Cirqus Voltaire

> "I am the Ringmaster. Do your worst!"
>
> - Ringmaster

### Wizard mode type

Final multi-stage mission (2 multiball stages and 1 add-a-ball stage) and victory multiball

### Number of multiball modes

8 (4 mandatory, 2 semi-mandatory and 2 optional

***Cirqus Voltaire*** is one of three Williams pinball tables released in the fifth wave of Zen Studios' Williams pinball collection, available in *Pinball FX 3*, the macOS version of *Zen Pinball 2* and the *Williams Pinball* mobile app.  It is a table themed after a bizarre freak show circus and the efforts of a passerby to join it through accomplishing its famous feats.

## Table overview

### The backglass

There is a special mini-playfield inside the backglass, accessed during a particular side mode. A orange-yellow toy cannonball is placed in a launcher that activates with the press of either flipper button, launching it up a right-curving arc towards a bumper that knocks the ball into one rollover, leading to an inert spindisk that the ball will spin as it rolls its way back down into the launcher. The launcher's pathway is shaped into a curved lightning bolt that is part of the backglass image.

### The upper half of the table

The table's scoring display is installed on the back wall of the table, as opposed to being on the bottom of the backglass. A large one-way orbit wraps around most of the table lanes, passing behind the scoring display. There is also a hidden ball locker at the apex of this orbit. While it is possible to traverse the entire orbit through either side, diverter gate mechanisms can force the ball into the hidden ball locker at its apex, divert the left orbit to another ball locker or divert the right orbit up a ramp that curves left and heads towards the left inlane.

A spinner gates the entrance to the left orbit. A diverter mechanism at the back left corner of the table can divert the ball to a ball locker consisting of three magnetic saucers used for Juggler Multiball. To the right of the left orbit entrance is a left-curving ramp leading up to a circular platform at the top of the back right corner of the table, before making a nearly 90-degree turn down a wavy exit ramp ending at the right inlane. However, the circular platform has a magnet that can catch the ball and divert it down a habitrail into a ball locker underneath the rising entrance of the left ramp. This habitrail can also be accessed in other ways. The two front corners of the left ramp entrance also are target posts used to light locks.

Underneath the abovementioned short high-wire habitrail, and right beside the left ramp, is a miniloop that wraps around a circular area with a target bank spelling WOW in its back area. This circular area is a magnetic trap and a platform that rises to reveal a toy head of a mischievous, green-faced Ringmaster that must be defeated. The two target posts situated between this area and the miniloop entrances are also used to activate the side show. Five diamond lamps indicate the number of hits inflicted on the Ringmaster, placed in front of this miniloop area. A spinner is installed in the right entrance of the miniloop.

The right orbit is directly to the right of the miniloop's right entrance. It can normally connect to the left orbit, or a diverter gate can divert it to a left-curving ramp that leads down a wavy habitrail running along the left table wall to the left inlane. However, weak shots up this diverter path can drop the ball into the ball locker underneath the left ramp entrance, or down the left end of the miniloop. To the right of the right orbit is an exit sinkhole where the ball can pop out from to return to play.

### The lower half of the table

On the left side of the table, to the left of the left orbit, are two targets representing the Cirqus' menagerie that can only be hit by manipulating and knocking a larger toy ball with the pinball. One of them is directly to the left or the left orbit, while the other one is near the left table wall. Above this toy is a transparent platform where a figure of the Ringmaster stands upon.

On the other side is a bumper area. Both targets also spell the first half of the word RING. There are three bumpers, but the leftmost one is hidden out of view unless a certain condition is fulfilled. The rightmost one is directly to the right of the right orbit, while the frontmost bumper is just behind the right inlane, with a target that spells the other half of the word RING.

There are two rebounds, four return lanes and two flippers. The boundary between inlane and outlane does not appear to be clear-cut like most pinball tables, with only a few pins separating the entry portions of the inlanes from that of the outlanes, leaving a gap. Toy models of cannons are placed on the table's aprons.

