I noticed that there were no instructables to do with Peggle, a game made and published by Popcap games. It is based on firing balls at coloured pegs and scoring points, but the main aim is described in step 1. There are currently 3 peggle games:
Peggle Extreme was a trial edition introduced by the popular game running software Steam, and was based on the half life series of games along with other valve games: team fortress 2, and portal. This only had 8 playable levels, only one playable character, and was therefore very limited, although the maps, being themed on valve ganes, didn't make it into the full first game explained below:
Peggle Deluxe was the first full peggle game to be released with over 50 playable levels and 10 unlockable characters. It also had a storyline in a way that you could enter adventure mode where you unlocked characters and levels. It had over 100 challenge levels to go through and had a versus mode where you could play against a computer or a friend.
Peggle Nights is the second and most recent installment of the peggle series. It featured the new character, marina and a new set of levels and challenges. It had all the features of peggle deluxe and also the aced score award where you got an ammount of points over a fixed value for each level. It also had a secret minigame where you have to click on the glowing light balls on the screen in pic 4 and score fairy points. This shows on the character stat screen.
Peggle Deluxe can be downloaded here
And Peggle Nights can be downloaded here

Step 1: Basics

The basic controls are: left click=fire ball/select, right click = speed up. Moving the mouse aims the ball firer.
There are 10 balls in each level, but more can be earned by either landing in the ball bucket that moves along the bottom of the screen, or scoring an amount of points in a turn: 1 free ball for 25000, 2 for 75000 and 3 for 125000
The four types of peg are:
Orange pegs: All of these need to be completely cleared to win the level. Faliure to do so will result in loss of the level.
Blue Pegs: These are just normal pegs needed to be cleared sometimes to reach other pegs. They reward points too.
Green Pegs: These activate a special ability unique to the character used. There are only 2 of these pegs in each level. The powers are explained in step 2.
Purple pegs: These offer a large amount of points if hit. There is only one on the screen at any time, and they change positions between each turn, always replacing a blue peg.
There are a number of style points that can be awarded, here are just some of them:
Long shot/double long shot: where the ball hits 2 or more non blue pegs in a row points are awarded.
Off the wall: Where you bounce the ball off a wall in order to hit a non blue peg.
Cool clear: Where no pegs are left except for 2 or more orange pegs and they are both hit in one shot.
There is a style point bonus awarded if 2 green pegs are hit in the same turn, and the name is unique to the character used,eg. Great balls of fire for Lord Cinderbottom, Zen Maniac for Master Hu etc.

Step 2: Characters and Their Abilities

Of the total 11 characters in all 3 games, their powers stay the same throughout.
Bjorn the Unicorn
Super guide, allows a guide as to the direction in which the ball will bounce off the first surface hit.

Jimmy Lightning the Hamster
Multiball, Creates another ball the other side of the green peg

Renfield the pumpkin
Spookyball: Makes the ball appear at the top of the screen and continues the turn after the ball has dropped down to the bottom of the screen

Kat tut the cat
Pyramid, turns the bucket into a pyramid that catches the ball at a larger width

Splork the alien
Space blast, Makes an explosion around the green peg hitting all the pegs around it

Claude the Lobster
Flippers, make pinball style flippers appear at the bottom of the screen activated by left clicking allowing the ball to be thrown back into the field

Tula the Flower
Flower power, highlights 20% (1/5) of the remaining orange pegs, rounding up

Lord Cinderbottom the dragon
Fireball, shoots a large ball which goes through pegs instead of bouncing off them.

Warren the Rabbit
Lucky spin, Makes a chance wheel and chooses a random special power, triple score or the magic hat.

Master Hu the Owl
Zen ball, makess the best shot possible for points happen instead of yours.

Marina the Squid(first in peggle nights)
Electrobolt, hits all the pegs between the first peg hit and the free ball bucket.

Step 3: Tactics

Here are some general things to keep in mind when playing peggle:
Always:

Aim for higher orange pegs: you could hit lower ones on the ball's way down.
Train your sense of "3d awareness" is up to scratch, you need to bounce off pegs to reach some other pegs.
Hit orange pegs if you can rather than blue pegs
Always try for multipliers and style points
Try for free balls
Put the cursor of the mouse over the peg you want to hit

Never:

Waste 5 balls trying to get blue pegs out of the way to get 1 orange peg unless you can afford it.
Waste shots attempting to score style points.
Try and clear all the pegs unless you have about 7 balls and one orange peg left
Forget to take your time and aim. You need to put effort in to win.
Finally, never forget to use your powers - hey can come in handy!

Step 4: Boast!

Boast your highest scores or greatest achievements in this page!
I once managed 1,786,500 points in the first level of peggle nights!
Thanks for reading!
The Jamalam