Zen Studios Smuggles Solo: A Star Wars Story Content Into Pinball FX3 This September

[Cloda]

Thanks for the tips Cloda
I haven't played the table much yet so your hints are very welcome.

Great! Hope they help and let me know if there is anything to change / add to.

I expanded it a bit and it now has its own thread if you want to take a look.

[MuddyWolf_Beta]

Thanks for the tips Cloda
I haven't played the table much yet so your hints are very welcome.

[Cloda]

Kudos for Solo table and a bit of a strategy guide

Edit: I have expanded the strategy guide and it now has its own thread.

I have played no form of Zen pinball properly for at least 3 years and none since last year. With Williams tables announcement and the shocking realization I can play it on my Mac, I decided to check out the Mac version, and it works like a bomb! Under the Zen Pinball 2 (Mac) forum I wrote a post about key features missing in this version (which Zen has sadly not responded to yet ).

I also realised that Zen released all the new FX3 tables on Mac and have purchased a few. I like to play one table at a time until I master it before moving on the next. I feel it gives you the best chance to build the muscle memory required to hit your shots at will.

I'm playing Solo and don't know if it is because I haven't played in such a long time or if it is just a great table, but I'm enjoying it immensely. The table is difficult but rewards accuracy and systematic and strategic play and has the potential to deliver massive scores by just playing through all the modes and the wizard mode with well-planned jackpot increases and multipliers. I'm have reached scene 8 once but had to rush so fluffed it. I'm looking forward to completing the wizard mode and to score a billion plus score. This table invites you to do so much more than many of the others. Well done to Zoltan Vari for putting such a clever and engaging table together.

Here is a bit of a preliminary strategy guide to approaching the table. If I have time and have mastered the table better, I will put a more detailed one together. If my systematic approach to playing interests you and for some other strategy guides for older tables where I use it to specifically reach and beat the wizard mode, follow my signature. Fantastic 4 has a somewhat similar approach to this one so look at that one first.

Magna save
- If you want to get anywhere on this table, you must first build your accuracy and muscle memory for the two main lanes so you can hit them rhythmically and activate the Magna save at will. This is your only recourse for saving balls going down the outlines as the table does not have kickbacks.
- You can stack up to three Magna saves, so activate at least two before you play the scenes. The only scene which I will attempt while building up the second Magna save is Scene 6 - A proper ship, as it will activate along the way and you can try to complete it with minimal risk.
- As soon as you lose one of the Magna saves in normal play, focus on activating it again.
- If you are in the middle of a scene, don't abandon the scene if you lose one of the Magna saves. If you lose the second one, cradle the ball and let the timer run out or if it is already possible, work at activating the Magna saves again until you have two again.

Suggested first scene
- Once you have at least two magna saves, I would start with Scene 5 - Conveyex Robbery (unless you activate another scene on the way). It is easy and once you complete it and defeat the Enfys Nest Marauders, an extra ball is available. This is the easiest extra ball to achieve for me at this stage. I'm still trying to get the right combination sequence to light the combo extra ball.

If you are not used to this approach to playing, this might seem tedious, but trust me, if you ever want to score big and complete wizard modes, this is the typical mindset you need to adopt.

[cantankerous--]

Although I had lots of fun with it, I agree that the left outlane could probably use a nerf with the classic mode in mind
Strange that you have less problems with bang backs from the left than from the right though. For me, it really is the exact opposite.

I’m still enjoying the table. With the missions beaten, I’m now searching for the best way to score.

Thanks for the hard work & the reply

That left outlane is horrible and seemingly a ball magnet, couple that with the fact the kickback is hard to start makes that table way more frustrating than necessary.

[DepecheM101]

Thanks Zen for finally making the achievements more of a challenge on this set of tables. I hope you keep it this way with new tables i.e. The Williams collection.

[SiggR22]

PS4
The Star Wars Solo trial tables are not working anymore, as they did previously. With the arrival of Williams "comin soon" tables, the Solo trial tables went back to "comin soon" status as well. Makes me wonder if anyone actually considers buying them when their trial version isn't even working. Hopefully their status is reverted when the Williams tables arrive.

[MuddyWolf_Beta]

Although I had lots of fun with it, I agree that the left outlane could probably use a nerf with the classic mode in mind
Strange that you have less problems with bang backs from the left than from the right though. For me, it really is the exact opposite.

