Biolab

> "A new creature is born!"
>
> - Nurse

***Biolab*** is a pinball table that was released with the launch of *Pinball FX2* as part of the Core Collection, and was re-released in all subsequent *Pinball FX* games; it was also made available for *Zen Pinball Party* in February 2022. The table depicts the crazy ongoings in a science lab that ensue when a mad scientist genetically engineers new creatures in hopes of designing what he believes to be the "perfect organism".

## Objective and missions

Oversee the creation and witness the escape of an artificial mutant creature by completing four upgrade missions.

To start a mission, the player must change the appearance of the head, body and legs of the creature in the stasis tank by making a shot to each layer of the 3-layered target bank. The final shot must bounce into the mission hole to start the mission; otherwise, the targets will reset. Bonus points can be scored by matching up all three structures.

The mission bonus refers to the maximum points that can be scored during a mission, starting at 5 million points and increasing by 100,000 points with each bumper hit. When the player reaches the mission bonus value, the mission will automatically end regardless of the mission's timer. This value resets with every completed mission, though after winning the **wizard mode**, this value will increase by 10 million points for the rest of the game.

* **Wisdom Upgrade**: Complete 3 skill shots, each scoring the normal skill shot values. A missed skill shot will provide the player 10 seconds to hit the mission hole to try again; otherwise, the mission fails. The remaining points in the mission bonus, as well as a bonus skill shot, are granted after winning the mission.
* **Reflex Upgrade**: 2-ball multiball. Score jackpots worth 1 million points by shooting any major shot once, followed by the same shot again within 15 seconds. Score 3 jackpots to win. If the player reaches the mission bonus value, the mission will end in success and **Flux Frenzy** will start.
* **Muscle Upgrade**: Hit any of the six targets to boost the muscle level from 100,000 to 125,000. Shooting the magna-save target results in an overcharge worth a significant boost, while other targets score smaller amounts. The muscles weaken over time, and boosting the muscle level enough times to score the mission bonus ends the mission.
* **Brains Upgrade**: This mission takes place in the Microcosmos and requires the player to navigate the ball through its circular maze using the flippers. A hurry-up value starting at the maximum mission bonus can be seen on the display, decreasing by 10,000 point increments; the displayed value is awarded when the player wins the mission.

**Perfect Organism** is qualified after winning all four missions and is started in the same way. This mode is divided into 4 different stages:

* *Stage 1* - All the computers in the Biolab go haywire, and the creature escapes its containment pod. The player must reboot the Biolab's containment systems by shooting both orbits, both ends of the mini-loop and the escape orbit, for a total of 3,100,000 for all five shots. The flux wheel's magnet remains active during this phase, and can mess up the movement of the ball.
* *Stage 2* - Steal the vulnerable cookie jar with a single shot to the mutation sinkhole, worth 2 million points.
* *Stage 3* - Evade the mad scientist and the nurse by hitting both ramps once for 3 million points each.
* *Stage 4* - The creature must bravely leap out and escape into the sewers. This is done by completing the **Escape** side mode, but making sure that the ball goes into the left exit into the left apron tube.

If all four phases are completed successfully, the player will score 10 million points + 1 million per collected **cookie** and the mission progress will reset. If the player fails the wizard mode, they can repeat it until they successfully win. Each time the wizard mode is won, the value of each cookie collected at the end of the wizard mode increases by 1 million points.

## Side modes

* **Microcosmos**: Three shots to the right orbit light the left orbit to start the microcosmos video mode. The goal here is to rotate the maze using the flippers such that the ball rolls over all the lit cookie inserts for 100,000 points each and exits within a time limit. There are three levels of difficulty, and a 1 million point bonus is awarded for completing all three levels. The player can opt out of starting this mode and accept a flat 25,000 score reward by pressing the right flipper upon activating it.
* **Escape**: Shooting both targets flanking the escape loop activates a magnetic trap in front of it for 20 seconds. Shooting this trap will hold the ball in place and reveal the Escape mini-playfield as it unfolds from the left table wall. The player must watch the scoring display and press the launch button to pop the ball into the mini-playfield once it reads "jump", then must tilt the mini-playfield with the flipper buttons such that it reaches the tube that attaches to the mini-playfield's left exit to escape to the sewers. Lastly, the player has 10 seconds to hit the mutation sinkhole for a successful escape, scoring 1 million + 100,000 points per collected cookie and sending the ball to the plunger for another **skill shot**. Lighting all four rollovers on the mini-playfield lights an **extra ball**.
* **Nursery**: Shooting the left ramp when "Nursery" is lit will light the nursery video mode at the mutation sinkhole for 15 seconds. Here, the player must use fast reflexes: press the left flipper button when the creature laughs, and press the right flipper button when it cries. Each completion of the mode advances it to the next of 3 levels. One mistake will result in failure of the video mode. In order, the three levels score 1 million, 5 million, and 500,000 + **extra ball**.
* **Flux Wheel**: Hitting a slingshot lights the switch icon at either return lane, alternating with further slingshot hits. Shooting the opposite orbit within 10 seconds of rolling over the lit inlane begins a series of hurry-ups where the player can add energy to the Flux Wheel by shooting a randomly lit target lane within a 5-second timer; doing so successfully will score 100,000 points, add some energy to the Flux Wheel, and light another shot. If the player can fully charge up the Flux Wheel with 3 lit shots in a single attempt at the side mode, **Flux Frenzy** will begin.