### The plunger

The plunger is a spring-loaded mechanism that launched the ball up a straight shaft with a diagonal turn and exit that sends the ball diagonally across the playfield. The goal of the skill shot is to guess the correct amount of plunger force that will cause the ball to strike a target at the right outer wall of the left ramp's entrance. The first skill shot is worth 200,000 points, and additional skill shots are worth 200,000 points more, up to the limit of 1 million.

## Goal & Marvels

The goal of this table is to join the eccentric Cirqus Voltaire by achieving nine Marvels through nine objectives. It is possible to work on multiple objectives at once, and objectives must be completed successfully to earn Marvels. At the start of each session, the player can choose from any of the six major colors of the rainbow to light up the neon lamp lining the right clear exit ramp, which is cosmetic and has no effect on gameplay. The following 9 objectives must be completed to unlock the wizard mode:

* **Ringmaster Frenzie**: The Cirqus has several mischievous Ringmasters that must be challenged and defeated to earn a place in it. Defeating the Ringmaster twice will start a 2-ball multiball mode, described in the Ringmaster Multiballs section. Once either ball is lost, the mission is completed successfully and a Marvel will be awarded.
* **Sideshow**: In addition to the main events held by the Cirqus, there are also smaller performances run by Sideshow Sam for more diverse entertainment. Simply earn a Sideshow award with one shot up the left orbit at the start of a session, or after the two Sideshow targets at the miniloop have been hit enough times for subsequent wizard mode runs, to achieve this Marvel. Along with starting one of five side modes, Sideshow can award "Big Points" (250k or 500k and a silly fanfare), light Spot Marvel, light a Lock for Highwire Multiball, or even award an extra ball. *(Sideshow awards will be described more in depth in Side Modes.)*
* **Highwire Multiball**: One of the Cirqus' most shocking performances, so to speak, is a deadly act where tightrope walkers who can walk on an electrified wire and live to tell the tale. Activate Highwire Multiball by locking three balls, by hitting both highwire lock targets at the front corners of the left ramp followed by a shot up the said ramp. Locks can be stacked the first time this multiball is activated in a session, and balls can be fast-locked by a Sneaky Lock caused by the ball dropping directly onto the highwire habitrail above the miniloop, mainly when the Ringmaster toy drops the ball into play in a random direction from the raised magnetic platform on his head. Once three balls are locked in this manner, they will released into play from the locker underneath the ramp and the player can shoot the orbits, or the left end of the miniloop for a jackpot worth 1 million points. After five jackpots have been collected, only a certain, cycling lit lane among the three can be shot to score further jackpots. This multiball continues until all but one ball is lost and the Marvel has been achieved.
* **Juggler Multiball**: Cirqus performers are also skilled in juggling. Start the Juggler multiball by shooting the left orbit three times to light the locks for Juggler Multiball, then three more to lock each ball in saucers at an area at the back left corner of the table. If Sideshow is lit, the ball will pass through the saucer area and not be locked there. After the third ball has been locked, this 3-ball multiball will begin where jackpots worth 500,000 can be earned at either orbit shot. Each jackpot scored temporarily locks one ball at the back of the table for 10 seconds. If another jackpot is scored during that timeframe, it becomes a double jackpot worth twice as usual. If another jackpot is scored within 10 seconds of scoring a double jackpot, it becomes a super jackpot worth 3x as usual. This mode will continue until all but one ball is lost, granting a Marvel.
* **Defeat All Ringmasters**: To join the Cirqus, four rogue Ringmasters must ultimately be defeated. Defeat all four Ringmasters to start a 2-ball multiball called the Ringmaster Special, described in the Ringmaster Multiballs section, and achieve this Marvel. If this wasn't the last Marvel earned, this will also unlock the Ringmaster Battle side mode.
* **Acrobats**: High-flying acrobats are among the various performers of the eccentric Cirqus. Shoot the right orbit 4 times (with each shot worth 24,110 points) to prepare the acrobats and activate Super Spins, where spinner shots award 10,000 points per spin for the rest of the ball. When Super Spins is activated, a Marvel will be awarded.
* **The Menagerie**: The Cirqus has an exquisite collection of animals that have been trained to entertain audiences. Hit either of the Menagerie targets on the left side of the table a total of five times by manipulating a larger toy ball to collect this Marvel.
* **Boom!**: Dangerous explosives are an integral part of the Cirqus' entertaining acts. Spell VOLT by dropping the ball into both inlanes as well as shooting the red rollover targets marked "VOLTS" in front of the miniloop and Ringmaster target. This will raise the usually hidden leftmost bumper for 12 seconds, granting a Marvel. While the leftmost bumper is raised, it is initially worth 100,000 points per hit, and 15 hits to this bumper in total throughout the game will light an extra ball. While the bumper is lowered, hits to other bumpers increase the score for hitting the hidden bumper by 5,000 points. For subsequent activations of the extra Boom Bumper, the number of times needed to spell VOLT will increase up to 3.
* **Spin**: The Cirqus specializes in acts that require precision - after all, even the most experienced acrobat needs some control. Shoot either end of the miniloop twice in succession at any point in the game, with only a few seconds allowed in between shots to spell SPIN. Once SPIN is spelled out with this rapid pair of miniloop shots, this Marvel will be awarded.

