

Two routes to an extra ball: the side scoop when its extra-ball insert is lit, and the drum solo lane behind the upper-right flipper.

Reward: Extra ball
Collect Every Album combo · Hard

Work through each album's combo string one at a time, banking the Time Machine between chains so a broken timer never costs you the whole set.

Reward: All six albums plus stacked Combo Jackpots and Years
Far Cry: Clean Jackpot Sweep multiball · Hard

Take the fifteen colored Far Cry jackpots in order without a wasted shot, then cash the Super at the Time Machine for the doubled Years award.

Reward: Full jackpot total plus the larger Years bonus for a clean sweep

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