Road Show

---

(for LA-4 and LA-5 ROMs)
Version 2.0 (April 9, 1995)
By Michael Dunn
and Scott Moorhouse

Contents

  1. Changes from Version 1.1
  2. History and Thanks
  3. Overview
  4. Playfield Description
  5. General Rules and Scoring
  6. Blasts
  7. Flying Rocks
  8. The Wheel
  9. Souvenirs
  10. Multiball
  11. City Scenes (Modes)
  12. Super Payday (Wizard Bonus)
  13. The Magic Standup (tm)
  14. Combos
  15. Easter Eggs
  16. Bugs
  17. Miscellaneous Stuff
  18. Operator Adjustments *NEW!*
  19. Strategies

<0> Changes from Version 1.1

  • Scott now has access to an LA-5 machine, so some info on L-5 has been added.
  • Scott's email address has changed.
  • Corrected info on the Magic Standup. It turns out that it's more powerful than we thought before!
  • Added the value of Fun With Bonus.
  • Added operator adjustments as section 17. Thanx to Cameron Silver for providing the list of adjustments.
  • Added that a mode won't start if you collect Bad Weather at the Blast Hole.
  • Added a few more joke souvenirs.
  • Added a note about how the status report shows the number of locks.
  • Added in what happens after you complete all the cities.
  • Added a few more bugs.
  • Added in a point-scoring strategy (go for all the souvenirs you can).
  • Fixed up the quotes (Scott did all of the work here).
  • Fixed up a *lot* of little details here and there.

<1> History and Thanks

Version 2.0
Major revision that incorporated lots of changes and fixes. The section of operator adjustments was added.

Version 1.1
This was a quick update to fix the glaring goofs in 1.0.

Version 1.0
First big revision. It isn't quite as long as Rules/tz.sigma, but give us some time. ;)

Version 0.5
Larry Hastings's rule sheet based on prototype ROMs, and the version upon which this sheet is based. Larry also gets credit for much of the humor in this sheet.

Version 0.2
Larry's initial revision.

Version 0.1
Early overview of the game, by Bowen Kerins.

Thanks go out to:

  • Larry Hastings
  • Cameron Silver
  • Bowen Kerins
  • Ken Chaney
  • Neil Shatz
  • Rod Magnuson
  • Dan Farris
  • Steve Baumgarten
  • Gr*g D*nl*p
  • Steve Bollinger
  • Mark Divitini
  • Dave Stewart
  • Martin Keates
  • Petter Aaberg
  • Alan Mitsugi
  • Mike Mattress

<2> Overview

Red and Ted, the Road Busters, are a couple of fun-loving demolition experts crossing the country on their bulldozer. They cause immense mayhem and destruction, but we love 'em anyway. Help them destroy civilization by accumulating miles to get to cities, by buying souvenirs for big prizes, and by passing the days of the week. And by giving them occasional iron supplements.

Road Show is a four-ball widebody Williams pinball game with four flippers, two talking plastic heads (Red and Ted), eighteen modes, stereo DCS sound, a shaker motor, two ramps, two loops, two plungers, two start buttons (just kidding), three bumpers, and a kajillion other assorted targets. It features both kinds of music (country AND western), and in fact has the voice, music, and likeness of Carlene Carter, a real live female country music star.

Since this is Pat Lawlor's first pin since Twilight Zone (Pat is the genius who gave us The Addams Family, FunHouse, Whirlwind, Earthshaker, and Banzai Run) some of us had been quite anxious to see his newest baby. What would he come up with next?

As it turns out, it's something of a pastiche of his earlier games. Gamers familiar to pinball will see things in the exact same place as in a previous Lawlor game. The game strikes one as evolutionary, rather than revolutionary. Still, Pat Lawlor on even a bad day is better than a drawer full of anybody else.

This is a wonderful game. The rules are quite solid, if perhaps not inspired, and the Williams support team did an excellent job with the sounds, music, and animation.

Williams took this opportunity (the debut of a new Lawlor game) to make a fundamental change. We suppose it was meant as a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down. Anyway, with Road Show, the end-of-game match is OFF by default. Some folks claim that it compensates by giving out 7% more Specials, but that seems specious. It's possible to enable the match, but the thinking is that most people will leave it off.

Road Show also introduces the 1/2 credit buy-in (nothing special about it, just a cheap extra ball), and the daily high-score list (which resets every night at midnight).

<3> Playfield Description

Starting at the lower-left and going clockwise, here's the layout of Road Show:

Left Inlane
Your standard inlane. It lights Bridge Out on the Right Ramp

Left Outlane
Can be lit for a special.

Rocks Plunger
This plunger is in the same spot as the left plunger in FunHouse, and the Rose plunger in GnR. The ball is fed here when you shoot the Left Ramp when lit for Flying Rocks. The plunger sends the ball up a habitrail. If you plunge softly, the ball will come back to rest at the plunger. See the Flying Rocks section for more info.

Middle Left Flipper
A Thing-sized flipper which sits above and a tad to the left of the Left Outlane. The setup is similar to the left side of TAF, although the area is much more cramped and it's easier to drain down the Outlane. Balls are fed to this flipper from the Left Loop, the Right Ramp (when diverted), and the bottom exit from the Flying Rocks Plunger. Use this flipper to hit the various targets of the Blast Zone.

Left Loop
This is a U-turn lane which feeds the Middle Left Flipper. The entrance is positioned similarly to the Car Crash on DM. There is a rubber stopper which slows down balls that come through this loop, so the ball won't go screaming past the Middle Left Flipper. There is a white "Shoot Here" light that lights when some mode award is available here.

Upper Left Flipper
This is a full-sized flipper that lies along the left side of the Spinner Lane. Use it to hit the Bulldozer, Red, and the Radio Targets.

The Magic Standup (tm)
This is a backwards-facing standup target that lies below the tip of the Upper Left Flipper. The best way to hit this target is not to flip at balls which roll down the Spinner Lane. This standup is worth going for, as it has mystical powers which result in easy points. More Later.

Spinner Lane and Bob's Souvenir Bunker
A short lane running past the Upper Left Flipper and into a sinkhole. Locked balls are held there. Balls exiting the lock come back down this lane. Amazingly, balls coming into and out of the lock don't collide. This hole is used for many things, including collecting extra balls. There are two lights here, LOCK (yellow) and EB (orange). Above and behind the hole is a yellow globe light which is on when you can collect a Souvenir here.

Left Ramp
Placed similarly to the Neutral Zone in TNG. It normally feeds the ball back to the Inside Right Inlane, but the ball can be diverted to the Left Inlane. This also has a "Shoot Here" light, which lights when a mode award, Shooter Bypass, or Flying Rocks is available here. Above the ramp is a Bridge Out sign, with two red LEDs which flash when Bridge Out is available here.

