Rush
Stern Pinball, 2022 — shot-by-shot rules and strategy guide.
Open Rush in the Pinball Genie app →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.
How Rush plays
Ride the Time Machine from 2012 to 2112 by banking Years from song modes, multiballs and combos, and place a Rainbow Record on a safe shot each time you finish a mode for a permanent multiplier. Reach Year 2112 and both Cygnus X-1 books to unlock the finale.
The loop
- Soft-plunge to the upper-right flipper and take a skill shot on the side loop, ramp or scoop - never full-plunge into the deadly pop bumpers.
- Play the center Time Machine as a controlled left-flipper shot to start modes, power up the multiballs, and collect Combo Jackpots.
- Rotate the record color and finish song modes to bank Years and earn Rainbow Records, then park each record's permanent 2x on a safe inner shot.
- Every ten Years lights a Time Machine upgrade; stack Far Cry and Headlong Flight, keep the ball alive, and climb toward Year 2112.
Reading the lights
- 1-2-3 Combo Inserts (shot arrows) — lit: The 1, then 2, then 3 inserts light in order to mark the next shot in the chain, and each stays lit only while the combo timer is running. · flashing: The lit number flashes on the shot you need next to keep the chain alive. · then: Shoot 1, 2 and 3 in order inside the timer, then collect at the Time Machine to bank the Combo Jackpot and a Year. Once cashed, the side ramp lights for the Combo Super at double value, after which the side loop farms big points a loop.
- Album Combos (shot arrows) — lit: Each album is its own short combo string, the arrows showing the next shot, and a completed album stays collected while you work through the rest. · then: Run one album's chain at a time - the two-shot Hemispheres, right ramp into right orbit, is the safe one and it arms the action-button Weapon - and bank the Time Machine between chains so a dropped timer never costs the whole set. Collecting every album adds a permanent extra multiplier to every later combo jackpot.
- Time Machine Portal (status) — lit: The Time Machine's flasher tells you which of its three multiballs is currently lit - a normal blink for Red Barchetta, a fast blink for Subdivisions, a slow pulse for Fly By Night - and it powers up a little with each ramp shot. · then: Power the ramp up with repeated shots, tap the Dead End to switch which multiball is lit if you want a different one, then shoot the Time Machine again to start it. Each one banks Years on its super jackpots.
- Far Cry Locks (status) — lit: Hitting the two green LIGHT LOCK targets lights the lock at the right ramp, and that lock stays lit for you to trap a ball at the scoop. · then: Take the green targets, then the right ramp to light lock, then trap balls at the scoop to start Far Cry - the top-priority multiball. Take its colored jackpots climbing from blue through red without letting a lit one lapse, then collect the Super at the Time Machine to haul in Years.
- Clockwork Angels Clock (ladder) — lit: The drum clock climbs toward midnight every time the pop bumpers fire, its white, green, yellow and red inserts marking how many minutes each pop is worth. · then: Feed the pops deliberately - drumsticks and the right orbit speed the clock - until it strikes midnight, then the right orbit starts Headlong Flight, the one multiball you can layer onto anything already running. During it, a side loop carried straight into the side ramp pays the tripled Super and more Years.
- Instrument Drops (status) — lit: Whichever instrument is lit on the drop bank gets committed the moment your first target falls, so the lit one - bass, guitar or drumsticks - is the pick you are locking in whether you meant to or not. · then: Shoot the instrument lane behind the drops to change which is lit before you finish clearing the bank, down all three targets to collect it for a passive boost, then shoot that lane again to activate what you hold for the far stronger timed perks. Gather all three and the same lane starts Freewill Multiball.
- Record Song Modes (mode) — lit: The record color you rotate to at the RUSH targets decides which song mode lights at the Time Machine, and starting a mode with every record one color makes all of its shots 3x. · then: Rotate the blinking records toward a single color - cyan or orange are easiest - start the mode at the Time Machine, and finish it to bank Years and earn a Rainbow Record. Push a mode past a big total for doubled Years, and park each record's permanent 2x on a safe inner shot.
- Bonus X (multiplier) — lit: Ripping the spinner lights the next Bonus X, but nothing is banked yet - the lit level waits at the side loop, and unless ramp shots have locked it in it is gone when the ball ends. · then: Rip the spinner to light the next level - Guitar active doubles the spins toward it - then shoot the side loop to actually collect it, climbing toward the cap on your end-of-ball bonus. Take it before you drain.
Lane change: not verified for this machine yet.
Start scoring
- Ball one — Meter the plunge - never full-plunge into the deadly pops - and take the top-value scoop skill shot, then cradle. Play the center Time Machine as a controlled left-flipper shot to begin a multiball, and tap the RUSH standups during single-ball play so the outlanes light for a ball save. — Skill Shot — Side Scoop (3x), Super Skill Shot, Strategy: Points + Safety Opener
- Building — Finish song modes to bank Years and Rainbow Records, parking each record's permanent 2x on a safe inner shot so it rides into everything. Prioritize Far Cry, keep Headlong Flight ready to stack on top, and climb the Time Machine's ten upgrades. — Strategy: Rainbow-Record Stacking Engine, Far Cry Multiball, Headlong Flight Multiball, Advance the Time Machine to 2112
- The big one — Reach Year 2112 by hoarding Years, and play both Cygnus X-1 books - one wants all six multiballs started, the other all six song modes finished. Clearing both lights 2112, the roughly fifteen-minute six-ball finale the whole hundred-year climb has been building toward. — 2112 Final Wizard Mode, Cygnus X-1 (Book 1 & Book 2 Mini-Wizards)
The The Weapon on Rush
Center of the lockdown bar.
