The two main features of the game are modes and multiball.
To start a mode you hit the shots with lit lightning bolts. After making enough shots, the center ramp (flail shot to the left of the knight) will be flashing. Make that shot and the shield (to the right of the knight) will raise, and the shield scoop will be lit to start your mode. When playing the mode, hit lit shots to get points, eventually collect a K-N-I-G-H-T letter, and even light your extra ball (after a mode completion?).
The main multiball is the Triple Knights Challenge. You light your lock by hitting the tiny shield standup target to the right of the main shield (it has a green light lock light pointing to it). This raises the main shield to reveal the shield scoop where you lock your ball. Lock three balls and you start multiball. The second multiball requires two shots to light your lock, and the third requires three shots.
During multiball I just try to hit the lit shots and get the add-a-ball. The add-a-ball is qualified by left orbit spinner spins, and is also collected at the left orbit.
When you complete K-N-I-G-H-T, the Knight mode (nice red insert) is lit at the left orbit. This is a cool multiball where the screen turns into a retro score display. The playfield is multiplied by the number of balls you have in play.
Strategy:
The name of the game is backhand, backhand, backhand. As you probably know, a backhand is a shot to the same side of the playfield as the flipper used. So a shot to the right from the right flipper or a shot to the left from the left flipper. The right and left orbits are safe to shoot normally. All other shots are safer with a backhand. This is because of the nasty black post rubbers around the rest of the shots. Since backhands are easier and more accurate from a cradle, you will want to control the ball as much as possible. The shield scoop and the center ramp can be backhanded while the ball is rolling, but it is early on the flipper so you have to be ready to make the shot.
Always be working on a mode or a multiball. From a cradle on the right flipper, depending on what is available I will go for the light lock, lock shot, or a mode shot. From the left flipper I am either lighting the mode start or making mode shots.
Try to bring a mode into multiball. Stacking the two is a great way to score tons of points quickly and safely. Since the mode start and the lock are both at the shield scoop, you can even start both a mode and multiball at the same time. If I do not have a mode running or ready, I will avoid starting multiball (unless it is ball 3).
I hope this helps. Playing this way made a game that I hated at first into a game that is sorta fun. Maybe it will grow on me.
nice review. I have been playing a lot of BKSOR. would love to chat about it some time.
Started playing more on location once Star Wars rotated out, went from a game I loathed to one I look forward to playing! Still learning the deeper rules, but as you said backhand is key. It’s a ton of fun getting through the various shot mechanics in each battle mode, and the multiball is relatively simple to start and quite rewarding!
I was originally disappointed to have a “flow” Steve Ritchie game be so brutal when playing with the flow. But I got used to having to slow things down and back hand most shots. Once you get going and find the shots, it is easier to make flow shots to the left hand side of the playfield, but the right and center shots just never get safe! It just took a little reframing of my expectations to make it an enjoyable game.