Bulldozer Blade
A yellow plastic bulldozer blade, which completely blocks off Ted's head in its normal position. During Multiball, it will rotate up and expose Ted's mouth. The Bulldozer is used to light locks and raise the Multiball jackpot. The blade itself doesn't register hits - there are proximity switches below the board that register bulldozer hits. There is also a proximity switch behind the blade, which detects when a ball is caught behind the lowered blade.

Ted
A giant head with moving eyes, eyelids, and mouth. When the Bulldozer is raised, you can shoot balls into Ted's mouth. Balls that go into his mouth come out of the Lock. Ted is used to start Multiball and collect jackpots.

Center Loop
This loop starts to the right of the Bulldozer and comes out in the Bumpers. There is a rollover switch just as the lane turns to the right, which you must hit to get credit for a shot to this Loop. This shot has a "Shoot Here" light which lights when a mode award is available here, and a "Light Bob's" light which indicates you can relight Bob's Souvenir Bunker here.

Red
Another giant head. Red is placed at a similar angle as Rudy on FunHouse. Red's mouth is unobstructed, and can easily be hit from the Upper Left Flipper. Hits to Red are detected with a proximity switch. Red spits out any balls that find their way into her mouth. Shoot Red for Big Millions and Multiball jackpots.

Radio Targets
Five total, one orange standup on each side of the lane leading to Red's mouth, and a bank of three red standups to the left of the Bumpers. In front of the three-bank is a white "Radio" light, which flashes when the Radio Targets are lit for something special.

Jet Bumpers
Three of 'em, one white, one red, and one orange, arranged in a wild new triangular pattern. The Bumpers score points (1M per hit if Jets at Max is lit), add to the Blast Value, change the current Wheel award, and increase the frenzy value during the Miami mode.

Right Ramp
One of Pat Lawlor's trademarks is a shot through bumpers. On Road Show, this is it. The lane through the bumpers is pretty wide compared to TZ and TAF. Normally balls are fed to the Inside Right Inlane, but when diverted they go all the way around the back of the board to the Middle Left Flipper. Two lights here: Shoot Here, and Million Plus. Above the entrance is a Bridge Out sign, just like the sign on the Left Ramp.

Plastic Radio
This sits to the right of the Bumpers. It has a yellow globe light that flashes when the Radio targets are lit for something.

Start City Scene
This is a scoop placed similarly to TZ's Slot Machine, but a bit closer to the flippers. Balls that fall in the scoop are kicked out of the scoop, and should go directly at the Right Flipper for an easy drop catch or bounce pass. This scoop is used in the Butte mode, but there are no lights to indicate that. There is a yellow globe light above the hole which flashes when you can start a mode here. (See Bugs)

Blast/Wheel Hole
This is a rather large sinkhole which can be entered from the left or right side. Balls that drop in here are kicked out of the Start City Scene scoop. When Start City Scene is lit, you can start a mode by hitting this hole, too. This hole is used to score Blasts, the Skill Shot, and in some modes.

Blast Targets
Three yellow standups arranged in an arc, facing down/left. When an award is lit here, you only need to hit one of the targets to collect it. There is a big white flasher-light labeled "Collect Blast Value" that lights for: Blast, Double/Triple Blast, Big Blast, Super Blast, Mega Blast, Immense Blast, Cataclysmic Blast, Incomprehensibly Large Blast, You're Not Going To Believe This Blast, and Itty Bitty Teensy Weensy Baby Blast after a successful Bean Eating Mania. (Okay, okay, those last six were made up by Larry, and Super Blast is actually collected at the Blast/Wheel Hole. :)

***NOTE*** Road Show uses the term "Blast Zone" ambiguously. Sometimes it means "the Blast Targets" and sometimes "the Blast Targets or the Blast/Wheel hole". The distinction between those two is important, so this rule sheet will not use the term "Blast Zone," but instead specify which targets need to be hit.

Skill Shot Lane
This lane runs past the right side of the Blast/Wheel Hole. Balls can come down this lane from the Bumper area, and the plunger sends balls up this lane. There is a one-way gate which deflects balls coming down over to the Right Inlane/Outlane area. When that happens, the Left Ramp lights for Shooter Bypass.

Plunger
Good ol' reliable manual plunger. Depending on how hard you plunge, the ball can roll back to the plunger, roll down the Skill Shot Lane, land in the Blast/Wheel Hole for the Skill Shot, go up to the Bumper area, or hit the Bulldozer.

Right Inlanes
Another of Lawlor's trademarks is two Inlanes on one side. The Inside Inlane lights Bridge Out at the Left Ramp, and the Outside Inlane lights Bob's Bunker. A ball shot to the Left Ramp and not diverted will return to the Inside Inlane.

Right Outlane
This is a particularly wicked outlane. It can be lit for a Special.

Slingshots
Two normal triangular slingshots (but a bit on the small side) in their usual places.

Lower Flippers
Two full-sized flippers in the normal place.

Standups
Scattered around the board are white, orange, and red standups. They are used to change the lit mode, and during the Miami and Minneapolis modes.

Playfield lights
Just below the Bulldozer are twelve lights that make up the Wheel. Below those are five lights that show your current day of the week (see Multiball). Moving down, there is the US map and the mode lights. Below the map are the bonus multiplier lights. And finally, between the flippers, the ever-popular Shoot Again light, which also indicates when the ball saver is active.

Shaker motor
Inside the cabinet, about six inches in front of the coin box and six inches left of center, is the shaker. It's a motor spinning an off-center weight, which when turned on causes the whole machine to shake. It's used to punctuate gameplay (especially when you collect blasts).

<4> General Rules and Scoring

Ball Saver
The Ball Saver is turned on at the start of each ball, and can save the ball *one* time during each ball. It also lights at the start of either multiball mode. If you drain BOTH balls while the ball saver is lit, the mode will end and you'll get one ball back.

Sometimes, the Phantom Ball Saver may activate. This has been reported to occur when the ball drains Lock -> SDTM or Red -> Left Outlane.

Skill Shot
Anytime you have a ball at the Plunger (except after two locks during a West Coast mode), shoot the ball into the Blast/Wheel Hole without hitting anything else to score the Skill Shot. The award is a free souvenir, along with 5M the first time, 10M the second, etc., to a max of 25M.

You can also score a Skill Shot anytime the ball rolls up the Skill Shot lane and lands in the Blast Hole. This usually happens after the ball is kicked off the left Slingshot.

Shooter Bypass
Any time a ball rolls down the Skill Shot Lane, the Left Ramp will be lit for Shooter Bypass in addition to anything else already lit there. The award is 5M the first time, 10M the second, etc., to a max of 25M.

Spinner scoring
When the game is power-cycled, the Spinner value resets. It begins at only a few hundred points per spin. It gradually increases, to a few thousand points, then a couple hundred thousand, etc., until it reaches its max of 1M per spin. This value holds over between players and games. Collecting a "Spinner at max" award from the Wheel immediately sets the Spinner at 1M. Power-cycling is the only thing that resets the Spinner's value.