Rush keeps The Weapon on the lockdown bar button. Collect the album that matches the song mode or multiball you are playing and the button lights up; hold it for roughly three seconds to spend it. When no Weapon is armed the button glows red, and a press does something else entirely.
- Song mode running, button blue: Hold about three seconds to sweep the lit mode shots, including ones that light as the sweep passes them.
- Multiball running, button green: The same hold gives you an add-a-ball rather than spotted shots.
- Song mode and multiball stacked: The hold takes the add-a-ball first, so plan on a second album if you also want shots spotted.
- Button red, nothing armed: A press swings the ramp diverter, which sets whether a later Weapon sweeps left-to-right or right-to-left.
- One jackpot short of a Super: Hemispheres is the cheap two-shot album — bank it and hold the Weapon to clean up that last shot.
Goals in Rush
Every goal below is tracked step-by-step, with shot paths drawn on the playfield map, inside the app.
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Soft-plunge to the upper flipper and take the side loop for the base 1x skill-shot value plus extended ball save.
Reward: Base skill value x1 + added ball-save time
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Soft-plunge to the upper flipper and hit the side ramp for the 2x skill-shot value plus extended ball save.
Reward: Base skill value x2 + added ball-save time
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Hemispheres Combo (The Weapon)
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
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Combo Super Jackpot & Side-Loop Farm
Score the Combo Jackpot and the Side Ramp turns on for a Combo Super worth 2x, then farm the Side Loop over and over — the biggest repeatable money loop in the game.
Reward: Combo Super Jackpot (2x) + escalating side-loop value up to 6M/loop
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Right Ramp to Spinner to Side Loop — awards Moving Pictures (ties to Limelight, Red Barchetta, Tom Sawyer).
Reward: Moving Pictures album
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Three separate multiballs live here — Red Barchetta, Subdivisions and Fly By Night — and the Time Machine flasher pattern tells you which one is currently lit.
Reward: 2-ball MB (upgrades to 3+ balls with Years); super jackpots grant +2 to +5 Years
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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
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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
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Clear the drop bank for all three instruments, activate them, and Freewill starts on a shot to the instrument lane.
Reward: Player-picked Super Jackpots; every 3 unique Supers = +5 Years
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Rainbow Record Shot Multipliers
Completing any song mode earns a Rainbow Record. Place each one on a safe, high-frequency inner shot for a permanent 2x there and keep spreading them around — they stay put right through to the 2112 wizard mode.
Reward: Permanent 2x shot multiplier that lasts until the 2112 wizard mode
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Rip the spinner to light Bonus X, then collect it at the side loop — up to 25x. Spins count double with Guitar active or a shot multiplier parked on the spinner.
Reward: Global end-of-ball Bonus X up to 25x
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Cygnus X-1 (Book 1 & Book 2 Mini-Wizards)
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
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The finale — qualify by collecting 100 Years and playing both Cygnus X-1 books; a ~15-minute mode with a 6-ball Overture and six phases.
Reward: The game's ultimate wizard mode
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Strategy: Points + Safety Opener
A concrete opening sequence that banks points, extends ball save, and begins Time Machine progress safely.
Reward: Early points + ball-save insurance + MB progress
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Strategy: Far Cry First, Stack Headlong Flight
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
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Strategy: Rainbow-Record Stacking Engine
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
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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
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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 ten albums plus stacked Combo Jackpots and Years — five albums lights an extra ball, all ten adds +1x to every later combo jackpot
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Take the fifteen colored Far Cry jackpots without letting a single lit one time out, 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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Rush keeps the same kind of alternate-play menu behind its attract screen. Holding both flippers while the machine sits idle opens a list that lets you skip straight to the game's biggest set pieces instead of earning your way there across a full game.
Reward: Access to Competition, a Challenge that plays either the Cygnus X-1 book or the 2112 wizard mode on its own, and a DJ Mixer jukebox
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Advance the Time Machine to 2112
Rush keeps two currencies and the one that matters is years. The time machine opens the game at 2012 and the final mode sits a full century ahead at 2112, so the whole game is a hundred-year climb. Bank ten years and the time machine lights to hand you an upgrade, and these are not decoration: they push extra balls and extra ball save into multiballs that otherwise get two-ball starts, light an extra ball, double your record and ramp progress, and quietly compound by shaving a shot off lighting the next Time Machine multiball while raising its jackpots. Modes are the efficient engine, because a mode finished with a big total pays double.
Reward: A ten-rung upgrade ladder - more balls and ball save in multiball, a lit extra ball, doubled record and ramp progress, cheaper and richer Time Machine multiballs - ending at the 2112 final mode
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Collect and Activate the Three Instruments
The instrument drop targets are a two-stage system and most players only work the first stage. Whichever instrument is lit gets locked in the instant you knock down your first target, so the choice is made early whether you meant it or not. Clearing all three targets collects it and raises the baseline value of one playfield feature. The second stage is where the real value sits: shooting the instrument lane behind the drops switches on everything you have collected as timed perks that are far stronger than the passive boost. The three do completely different jobs, so lock in the one that suits whatever you are about to play. Gather all three and that same lane starts Freewill Multiball.
Reward: Three distinct perks - passive when collected, much stronger when activated - plus an instrument bonus across the major shots, and Freewill Multiball once all three are held
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