No wizardry, just practice
Microsoft 3D Pinball: Space Cadet Description Players accept a mission by hitting 'mission targets' which select which mission they will take, and by going up the 'launch ramp'. Each mission has a set number of things for players to do, such as hitting the 'attack bumpers' (which were a set of four bumpers at the top of the table) eight times. However, 3D Pinball Space Cadet was a customized version of a commercial release by the old gaming company Maxxis, and the executable files are still available online. Pinball is an excellent pinball game from Maxis, a company best known for Sim games. The game will be familiar to anyone who has the Microsoft's Plus! Windows 95 companion pack, since one of the tables - Space Cadet - was included there as a bonus. Pinball is a pinball video game developed by Cinematronics and published by Maxis in 1995. It features pre-rendered 3D graphics and three tables—Space Cadet, Skulduggery, and Dragon's Keep.On each table, there are displays on the side that show the players' score, ball number, player number, a display for various information and a table-specific image.
Microsoft shipped Maxis and Cinematronix's 3D Pinball - Space Cadet with the Windows 95 Plus! Pack, and with every subsequent Windows version. While there are plenty of Web sites out there that offer cheats for the game, I haven't found any that discuss playing strategy. After playing a particularly good game, I decided to create such a page based on my experience.
The building blocks of a high-scoring strategy are several shots you must master. (I assume the reader is familiar with the table and its components; if you're not, consult the game's help.)
The Three Shots to Master
#1: Launch Ramp Shot
Send the ball up Launch Ramp from the middle of the right flipper. Aside from its obvious uses, this is also a safe way to transfer the ball from the right flipper to the left (a nice setup for a Hyperspace Chute shot).
#2: Hyperspace Chute Shot
Send the ball up the Hyperspace Chute from the middle of the left flipper. With practice, you'll be able to do this as a reflex shot, putting the ball up the hyperspace chute several times in a row.
#3: Left Medal Target Shot
The key to a high-scoring game is the ability to hit the medal targets consistently. The left medal target is the hardest of the three to hit, so practice this shot. Flip the ball off the right flipper near the flipper's midpoint, a little above where you launch a Launch Ramp shot.
Two Other Useful Shots
#4: Yellow Wormhole Shot
Useful for getting replays. Flip the ball off the left flipper as it reaches the flipper's tip.
#5: Fuel Chute Shot
Extends the time available to complete a mission, and gives you a chance of putting the ball into the green wormhole. Flip the ball off the right flipper near the flipper's tip.
Strategy
Get multiple extra balls from the medal targets. The secret to a high-scoring game is the ability to consistently drop all three medal targets within a short time, lighting the purple medal light and earning an extra ball. While that light is lit, each time you drop all three medal targets you're awarded another extra ball. If you can drop these targets consistently, you can rack up several extra balls in short order. Whenever you notice the red medal light is on (or even the blue medal light, if you're good at hitting the medal targets), start shooting for the medal targets. Practice the left medal target shot and hitting the medal targets in general.
Play defensively. Try to always play from a position which minimizes the chance of ball drain and the penalty thereof: get a replay, raise the center post, and light the extra ball lights in the out lanes. Use the yellow wormhole shot to get a replay as soon as you can. Use the hyperspace chute shot to light four hyperspace lights, which raises the center post and lights the extra ball light in the out lanes. (Of course, you want to pass a ball through an out lane only when the lane's triangular yellow kicker light is lit.)
Always keep lit three or four (but not five) hyperspace lights. The third (center post) and fourth (extra ball) lights improve play, but the fifth (gravity) works against you by screwing with the ball's path. When you've lit three or four lights, whichever you prefer, avoid the hyperspace chute until your chosen light goes out, then send the ball up the hyperspace shoot to relight it. Alternative strategy: If you've mastered the hyperspace chute shot, light the fifth hyperspace light, then continue putting the ball up the hyperspace chute with reflex shots until you've once again lit four hyperspace lights. This difficult strategy is worth mastering, as it simultaneously keeps the center post raised and the out lanes' extra ball lights lit.
Go for replays. A replay is better than an extra ball, so prefer a replay. If you've mastered the yellow wormhole shot, you should be able get replays consistently. Put the ball into the yellow wormhole when the light above that wormhole is lit.
