Psycho Pinball - Minigames

Minigames

One of the main features of the game are the minigames on each table. They range from simple panel games to full arcade sequences, all activated by hitting certain triggers, and then sending the ball to a particular location on the table. Panel games include Blackjack in the Wild West table, Spook Shoot (the player has to hit 20 ghosts which appear in three positions, corresponding to the three joypad buttons, or two flippers and a tilt on the PC) on Trick or Treat, Cup Confusion on Psycho (a shell game to find the letter P under one of three moving cups), or Fast Fishing (pressing the C button when fishes pass by the hook) in The Abyss.

The arcade minigames are much more elaborate and require more effort. The player is in direct control of Psycho, an armadillo, and must reach the bonus plaque.

• Runaway Train (in Wild West): Psycho is in the end of a hijacked train, and has to reach the locomotive, dodging through signs, water tanks, gunmen and tunnels. If Psycho falls, is climbing a ladder when trapped at the left side of the screen or gets hit by an obstacle or a bullet, no bonus is awarded.
• Moonsquares (in Psycho): Psycho must travel from one rocket to another using disappearing platforms. There is a 5x5 grid composed of platforms that disappear. If Psycho falls, the bonus is progressively reduced until it boots Psycho back to the pinball table.
• Whale's Belly (in The Abyss): Psycho is trapped inside a whale, along with three buoys and an endless supply of crabs. Psycho must capture the crabs and throw them into the whales' ulcers, which eventually pop up and fill her stomach with water, allowing Psycho to reach higher. Psycho dies if he takes too much time (which makes the whale burp) or falls into the water.

The Trick or Treat table does not have such an arcade minigame, although early magazine previews show a minigame with brooms that never made into the final game.

Both can be disabled in the options, giving each time the mini games would be activated the full bonus.

None of these arcade minigames exist in the PC version; these three games are replaced by different ones (activated in a practically identical manner), played on the panel.

• Dodge The Express (Wild West): Psycho must avoid a series of oncoming trains.
• Strong Arm (Psycho): A button masher event to arm wrestle against a circus strongman.
• Blubber Belly (The Abyss): stop a selector for one of five game features (extra balls, instant activation of modes, etc.).

It also adds Big Deal, a higher-or-lower card game, to the casino in the Wild West (alternating with Blackjack).