diff --git a/src/lib/pinball.js b/src/lib/pinball.js
index 6e070f2..76e056a 100644
--- a/src/lib/pinball.js
+++ b/src/lib/pinball.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ const H = 560;
 const PHYS = {
   gravity: 1050, // units/s²
   drag: 0.9998, // per sub-step (×substeps×fps) — keep close to 1 or the ball dies fast
-  maxSpeed: 1000, // 5 substeps keep even this from tunnelling
+  maxSpeed: 1120, // 5 substeps keep even this from tunnelling
   substeps: 5,
   ballR: 7,
   wallE: 0.34, // wall restitution
@@ -215,14 +215,21 @@ export function createPinball(canvas, cbs = {}) {
       b.vx *= 0.6;
       b.x += (TABLE.laneX - b.x) * 0.35;
     }
-    // Re-arm the plunger if a ball ends up sitting in the lane again.
-    if (!b.inLane && !b.launching && b.x > 292 && b.y > 430 && Math.hypot(b.vx, b.vy) < 60) {
+    // If a launch fizzled (never reached the gate) and the ball is dropping
+    // back down the lane, forget the launch so the plunger can re-arm.
+    if (b.launching && b.vy > 0 && b.y > 320) b.launching = false;
+    // Re-arm the plunger for any near-stationary ball back in the lane.
+    if (!b.inLane && !b.launching && b.x > 290 && b.y > 442 && Math.hypot(b.vx, b.vy) < 140) {
       b.inLane = true;
+      b.x = TABLE.laneX;
+      b.vx = 0;
     }
-    // Gate kick: once the launched ball clears the divider, fling it left
-    // into the playfield (a straight-up launch has nowhere else to go).
-    if (b.launching && b.y < 236) {
-      b.vx = -(150 + 90 * state.launchC);
+    // Gate kick: partway up the lane, fling the ball left into the
+    // playfield (a straight-up launch has nowhere else to go). Fired well
+    // below the divider top so even a soft launch clears it; the kick
+    // scales with the charge so a full plunge rips across the table.
+    if (b.launching && b.y < 300) {
+      b.vx = -(170 + 220 * state.launchC);
       b.launching = false;
     }
 
@@ -595,6 +602,7 @@ export function createPinball(canvas, cbs = {}) {
     const sdt = fdt / PHYS.substeps;
     for (let i = 0; i < PHYS.substeps; i++) step(sdt);
     state.charge = state.chargeStart ? Math.min(1, (now - state.chargeStart) / PULL_MS) : 0;
+    cbs.onCharge?.(state.charge);
   }
 
   function loop(now) {
@@ -640,16 +648,19 @@ export function createPinball(canvas, cbs = {}) {
       const b = state.ball;
       if (down && !state.plunge && b?.inLane) {
         state.chargeStart = performance.now();
-      } else if (!down && state.plunge && b?.inLane && state.chargeStart) {
+      } else if (!down && state.plunge && state.chargeStart && b?.inLane) {
         const held = (performance.now() - state.chargeStart) / 1000;
-        const c = Math.min(1, Math.max(0.15, held / (PULL_MS / 1000)));
-        // Straight up the lane; step() kicks it left once it clears the divider.
-        b.vy = -(920 + 120 * c);
+        const c = Math.min(1, held / (PULL_MS / 1000)); // 0 = tap, 1 = full hold
+        // Straight up the lane; step() kicks it left once it clears the gate.
+        // Both the launch speed and that kick scale with the charge, so a
+        // full plunge rips the ball across the top and a tap just lobs it in.
+        b.vy = -(760 + 320 * c);
         b.vx = 0;
         b.inLane = false; // commit — don't let a graze in the lane cancel the launch
         b.launching = true;
         state.launchC = c;
         state.chargeStart = 0;
+        state.charge = 0;
       }
       state.plunge = down;
     },
@@ -659,6 +670,7 @@ export function createPinball(canvas, cbs = {}) {
       score: state.score,
       balls: state.balls,
       over: state.over,
+      charge: state.charge,
       ball: state.ball && { ...state.ball },
       running: state.running,
     }),
diff --git a/src/styles/layout.css b/src/styles/layout.css
index 26e655b..2e6af8f 100644
--- a/src/styles/layout.css
+++ b/src/styles/layout.css
@@ -3955,9 +3955,21 @@
   margin-top: 12px;
 }
 .pin__launch {
-  min-width: 12rem;
+  position: relative;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  min-width: 13rem;
   touch-action: none;
 }
+.pin__launch-fill {
+  position: absolute;
+  inset: 0 auto 0 0;
+  width: calc(var(--charge, 0) * 100%);
+  background: var(--accent);
+  opacity: 0.85;
+}
+.pin__launch-label {
+  position: relative;
+}
 .pin__hint {
   margin-top: 10px;
   font-size: 0.78rem;
diff --git a/src/views/PinballView.js b/src/views/PinballView.js
index 14004ba..3800513 100644
--- a/src/views/PinballView.js
+++ b/src/views/PinballView.js
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ export async function PinballView() {
   }
 
   let catchTimer = null;
+  let launchBtn; // created below (it needs `game`); onCharge only fires after start()
   const soundBtn = el('button', {
     class: 'pin__sound',
     type: 'button',
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@ export async function PinballView() {
     onBalls: renderBalls,
     onBump: (kind) => (kind === 'post' ? sfx.post() : sfx.bump()),
     onDrain: () => sfx.drain(),
+    onCharge: (c) => launchBtn.style.setProperty('--charge', c.toFixed(3)),
     pickMon: () => {
       const s = snap.species[(Math.random() * snap.species.length) | 0];
       return { id: s.id, name: pretty(s.name) };
@@ -177,7 +179,7 @@ export async function PinballView() {
   for (const ev of ['pointerup', 'pointercancel', 'pointerleave', 'lostpointercapture'])
     canvas.addEventListener(ev, drop);
 
-  const launchBtn = el('button', {
+  launchBtn = el('button', {
     class: 'button pin__launch',
     type: 'button',
     onpointerdown: (e) => {
@@ -186,7 +188,10 @@ export async function PinballView() {
       game.setPlunge(true);
     },
   });
-  launchBtn.textContent = 'Launch (hold)';
+  launchBtn.append(
+    el('span', { class: 'pin__launch-fill' }),
+    el('span', { class: 'pin__launch-label' }, 'Hold to launch'),
+  );
   const releasePlunge = () => game.setPlunge(false);
   for (const ev of ['pointerup', 'pointerleave', 'pointercancel'])
     launchBtn.addEventListener(ev, releasePlunge);