In LA-5, this has changed. The Spinner value resets to 1,000 at the start of each ball. We think this bites.

Bridge Out and Bonus Multipliers
Bridge Out can be collected at any time during the game. Light the Right Ramp by rolling through the Left Inlane, or light the Left Ramp by rolling through the Inside Right Inlane. Bridge Out remains lit for a few seconds. Hitting a lit Ramp will activate that Ramp's diverter. There is no grace period for Bridge Out, although there IS a grace period for the diverters (meaning that a diverter may activate even though you are not awarded a Bridge Out).

Each Bridge Out advances the Bonus Multiplier from 1x to 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, and 6x. After 6x, the next award is "Light EB," which you can collect once per game. Advancing the multiplier lights the Wheel if it isn't already lit. After the multiplier reaches its max, Bridge Out shots award 10M.

The downside to all this is that if you have the wheel lit when you advance the multiplier to its max, the Wheel will be UNlit!.

Big Millions
Anytime a ball is kicked out of the Lock, Red is lit for Big Millions for a short time. Hit her mouth to score 5M the first time, 6M the second time, etc., to a max of 25M. The value carries over during the entire game.

Cheeseburger Bonus
After enough Red hits, you'll be awarded the Cheeseburger Bonus, worth 20M. Red: "You big Cheeseburger!"

Fun With Bonus
2M * # of modes played
+ 1K * # of miles on that ball (maxes at 9,999 miles)
+ 200K * # of blasts
+ 10M for each souvenir+associated city combo

... then multiply all that by the bonus multiplier.

<5> Blasts

There are several ways of collecting a Blast. Each time you collect a Blast at the Blast Targets, you are awarded the current Blast Value, which starts at 1M and goes up by some odd amount (208,430) with each Bumper hit to a max of 10M.

The most common way to light the Blast Targets by dropping a ball into the Blast/Wheel Hole or hitting the Magic Standup. Shooting the Left Loop lights the Blast Targets for a short time. Hitting them awards 2x the Blast Value. Shooting Bridge Out on the Right Ramp lights the Blast Targets for a short time, and hitting them awards 3x the Blast Value.

You can also score a Super Blast by shooting either the Left Loop ("Fire in the hole!") or Bridge Out on the Right Ramp, and then the Blast/Wheel Hole. This awards 5M the first time, 10M the second, and 15M afterwards. It also collects anything else that is lit at the Blast Hole.

If Big Blast is lit, hitting the Blast Targets awards 5x the Blast Value. The flasher light in front of the Blast Targets will flash when Big Blast is lit. Note that you are always awarded one BLAST, regardless of the multiplier applied to the Blast Value.

Blasts also work as a counter award, like Robots and Hitchhikers in TZ: Flying Rocks is lit at 3, EB is lit at between 5 and 14 (reflexes), Special is lit between 17 and 34 (reflexes), Flying Rocks at 40, EB lit at 50, Flying Rocks again at 60 and 80. Are there more after 80?

<6> Flying Rocks

Flying Rocks is akin to the Steps in FunHouse. First light the Left Ramp by getting a Wheel award or enough Blasts (Flying Rocks can NOT be stacked at the Ramp). Hitting the Ramp sends the ball down to the left-hand plunger (using some cleverly-placed diverters). A habitrail leads away from the plunger, and it has three exits. Each exit has an award:

Bottom hole
Lite 5x Blast. The ball is fed to the Middle Left Flipper for a one-time shot at the Blast Targets.
Middle hole
Lite Radio Riot. The ball is fed to the Left Inlane. Each hit to the three-bank of Radio Targets scores 10M for the rest of the ball. Sometimes you'll hear air checks from radio stations: "Turn your knob to BOB. BOB 100 FM", "103.5 - WYNY."
Top hole
Lite EB. The ball is fed to the Inside Right Inlane, which is a pretty good setup for a shot at the Lock.

If you send the ball past the top exit, it will hit Ted in the head! This makes Ted very sore and awards 25M. The ball will roll back to the top hole and exit that way.

Hitting one of the lower three shots when lit unlights it. The Lite 5x Blast hole is lit for you at the start of the game, and another is lit the first time you get the ball to the Rocks Plunger. Hitting the Center Loop at any time also lights the next unlit Flying Rocks shot. In any event, the shots are always lit in order from bottom to top, and you can collect only one EB from the Rocks per game.

Note 1: If a ball goes airborne and lands at the Rocks Plunger, you will be able to collect the Rocks awards, just as if you had gotten the ball there legitimately.

Note 2: hitting one of the three lower Rocks shots awards 10M if it was lit, and 5M if not.

<7> The Wheel

The Wheel is a group of twelve various awards. Light the Wheel by advancing your bonus multiplier. Collect a Wheel award by shooting the Lock or the Blast/Wheel Hole. You can relight the Wheel and collect Wheel awards at any time during the game. When the Wheel is lit, all twelve lights will flash together, and a tick-tock sound effect will play. Wheels cannot be stacked; once you collect one award you must relight the Wheel.

Each bumper hit moves the flashing Wheel award counterclockwise. If the Wheel is lit, each spin of the Spinner also moves the flashing award counterclockwise. Nothing happens when you collect all twelve awards; the Wheel just quietly resets.

Here are the awards:

You're There
Immediately lights Start City Scene and awards 5M * (number of modes you've played + 1). If you're currently in a mode, or if Start City Scene is already lit, Start City Scene will be lit immediately at the end of the current or next mode respectively. If you collect this award by shooting the Blast/Wheel Hole, and if there was not a mode running, the next mode will begin before the ball is kicked back into play. (see Bugs)

Flying Rocks
Lights the Left Ramp for Flying Rocks.

Light Big Blast
Lights the Blast Targets for Big Blast. This does not seem to time out, but it will turn off if you drain without collecting it.

Light Special
Does just what it says. Red: "Now isn't that special." The Left Outlane is lit for Special at first, and the Special switches outlanes with each slingshot hit.

Million Plus
Lights the Right Ramp for Million Plus, worth 6M the first time, and 1M more each successive shot, to a max of 12M, for the rest of the ball. Ted: "You look like a million plus."

Jets at Max
Each Jet Bumper hit is worth 1M for the rest of the ball. This award also starts a neat light show in the lights that make up the border on the US map.

Bad Weather
A 25M Hurry-up is lit at the Lock. It times out 5M. Red: "I HATE rain!" Collecting the points gives the quotes: Ted: "Look, a rainbow!" Red: "Wow!" If you collect this award from the Blast Hole when Start City Scene is lit, the mode will not start. Also, you cannot start a mode while Bad Weather is running.

Spinner at Max
Sets the Spinner value to 1M per spin. See Spinner Scoring in section 4 for more info.

Hold Bonus
Also holds your multiplier. (see Bugs)

Lite EB
Does just what it says. Red: "Get that extra ball!"

