Tips for getting better scores in Shatter

Question

I've been playing a bit of Shatter here and there lately. Being somewhat competitive and a rather capable gamer, and seeing how the game informs me of my friends' scores on each level, my aim was to at least roughly match what my friends did.

However, I must be doing something wrong, as I'm always 10-20 million points behind (I aim for 60 million on Kinetic Harvest, but have hardly gotten 40). So I'm wondering if there are any techniques I'm missing on to cover those missing points.

Should I not obsess about collecting shards and focus on clearing the level quickly? Should I use multiple balls at once (the game recommends it for a better score, though I don't really get how it helps)? Should I try to suck less at the bonus level?

I'm open to suggestions.

Answer 1

Well you haven't answered back yet so I'm just going to assume that it is the PS3 game. The GameFAQ board has a excellent FAQ for this game. But I'll summarize here so you don't say tl;dr.

1. You lose 1x multiplier when a block crosses your line
2. You lose 1x multiplier when a block hits your bat
3. No penalty for a block hitting a shielded bat (is actually worth points)

And

Remember that there are Bonuses at the end of each level for:

1. No Walls Touched (Shard Storm is a must)
2. No Balls Lost (never one to actually strive for)
3. Shard Storms Used (this is where the big points are at)
4. Speed Bonus (For Bosses Only)

Answer 2

Yes, definitely use multiple balls. That's probably the biggest difference you can make to your score. You'll clear the levels much faster, and you'll gain energy faster, so you can Shard Storm more often. Every Shard Storm you use will add a million points at the end of the world, so you want to be trying to use them as often as possible. Shooting extra balls is also nice because you can aim them, so when there's an exposed bomb block, or just a few blocks left that you're having trouble finishing off, you can shoot a new ball directly at them.

Give multiple balls a try, it's definitely tricky at first, but I think you'll find that your scores are much higher that way. You don't have to be overly cautious because the game gives more 1UPs when you have less lives, so don't worry too much about letting some balls past you, you'll usually get the lives back quite quickly.