Elvis has 2 control methods: Normally, a weighted table for each tv (pretty sure the table was the same for all 3 tvs) which is 100% chance. IIRC, when 2 matched (by pure luck), any bumper would change the 3rd, and it would just be luck when you finally matched up. I would assume, but do not know, that Dwight’s latest games operate similarly.
In tournament mode, the first 2 bumpers you hit should lock into whatever the next award is going to be, then it just produces garbage in the 3rd tv until the requisite number of bumpers goes by to award you the 3rd match. Pretty sure it was a straight table of awards to try, given game state. In general, the same # of bumper hits should produce the same # of awards, and generally the same ones. Again, IIRC. It’s how I’d do it now for sure, at least.
I’m almost positive Whodunnit stuck to the reels, I don’t think it cheated advances at all (1 bumper hit = 1 reel advance). Subject to the 2/kind rule.
Back on topic - Cue Ball Wizard allows you to do a very interesting strategy to skip pretty much all of 9-ball to guarantee a shot at the half billion. If you qualify the 8 ball shot before Pool Ball Mania, and then shoot the ramp again afterwards to start 9-ball, the 8 ball shot will still be flashing and hitting it will immediately light the 9 ball drop target for the half billion. Normally you’d have to complete the 1-7 drop targets in order to get there which is much tougher.
Haha… this is no guarantee you’ll get the 500M. It’s extremely easy to not get that 9-ball target when you really need it. Pretty much guaranteed a SHOT at it, though!
The other 9-ball deep cut is that it’s possible to time it out entirely so that you don’t even get to play it. I took some well-deserved shit over this, too.
On Funhouse if you light the steps from the mirror, it opens the gate immediately, so if you left outlane drain, it will instead go to the steps instead of the trough.
Can I put the Stern Jurassic Park rule where if you make the truck to start Feed T-Rex and the ball rebounds into the amber target to start Chaos Multiball (or Raptor Multiball from the smart missile), you can stack the two Multiballs? Because I should.
After completing a green/yellow/red bank to light a lock, the white target practice lights will start to cycle. Hit the targets when they are lit to advance toward ED-209 Million. You need 4 targets on default settings to start ED-209. This increases by 1 standup each time you successfully collect an ED-209 hurry-up.
Combo two sweet jumps to start 2x scoring (10 seconds on default settings). Combo three sweet jumps to earn Bonus Hold. The combo is switch based, not timed – hitting 2 or 3 other switches will invalidate your combo. The state of the combo is displayed on the playfield by Robocop’s patented chest-lamp.
Tying the jump record starts Everything Lit, which lights a timed special on the ramp and timed EB on the Robocop saucer. Your next ramp shot will also give you a 500k Jumpmaster bonus.
After scoring a Jackpot in multi-ball, hit any green/yellow/red targets to advance towards Special. You need 5 targets on default settings to light Special on the ramp. Special worth 1M when set to award points.
At PATL, Robocop was on settings where the spinner was lit via collecting a lock, as opposed to only lighting a lock (Ad 46 SPINNER LAMP, HARD). This was fun because it encouraged you to make a sweet jump or two.
Theoretical max dream shot?
Light the green and yellow locks.
Lock two balls.
Shoot three flashing standups to get 1 away from ED-209.
Make sweet jumps until you start Everything Lit. 2x will also be running.
Hit the captive ball to light the red lock.
Hit the last flashing standup to start ED-209.
Make the sweetest jump.
2x (1M ED-209 + 1M Special + 500k Jumpmaster bonus + 180k lock) = ~5.36M
I’m always reminding myself about this stuff in last year’s Iron Man update:
Super skill shot: hold left flipper and plunge to either upper rollover without the orbit up-post for 1M (+250k). Tourneys often completely disable the up-post anyway, in which case there’s no reason not to do this.
After reaching Mark 3, a 2.5M Arc Reactor bonus is lit at the center spinner. Decent points in a tight game. It doesn’t carry over if you drain.
Extra ball is lit by 2 completions of IRON MAN targets (then 3 completions, then 4…).
These line up nicely if you can get Mark 3 with the second completion of IRON MAN targets for Double Scoring. 2x (2.5M Reactor bonus + 3M EB) = 11M
Whiplash MB was decently buffed, 250k → 350k (+12.5k) per shot. Mid-way JP changed from two shots for 500k+1M to one shot for 2.5M. Super JP increased from 3M to 5M. The number of hits for subsequent Whiplashes now only increases by 1 instead of 5. This might affect your calculus of when to go for Monger vs Whiplash.
Don’t forget that plunging to the rollovers means there will be a chance (10-15% ?) that the ball exits the pops to the left and into peril, instead of an easily controlled exit to the right, so in a tournament where ball saver is off, this super skill shot is still not worth the risk, IMO. I would always short plunge to a live catch on the right… unless I was last player, last ball and I trailed by 900k YMMV.
Plus, with the ball saver on, by the time the ball gets to a flipper from the jets, it’s oftentimes already timed out by then.
I appreciate the Lyman-programmed games that don’t let ball saver time be depleted by time in the jets, like AC⚡️DC
Secret 3-way combo on FunHouse - if the ramp is lit for Crazy Steps, shoot the ramp, then plunge the ball into either the light extra ball or 500,000 slot within 5 seconds, then shoot the trapdoor loop twice. If the trapdoor is already raised or if you plunge for Superdog you can’t get this combo, but it will still count if you shoot into the trapdoor for the second shot in the combo, and it will also progress towards 4-way combo as normal. Can’t imagine anyone would benefit from this considering the dexterity required to plunge from the steps that quickly, but just putting it out there…
I haven’t pulled the glass off to confirm the details of this, as my Metallica is on location. But it’s something I’ve achieved twice now…
If you successfully cash out EOTL at the scoop, then re-light CIU again on the same ball, it brings you right back to EOTL. No need to complete any CIU modes. I’m not sure if this applies if you time out EOTL, and it definitely doesn’t work if you drain your ball in between. But there’s pretty enormous scoring potential if you can crush two consecutive EOTLs.
YMMV.