Bob's Freebie
Awards a free Souvenir.

Lunch Time
Shows a pretty hot dog on the DMD and awards 15M. (Mmmm...fifteen million. Oops, sorry, wrong cartoon character.)

<8> Souvenirs

Souvenirs are neat little toys that you can pick up during the game. You get one for free every time you collect a Skill Shot or Bob's Freebie Wheel award. You can also buy souvenirs (using points as your currency) from Bob's Souvenir Bunker, which is located at the Lock.

Bob's Bunker is lit by rolling through the Center Lane or the Outside Right Inlane. But in order to get the chance to buy something at Bob's, you must hit the Lock when nothing else is lit there, and when no mode is running.

When you hit the Skill Shot, you are awarded a random Souvenir (but this is adjustable - see section 17).

When you visit Bob's or collect a Bob's Freebie award, you see a cute picture of the facade of the Bunker, which has a changing sign in the window. The first time you visit Bob's, you also see the bulldozer pull up to the door and park (complete with hissing air brakes!).

The sign can be one of the following:

  • "Home of the Big Rubber Spears" (this is always the sign on your first visit)
  • "Free Water -- $1 a glass"
  • "Uranium Ore $3 a Chunk"
  • "Easy Credit -- Let's Talk"
  • "Today's Special: Explosives"
  • "Try Our Frosty Malts"
  • "Dozer Parts On Sale Today"
  • "Sale On Jackalopes"
  • "Secret Video Mode: BRRRLLRRL"
  • "Frenzy? Bwa haa ha ha!"

Then, a souvenir is picked at random, with an animation reminiscent of CFTBL's Snack Bar. You are then shown the price of the Souvenir. Press the left flipper to decline it, or the right flipper to buy it. There are also some joke souvenirs: New Car, Pretty Rocks, Ashtray, Breath Spray, Uranium, Ammunition, Toothpicks, Lawn Darts, Poker Chips, Paperweight, Wooden Indian, Antacid, Towelettes (for when you get that not-so-fresh feeling).

What are Souvenirs good for? Well, you can sell them back at Albuquerque (usually for more than what you paid), and you can get extra points at Fun With Bonus. If you have a souvenir AND have visited the associated city, you get 10M per souvenir. So, if you have played the Miami mode and have 2 suntan lotions, you get 20M.

Random quotes for buying a souvenir:

  • Ted: "There goes the paycheck again"
  • Ted: "The biggest bang for your buck, baby!"
  • Red: "Hey, that's neat!"
  • Red: "What a piece of JUNK"
  • Red: "We came here for THIS?"
  • Red: "What a waste of money!"
  • If you don't buy one, Red may say "Thank goodness!".

Here are the souvenirs:

SouvenirCostCity
Air Freshener 20M New York
Baggy Shorts 20M Seattle
Baseball Cap 5M Atlanta
Belt Buckle 3M Nashville
Box Kite 8M Kansas City
Bull Whip 7M
Coffee Mug 750K Ohio
Cowboy Hat 6M Dallas
Deck of Cards 10M Las Vegas
Fireworks 7M New Orleans
Fool's Gold 20M Denver (40M in LA-3 and earlier)
Key Chain 5M
Pennant 1M Chicago
Picture Plate 5M (see Easter Eggs)
Root Beer Mug 2M
Rubber Nose 50M
Rubber Spear 2M Minneapolis
Salt Shakers 750K Salt Lake City
Sandals 12M San Francisco
Shot Glass ?
Sunglasses 8M Los Angeles
Suntan Lotion 20M Miami
T-Shirt 4M Albuquerque
Treasure Map 10M Butte
Wax Lips 15M

There are also three special Pinball souvenirs. They cannot be sold back at Albuquerque, but you get something right away when you buy them.

Lead Pinball 75M lights EB
Zinc Pinball 100M awards an EB
Gold Pinball 250M awards an EB and lights Special

There have been rumors of a Platinum Pinball and a Uranium Pinball.

If the sign in the window reads "Uranium Ore $3 a Chunk" quickly hit both flippers. (Here is another easter egg related to the number 3.) This starts Construction Mania, a 20-second mode with all targets worth 3M. If you start Construction Mania, you will not get a souvenir for that trip to Bob's.

You will never be offered a souvenir that costs more than you can afford. If buying a souvenir drops your score under the replay score, you will not be awarded another replay if you pass the replay score again.

<9> Multiball

First, advance through the days by hitting the Bulldozer blade. Each hit advances you one day. Red also announces the days as you go, and your progress is indicated on the playfield lights below the Wheel. When you reach Friday, Lock is lit at the Bunker, and both characters say something about payday, Ted: "Where's my paycheck?", Red: "Pipe down!" You cannot advance days or lock balls while a City Scene mode is in progress. If you take a while in locking ball 1, Red will say: "Put a cork in it!" (referring to Ted's babbling about his paycheck).

Locking one ball awards 10K for each mile you've traveled on that ball (if you have NO miles, you get a consolation prize of 10K), and Ted says "Hey-hey, payday! Party time! Put on your dancin' shoes baby."

Lock 2 is then immediately lit. Locking ball 2 awards another bonus for miles, and you hear more chatter:

  • Red: "Payday!", Ted: "Whoa--I'm all worn out."
  • Rad: "Party time!", Ted: "*yawn* I'm shuttin' down."
  • Ted then falls asleep, and (like most sleeping heads on pinball machines) his mouth hangs open. The Bulldozer blade raises, exposing his mouth. Shoot a ball in there to start Multiball.

After Ted swallows that ball you just shot in, all three balls are kicked out of the Lock. That's a bit inconvenient since the first jackpot is at Ted's mouth. The jackpot starts at 40M and goes up by 5M each time you hit the Bulldozer Blade, to a max of 75M.

The first jackpot is at Ted's mouth, and the second is at Red's mouth. The jackpots keep alternating between the two. Whenever Ted is the next jackpot, the Blade rises and lowers, making it a difficult shot. When Red is the next jackpot, the Blade stays down. As soon as you collect one jackpot, the other is lit immediately.

When you score a jackpot, the DMD spells out the word JACKPOT once for each jackpot you've gotten (to a max of three times). Kinda dull, really. Scoring your first jackpot also starts some real country music going; Carlene sings about some hopelessly codependent relationship ("I oughta keep you locked up at home.")

If you drain two balls without getting a jackpot, multiball restart is lit at the Lock for 12 seconds. Shooting the Lock restarts Multiball with two balls (see bugs).

At the end of Multiball, you may hear Ted say, "Oh, my achin' head!" or "I feel like I've been rode hard and put away wet." If you get no jackpots, restart, and still get no jackpots, Red will console you by saying "You missed EVERYTHING!"

Between locks 1 and 2, you might hear

  • Ted: "We're eatin' high off the hog tonight!"
  • Ted: "I'm on easy street, baby!"
  • Red: "What a GUY!"

