Shaq Attaq Rules

Game Information & Overview:

  • Manufacturer: Gottlieb
  • Release Date: February 1995
  • Original Wiki Rulesheet hosted on Tilt Forums

Rules Overview:

This description came from @pinballguru in a Pinburgh 2017 thread. In order to ensure it doesn’t get lost forever, I’m adding it to the Rulesheets category.

Shaq Attaq is a “Set the Table” kind of rule set. Players should use their first two balls to qualify the Modes and Multiball. Avoid starting any modes since you want them to run simultaneous, along with Multiball. If you can qualify all (4) modes and Multiball then you will find a hidden feature at mode start. Plunge a ball for “Alley Oop” when you want to save the mode start. Each Alley Oop shot also awards 1 Game Ball.

If you can get to that point (all 4 modes and Multiball qualified) before ball 3, go ahead and shoot the ramp to start the modes. On last ball, I would also go ahead and start the modes if they any waiting. During the mode(s), try to relock all balls into the ramp. Doing so (any Regular Multiball) awards Jackpot and lights Super Jackpot. Concentrate on the Vari Target for “Game Balls” and when the Mode Timer gets low, shoot the spinner (HORSE) to restart the mode timer. The only value in the HORSE mode is to keep all of the other modes going. When a ball gets to the top flippers, always try for the Drop Target.

Once you have played the four main modes, the “Finals” will light. Make sure that you have at least 5 Game Balls before starting this mode. You can earn Game Balls by completing the 1-2-3-4-5 feature and always say “NO” to a trade. When you start the finals, the game will prompt you to whether you want to take a risk. If you say “No”, then the mode will be worth 100M. However, if you say “Yes”, then you have the option to spend 5 Game Balls to play for 300M or spend 10 Game Balls to play for 500M.

If you get this far, then you need to change your strategy and try to complete the 5 hidden features, and at the same time, try to accumulate Game Balls. When you get “5”, always say “NO” to the trade prompt until you have EXACTLY 14 Game Balls. The award for 14 Game Balls is “Double Your Score”. Regarding the Hidden Features, since this is an End of Game bonus, it’s too risky for tournament play as a main strategy, however after you have played through the modes, it becomes important, since qualifying the modes the second time through gets harder. You can also play for "Slammin Jammin by spelling “SHAQUILLE” then going into Tip Off hole. This starts a three ball wizard mode where each switch scores 5M (3M Hard/10M Easy).

The Hidden Features are:
1- Take 5000 twice in Tip Off (Tournament Mode always has this as the first Tip Off each ball)(Take 3 times when set to “Hard”)
2- Get 1 Rebound (Drop Targets after 5X)
3- Playing Multimode level 5 (Start all 4 regular modes and Multiball at same time)
4- Relocking all active Multiballs in ramp during regular Multiball.
5- Get a ball into Hole during Drop Target MVP mode.

Finding 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 hidden features awards 10M, 30M, 100M, 300M, 1B respectively at End of Game.

When set to the tournament setting, Shaq Attaq eliminates all random features. You always are offered 5,000 (LEFT) or 5 Basket Points (RIGHT) the first time each ball, then 5M the second time, etc. All players get the same sequence. If the tournament director forgot to set the game to “Tournament”, please don’t blame the game. As mentioned above, the real failure on Shaq was forgetting to address the automatic Multiball on last ball when in Tournament mode if you haven’t played regular Multiball yet.

6 Likes

I know it depends on who is playing, but Anybody want to chime in on what is a “good” score on this game?

I’m thinking around 300-400?

Couple Bil.

@pinballguru : To set this up, do you have to account for the saucer awarding you one additional Game Ball as part of the shot to get the Trade offer, which would mean you’d want exactly 13 Game Balls prior to shooting the saucer for the trade?

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Scores in my group for session 9 in A division were 258M, 90M, 71M, 49M. No one had much time on the game before, so YMMV.

In our bar league, a 500M or less will usually take the night. That said, our basket motor is really bad and at least one of the upper flippers is always broken.

Yes, you want to have 13 Game Balls when playing for 1-2-3-4-5. Getting 5 in the top saucer will award you #14 then make your trade offer. If you are using this strategy, be careful in not getting an Alley Oop when at 13 since this also adds 1 Game Ball. You can always check how many Game Balls you currently have by checking Status with held Flipper.

2 Likes

Can someone explain double dribble bonus to me? Last week someone seemed to spend like 30s to 1 minute counting double dribble bonuses. I wasn’t sure if this was caused by a stuck switch, if they were just hitting something over and over. I was confused.

Top post has been wikified, so anyone can update it as more details become available.

Thanks, @pinballguru, and welcome!

1 Like

No excuses next year @jdelz!