Awesome tricks for 3D Pinball in Windows XP

Games in Windows XP such as Solitaire, FreeCell, and Minesweeper are nice distractions — nothing blows off steam like a good round of 3D Pinball for Windows, especially in full screen mode with the volume cranked all the way up!

3D Pinball for Windows has nine rank levels, ranging from Cadet to Fleet Admiral. Complete each mission and advance to the next rank, but you go back to Cadet at the beginning of each game. Here are a few secret codes to get more enjoyment out of 3D Pinball. Note that the 3D Pinball window must be active for these codes to work.

• Regain your old rank from a previous game by starting a new game and immediately typing rmax. Each time you type this secret command, you’ll advance one rank level.
• Get an extra ball while the Awaiting Deployment message displays by typing 1max.
• Activate the Gravity Well by starting a new game and immediately typing gmax.
• Get an unlimited number of balls and essentially play for as long as you like by starting a new game and immediately typing bmax. Each time you lose a ball, a new one will appear. (While playing with an unlimited number of balls, none of the other tricks will work.)
• Control the ball with your mouse by starting a new game and immediately typing hidden test. When you do, you can click the ball with your left mouse button and essentially drag it anywhere you want and rack up an unbelievable number of points.

Keep in mind that there isn’t a text box into which you enter these secret codes — you simply type them.

Note: This tip applies to both Windows XP Home and Windows XP Professional.

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