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Rush Tutorial - Pinball Guide

Pinball Pursuit·video·16m 9s·analyzed·Apr 30, 2026
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claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.025

TL;DR

Detailed Rush tutorial covering playfield, modes, combos, and multiballs.

Summary

Comprehensive tutorial video for Stern's 2022 Rush pinball machine, covering the playfield layout, shot mechanics, six song modes, combo system, six multiball modes, and two wizard modes. The video details how the time machine is central to gameplay, explains instrument drop targets and their perks, and describes the drum clock tied to pop bumpers and Headlong Flight multiball. The game features 16 Rush tracks with custom speech from surviving band members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, designed by John Borg with code by Tim Sexton and Raymond Davidson.

Key Claims

  • Rush was designed by John Borg with coding by Tim Sexton and Raymond Davidson

    medium confidence · Video narrator states this as established fact, but KB context lists Steve Ritchie as designer with Raymond Davidson on code. Conflict in attribution.

  • Ed Robertson from Barenaked Ladies was recruited as creative director for Rush pinball

    high confidence · Narrator explicitly states Robertson joined as creative director, noting he is a pinball fan, Rush fan, and Canadian

  • Rush features 16 iconic tracks from the band

    high confidence · Narrator states this directly in opening overview

  • Custom speech was recorded by surviving members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson

    high confidence · Narrator confirms surviving band members recorded speech for the machine

  • Raymond Davidson is one of the world's top ranking players

    medium confidence · Narrator describes him as 'one of the world's top ranking players' while introducing him as coder

  • The combo system in Rush has no timer between shots, unlike most games

    high confidence · Narrator explicitly explains combo mechanics differ from standard pinball in that lit shots remain lit without time pressure

  • Cygnus X-1 wizard mode involves flippers being switched around

    high confidence · Narrator describes the wizard mode as having 'flippers all switched around' and calls it 'wild'

  • The time machine is motorized on Premium and LE versions but static on Pro

    high confidence · Narrator explicitly details difference: 'On the Pro, it's a static ramp, but on the Premium and LE, it's a motorized masterpiece'

  • Closer to the Heart did not make it into the final Rush game

    high confidence · Narrator states at end: 'I was actually really sad that it didn't make it into the game'

Notable Quotes

  • “Rush is the legendary Canadian prog rock band known for complexity and precision. So, it's only fitting that this table was designed by the legendary John Borg...”

    Pinball Pursuit narrator@ 0:25 — Opening statement establishing the conceptual fit between Rush's music and table design philosophy

  • “Rest in peace, Neil. You truly were the goat of drumming.”

    Pinball Pursuit narrator@ 0:53 — Tribute to Neil Peart, Rush's drummer, who passed away in 2020

  • “The band recruited Ed Robertson from the Barenaked Ladies to join in the design of this machine as a creative director, which is fitting since he is a pinball fan, a Rush fan, and a Canadian.”

    Pinball Pursuit narrator@ 1:00 — Notable creative collaboration between Rush pinball and another Canadian music figure

  • “Unlike other games, you can't move these with the flipper buttons.”

    Pinball Pursuit narrator@ 2:10 — Explains unusual limitation on Roll the Bones lane inserts, indicating design-specific constraint

  • “You'll be spending a lot of time with that shot, so get practicing.”

    Pinball Pursuit narrator@ 3:14 — Emphasizes the time machine as central to Rush gameplay strategy

  • “Unlike most games that have a combo system, though, there is no timer to hit the next shot.”

    Pinball Pursuit narrator@ 9:54 — Key gameplay differentiator—combo system eliminates time pressure element

Entities

RushgameStern PinballcompanyJohn BorgpersonTim SextonpersonRaymond DavidsonpersonElliot EisminpersonMichael BarnardpersonGeddy Leeperson

Signals

  • ?

    gameplay_signal: Rush uses a no-timer combo system where lit combo shots remain lit indefinitely until hit, differentiating it from most pinball games with time-based combo windows

    high · Narrator explicitly states: 'Unlike most games that have a combo system, though, there is no timer to hit the next shot'

  • ?

    gameplay_signal: Rush contains extensive nested rule systems: 6 song modes with different mechanics, 6 multiballs with distinct playflows, combo sequences tied to Rush albums, weapon system, drum clock, and multiple wizard modes reaching 2112 finale

    high · Detailed breakdown of all six song modes (Working Man, Spirit of the Radio, Tom Sawyer, Limelight, Big Money, La Villa Strangiato), six multiballs, and three wizard mode stages

  • ?

    gameplay_signal: Game escalates in difficulty from song modes to wizard modes, with 2112 final wizard mode being so difficult the tutorial creator never reached it

    high · Narrator states 'I never got there, but it looks awesome' regarding 2112 wizard mode

  • ?

    design_philosophy: Rush pinball deliberately integrates Rush band history, music, and culture into mechanical and software design—16 tracks, custom band member speech, album-tied combos, Cygnus X-1 references, 2112 finale wizard mode

    high · Video documents how gameplay elements are named after Rush songs and albums: Subdivisions, Fly by Night, Red Barchetta, Free Will, Far Cry, Limelight, etc.

