Venom

Stern Pinball, 2023 — shot-by-shot rules and strategy guide.

Open Venom in the Pinball Genie app →

Designer: Brian Eddy (layout) · Code: Dwight Sullivan & Raymond Davidson · System: SPIKE 2 · Editions: Pro / Premium / LE. You are Venom; Carnage is the arch-villain trying to return Knull to power. Up to 4 players, up to 7 multiballs, 2 flippers, 2 ramps (3 on Prem/LE).

Host Selection (the key early decision)

Pick a host with the left flipper at ball start (or mid-ball at the lit left ramp). Each host changes starting locks, skill shots, the signature combo, ball-save length, and emphasized rules. Eddie Brock is the consensus opener (2 locks pre-lit, Mayhem scores higher). Flash Thompson unlocks Sleeper immediately, collects the Bell Tower at the left loop, and has a battle-safe scoring combo. Gwen (2X Infected, better Doppelganger) and Peter (unlocks Miles, richer Carnage) are progression picks. Defeating Knull unlocks Venomized Hulk/Cap/Wolverine (each needs two Grid columns).

Progression: Mini-Modes → Grid → Battles

Three color-coded mini-modes always run; each is a 2-shot combo (solid arrow, then the blinking timed one). Completing a mini-mode fills a Grid light and lights a Mayhem lock. Completing a full Grid column lights "change host" and, at level 10+, that host's Battle at the center ramp. Grid 2x2 blocks grant held perks (Extra Time, 2X Web Combos, +1X base playfield, Flame Thrower, 2X XP, Extra Ball Save).

Multiballs

• Mayhem — mini-modes light locks; lock 2–6 balls in the twin symbiote vessels (hold the action button after lock 2 to keep stacking). Lock side picks your boss/perks (right-3 = +1X playfield). Jackpot flow: Quick → Main → Super (a Super defeats a Minor Boss).
• Carnage — bash the captive ball into Ravencroft, start at the lit center ramp; escalates Carnage MB → Carnage Hurry-Up → Blood Lust. Stackable on Mayhem.
• Quick Doppelganger (Prem/LE, Gwen/Wolverine) — right-loop post lock.

Battles

Minor Bosses Riot / Agony / Phage / Lasher (level 10+) → Grendel (level 20+) → Knull (level 30+). Web-combo shot multiplier doubles as damage multiplier; hit the Bell Tower to add phase time. Defeating Knull unlocks a Venomized host and resets XP.

Multipliers

• Playfield (1X→7X): loop the center ramp (2, then 3, 4…) to light the Bell Tower target; hit it lit for +1X. Cash X before firing big combos/hurry-ups. Base boosts from the bottom-left Grid box, right-3 Mayhem lock, and Hybrid (instant 7X).
• Bell Tower Frenzy: 4+ center ramps in a row before hitting the target.
• Shot Multiplier: web combos, up to 5X at a 10-way combo.
• Bonus X (end-of-ball): top lanes, Infected defeated, skill shots (+2/+4), Mystery.

Money Sequences (what point players farm)

• Center ramp → Bell Tower to ratchet playfield to 7X.
• Host Hurry-Up — play Toxin, complete your host's signature 4-way combo, then re-shoot those 4 shots at the scoop as a cascading hurry-up (500M–600M clean; billions under 7X). Flash's combo is best because it avoids the center ramp.
• Web combo to 5X, then dump shots in Rampage/Blood Lust/Toxin.
• Toxin Team-Up escalating jackpots (boost with the Carnage captive ball).
• The full stack: 6-ball Mayhem + stacked Carnage + Host Hurry-Up, all under 7X.

Wizard Modes

• Toxin Team-Up (mini) — Mayhem + Carnage + a Doppelganger defeated.
• Rampage (medium) — 3 Doppelgangers defeated.
• Klyntar Multiball (final) — defeat Knull and complete 8 objectives, then start at the center ramp.

Edition Notes (premium-le)

Physical Doppelganger flyaway targets, Quick Doppelganger MB, Million-Plus-Pops, the 3rd ramp/diverter, the raised Bell Tower mech, the Sneaky Hideout drop, and Symbiote Mania playfield morphing are Premium/LE. On Pro, Doppelganger is fought virtually at the left loop and its scoring is web-combo-multiplied. All combos, Host Hurry-Up, and the Bell Tower multiplier are code-identical across editions.

Note: there is no "flame ramp" combo award — the Bell Tower is a target, not a ramp.

Goals in Venom

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

• Top Lane Skill Shot skillshot · Easy

  Plunge straight into the flashing top rollover lane for a safe +2 Bonus Multipliers on any host.

  Reward: +2 Bonus Multipliers

• Secret Hideout Skill Shot skillshot · Medium

  Hard-plunge into the upper hideout hole for the game's biggest skill-shot value and +4 Bonus X.

  Reward: 3M (+500k each subsequent) and +4 Bonus Multipliers

• Eddie Brock Signature Combo combo · Medium

  Eddie's 4-way signature combo CR to LR to 180 to RO; completing it lights Host Hurry-Up.

  Reward: Lights Host Hurry-Up at the scoop

• Flash Thompson Signature Combo (Workhorse) combo · Medium

  Flash's RR to SC to LR to SC loop is the reliable points engine because it never uses the center ramp, so you can grind it without accidentally starting a battle.