You can also collect Marvels by lighting "Spot Marvel" at the left ramp. This lights once per game as a hurry-up off of the right inlane rollover, and can be lit subsequent times by hitting the Menagerie ball enough times or as a random Sideshow award.

Once all 9 Marvels are earned from successful completion of objectives, the wizard mode, **Join the Cirqus** is ready to start the next time either orbit is shot. This is a three-phase final mission in which one begins initiation rites to finally join the eccentric Cirqus Voltaire.

* The first phase involves spelling CIRQUS by shooting six unique lanes once with a 3-ball multiball and a 20-second ball saver, before all but one ball is lost. The lanes that must be hit to spell the word are either Menagerie Spot Target (C), the left orbit (I), the left ramp/highwire lamp (R), the left end of the miniloop (Q), any target in the WOW target bank (U) and the right orbit (S). Completing this phase awards 10 million points.
* The second phase involves unmasking Voltaire, the great leader of the Cirqus. To do so, hit the raised Ringmaster head toy, then shoot the left ramp again to raise it up again to hit it, and repeat alternating between the two five times with a 3-ball multiball and a 20-second ball saver before all but one ball is lost. Completing this part successfully will disable the flippers to allow all balls to drain, before a new ball is manually shot into play for the final part.
* The final phase involves meeting the Cirqus. The goal is to score 6 jackpots. This phase begins with just one ball and a jackpot must be scored at either orbit, or the left end of the miniloop. A second ball is then launched into play and the second jackpot must be scored by shooting any of the same three lanes again, sending a third ball into play. The remaining four jackpots must be scored with the ensuing 3-ball multiball, with the jackpot being a randomly lit lane that has to be hit and changes each time it is collected. If six jackpots can be collected before the first ball is lost, or when all but one ball is lost when multiball starts, the wizard mode will be won and a 10 million point bonus is awarded.

Completing all three phases starts a 4-ball victory multiball, Party Multiball, where the Cirqus celebrates its new recruit. Either orbit, the left ramp, or the left end of the miniloop are lit for 1 million point jackpots, and the Ringmaster head toy will also lower and rise on a constant basis to expose the large sinkhole within the miniloop that can be hit for another jackpot. Any bumper will score the current Boom value prior to the wizard mode. This multiball continues until all but one ball is lost, and the table will reset.