On the second and later Multiballs, Ted will say "Put a fork in me, baby, I'm done" after lock 2.

After you light lock 1, but before you lock the first ball, hitting the Bulldozer awards Overtime, which is worth 1.1M the first time, 1.2M the second, and so on to a max of 3M (and plays a neat "whoosh" sound effect).

On the second multiball, you need to advance through the days again after locking the first ball, and the max value of the jackpot is 100M. On the third multiball you need 2 bulldozer hits to advance a day, and the max jackpot is 125M. Later multiballs need one more bulldozer hit to advance a day, and the max jackpot goes up by 25M for each multiball. The highest we've seen is 4 hits to advance a day!

On LA-4 and earlier ROMs, the jackpot value carries over between multiballs. On LA-5, the value can go down by 15M or so between multiballs.

Note: The status report includes a screen that says "x balls locked." This tells you how many balls are physically in the Lock, which isn't necessarily the same as how many balls you have locked.

<10> City Scenes (modes)

Each of the cities on the US map corresponds to a mode. That's right, eighteen of 'em! The cities are roughly in a grid, 6 columns by 3 rows. The top row of lights is white, the middle row is yellow, and the bottom row is orange. It's not a perfect grid, though; in fact, from going from right to left, the colors always rotate in the same order: white, orange, yellow.

To begin a mode, shoot either the Start City Scene scoop or the Blast Hole when the Start City Scene globe light is flashing. You cannot start modes during multiball, or when you have locked two balls and Ted is asleep. You also cannot have more than one mode running at a time (but see bugs).

The currently flashing mode is always one of the next two cities on the map (going from right to left), so your first mode is either New York (white) or Miami (orange) -- the rightmost 2 cities on the map. This means that you can never play two modes of the same color in a row. The exception to this rule is the West Coast cities - you can reach any of the three cities on the coast.

The currently flashing mode changes when you hit a bumper or standup of the same color as a city that you can reach at that time. So for example, at the beginning of the game, New York is the flashing mode, but hitting an orange bumper or standup changes the mode to Miami; and hitting a while bumper or standup changes it back to New York.

The order of the cities from east to west is:

  • New York
  • Miami
  • Atlanta
  • Ohio (This is in fact a *state*, not a city.)
  • New Orleans (or, as Red calls it, Nawlins)
  • Nashville
  • Chicago
  • Dallas
  • Kansas City
  • Minnesota (This is another state - but elsewhere this mode is called "Minneapolis," which is a city.)
  • Albuquerque
  • Denver
  • Butte
  • Salt Lake City
  • Las Vegas
  • Seattle
  • San Francisco
  • Los Angeles

After completing a mode, you need to travel 400 miles to re-light the Start City Scene scoop. (If you're playing on a non-US machine, that will be 400 kilometers.) The various targets on the board award miles:

Left Loop 150 miles
Left Ramp 100
Right Ramp 100
Right Loop 75
Blast Hole 75
Start City Scene Scoop 75
Lock 50
Inlanes 25
Spinner 5 per spin
Bumpers 5(?)
Bulldozer Blade ?
Standups ?

The exact number of miles between cities is adjustable -- see section 17 for more details.

Once you complete a West Coast mode, you start over at New York. The cities you've visited remain lit (so you can still collect bonuses from souvenirs) but you can re-play modes on your way back to the West Coast. (Note: on L-2 and earlier ROMs, the cities turn off after the West Coast mode ends.)

A note about the Right Ramp: If both the Right Ramp and the Left Loop are lit at the same time, hitting the Ramp while Bridge Out is lit there will collect BOTH the Ramp and the Loop awards (since the ball gets diverted to the Loop). This is also a good combo for non-mode play, as it racks up 275 miles.

New York City (Smash a Cab)

This is a timed mode (20 seconds?). The bulldozer is stuck in a traffic jam behind a bunch of taxi cabs. Hit the bulldozer to mercilessly crush a cab. The first hit is worth 3M, the second is worth 4M, etc., to a max of 8M. You also get 5M for starting the mode. There is no grace period after the timer runs out.

Hitting the Magic Standup awards one taxi crush award (once only).

Starting quotes:

  • Red: "Hey, look Ted, taxi cabs!"
  • Taxi Driver: (Indian accent) "You will rrrremove that bulldozer frrrrom the street!"
  • Ted: "Is that botherin' you, darlin'?"
  • Red: "Go get him, Ted."

Smashing a cab gives you one of the quotes from the cabbie:

  • "I am not afrrrraid of you!"
  • "You have destroyed my taxicab."
  • "You have not heard the last of me!"

At the end of the mode, the cabbie says

  • "You have not heard the last of me!"

Miami (Spring Break)
This is a 20-second timed mode. All targets are worth 1M. Hitting any bumper or standup adds 100K to the target value, to a max of 3M. Obviously, the Spinner or the Bumpers are the best places to shoot. Each time you increase the target value, the DMD shows a neat close-up picture of a guy banging on the screen, or a girl blowing you a kiss. :* Very reminiscent of TZ's Town Square Madness displays.

Hitting the Magic Standup raises the target value by 300K the first time you hit it. After that, it behaves like the other standups.

Starting quotes:

  • Red: "Hey look Ted, a beach party!"
  • Ted:
  • Red: (perturbed) "Jerk alert"
  • Ted: (ashamed) "Oh, Red..."

Atlanta (Worker Trapped)
This is a hurry-up mode. The hurry-up value begins at 35M and counts down to 5M. Hit the Blast Targets or the Blast/Wheel Hole to collect the points. If you shoot Left Loop -> Blast Targets, the hurry-up award is doubled. And if you shoot Right Ramp Bridge Out -> Blast Targets, it's tripled. (see Bugs) If Big Blast is lit, hitting the Blast Targets awards 5x the hurry-up value!

The Magic Standup adds 16M to the hurry-up value (once only). Hitting the Lock pauses the countdown for a few seconds.

Start quotes:

  • Voice on the radio: "We interrupt this broadcast. Construction accident. Man trapped in a Port-a-potty."
  • Red: "We'll fix that."
  • Ted: "Prepare for blasting."

After collecting the points:

  • BOOM! ... Ted: "See, that didn't hurt a bit."
  • And on the screen, one char-broiled worker.

If the hurry-up times-out, you'll hear:

  • Red: "You missed everything!"

Ohio (Trapped in Ohio)
Our heros are being pursued by the cops! Shoot either ramp to ditch one police car (worth 10M), and then hit the other ramp to get away from the other cop (25M). You also get 5M for starting the mode. Hitting a ramp shows a police car smacking head-on into a truck!

Hitting the Magic Standup spots one of the Ramps (once only).

Starting quotes:

  • Red: "Hey look Ted, poh-lice."
  • Policeman: "OK buddy, pull over!" (taken from High Speed)
  • Ted: "Officer Steve Speed."

During the mode, you'll hear more High Speed quotes.