  • ?

    design_innovation: Premium and LE versions feature motorized time machine ramp that rises and lowers, while Pro version has static ramp—mechanical innovation differentiating product tiers

Transcript

youtube_auto_sub · $0.000

0:10
Welcome back pinball wizards. Today we're stepping into the limelight with Stern's 2022 masterpiece, Rush, the time traveling concert under glass. Rush is the legendary Canadian prog rock band known for complexity and precision. So, it's only fitting that this table was designed by the legendary John Borg with a coding team led by Tim Sexton and Raymond Davidson, who is one of the world's top ranking players. Elliot Eisman took on engineering for this machine and is responsible for getting that awesome time machine to work. Rush pinball features 16 iconic tracks from the band and custom speech recorded by the surviving members of the band, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson themselves. >> [music]
0:51
[music]
0:51
[music] >> Rest in peace, Neil. You truly were the
0:53
Rest in peace, Neil. You truly were the
0:53
Rest in peace, Neil. You truly were the goat of drumming. One cool side note, the band recruited Ed Robertson from the Barenaked Ladies to join in the design of this machine as a creative director, which is fitting since he is a pinball fan, a Rush fan, and a Canadian. The somewhat controversial art was by Michael Barnard, which tries to capture the band's entire history from Fly by Night to Clockwork Angels. Now, let's look at the stage, aka the playfield. On the far left, we have the instrument drop targets. Knocking these down collects instruments, bass, drums, and guitar, that give you perks. Behind these drop targets is a small lane, which you'll need to hit to activate an instrument or start Freewill multiball. >> [music]

  • The dead end shot is a vertical upkicker on Premium version but just falls out on Pro

    high confidence · Narrator explains mechanic difference: 'On the Pro, the ball will just fall out of this into the middle of the playfield, but on the Premium version of the game, it is a vertical upkicker'

  • “It's a just one more game kind of machine. It's fast, it's loud, and the rules go deeper than Neil Peart's drum solo.”

    Pinball Pursuit narrator@ 15:26 — Summary assessment of Rush's addictiveness and rule depth

  • “I never got there, but it looks awesome.”

    Pinball Pursuit narrator@ 15:21 — Narrator admission of not reaching the 2112 final wizard mode, indicating high difficulty ceiling

  • “Mine is Closer to the Heart. It's so good. I was actually really sad that it didn't make it into the game.”

    Pinball Pursuit narrator@ 15:47 — Personalization and expression of disappointment about song selection for the machine

  • “If you manage to start all six multiballs, you'll be able to do the Cygnus X-1 Voyage wizard mode”

    Pinball Pursuit narrator@ 15:06 — Describes progression requirement for accessing higher-tier wizard modes

    • Alex Lifeson
    person
    Neil Peartperson
    Ed Robertsonperson
    Pinball Pursuitorganization
    Barenaked Ladiesorganization

    high · Narrator explains: 'On the Pro, it's a static ramp, but on the Premium and LE, it's a motorized masterpiece that rises and lowers'

  • ?

    design_innovation: Rush employs unique diverter system on right and side ramps controlled by action button, allowing player to direct ball left or right flipper—notable mechanical feature

    high · Narrator details: 'you'll notice that this ramp can feed either the left or the right flipper because of the game's unique diverter system' with changeable lights

  • ?

    design_innovation: Cygnus X-1 Hemispheres wizard mode features all flippers switched/inverted, creating unique challenge

    high · Narrator describes Cygnus X-1 Hemispheres: 'where your flippers are all switched around. It's wild'

  • ?

    content_signal: Pinball Pursuit produced comprehensive tutorial covering full Rush machine mechanics, indicating strong media interest in documenting complex modern pinball for audience engagement

    high · Extensive 16-minute tutorial with detailed playfield mapping, mode breakdowns, and strategic guidance

  • ?

    product_strategy: Rush released in at least three variants (Pro, Premium, LE) with mechanical/feature differences between tiers (static vs motorized time machine, upkicker vs drop on dead end)

    high · Video repeatedly contrasts Pro/Premium/LE versions: 'On the Pro...but on the Premium and LE...'