### Ringmaster battles

To complete the Ringmaster Frenzie and Defeat All Ringmasters Marvels, the player must defeat multiple Ringmasters in a dedicated procedure. To start a Ringmaster battle, the player must spell WOW on the target bank in the back wall of the circular area inside the miniloop when no multiball modes are active. (*The first two letters will already be spelled out at the start of a session.*) Once the word is spelled out, the circular area in the miniloop will activate a magnetic trap that holds the ball there as it rises to expose the Ringmaster toy head. The platform will throw the ball back into play in a random direction, although if it happens to fall into the Ringmaster's sinkhole, a Ringmaster Hideout bonus worth 100,000 points is scored. The reward for starting a Ringmaster battle starts at 12,330 points and increases every time the flag in the right miniloop entrance is spun. Once the Ringmaster battle begins, the player must attack the Ringmaster by hitting the toy head itself (or the Side Show targets) five times (with the diamond collar lamps in front of the Ringmaster head indicating the damage inflicted on him thus far) so that the toy head rises further to expose a large sinkhole that the ball must be shot into to finish off the Ringmaster. The reward for defeating a Ringmaster is 1 million times the ordinal number of the Ringmaster defeated, up to 4 million. Defeating a Ringmaster will also trigger certain effects, depending on which one was defeated:

* Defeating the first Ringmaster awards just 1 million points.
* Defeating the second Ringmaster awards 2 million points and activates the abovementioned Ringmaster Frenzie Multiball, eventually leading to the completion of its namesake mission and awarding of its Marvel once that multiball mode ends.
* Defeating the third Ringmaster awards 3 million points, activates the semi-mandatory Ringmaster Razz multiball described in "Side Modes" below and lights an extra ball.
* Defeating the fourth Ringmaster awards 4 million points and activates the abovementioned Ringmaster Special Multiball, eventually leading to the completion of its namesake mission and awarding of its Marvel once that multiball mode ends. If there are still more Marvels to earn, an optional Final Ringmaster Battle multiball, described in "Side Modes" below, will be unlocked.
* Defeating any further Ringmasters when the Final Ringmaster Battle multiball is unlocked and yet to be won will start such a mode.

## Side modes

The following semi-mandatory side modes can be activated as random prizes from the Side Show, which must be activated as the objective for the Sideshow Marvel and mission:

* **Cannonball Run**: One of Sideshow Sam's favorite performances is the human cannonball. This side mode is a minigame that takes place on the backglass while the ball is held for the Sideshow Awards selection. The player has 10 seconds to shoot the cannonball toy mechanism inside the backglass with either flipper button press as many times as possible, with each shot earning at least 200,000 points. At random times, the launched cannonball will hit a "lucky award" rollover to score 250,000 points times the ordinal number of the lucky award granted for the current side mode instance.
* **Hat Trick**: This random side mode is a 20-second opportunity to bag three balls into the large sinkhole that is temporarily exposed by the Ringmaster head toy. The first two shots are worth 500,000 points each, while the final shot is worth 1 million points. A successful completion of this side mode awards a total of 2 million points.
* **Popcorn Mania**: Popcorn is a staple concession enjoyed by audiences who witness Cirqus Voltaire. This random side mode lasts 20 seconds and causes all lanes and rollovers to score 30,000 points. Each lane or rollover hit pops a kernel of popcorn, and once 29 are popped, a Popcorn Jackpot worth 500,000 points is scored, and the next Popcorn Jackpot will be worth 100,000 points more.
* **The Amazing Roonie**: The Amazing Roonie is a kangaroo who has been trained to rollerblade in Sideshow Sam's performances. This random side mode is a video mode where the player must press either flipper button to help Roonie jump over obstacles as he skates on the scoring display. Each obstacle he jumps over scores 120,000 points, and if he can avoid crashing for 20 seconds, the player wins the mode and earns an additional 1 million points. One collision with an obstacle causes him to "crash and burn", ending the mode in failure.