After hitting the first ramp:

  • Ted: "Feels like a mosquito on a mack truck!"

And after hitting the other ramp:

  • Red: "Hey, we got away!"

New Orleans (Mardi Gras)
Ted and Red have 20 seconds to clear as many people from the street as they can. Hit any Ramp or Loop to knock a person out of the way. The party-goers on the screen are the frozen people from Minneapolis, babes in bikinis from Miami, the Indian from Albuquerque, and the aliens from Seattle. You get 5M for starting the mode, and shots are worth 5M, then 8M, then 12M, and 20M afterwards.

Hitting the Magic Standup awards the next two shot values (once only).

Start quotes:

  • Red: "Hey look Ted, Mardi Gras!"
  • Ted: "I knew I shoulda brought more than one T-shirt."

During the mode:

  • Red: "Hey, watch where you're going."
  • Ted: "Watch out, coming through!"
  • Ted: (musically) "Hey hey hey hey!"

Nashville (Change the Station)
This is a two-ball multiball. A second ball is served to the plunger (since there is always at least one ball in the trough), and the mode lasts until you drain one ball.

Red and Ted scream in agony as the radio blabs on. 7M starting bonus, and hitting any target in the 3-bank of Radio targets awards 10M the first time, 11M the second, etc., to a max of 15M. The station keeps changing, but talk radio always winds up coming back on.

Hitting the Magic Standup awards a radio hit (once only).

Starting quotes:

  • Ted: "It's ... TALK ... RADIO!"
  • Red: "Change the station!"

During the mode:

  • Radio: (tuning noises) "Blah blah bawk bawk blah blah"

Chicago (Evil Toll Roads)
You have 15 seconds to blow up four toll booths. Each Loop and Ramp corresponds to a booth. The first one is worth 7M, the next 10M, the third 15M, and the fourth 20M.

Hitting the Magic Standup blows up one of the booths (once only).

Starting quotes:

  • Red: "Hey look Ted, Chicago."
  • Ted: "I HATE toll roads."
  • Red: "We'll fix that!"

Dallas (Monster Cab)
The cabbie is back with a big-toothed monster-truck cab. Shoot a Ramp or Loop to lob a stick of dynamite at the cab. (You can hit a shot more than once.) It takes four shots to destroy the cab. The shots score 13M, 16M, 19M, and 22M.

Hitting the Magic Standup awards the next two shot values (once only).

Starting quotes:

  • Red: "Oh no, he's back."
  • Cabbie: "You will pay for yourrrr insolence!"
  • Red: "Let's get out of here!"
  • Ted: (a while later) "I'll save ya, Red!"

Ending quote:

  • Red: "Ooooh, Ted."

Kansas City (Tornado)
This is another two-ball multiball mode.

Starting quote:

  • "The storm is coming ... return to your homes." (taken from Whirlwind)

You get 8M for starting the mode. A 25M hurry-up begins, and it counts down to a minimum of 5M. Shoot the Lock to take shelter and collect the hurry-up value (see Bugs), and reset it to 25M. Any balls shot into the lock are kicked out after the award animation finishes.

Hitting any of the Radio targets in the 3-bank resets the hurry-up to 25M.

Hitting the Magic Standup awards the current hurry-up value (which will usually be 25M, since the Magic Standup has to be hit by a ball coming out of the Lock) (once only).

Minneapolis (Frozen People)
Our heroes have a sudden benevolent streak, and they decide to thaw a few frozen people. There are six frozen people - hit any standup EXCEPT a Blast Target to unfreeze a person and collect 10M. You get 10M for starting the mode, and a 25M bonus for unfreezing all 6 people.

Hitting any Blast Target ends the mode and fries the remaining people.

Hitting the Magic Standup the first time thaws two people. On later hits it behaves like a regular standup.

Starting quote:

  • Red: "Hey look Ted, frozen people."
  • Ted: "We'll fix that."

Blowing them up gives:

  • Red: "Oh no!"
  • Ted: "Oops."

Albuquerque (Trading Post)
Starting quotes:

  • Red: "Hey look Ted, a trading post."
  • Native American: "How ... much?"

This city isn't a mode - it's a trading post where you can sell back all the souvenirs you have at the time (except Pinballs). The Indian will buy them from you at anywhere from 1x to 7x the value of the souvenirs (the multiplier will equal your current bonus multiplier, with 7x being chosen if you have lit EB from bonus multipliers on the current ball). He'll also throw in 15M for reaching the city.

If you have no souvenirs when you reach this city, after the opening animation, the screen will dissolve into the text: "You have no souvenirs to sell". You still get the 15M mode bonus when this happens.

On P-x ROMs, the multiplier will be between 1.5x and 3.5x, chosen randomly.

If you start this mode by hitting the Start City Scene scoop, you are awarded 75 miles towards the next city before the ball is kicked back into play.

Denver (Gold Rush)
This mode is kinda dull. Just keep shooting the Left Ramp. The Ramp scores 5M the first time, 10M the second, 15M the third, and 20M afterwards. The ball is always fed to the Inside Right Inlane, so if you hit a few shots in a row you'll boost your bonus multiplier as well.

Hitting the Magic Standup awards the next two shot values (once only).

Start quote:

  • Red: "Hey look Ted, GOLD!"

Butte (Tunnel Hunt)
Shoot the underground shots (Lock, Start City Scene scoop, Blast Hole). The first one is worth 10M, the next 12M, and the last 20M. You can get only one award from each shot.

This mode is easy if you can catch balls coming out of the Start City Scene scoop. Catch the ball at the start of the mode and shoot it back into the Scoop. Then catch again and shoot the Lock. Then let the ball hit the Magic Standup to collect the third award.

The Magic Standup spots one of the Underground shots (if you haven't hit the Blast Hole yet, that shot is always spotted first).

None of the shots has a light to indicate whether it's been hit; you have to check the DMD. There are three mounds of dirt. The left mound corresponds to the Lock, the center mound to the Start City Scene scoop, and the right mound to the Blast Hole. When you shoot one of the shots, the bulldozer carries off the corresponding mound of dirt.

Starting quotes:

  • Red: "What are they digging for here?"
  • Ted: "Let's dig in, darlin'!"
  • Red: "Well, start diggin'."
  • Ted: "I'm tryin'!"

Hitting one of the tunnels gives:

  • Red: "Ya got one! Nice shot."
  • Red: "Ya got one! Way to go."
  • Red: "Ya got one! Outstanding!"
  • Red: "Ya got one! Big points."
  • Red: "Ya got one! Nice shootin' partner."

Las Vegas (Slot Machine)
This is a 15 second mode. The Wheel will be constantly spinning. Every shot to the Lock awards the currently lit award. You can receive any award, even ones that you're already collected on the current Wheel during normal play.