### Multiball modes

* **Clone Multiball**: Making major shots during normal play increases the pressure gauge by small amounts, which decreases with inactivity. Once it fills completely, the next shot to the right ramp will lock a ball. Repeating this three times to lock three balls will start a 3-ball multiball with all three balls released directly from the locker inside the habitrail. Jackpots are collected at the two ramps, and super jackpots worth the total jackpot value collected before cashing it out can be scored by shooting the mission hole. The jackpot values for this multiball start at 250,000, and can be increased by collecting "Swell Jackpot" at the left ramp before starting the multiball. Targets will raise the jackpots by an additional 20,000 points, and the orbits will increase them by 50,000 points. The jackpot value resets when Clone Multiball ends.
* **Flux Frenzy**: Completing a 5-way **combo**, maxing out the scoring during **Reflex Upgrade**, or completing the **Flux Wheel** side mode starts a 2-ball multiball where the player can hit ramps or orbits (excluding the right ramp) to earn jackpots worth 500,000 points each. Collecting ten jackpots will turn the 2-ball multiball into a 3-ball one and boost the jackpot value up to 1 million points for as long as 3 balls are in play.

## Perks

The following perks can be activated for this table:

* **Skill Shot**: Skill shots are granted at the start of every new ball and after completing the **Wisdom Upgrade** mission or **Escape** side mode; they can also be awarded, with a 2x multiplier, by scoring *Bonus Skill Shot* off of the **mutation wheel**. The goal of the skill shot is to determine the correct amount of force that will land the ball into the rearmost sinkhole. The normal reward of a skill shot is 200,000 points, 800,000 points if the ball passes through the "4x" rollovers. After a successful skill shot, the ball will be sent to the upper right flipper for a quick chance to hit the right ramp for a super skill shot worth the collected skill shot value.
* **Ball Saver**: At the start of each ball and multiball, a 15-second ball saver will activate. A short free ball saver will also activate after a successful skill shot made during a ball. Collecting *Freeze Breath* off of the **mutation wheel** reactivates the ball saver.
* **Grumbler Hurry-Ups (Kickbacks & Bonus Multipliers)**: The Grumbler target bank is integral to lighting the kickbacks and advancing the bonus multipliers. The Grumbler target's three eyes open one at a time - hitting the open eye with a pinball starts a 15-second hurry-up. Left kickbacks are qualified at the left ramp, right kickbacks are qualified at the right mini-loop entrance, and bonus multipliers are qualified at the left mini-loop entrance. Bonus multipliers increase by 2x per collection, up to a max of 10x, and are qualified by hitting the open center eye.
* **Revives**: Every four left ramp shots light a random outlane for Revive. This will activate the ball saver for a short time once the ball rolls over the lit outlane, and switches to the opposite outlane with slingshot hits.
* **Magna Save**: If the player hits the magna save target, magna-save will be activated for 15 seconds, allowing the player to press the launch button to save the ball from draining.
* **Cookies**: Every 10 slingshot hits will award one cookie. The reward for earning a cookie starts at 10,000 and increases by 10,000 for each successive one.
* **Mutation Wheel**: Shooting the mutation sinkhole once qualifies the spinner to rotate the mutation wheel. Each segment of the wheel corresponds to a different random award, which can be collected by shooting the mutation sinkhole three times. Only 3 mutation awards can be claimed per ball, and possible awards include small points, *Freeze Breath* (15 seconds of **ball save** time), advancing the **bonus multiplier**, *Bonus Skill Shot*, an extra tilt warning, or *Evolution* (instant mission start). Extra balls can also be lit by collecting 3 mutation awards on a single ball.
* **Extra Balls**: Extra balls can be lit at the mutation sinkhole by completing all 3 difficulty levels of the **Nursery** video mode, lighting all four rollovers in the **Escape** mini-playfield, or collecting 3 mutation awards on a single ball.

## Tips

* Wondering what to do? Read the display! *Biolab*'s DMD does a very good job at letting the player know how to score during its many modes through a screen displayed before they start. If you don't need the advice, you can skip it by using the flippers or launch button.
* The Reflex Upgrade mission can be challenging, requiring you to hit a ramp or large orbit of your choice while juggling a second ball. Choose a ramp or orbit that you are most comfortable shooting - the left ramp tends to be the most reliable in this regard - and keep shooting it until you win the mission.
* Going for the Flux Wheel generally isn't worth the risk (even the mad scientist doesn't know how it works!). If you want to start Flux Frenzy, keep shooting combo shots or play Reflex Upgrade, and eventually it'll start.
* Take advantage of the abundance of outlane protection/ball-saving mechanisms that you have at your disposal to keep the ball alive as long as possible.

## Glitches

* In the *Pinball FX3* version of this table, if three upgrades have been completed, pressing both flippers to skip the "Monster in the Tube - Upgrades Are Available" animation soft locks the game. The final upgrade only starts if the player lets the animation prompt play out.
* After **Perfect Organism** has been played, the hurry-up music is disabled for the rest of the game. The remaining tracks continue to play as normal during their respective modes.
* In the *Zen Pinball Party* port, the launch button occasionally activates by itself, forcing the player out of selecting an upgrade or activating the magna-save without any player input.

## External links

* Official table trailer (0:56 - 1:10)
* Table walkthrough by ShoryukenToTheChin
* Official table soundtrack on Bandcamp (tracks 12 - 18)