  • ?

    historical_signal: Rush pinball honors deceased drummer Neil Peart through drum clock mechanic and verbal tribute, reflecting how modern licensed pinball integrates band member narratives

    high · Narrator's tribute: 'Rest in peace, Neil. You truly were the goat of drumming' and mechanical tie-in through Neil's Drum Clock

  • ?

    community_signal: Tutorial creator asks audience for feedback on favorite Rush songs and requests suggestions for future tutorial subjects, indicating community co-creation model

    high · Ending call-to-action: 'what's your favorite Rush song?' and 'tell us what machine we should do a tutorial for next'

  • ?

    design_philosophy: Video emphasizes Rush was designed with flow in mind, as evidenced by timer-less combo system and interconnected shot sequences that reward consecutive accurate shots

    high · Narrator states: 'This game was designed with flow in mind, and as such, the combo system is how you can turn a good score into a legendary one'

    • 1:36
    [music]
    1:37
    [music] >> Next to the pop bumpers, which advance
    1:39
    Next to the pop bumpers, which advance
    1:39
    Next to the pop bumpers, which advance the drum clock forward, but if you shoot in between the pops, you'll hit the left orbit. This orbit is the first record shot. This shot will feed the ball up to the upper flipper. Just to the right of the pops is the center scoop. I swear I hit that center scoop all the time. It's true. Yeah, it's fairly easy to hit even when you don't really want to. This scoop gives mystery awards when you complete the three Roll the Bones in lane inserts. Unlike other games, you can't move these with the flipper buttons. One note on mystery awards is that during a multiball, awards are always an add a ball. The center scoop can also start the Far Cry multiball once it is ready. In the middle of the playfield, there are three main shots. [music] First is dead end shot. This is a record shot and is especially important during the Spirit of the Radio mode. >> [music]
    2:33
    [music]
    2:33
    [music] >> On the Pro, the ball will just fall out
    2:35
    On the Pro, the ball will just fall out
    2:35
    On the Pro, the ball will just fall out of this into the middle of the playfield, but on the Premium version of the game, it is a vertical upkicker that will return the ball to your right flipper. Next to the dead end is the time machine. This is the most important shot in the game. On the Pro, it's a static ramp, but on the Premium and LE, it's a motorized masterpiece that rises and lowers. Both versions magnetize and hold the ball. Each light on the top of the time machine tells you something different. The left red bulb will light when a song mode is ready. The middle yellow bulb will light up if the combo is ready to be collected, and the right green light will flash when a multiball is ready. You'll be spending a lot of time with that shot, so get practicing. Moving right, we have the spinner lane, which is another record shot and is essential for building your guitar value. Hitting this lane will feed the ball to the upper flipper. >> [snorts]
    3:26
    [snorts]
    3:26
    [snorts] >> To the side of the spinner lane is the
    3:28
    To the side of the spinner lane is the
    3:28
    To the side of the spinner lane is the right ramp. This is another record shot and is flanked by two standup targets. Hitting those standups will allow you to shoot the ramp and activate the ball lock at the side scoop for Far Cry multiball. You'll notice that this ramp can feed either the left or the right flipper because of the game's unique diverter system. The lights here and here indicate which side of the ball will be diverted to, and it can be changed by hitting the action button. Next to that is the right orbit. This shot will collect your hourly awards from the drum clock, and hitting this shot will also upgrade a pop bumper at random. Once it is qualified, this also starts the Headlong Flight multiball. And finally, this is also a record shot. Next, you'll see we have an upper flipper on this game. >> [clears throat]
    4:19
    [clears throat]
    4:19
    [clears throat] >> You can shoot the ball under this
    4:20
    You can shoot the ball under this
    4:20
    You can shoot the ball under this flipper and back into the shooter lane. Getting the ball under there starts your drum solo and can collect an extra ball if lit. The upper flipper can hit three different shots. First is the side loop.
    4:33
    [snorts] >> This is the last record shot and can be
    4:36
    This is the last record shot and can be
    4:36
    This is the last record shot and can be hard to see, but it feeds the ball back to the upper flipper and is heavily used in combos. The next upper flipper shot is the side ramp. This shot goes to the same diverter system as the right ramp and functions the same. The shot is important for a lot of the game's combos and collects the combo super jackpot. Below the side ramp is the side scoop. Once the Far Cry lock is lit, this shot is where the ball will be locked. On the Pro, this scoop will always shoot out the center scoop. But on the Premium, if there's no ball locked, the ball will be ejected back out the side. Below the upper flipper are the Rush standup targets. Hitting these will change the color of any uncollected records on the playfield. Collect all four of them to qualify the Bastille Day hurry up, which you then start by hitting the right ramp. During this mini mode, the standups will be lit, and hitting one will collect the hurry up value and boost the value of any remaining targets. Collect all four of them before time ends to boost any Bastille Day hurry ups in the future significantly. Let's talk about the heart of this game, the song modes. There are six songs you can play, each one associated with a different color. Orange is Working Man. Blue is Spirit of the Radio. Teal is Tom Sawyer. Green is Limelight. Pink is Big Money, and finally, Violet is La Villa Strangiato. >> [music]