### Multiballs

There are a few multiball modes that can activated during play. In this table in particular, it is possible to stack up to three multiball modes, although a maximum of four balls can be in play at any given time. Because there are two lanes that are each tied to the activation of two multiball modes (the left orbit can start the Juggler Multiball and the Neon Multiball and the left ramp can start both the Highwire Multiball and the Strike-an-Arc Multiball), it is possible to start two multiball modes simultaneously with just one shot of a particular lane. The multiballs associated with defeating Ringmasters, except the fully optional Final Ringmaster Battle, can also start even when other multiballs are active. If multiple multiball modes are active and all but one ball is lost, the player has a few seconds to shoot the left ramp and score a special Voltaire's Multiple Jackpot, a final jackpot worth the sum of each multiball mode's standard jackpots at the time.

The following two multiball modes are semi-mandatory in that they can or may be activated while progressing towards the wizard mode:

* **Neon Multiball**: Cirqus Voltaire's strong fondness for electricity in its performances is reflected by its signature use of neon lighting in its shows. This is a 3-ball multiball mode that starts immediately as a possible award from the Sideshow Awards, in which the player must generally hit the WOW target bank 10 times to earn an extra ball for the first 10 hits, and a Neon Jackpot worth 1 million points for each subsequent series of 10 hits. This multiball continues until all but one ball is lost.
* **Ringmaster Razz Multiball**: When the player defeats the third Ringmaster, a 2-ball multiball will begin where the player can earn a jackpot as usual in other similar Ringmaster-based multiball modes by shooting the ball into the large sinkhole exposed by the raised Ringmaster head toy, but before the sinkhole will be available to shoot in this mode, a score hurry-up will start where a dwindling score pool starting from 500,000 points will gradually shrink to 250,000 unless the Ringmaster head toy is struck, with the amount remaining serving as the value of the jackpot. Once the jackpot is scored, the hurry-up will repeat for the next jackpot and this mode will continue until either ball is lost.

The following two multiball modes are optional in that the player must make a deliberate effort to depart from progressing to the wizard mode and activate them:

* **Strike-an-Arc Multiball**: If the player shoots the left ramp 5 times, a quick 2-ball mutliball will start where the player can earn jackpots by charging a voltage meter from 0% to 100%. Each lane shot will increase the voltage by 10%, although every jackpot scored will decrease the voltage gain for subsequent jackpots by 1%, up to a maximum of 4%, meaning that shots contributing to the second jackpot only charge 9% voltage, shots contributing to the third jackpot only charge 8% voltage, shots contributing to the fourth jackpot only charge 7% voltage and shots contribution to subsequent jackpots only charge 6% voltage. This mode continues until either ball is lost, and the number of ramp shots needed to activate this multiball mode again for subsequent times will be doubled to 10 for the rest of the session.
* **Final Ringmaster Battle Multiball**: After four Ringmasters are defeated, there is also one last Ringmaster in Cirqus Voltaire that can be defeated. If the player earns both Ringmaster-associated Marvels by defeating four Ringmasters, but still has other Marvels to earn (missions to complete), the player can unlock an optional 2-ball multiball to challenge a fifth and final Ringmaster. This multiball begins once a Ringmaster is defeated through the abovementioned Ringmaster Battle procedure after the initial four are defeated. A ball saver lasting for the duration of the battle will activate as two balls are launched into play. The player must quickly use both balls to quickly score 10 hits on the Ringmaster head toy. After the first hit, the Ringmaster will slowly begin to heal himself and recover from a hit. If the Ringmaster fully recovers health, the battle is lost and the player must defeat another Ringmaster as usual to restart the final Ringmaster battle. (*At the end of this Ringmaster Battle, the flippers will be disabled to drain both balls and one ball will be shot back into play.*) Defeating this final Ringmaster grants an extra ball and disables Ringmaster Battles for the current wizard mode run.