  Reward: Lights Host Hurry-Up; battle-safe repeatable scoring

• Peter Parker Signature Combo combo · Hard

  Black-Suit Spider-Man's 4-way combo LO to LR to 180 to SC lights his Host Hurry-Up.

  Reward: Lights Host Hurry-Up

• Host Hurry-Up combo · Hard

  The single biggest payout: after lighting it via your signature combo, re-shoot the same 4 shots at the scoop as a cascading 4-stage hurry-up where each stage seeds the next.

  Reward: 500M-600M clean; billions with 7X playfield active

• Web-Slinging Combo to 5X Shot Multiplier combo · Medium

  Chain lit combo arrows before they time out; a 10-way combo caps the shot multiplier at 5X, which also doubles as battle damage.

  Reward: Up to 5X shot multiplier (also 5X villain damage)

• Mayhem Multiball multiball · Medium

  The priority multiball: complete mini-modes to light Mayhem locks, lock balls in the twin symbiote vessels, then start (2-6 ball, player-chosen size).

  Reward: 2-6 ball multiball; which side you lock picks your boss and perks

• Carnage Multiball multiball · Medium

  Bash the Carnage captive ball back into Ravencroft to qualify, start at the lit center ramp, then push Carnage back again to light the Super Jackpot at the scoop.

  Reward: Super Jackpot at scoop; stackable on Mayhem

• Quick Doppelganger Multiball multiball · Hard

  Premium/LE only, with Gwen or Venomized Wolverine as host: repeatedly shoot the right loop until the post lock qualifies a 2-ball Doppelganger multiball.

  Reward: 2-ball MB; Super Jackpot equal to the sum of 4 jackpots

• Riot Symbiote Battle mode · Medium

  A minor-boss battle: complete a Grid column at level 10+, start at the center ramp, and hit shots lit both red and blue for large hits toward the Special Attack.

  Reward: Defeats Riot (progress toward Grendel/Hybrid)

• Phage Symbiote Battle mode · Hard

  Minor-boss battle with two states: run the rotating left-ramp combo for large hits, then shoot the lit Bell Tower to enter State 2's 3-shot damage burst.

  Reward: Defeats Phage; strong Flame Thrower mode

• Scream (Video Mode) mode · Medium

  Qualify at 20 Infected defeated (then every +20) and start at the scoop; use the flipper buttons to stop Infected reaching Scream from both sides.

  Reward: ~10M start + 10M all-clear bonus (web-combo affected) + XP

• Rampage mode · Hard

  Defeat three Doppelgangers to light Rampage at the center ramp: a timed one-ball mode that builds value on blue shots then cashes it on the Doppelganger.

  Reward: Strong Rampage worth 300M+

• Bell Tower Playfield Multiplier (up to 7X) multiplier · Medium

  The multiplier substrate for everything: loop the center ramp to light the Bell Tower target, then hit it for +1X playfield up to 7X.

  Reward: Up to 7X playfield multiplier (timed)

• Bonus Multiplier Build multiplier · Easy

  Raise the end-of-ball Bonus Multiplier by completing the top lanes and defeating Infected; skill shots add +2/+4 Bonus X.

  Reward: Higher end-of-ball bonus

• Toxin Team-Up (Mini-Wizard) wizard · Hard

  Qualify by playing Mayhem, playing Carnage, and defeating a Doppelganger; start at the scoop, then shoot each of 3 flashing jackpot shots twice to light the escalating Super Jackpot 2-ball multiball.

  Reward: Escalating Super Jackpots; first Super adds a 2nd ball (2-ball MB)

• Klyntar Multiball (Final Wizard) wizard · Hard

  Only in a game where you've defeated Knull: complete all 8 objectives, then shoot the center ramp to start a timed 2-ball, ball-save-on multiball across four 4-level hurry-up shots.

  Reward: Final wizard mode; 16 total hurry-up shots plus a time bonus

• Tournament Opener: Eddie Ladder strategy · Easy

  The safe and efficient early line is the same line: Eddie's spot-a-mini-mode skill shot, clear his mini-modes, feed the center ramp for the Bell Tower, and lock balls.

  Reward: Fast, forgiving path to Mayhem and playfield X groundwork

• Build 6-Ball Mayhem strategy · Medium

  The core high-score move: after the 2nd lock, hold the action button to cancel the auto-start and keep locking toward a 6-ball Mayhem.

  Reward: 6-ball Mayhem (highest jackpot potential); right-3 lock = +1X playfield

• The Full Stack (Billion-Point Layer) strategy · Hard

  Layer 7X playfield, 6-ball Mayhem, stacked Carnage, and a Host Hurry-Up together so the biggest values all multiply at once.

  Reward: Overlapping hurry-up + multiballs + 7X = billion-point games

• Blood Lust mode · Hard

  The next rung of the Carnage captive-ball ladder: keep driving Carnage back after his multiball to qualify Blood Lust, start it at the lit center ramp, build value on the lit shots, then land the finishing bash on the captive ball.

  Reward: Large mode payout and one of the eight objectives needed for Klyntar

• Knull Battle mode · Hard

  The final boss before Klyntar: clear the lesser symbiote battles and push your level high enough to qualify Knull, start him at the center ramp, and stack damage on shots lit in both colors while feeding the Bell Tower for time.

  Reward: Defeats Knull, the gate to Klyntar Multiball