Tesla Tips (PS3)

[caper_26]

Hi guys. I have been rocking Tesla since ZP-1. It has changed completely with the re-release. Here are some tips for playing on ZP2. Not sure if it differs from xbox or not.

Kickback: Right kickback only. Use the in/outlanes to spell F-U-S-E.

Ball Save: In this release, the spinner has been fixed. 9/10 times if you hit it, it will exceed level 25, enabling the ball save. Keep the ball save on at all times because you WILL lose the ball often on this table. Ball save also comes on for "bunch of dollars hurry up" and re-activates once completed. It also comes on for one of the multi-ball missions.

Extra Balls: Do 12 experiments (note the hour-hand on the large clock), or do 5 "aimed-shots". EDIT: Originally I had 2 extras per ball (as in ZP1) but now it is 5 per game I think...

Upper flipper: There are 2 areas you can hit opposite the left upper flipper.
1 - The upkicker, which knocks the ball onto the upper playfield where there are drop down targets and magnet 'flippers'. Use the flippers to activate the magnets. Note that there is a brief "re-charge" time where they are inactive.
2 - The Coil Ramp. 3 hits of the coil ramp at any point will activate the Magna-Save. Magna save is activated by the X button

Aimed Shot and Bunch of Dollars are on the rule sheet.

Danger Areas: The biggest danger area on this table is the left out-lane. Sometimes you can nudge the ball across the bottom of the outlane because there is a swinging 'door' there which leads back to the flippers. Biggest advice: keep your ball save on at all times, AND activate the magna-save as a back up. When trying to hit the up-kicker or Coil ramp, many times your timing will be off and the ball will not make it all the way, and roll back out of that area RIGHT INTO THE LEFT OUTLANE.

Useful Notes:
This table is very fast (The ball moves very quickly most of the time).
Use the right orbit and time an upper flipper shot to hit Coil ramp and upkicker.
Hit the left steam ramp with a left-exit (they toggle back and forth) which drops the ball nicely on the upper flipper for a slower timed shot.
Bumpers increase ball out multiplier. Must be hit several times IN A ROW to increase.

Upper Playfield (Magnetic Area): use the flippers to activate left/right magnets near the drop targets. Wait for the ball to be around the center of the fielf before activating. Once they are all down, you can use the right magnet to get the ball up the ramp on the right side, which will change the experiment (noted by the large pointer in the center of the table above the flippers). Send the ball down the left ramp to activate the current selected experiement.
BIG TIP: The 3rd experiment...

Best of luck and quick flippers...
~caper_26

[surf1der]

I love this table. Fast and difficult. Just having trouble starting missions. That damn upkicker. The coil ramp is not that bad. I can rarely hit either the upkicker or the coil ramp from the dynamo. I can't seem to get the timing down. But I can get great shots on the coil ramp via the left ramp.

I love tables with magnets and magna saves. Tesla and Fear Itself are my favorites.

Edit: Found an easy way to hit the upkicker. Just make a strong right orbit shot with the left flipper and hold down the upper left flipper. It hits the kicker perfectly. I don't remember if this possible with ZP1 version.

[shogun00]

Edit: Found an easy way to hit the upkicker. Just make a strong right orbit shot with the left flipper and hold down the upper left flipper. It hits the kicker perfectly. I don't remember if this possible with ZP1 version.

On Zen Pinball 1, you had to hit the side of the orbit to slow down the ball a little, so it won't off shot the kicker.

[M1N0RA]

In ZP2 Tesla is actually ridiculously easy, to the point where losing balls has becomes almost impossible.

- The spinner gives you ball save 95% of the times now.
- Bangbacks are almost guaranteed with the nudge mechanics.
- Once you get comfortable with the new angle for the Tesla coil, activating the magna save gives you extra insurance (plus 3/4 ramp in the Tesla coil isn't punished by a left outlane anymore).

If it wasn't for the slow scoring on the table and the dull feeling you get after a while, the scores on this table would be astronomical.

[caper_26]

Update:

Tip for hitting upkicker: (noted by someone other than me): Catch ball on left flipper. Hit a clean right orbit with lots of speed, and hold left flipper.

Tip if it rolls back out: If the ball does not enter upkicker and rolls back out onto the table. chances are it will hit the top of the left slingshot, and end up in the left outlane. When the ball is going to hit the top of the slingshot, nudge table up at the same time.

Slow and steady... going for the all time record... >300M to go...

A big tip is knowing when you are vulnerable, ie, post mission(experiment). Don't forget to activate the ball saver. I have been bit by this once or twice!

[Trollwart]

Just getting back into this table...good tips, Caper. Gonna keep experiment 3 in mind instead of wanting to kick my screen in trying to complete experiment 1. I recall using the holding of left flipper after an orbit to get to the upkicker being much more successful on ZP1, in fact I haven't gotten it to work yet on 2.

[shogun00]

I recall using the holding of left flipper after an orbit to get to the upkicker being much more successful on ZP1, in fact I haven't gotten it to work yet on 2.

It needs to be a hard hit for it to work in ZP2.

[caper_26]

Yeah, it is quite the opposite of ZP1 vs ZP2, where in ZP1 you needed to hit the orbit indirectly (off a post, target, or slingshot before entering) to slow the ball down enough so after the orbit and bounce off the upper left flipper, it didn't try to go up the coil ramp. Now the orbit is a lot slower, and you need to hit it very cleanly and hard as possible.

Another danger area I forgot to mention is the right post of the right ramp. If you try to hit the orbit and shoot too early, you may hit this post and cause a rebound SDTM.

[maink]

im having the same problems , hitting the ball into the experiments , i shoot the ball into the spinners , but when it comes down it never goes into the experiments

[HaloJ]

You say they fixed the spinner in ZP2? I personally feel that they broke it as it's just far too easy to activate the ball save. Good write up overall though.

The x2 multiplier can be activated from the off by hitting the skill shot. Subsequent multipliers you have to get at least 100,000 on the bumbers for it to increase. Hitting 200,000 won't increase it twice though, just one increase per attempt.

Abs

[opelgt1969]

im having the same problems , hitting the ball into the experiments , i shoot the ball into the spinners , but when it comes down it never goes into the experiments

I use the flippers to "pull" the ball to the left so it will go into the experiments (after it goes up top), on a side note is their a way to change which experiment you get or is it random until you complete one?

[maink]

no i mean i can't even get it into the magnetic thingy using the uper left flipper next to the cannon

[caper_26]

on a side note is their a way to change which experiment you get or is it random until you complete one?

When you get up to the upper playfield (magnetic area), and knock down all the targets, get the ball up the ramp to the right (not to the left which will start an experiment). When theball is returned you will see the large 'needle' or 'arm' in the center of the table pointing to a new experiment.

no i mean i can't even get it into the magnetic thingy using the uper left flipper next to the cannon

Hold the ball with left flipper. Make a clean shot into the right orbit (not spinners???), and continue holding the left flipper until ball comes around and bounces off it. If you do it right, it will work.

[maink]

whoa that work perfectly ! yea i was shooting into the spinners ball save and when it came down i tried it in , but that didn't work too well

[caper_26]

that way is possible too, but you have to wait for the ball to come down the flipper a little. Before it it releases, hit the flipper a few times and you can see where the tip is to get ready for the shot.