    6:10
    [music]
    6:10
    [music] >> To start a mode, you first need to shoot
    6:12
    To start a mode, you first need to shoot
    6:12
    To start a mode, you first need to shoot the flashing record shots around the playfield. Shooting a flashing shot locks the color for that record, and during a song mode, any shot with the same color as the mode you are playing will award 2x points. The first mode requires just one record, and the requirement will go up for each song you complete. >> [music]
    6:31
    [music]
    6:31
    [music] >> Any additional record you collect before
    6:33
    Any additional record you collect before
    6:33
    Any additional record you collect before starting a song mode will boost the value of any shot in the mode by 10%. You can see what song you'll play and the boosted value in the top left-hand side of the screen before starting a mode. Shooting the time machine starts the mode for whichever song you've collected the most records. Song modes are not timed, so you can take your sweet time finishing each one. You can also start any multiball or side mode during a song. You can track your progress in each song in the top left of the display. Each song functions pretty differently, so let's quickly break down each one. Working Man has you hitting orange shots and the pop bumpers to advance the clock from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Shots aren't worth a ton of points, but hitting certain time thresholds will award a lot of points. Get to 5:00 p.m. to clock out and complete the mode. This mode isn't too difficult, but does take a ton of shots to complete. Tom Sawyer has three phases. First, you hit the orbits. Second, you'll need to hit the two ramps. And third, you have to hit every shot at least once. This is probably the second hardest mode to complete. Spirit of the Radio is one of the easier modes. Hitting any blue shot will activate the radio jackpot and increase the value of the radio jackpot. Hitting the dead end shot collects the jackpot and resets all the shots. Hitting the jackpot five times will finish the mode. If you get the 2x record on the dead end for this mode, you are in for some major points. Limelight is another relatively easy mode. You just have to make the green shots to get more famous and stay in the limelight. Take too long between shots, though, and you'll leave the spotlight and all the green shots go away. Shooting the time machine pushes you back in the limelight and relights all the green shots. Big Money is another easy one that can really rack up some points. First, you need to hit any three shots to light a Big Money jackpot at the time machine. Next, hit four shots to light the jackpot, and finally, five shots to hit the jackpot and finish the mode. After lighting a jackpot, you can hit one of the shots you initially made to increase the value of that jackpot by 1x before you hit it, meaning you can theoretically boost the final jackpot of this to 13x. And finally, La Villa Strangiato requires you to complete 12 shots in a specific order. Simply hit whatever shot is lit purple. This might be the hardest mode since at any given time, you must make one and only one shot. If you manage to complete a mode, you'll see all the record inserts flash in rainbow colors. Hitting one of those shots will place a 2x multiplier on it for the remainder of the game. Now, you'll have to hit an additional record to start any song mode. If you manage to complete all six song modes, you'll be able to start the Signals X1 Hemispheres wizard mode, where your flippers are all switched around. It's wild. This game was designed with flow in mind, and as such, the combo system is how you can turn a good score into a legendary one. In front of most shots, you'll see a one, two, three, or combination of any of them. Hitting a shot with a lit number will light the next possible shots in a combo. Unlike most games that have a combo system, though, there is no timer to hit the next shot. So, after hitting a one, the possible [music] two shots will stay lit. Completing all three combo shots lights the middle yellow bulb at the time machine. Hit it to collect the Rush album associated with the combo sequence you completed. Once you collect an album, the side ramp will be lit for a combo super jackpot. Each unique sequence of the combo shots is associated with a different Rush album. Collecting an album will grant you the weapon for any songs from that album. The weapon is a powerful [music] tool that can score big. Once in a mode represented by the album you've collected, you'll see the action button flash blue. Holding the action button for a second or so will automatically spot all the shots on the playfield. This will also collect any multiball jackpots on the playfield, so it can score big. Some weapons are available during multiballs, but not during a song mode. In this case, you'll see the action button flash green. Holding it for a second will use the weapon to give you an add-a-ball and an additional ball saved to your multiball. >> [snorts]