Las Vegas is a great mode to rack up EBs, since if you have the ball trapped on the right flipper (and you know just when to shoot), you can pretty much pick the award you get from the Wheel. On the machine that Mike plays, shooting the ball when the spinning light is on "Lite Special" almost always results in an EB award. And the light is on EB again when the ball hits the Magic Standup.

It is possible that Bad Weather is disabled during Las Vegas (rumor alert!).

Hitting the Magic Standup awards the currently lit award (once only).

Starting quotes:

  • Red: "Hey look Ted, slot machines"
  • Ted: "There goes Friday's paycheck."

During the mode, you may hear:

  • Red: "Hit something!"
  • Red: "Hey, that works."
  • Ted: "The biggest bang for your buck, baby."

Salt Lake City (Old West)
The taxi cab is back again! The cabbie and the bulldozer are in a showdown. Hit the Bulldozer Blade and the bulldozer will crush the cab when they meet, and you'll get 60M. If you don't hit the Blade within about 5 seconds, you'll lose the showdown and get only 25M.

Hitting the Magic Standup awards 60M.

Start quotes:

  • <western music>
  • Cabbie: "I have returned for you, mister bulldozer man!"

If you win:

  • Cabbie (in his crushed cab): "Oh, I hate when this happens!"

Seattle (Alien Invasion)
This is the first of the West Coast modes. The aliens from TZ have landed! Repel the aliens by hitting the Ramps.

The mode lasts 20 seconds. Each target is worth 1.5M(!). Hitting a Ramp awards 14M and raises the target value by 500K, to a max of 5M.

Starting quotes:

  • Red: "Hey look Ted, aliens!"
  • Ted: "I think they LIKE ya, Red."
  • Red: "Oh, Ted..."

San Francisco (Monster Attack)
Godzilla is attacking the city in this mode. Hit him with the bulldozer by hitting the Bulldozer Blade. All targets start at 1.5M. The Blade awards 10M and increases the target value by 500K, to a max of 5M.

Start quote:

  • Red: "Hey look Ted, monsters!"

Los Angeles (Earthshaker)
The shaker motor really gets a workout in this mode. Ted and Red have stumbled upon some new roads. Smash the road by hitting the Blast Targets. All targets start at 1.5M. Hitting the Blast Targets awards 10M and raises the frenzy value by 500K, to a max of 5M.

Starting quotes:

  • Red: "Hey look Ted, new road."
  • Ted: "We'll fix that!"

Hitting the Blast Targets gives:

  • Red: "Earrrthshaaakerrr!" (mimicking the quote from the Earthshaker pin)

To complete the entire map, you must travel to the West Coast at least three times. Nothing much happens when you start your last unlit city; the mode runs like normal. When that mode ends, the entire map will be lit (with the next city flashing as usual). When you start that city, instead of the usual opening animation, the DMD says "WOW" in a medium-sized font. When that city finishes, the entire grid will be turned off (except for the just-finished city), and the next city will flash.

<11> Super Payday (Wizard Bonus)

During any West Coast city scene, you can start Super Payday. During the mode, lock one ball in Bob's Bunker, and then lock another ball in either the Bunker, the Start City Scene Scoop, or the Blast/Wheel Hole (this includes hitting the Skill Shot after locking ball 1). In addition to a great animation of the Earth blowing up, look at all the valuable prizes you get for doing this:

  • Special is lit: lights the outlane Specials;
  • Jets at max: The Bumpers score 1M each;
  • All targets score;
  • 3x Blast lit: All Blasts you collect score 3x the blast value;
  • Shoot the Wheel: Each shot to the Lock or Blast Hole gives a Wheel award;
  • Ramps score Payday Bonus.

On LA-5, the third award in that list is "All targets score <some random value>". That value can be as high as 22M! While it'd be nice to have all targets scoring 22M, we don't really believe it. :)

The Payday Bonus is an enigmatic thing. You can collect it from the Loops as well as the Ramps. When you collect a Payday Bonus, Red announces one of the cities (in order from east to west) that you visited on the way to the West Coast. The city name is also displayed in the DMD. Then, some amount of points is displayed (that's the bonus).

The Payday Bonus is the amount of points that you collected in the announced city. Sometimes, the DMD displays "0,000,000" - this is probably a bug, since it's impossible to get zero points in a mode. Another bug can result in all Payday bonuses being worth anywhere from 1M to 153M(!).

Hitting the Magic Standup during Super Payday makes strange things happen. It awards your next Payday Bonus, but instead of displaying the next city name, the DMD says "Houlton." Red still says the correct name, though. "Houlton" is often displayed the next few times as well.

Houlton may also be the first city displayed. When this happens, Houlton often appears a few more times, and red says "New York City" each time.

When you collect a Payday Bonus, both characters scream. The Blade constantly rises and lowers throughout the mode, although hitting Ted or getting a ball into his mouth doesn't do anything.

Now, if you've been reading carefully, you know that there are four balls in Road Show. You're at the start of Super Payday. You have two balls locked, and one at the plunger. Why is the fourth ball going to waste? Well, in fact it doesn't - it just takes a bit of effort to get it into play. Here are the possible situations at the start of Super Payday, and the number of balls you get:

  1. 1 ball in the Lock, 1 in the Blast Hole or Start City Scene Scoop. 1 ball is served to the plunger for 3-ball SPD.
  2. 2 balls in the Lock, 1 ball in the Hole or the Scoop. 1 ball is served to the plunger for 4-ball SPD.
  3. 2 balls in the Lock, 0 balls in the Hole or the Scoop. 1 ball is served to the plunger. Hit the Skill Shot for 4-ball SPD. If you miss, you get 3-ball SPD.
  4. 3 balls in the Lock, 0 balls in the Hole or the Scoop. 1 ball is kicked out of the Lock and you play SPD with one ball for a few seconds. If you get that ball into the Blast Hole or Start City Scene Scoop before either of the two remaining balls is kicked out, another ball is served to the Plunger for 4-ball SPD.

Remember, you must use that extra ball only for good, and never for evil.

If the West Coast mode's timer is under 10 seconds when you lock the first ball, it is reset to 10 when the second ball is served to the plunger.

If you lock one ball during the West Coast mode, but the timer runs out before you lock the other ball, the first ball is kicked out, and the West Coast mode continues until you drain one ball (maybe -- the locked ball is not always kicked out).

If you lock one ball, then drain the other ball, the first ball is kicked out and the mode ends.

Once, Mike locked one ball, drained the other, and the ball ended! But he hasn't been able to reproduce this.

After Super Payday ends, the jets will still be worth 1M, the Special will be lit if you didn't collect it during SPD, and the Wheel will be lit.

<12> The Magic Standup (tm)

The Magic Standup is the backwards-facing target below the tip of the Upper Left Flipper. The easiest way to hit it is not to flip at balls coming out of the Lock. The ball should roll right into the target. In fact, in order to benefit from the powers of the Magic Standup, that's exactly how you have to hit it.

