Your description of the left loop to bumpers is correct. More important to me is that it’s safe and easy to repeat.

It is true that Theater of Magic is less of a one-hit wonder than some of the other games listed, but I primarily meant this as a guide for certain games where an extremely simple strategy can pay dividends. After playing the two “easy” multiballs from the center ramp, I feel there is no strategy that pays better risk-free points than left looping.

Does the left loop count as combo shot if the ball takes its time in the bumpers, or only when you shoot it past the rollovers to the back ramp? I always do a live catch when the ball exits the bumper area, and then shoot again for the left loop, but have never gotten a combo out of this.

Shooting the Trunk sure is risky, though every illusion you start is worth 4 million in bonus. I don’t think its worth
it, however, each right loop shot gives you one million bonus – twice as much as the left orbit, if we discount Theatre Hurry-Up and the possibility of the combos. And if the ball ends up on the left flipper, a post pass to line up left loop shot has its risks. You will also get two millions per Magicianship, so getting multiball and Midnight Madness also contribute a few points for the bonus.

Tiger saw shot may be a bit risky, however, if the first Vanish-lock is at 3 hits, and the mode can potentially be lucrative, it seems worth it as well, at least for the first time.

Also, there are several other workable strategies. In a qualifying system where only the top few scores count, the best strategy (in my opinion) is the 2-Way Combo strategy of shooting the left loop, then shooting the side loop as many times as possible. The combo is 10 million the first time, then 13, 16, 19… There is no upper limit and the combo value carries over throughout the game. Also, once 20 left loops has been achieved (again, this carries over) “Super Loops” begins which adds another 20 million per left loop shot. I have used this strategy to get 2.6 billion on Shadow with no extra balls, on a competition-difficulty machine.

And there are plenty of other choices, including playing the multiballs, playing Battlefield (this seems to be the strategy of choice for European players), and playing for the modes and the potential billion-scoring Final Battle. When Shadow first came out, I would have agreed with you that Vengeance is the way to go, but there are safer, more points-efficient strategies. Still, one thing that makes Shadow interesting in competition is this variety of choice, and players in the same match will make different choices that can all pay off.

See the earlier article on AFM; I don’t disagree with you that much. RFM is a little more one-sided, because its multiball only requires the one shot while the increasing jackpots can pay as much as they do on AFM — at least on AFM you must make the tricky right ramp to proceed.

If you’re putting RFM in this category, then AFM belongs there too. AFM jackpots aren’t as easy to collect, but you’re never more than 6 shots away from multiball.