Don't waste time on unprofitable missions. Some missions don't pay off as well or are harder than others (e.g., the Secret mission). If you're on an unprofitable mission, abort it by letting the fuel run out, then try for a better one.
General Tips
When the ball lands in the black hole kickout while both the right medal target and bottom booster target are down, the ball usually drains when it's kicked out. To avoid this, flip the right flipper as the ejected ball hits the booster target bank. If you time it right, the tip of the flipper will deflect the ball from draining.
Don't be afraid to let the ball bounce off your flipper. This often bounces the ball to the other flipper.
The Payoff
Practice and someday you'll see something like this:
(Unretouched, after ending a two-hour-plus game with the rank of Fleet Admiral.)
A Final Thought
The best game is one you can walk away from at any moment.
Game Notes
In the original release of Space Cadet Pinball, the included help was two files: an image of the table, and a Word document describing the table and game play. Somewhere between Windows 95 & Windows 2000 Microsoft integrated help into the program. Unfortunately, the integrated help contains less information than the original standalone file. For example, the details of the different missions have disappeared. If you want the full scoop, Google 'pinball.doc maelstrom'.
The cheats can be useful if you want to practice particular shots or completing particular missions.
There's a known bug in Space Cadet Pinball that you can use to your advantage. When you go up in rank, all the progress lights will flash for a few moments, then reset. The bug: if the ball drains or you start a new mission while all the progress lights are on, the next level begins with all progress lights on. After completing another mission you'll progress immediately to the next rank. If your timing is perfect (and you have a lot of luck), you could in theory attain the highest rank after only eleven missions (three to attain the second rank, and one per rank thereafter). This suggests a counterintuitive challenge: attaining the highest rank with the lowest possible score. Any extreme Space Cadet wizards out there?
Last updated 11 August 2005
http://www.rdrop.com/~half/General/GameTips/space.cadet.html
All contents ©2005 Mark L. Irons
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- Space Cadet 3D Pinball
Description of Space Cadet 3D Pinball
Here is the video game “Space Cadet 3D Pinball”! Released in 1995 on Windows, it's still available and playable with some tinkering. It's an action game, set in a pinball theme.
Space Cadet was included in Microsoft Plus!, an add-on for Microsoft Windows 95. Space Cadet is one of the tables of Fill Tilt! Pinball. It is well known as it was included by default in Windows NT 4.0, ME, 2000 and XP.
External links
Comments and reviews
Headket2021-05-150 point
I remember about my old Windows XP PC, thanks brother
V2021-05-100 point
Thank you, I really like this game.
VIERRASTARR2021-04-120 point
Loved this countless hours playing as a kid with my brothers and parents
ThijsL2022021-04-091 point
Fun game, I always played this at school against my friends on our WinXP pc's
JRS2021-01-140 point
Works like a charm and is still fun!
Bushwowoww u2020-09-150 point
Ooooooo dos box!
Lbugs2020-08-130 point
I took turns with my brothers playing this game for years
Hassan Rasheed2020-05-211 point
I wasn't there when the game released, But its very good game!
N3RD2020-05-131 point
I never got into this stuff because I wasn't around then, but god I love Pinball!!
Durukan2020-04-131 point
My god..
MIC2020-03-25-1 point
This is a great game. Play it with your best friend or your husband, you'll have a blast!!
BIG TREV2020-02-031 point
Used to love this
Tux2019-12-131 point
I loved this game to pieces. I still do.
Alejandro2019-10-109 points
A lot of memories with this game, I remember my dad playing this in our first PC, with Windows XP! So happy to find out this game again, miss u dad!!
josh47 402019-06-153 points
its ok but the picture show the full tilt pinball space cadet so next time use the proper pics
Loading...2018-10-24-5 points
yall know they got this on play store it's called xp pinball
JUDVS2018-07-191 point
♥
lost in the past.2018-07-1711 points
This was the shit back in my day. Who else?
Isiel2018-06-294 points
What the hell happened to windows pinball games?
drew2018-05-112 points
Space Pinball Online
heck ya i use to play this on my old winxp laptop
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