SPLIT SECOND (Stern 1981)
Split Second is a 1981 wide-body pinball machine by Stern Electronics, notable for its talking callouts and split-level playfield. The primary objective is to spell S-P-L-I-T S-E-C-O-N-D across three drop target banks to trigger a 3-ball multiball, while building point multipliers and end-of-ball bonuses.
Main Objective: Spelling S-P-L-I-T S-E-C-O-N-D
The game revolves around completing three specific drop target banks to spell out the title of the game. Completing the word requires hitting all the targets in the sequence.
The Letters S-P-L-I-T: Located on the lower left drop target bank.
The Letters S-E-C-O: Located on the lower right drop target bank.
The Letters N-D: Found on a separate 2-bank target.
Multiball
Once you successfully spell out S-P-L-I-T S-E-C-O-N-D, the machine releases three balls into play simultaneously. Multiball is the key to racking up major points, and the mode can usually be restarted if you manage to lock the balls again after draining.
Bonus & Scoring Strategies
Lower Drop Target Mechanic: The game forces you to alternate your shots. You must hit the outer drop targets on a bank without hitting the inner ones first. Doing this successfully lights up the middle star target. Hitting the middle target while lit earns major points, and can award an Extra Ball.
Scoring Multipliers: Hitting targets and navigating various orbits increases your scoring multiplier. This exponentially boosts your end-of-ball bonus and can lead to massive scores when your ball drains.
Horseshoe Lane: The horseshoe lane features a timer. Hitting this loop acts as a speed test to score points and can light the release ball.
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