## Perks

The following perks can be activated during play:

* **Ball Saver**: At the start of each ball, a short ball saver will activate. A longer ball saver is issued at the start of certain multiball modes. Once the ball saver expires, it cannot be activated again.
* **Bonus Multiplier**: Cirqus Voltaire boasts a large ring for its exquisite, flashy performances. The bonus multiplier can be advanced every time RING is spelled by hitting both Menagerie targets (to spell the first half of the word) and hitting the target at the front bumper twice (to spell the second half of the word). The multiplier can be advanced up to a maximum of 4x and is only good for the current ball.
* **Cannonballs**: The explosive sound and action of cannonballs are greatly favored by Cirqus Voltaire. At the end of each ball, a cannonball bonus worth 20,000 times the number of cannonballs fired is awarded. One cannonball is fired every time a mission is completed successfully, the left bumper is struck, the Highwire Multiball is started, a jackpot is scored during Highwire Multiball or Strike-an-Arc Multiball, a Ringmaster Jackpot is scored in Ringmaster-based multiball modes (Frenzie, Razz, Special and Final Battle), each of the first three steps of the wizard mode begins, each letter in CIRQUS is spelled in the first phase of the wizard mode and when the ball drains into a one of two lit outlanes, which switches every time the flippers are operated. (*Cannonballs are not awarded during the Cannonball Run side mode, despite its name.*)
* **Judge Scoring**: Potential future performers for Cirqus Voltaire have their performances assessed by judges. After a ball is lost, the player will be judged on how well they did on Ringmaster battles, the Juggler Multiball and the Highwire Multiball for that particular ball, if they were ever activated during that time. The scores are then averaged and multiplied by 50,000 points before being added to the end-of-ball bonus, with an additional bonus of 500,000 points granted if all judges awarded a perfect score of 10. (*The score for the Ringmaster battle is based on how quickly the Ringmaster is defeated, the score for the Juggler Multiball is based on how many jackpots were scored, with special attention paid to the frequency of double and triple jackpots and the Highwire Multiball score is based on how many jackpots were scored in general.*)
* **Menagerie Rewards**: There are different rewards that can be collected as the Menagerie targets are struck. The 15th, 70th and 130th target hits will light Spot Marvel. The 50th target hit lights an extra ball. After 200 hits, a Big Points award worth 500,000 is awarded, and will be awarded again for every 25 Menagerie target hits after that.
* **Extra Balls**: Extra balls can be lit at the left orbit by defeating the third Ringmaster, hitting the Menagerie targets 50 times, hitting the WOW target bank 10 times during Neon Multiball, hitting the Boom Balloon Jet Bumper when it pops out a total of 15 times, or winning Ringmaster Battle. Scoring 25 million points or earning a particular random award from the Sideshow Awards will award an instant extra ball. A maximum of four extra balls can be earned per session and only extra balls collected from Ringmaster Battle can be repeatedly collected.

## Tips

* With nine objectives to complete, a few of which are prolonged by multiballs and the like, expect the journey to the wizard mode to be quite an arduous one. However, you can alleviate the challenge by hitting the Menagerie targets many times and and going for multiple Sideshow Awards, which can grant you extra balls and chances to skip random objectives through the "Spot Marvel" feature.
* Ringmaster Battle might be fun to win, but you can also rack up a huge score from the mode by simply hitting the Ringmaster over and over again for a million per shot while preventing it from fully healing. This comes at the risk of not lighting an extra ball after the mode has ended, though.
* Be careful when shooting at the left ramp, its corner targets, the left Sideshow target, the Ringmaster toy head or the right end of the miniloop! You may end up risking unwanted drains, particularly straight-down-the-middle ones.
* When it comes to the first two phases of the wizard mode, don't rely on their long ball savers! Use their duration to try and get as much of the current phase's objective finished as possible before it expires, so you have less of a chance of failing the current phase once the ball saver expires.

## Censorship

* An image of a particular female performer on the table's backglass and inlanes has been altered such that any depictions of cleavage are hidden. On the backglass, her hair is extended to cover the cleavage. On the inlanes, her dress is changed to a more decent one that covers her chest entirely.

## External links

* Table walkthrough by ShoryukenToTheChin (PDF)