Blainbrook · Blaine, MN · 712 games · first seen Sep 1, 2021 · last seen Oct 28, 2026
Strategy notes, tutorial videos, and outside resources.
Hot Tip (EM) pinball machine has 712 recorded tournament games in Blaine, MN. A game runs about 11m, the median of 707 timed games, so budget for that in a round with a clock on it. The better-ranked player loses here 57% of the time, which puts it at 35/100 for difficulty. That is a low-variance machine: scores hold up and the stronger player usually wins, so it rewards the favorite.
Completing the hot tip drop target letters around the center pop bumper lights the left spinner.
Never shoot for the captive ball -- it'll hurt you. Either shatz the right inlane or shoot towards drop targets when ball is on left flipper
Captive ball gives 2 bonus advances and is an easy return… you’d be nuts to NOT shoot it in this bonus heavy game, especially if you have double bonus.
Center hole at top of playfield cycles with the two slings on it's left and right. Time your nudging to go for double bonus.
plunge for the center saucer
Nudge ball off the pop bumper repeatedly into drops to get extra targets down.
