Halloween Pinball: how to play

Halloween Pinball is a free Halloween pinball game online, hosted by Bolt, a gentle green giant who makes little sparks. Flip the ball round five friendly night tables, from the Pumpkin Patch to the Star Castle: smiling pumpkin bumpers that light up like lanterns, wrapped-candy targets, the B-O-L-T moon lanes, a moon hole that locks a ball and a starry castle ramp. Score enough to open the exit, then hit the big pumpkin's glowing smile to go on to the next table.

How to play

• To play this Halloween pinball game online, flip with ← and → (or Z and /, A and D, or the Shift keys). On a phone, tap or hold the left or right half of the screen. With a mouse, click the left or right half; the right button also flips the right flipper.
• While the ball waits in the lane on the right, hold ↓, S, Enter, Space or a finger to pull the plunger, and let go to launch. The longer you hold, the harder it shoots. If you wait, it launches by itself after 4 seconds.
• Nudge the table with Space, ↑ or W, or a quick swipe up, to bump the ball. Nudge too often and the table TILTs: the flippers and bumpers switch off until the ball drains, and that ball is lost.
• Each level has a score target (6,000 on the first table). Reach it and the EXIT opens: hit the big pumpkin's glowing smile in the middle to clear the level. The next table loads and your ball waits in the launch lane.
• A ball that drains between the flippers costs one of your three balls. For the first 6 seconds after a new ball is launched, a drained ball is given back once (BALL SAVE).
• Hits in quick succession build a combo, up to ×10, and every point is multiplied by it. Pumpkin bumpers score 100 (the glowing one 200), rolling over the B-O-L-T moons 100 each (all four light the jackpot), the pumpkin's smile 250 and a lit jackpot 3,000. Three stars per level: clear it, clear it without losing a ball, and clear it under the target time.

The five levels

1. Pumpkin Patch: three pumpkin bumpers and two slingshots: keep the ball up
2. Candy Lane: a row of five wrapped-candy targets: knock them all down for a bonus
3. Owl Woods: a star ramp: shoot it hard and the ball rides round to your flipper
4. Moon Hill: the moon hole: lock one ball, lock again for 2-ball multiball
5. Star Castle: a sliding pumpkin, plus candy targets, the ramp and the moon hole together

Clear the Star Castle and the five tables loop again with a heavier, faster ball and score targets half as high again, but every hit is worth double. You have three hearts for the whole run, and the game is the same for everyone each day, so you can compare scores. Press M to turn the sound off or on.

Tips

• Aim with timing: let the ball roll down the flipper and flip a little earlier or later to send it somewhere else.
• Hold a flipper up to catch the ball, then let it roll and flip again when you're ready to aim.
• Once the exit is open, aim straight up the middle for the pumpkin's smile.
• Nudge once when the ball heads for the gap between the flippers, but not twice in a row. Bolt tells you the trick for each table.

Questions

Is Halloween Pinball free?

Yes. Halloween Pinball is free online in your browser, with no download and no sign-up.

Can I play it on my phone?

Yes. Tap the left or right half of the screen to flip, hold to launch the ball and swipe up to nudge. On an upright phone the table fills the screen with Bolt at the top. It also works on tablets and computers.

How do I get to the next table?

Score the level's target to open the exit, then hit the big pumpkin's glowing smile in the middle of the table. The next table loads and your ball waits in the launch lane.

Is it scary?

No. It is friendly Halloween fun: smiling pumpkins, wrapped candy, a little owl, a big moon and Bolt, a gentle green giant who cheers you on.