Rules & Strategies
NOTE: The following is based on my particular game with factory recommended settings for 3 ball play. Results may vary.
Kickout Saucer: The kickout saucer is located at the top of the playfield below an arch of PARTON lamps Landing in the saucer collects the lit PARTON letter. PARTON letters are also collected by way of the drop targets as described below. Progress is recorded by the DOLLY PARTON lamps in the center of the playfield. Collected PARTON letters carry from ball to ball. The saucer is always lit for 5,000 points (adjustable).
DOLLY Targets A bank of five stationary DOLLY targets occupies the upper left area of the playfield. Hitting a target collects the lit letter. Progress is recorded by the DOLLY PARTON lamps in the center of the playfield. Each target is initially worth 400 points. Targets are worth 400 points regardless of weather the respective DOLLY letter is lit or not. After all five DOLLY letters are collected, the target bank lites for 1,000 points per target hit. Targets are worth 1,000 points regardless of weather the respective DOLLY letter is lit or not. Most of the DOLLY targets are blocked by the three thumper bumpers. There's a direct shot to the D and the second L, but completing the bank requires some lucky ricochets. The Y target seems to be the hardest to hit. From the right flipper, a good shot is toward the rebound rubber to the left of the left bumper. This shot is usually worth a few targets as well as a possible saucer score and some good bumper action. Collected DOLLY letters carry from ball to ball. Once the target bank is lit, the targets continue to be worth 1,000 points from ball to ball.
Thumper Bumpers: Three thumper bumpers are located in the upper middle of the playfield and are always lit and always score 100 points. The three bumpers block clear shots toward most of the DOLLY targets.
Inline Drop Targets: An inline bank of four drop targets and one stationary target is located in the upper right area of the playfield. This is where most of the fun is had. The first target scores 200 points and lites the spinner for 1,000 points. The second target scores 400 points and lites the 2x multiplier. The third target scores 600 points and lites the 3x multiplier. The fourth target scores 800 points, lites the 5x multiplier, lites extra ball and lites special. Each drop target also spots a PARTON letter. Hitting the final stationary target collects the extra ball and special. Hitting the final stationary target additional times scores 20,000 points. Lit multipliers carry from ball to ball. The key to a high score game is getting all the drop targets and liting 5x on ball one. The inline targets are a direct shot from the left flipper. But I find it just as easy to backhand the targets from the right flipper. The targets reset at the beginning of each ball.
Spinner: The spinner is located below the drop target bank and scores 100 points or 1,000 points when lit. The first drop target lites the spinner. The spinner is unlit at the beginning of each ball. The spinner can be a satisfying shot when lit, but the drop target multipliers are usually more tempting.
Click for a larger image of the upper playfield area.
Left Stationary Target: The middle left side of the playfield has a lone stationary target worth 500 points. The target is of little value. The player is better served by lobbing the ball back up toward the DOLLY targets and thumper bumpers.
Shooter Lane Return: The middle right side of the playfield includes a return path to the shooter lane worth 5,000 points. A soft shot returns the ball to the plunger. Harder shots will pass the shooter lane ball gate and fall back through the spinner or possibly make it up to the kickout saucer. This shot has little strategic value. There's no motivation to shoot the return path when one can go for multipliers on the drop targets or hit a lit spinner. Moreover, the shot is tight and has little chance of success. The path is more of a novelty. If a rouge ball happens to find its way through the opening, the player gets a rest before plunging the ball back into play.
DOLLY PARTON Bonus: The main object of the game is to spell out DOLLY PARTON. Progress is recorded by the DOLLY PARTON lamps in the center of the playfield. Each lit letter is worth 2,000 end-of-ball bonus points. Spelling DOLLY PARTON once lites the 22,000 bonus lamp and lites an alternating outlane for special. Lit outlanes reset at the beginning of each ball. Spelling DOLLY PARTON twice lites the 44,000 bonus lamp. Spelling DOLLY PARTON additional times awards a special. Drop targets multiply the accumulated bonus by 2x, 3x or 5x. Accumulated bonus and accumulated multipliers carry from ball to ball. As noted above, the key to a high score game is maximizing the bonus and multipliers on ball one.
Click for a larger image of the center playfield area.
Slingshots: The slingshots are of the usual shape and location and score 10 points per hit. There are also 4 rebound switches that score 30 points per hit. The rebound switches are located to the left and right of the thumper bumper nest and to the right of the kickout saucer. The slingshot and rebound switches toggle various lit playfield features such as lit outlanes.
Inlanes: Inlanes score 5,000 points (adjustable).
Outlanes: Outlanes always score 1,000 points and special when lit.
Flippers: There are two flippers in the usual location.
Click for a larger image of the lower playfield area.
Multiball: None.
Extra Balls: Extra balls are earned by way the inline drop targets as described above. Only one extra ball may be earned per ball in play.
End-of-Ball Bonus: Instead of a traditional bonus ladder, the game features the DOLLY PARTON bonus as described above. No end-of-ball bonus is collected if the game is tilted.
Specials: Specials are awarded by way of the inline drop targets and the DOLLY PARTON bonus as described above.