I’m still enjoying the table. With the missions beaten, I’m now searching for the best way to score.

Thanks for the hard work & the reply

[Croftanator]

Thanks for the mini 'review' and glad you seemed to enjoy the table It was also nice to watch a video of the table where someone actually uses a bit of skill from time to time

Yeah, the Smuggle Run Multiball can be started any time apart from during the Skill Shot.

I actually found bang backs were easier to do from the left outlane - so it's not really something which was intentionally designed. Several people have complained the left outlane in particular is too harsh, so it's something we may tweak, as again, it wasn't supposed to be quite so unforgiving.

[MuddyWolf_Beta]

Because it had a wizard mode achievement, I started out with Lando’s table. I’ve beaten it twice now and I like it quite a bit. The gameplay can get pretty hectic at times, mostly because of all those pop-up targets. I also (and always) appreciate the fact that the missions are easy and fast to start up.

The table is more ambitious than Jurassic World but less so than Aliens. Of course I haven’t seen everything the table’s got to offer yet but so far, I haven’t come across any FX essential for gameplay that wouldn’t be possible to recreate on a real life table. (Typical for a Crofts design.) I haven’t worked on strategies yet but I like the fact that you can use multi ball during (all?) the missions. I do feel he could have done more with the cross ramp. It’s somewhat underused. And the wizard mode celebration is a bit of an anti- climax. Especially after all the fireworks on Adventure Land.

The left outlane definitely bumps up the difficulty level. It wouldn’t be out of place on a real life table either. I tried backhanding the pop-up targets with my left flipper up, even after the shot, to try to keep the ball away from the left corner but it ain’t easy. Wall nudging is hard too.

Which forced me to come up with a very strange strategy for beating the table. I haven’t played the classic mode yet but I used the Rewind wizard power in normal single player basically as a left kick back.

I also found that bang backs from the right outlane are remarkable easy, especially compared to bang backs from the left, which are almost impossible. Crofts can always step in to correct me, but I really think this is intentional. So I basically ended up ignoring the ‘normal’ kick backs altogether

I’m really burned out on the Star Wars theme too but it’s still a fun table for me.
So cheers Crofts!

btw
I recorded my second playthrough. It’s quite chaotic and I’m not very good at the table yet but maybe it can help some players having difficulty with the achievement…Good luck!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q6EbA0ey5s&t=17s

[Sgt_Tenor]

Tried out the SOLO pack and have to admit, these are pretty good.

The Solo table is very interesting and can lead to pretty high scores IMO especially with the Multi-ball that you have to start by capturing it then hit the captured ball. Modes are easy to start once you get used to the shot to light the letters and then do the mode. I really like this table because of the moving targets that requires timing and accuracy. All modes require hitting lanes and ramps that lit in random order. Appreciate this table as it felt better than the last SW pack.

Calrissian table I like too. Scenes start by shooting the sinkhole 3 times. You can pick which ones to start. Another table that I think requires accurate shots which I love. Seems harder than solo but I still haven't got the feel for the table yet.

The last table - Battle for ???? Is ok. This is a table I have had less time with. I thought I'd like it better than the above 2 but didn't. It reminded me too much of Jurassic Park Pinball Mayhem. I think you shoot the blue-lit lanes several times and go into the sinkhole just below the bumpers when it appears. There are several modes started this way but couldn't pinpoint what each does.

Overall great table pack and a bit better than the last SW pack IMO.

[bosstime]

the lando table is unplayable due to that left outlane.

[cantankerous--]

Awesome. Sorry if it sounded like I was getting frustrated. It's cause I was. lol

[duckscott]

Got it working now thanks.

[cantankerous--]

Dude, just go back to the store. The file will be there. No one from Zen will be here till tomorrow morning.

I have experienced this same issue in the past.

[duckscott]

Can someone from zen help me?
I purchased the table pack, same as always. My paypal account was charged, and I got the confirmation email from Sony Playstation.
The 1.1 MB add-on was downloaded and installed. However, there was no second (demo) file like there usually is.
When I go to play the table in the main screen, there are bouncy arrows next to the table icons, indicating that the tables need to be downloaded. But, when I push X to proceed, I can not download anything.
I don't see any active downloads, and nothing that I can see to reinstall the files.
I have restarted the PS4 3 times.
Please help.
Thanks