    11:06
    [snorts]
    11:06
    [snorts] >> Speaking of multiballs, there are six
    11:09
    Speaking of multiballs, there are six
    11:09
    Speaking of multiballs, there are six different multiballs in this game. First, let's go over the time machine multiballs. Hitting the time machine will advance you towards traveling back in time towards one of three multiballs: Fly by Night, Red Barchetta, or Subdivisions. You can see how many hits you need before qualifying the next multiball on the LCD screen. Once you've hit the time machine enough times, the green light will start to flash on the time machine. The LCD screen will tell you which multiball will be activated, and on the premium, the ramp will rise. You can change which multiball will be played by hitting the dead end shot. Each of these three work a little differently. Subdivisions is by far the weirdest, where the first jackpot is at the time machine, and hitting that jackpot divides the jackpot to the dead end and spinner lane. Hitting those shots will divide the jackpot to the adjacent shots, and so on. Getting the jackpot onto every shot lights the time machine for a super jackpot. Fly by Night simply has you hit jackpots and switches to darken the game and get to nighttime. Once dark, the time machine is lit for a super jackpot. And Red Barchetta has you hit any jackpot to rev the engine, and once totally revved up, you'll need to hit the pop bumpers to score the super jackpot and switch gears. Next is Far Cry multiball, which is activated by locking two balls underneath the playfield. To lock a ball, you'll have to hit the two stand-up targets that flank the right ramp. Once you do, the ramp will be lit to activate the ball lock. Once activated, you'll see the green light atop the side scoop flash. This is where you lock your ball. Do this twice to start Far Cry multiball. Free Will multiball is tied to the instrument drop targets on the left side of the playfield. At the start of the game, the inserts in front of the drop targets will flash. Hitting any of the targets will lock in the instrument shown. Afterwards, complete all three drop targets and collect that instrument. Then you can start this sequence again for the other two instruments. To activate an instrument, hit the lane behind the drop targets. Each instrument boosts a value in the game. The bass will increase the value of the combo shots, the guitar doubles the value of the spinner lane shots and any spins, the drums increase the value of the pop bumpers and will light the drum solo insert under the upper flipper. Drum solo bumps the value of the pops and doubles the number of minutes any pop bumper collects. Once you collect all three instruments, the drop targets will stay down and the inserts will flash. This means that Free Will multiball is ready. Hitting the lane behind the drop targets will start the multiball. And finally, let's go over Neil's drum clock and the Headlong Flight multiball. The pop bumpers are tied to Neil Peart's drums, which are also a clock. At the beginning of the game, the clock starts at 5:00 p.m. Hitting a pop bumper will add 1 minute to the time. Hitting the right orbit shot during the game will upgrade one pop bumper at random and increase the time gained by it by 1 minute. Every time the clock advances 1 hour, the right orbit will be lit for an hour jackpot, which is worth 1 million for each hour. So, for example, 9:00 gets you 9 million points. To get Headlong Flight multiball, you'll need to advance the clock to midnight. Once you do, the multiball insert in front of the right orbit will be lit. Hitting that shot starts the multiball. This can be stacked onto another multiball, which means if you time this right, this scores big time, especially if you also have a weapon to use. >> Oh, yeah. If you manage to start all six
    15:03
    Oh, yeah. If you manage to start all six
    15:03
    Oh, yeah. If you manage to start all six multiballs, you'll be able to do the Cygnus X-1 Voyage wizard mode, which is started at the time machine. If you get through both Cygnus wizard modes and progress your time machine to the year 2112, you'll be able to play the final wizard mode. I never got there, but it looks awesome. And that's Rush. It's a just one more game kind of machine. It's fast, it's loud, and the rules go deeper than Neil Peart's drum solo. >> [music]
    15:31
    [music]
    15:31
    [music] >> If this guide helped you find the spirit
    15:33
    If this guide helped you find the spirit
    15:33
    If this guide helped you find the spirit of the radio, please give us a thumbs up and subscribe to Pinball Pursuit. It really helps the channel. Oh, and what's your favorite Rush song? Throw that in there, too. Mine is Closer to the Heart. It's so good. I was actually really sad [music] that it didn't make it into the game. And tell us what machine we should do a tutorial for next. Until next time. Keep flipping.
    16:02
    Geddy Lee and Alex Lifes- Lifes- >> [laughter]
    16:06
    Sharts are
    16:06
    Sharts are >> [laughter]
    16:06
    [laughter]
    16:06
    [laughter] >> Sharts. Really?