This standup does lots of good things:

  • Hitting the target at any time lights the Blast Targets if they're not already lit. (In this case, the target does not have to be hit by a ball coming out of the Lock.)
  • In New York, it awards one hit on the Bulldozer.
  • In Miami, it raises the target value by 300K.
  • In Atlanta, it adds 16M to the hurry-up value.
  • In Ohio, it spots one of the Ramps.
  • In New Orleans, it counts as two Ramp/Loop shots.
  • In Nashville, it awards a Radio Targets shot.
  • In Chicago, it blows up a toll booth.
  • In Dallas, it counts as two Ramp/Loop shots.
  • In Kansas City, it awards the hurry-up value (usually 25M).
  • In Minneapolis, it unfreezes 2 people.
  • In Denver, it counts as two Left Ramp hits.
  • In Butte, it spots one of the underground shots.
  • In Las Vegas, it awards a Wheel award.
  • In Salt Lake City, it awards 60M.
  • During Super Payday, it brings up the "Houlton" bug.

Note that, during modes, the Magic Standup only gives its special award once. After that, it behaves like the other standups.

<13> Combos

Combos are unfortunately few in number.

Banking a ball off the three-bank of Radio Targets and into the Blade scores 5M.

Shooting Left Loop -> Blast Targets awards 2x the Blast Value.

Shooting Right Ramp (with Bridge Out lit) -> Blast Targets awards 3x the Blast Value.

During the Atlanta mode, shooting Left Loop -> Blast Targets awards 2x the hurry up value (see bugs).

During Atlanta, shooting Right Ramp (with Bridge Out lit) -> Blast Targets awards 3x the hurry up value.

One sequence that is particularly valuable is Left Ramp -> Left Ramp (Bridge Out) -> Right Ramp (Bridge Out) -> Blast Hole. This awards: two bonus multipliers, a Super Blast, a Wheel award, and starts the next mode. Not to mention that it feels great and impresses any onlookers.

<14> Easter Eggs

There are two DOHOs. One is in the backglass artwork (look at the barbed wire on the far right side of the picture). The other is in the background of the New York mode display. One of the buildings has the letters in its windows, like this:

D O
H O

There are also two cows. The Picture Plate souvenir has a picture of a cow on it. The other cow is on the backglass, on the far right, standing at the top of the hill.

In the tradition of Pat Lawlor pinballs, someone is drawn on the backglass holding a red thumb-trigger button in their left hand. This time, it's Pat himself, sitting in a Corvette (with the license plate GAME BIZ) on the Road behind the bulldozer. He honestly looks happy at all the mayhem surrounding him.

Construction Mania - see the Souvenirs section.

The "Secret video mode" display sometimes seen in the window of Bob's shop. It's probably just a joke, but ya never know.

During the attract mode, sometimes the high scores will all have the initials "RED".

<15> Bugs

In Atlanta, if you collect a doubled or tripled hurry-up award, the light in front of the Blast Targets will continue to flash until you collect another blast or the ball ends. (This is present in LA-3, 4, and 5.)

[This is Mike's bug] I had Big Blast lit during Atlanta. I shot Left Loop -> Blast Hole. Things got really confused, as I was awarded 5x the Blast Value, 1x the hurry up value, and Red said "You missed everything!"

During New Orleans, after you collect a 20M award, the "next shot =" display will say "52M". This is just a display bug.

The whole "Houlton" deal. This was present in the prototype ROMs, it didn't seem to be in LA-3, but in LA-4 it's BACK!

If you light Bridge Out on either Ramp, then hit the Ramp right after Bridge Out times out, the ball will still be diverted.

Sometimes, Red will say "Spin the Wheel!", and the DMD will display "Wheel is lit" when your multiplier was at max (which means that the Wheel was NOT relit). This has been fixed in LA-5.

Sometimes after collecting a Wheel award, the Wheel lights will not be updated, so the award you just collected will remain flashing. The Wheel IS updated internally, but this bug can be annoying. This bug is in LA-4, but was not in LA-3.

If you have Flying Rocks lit at the Left Ramp, and you start any Multiball mode, the top-left diverter on the Left Ramp will always activate during the Multiball. (The lower two diverters won't activate, though.) (This is present on LA-4 and 5.)

If you collect Hold Bonus on a ball during which you also light EB from the multipliers, on the next ball your multiplier will be displayed as "XX". This would be a clever way to show a 10x multiplier, but that isn't the case - it's still just 6x. (This is present in LA-3, 4, and 5.)

[This is Scott's bug] If you collect a You're There award during a West Coast mode between locks, and then start Super Payday, the New York mode will run simultaneously with Super Payday. Also, when you collect a Payday Bonus, the announced city will always be New York.

In Kansas City, when you collect a hurry-up award, you cannot collect another until the animation for the award finishes.

[This is Mike's bug] If you have EB and/or the Wheel lit, and Restart Multiball lit at the Lock, the restart timer continues to run during the EB and Wheel animations. If the timer runs out during the animation, another ball will be served to the plunger, but Multiball will NOT restart.

In San Francisco, if you lock one ball, but the timer runs out before you lock the second ball, the San Francisco mode continues until you drain that ball. You cannot start Super Payday with that ball, however. (This seems to happen sometimes in the other West Coast modes, too.)

[This is Mike's bug] If you collect 2 Bob's Freebie awards at the same time (or about the same time), the second souvenir-selection animation will override the first, but only the first souvenir will be displayed. (This is just a display bug as far as I can tell.)

[This is Scott's bug] If you collect Bob's Freebie and start Construction Mania during a mode which ends after you hit certain shots (such as Ohio), Construction Mania will end when the mode ends, regardless of the time left on the Construction Mania timer.

[This is Scott's bug] Starting Construction Mania or Bad Weather during a mode which is a hit-all-you-can mode (like New York or New Orleans) will freeze the mode timer until Construction Mania or Bad Weather ends.

When you hit a Skill Shot at the start of a ball, the ball saver timer freezes, but the timer on the light continues to run. That means that the saver will be active when the ball is kicked out even thought the light will have turned off.

<16> Miscellaneous Stuff

Extra balls and Specials remain lit across balls until they are collected. Extra balls may be stacked, but Specials cannot. If a Special is already lit, and you collect another Light Special award, the second award is lost. One outlane is lit for Special at a time, and it alternates Outlanes with each Slingshot hit.

The three flippers on the left side are independently controllable to some extent. Pushing the left flipper button partway in activates the Lower Left Flipper, and pushing it in fully activates the other two flippers at the same time.

Getting a ball into Red's mouth awards 20M, and a quote:

  • "Oh my! That's terrible!" or
  • "Bleah! How can you eat those things?"
The quote changes after the first multiball (because Red saw Ted eat the ball to start multiball). Clever!

You can buy-in until you reach the West Coast, for 1/2 credit each time. You don't get anything special for buying in.

There are two high score lists. One is the all-time high scores, which includes the Grand Champion and the #1 through #4 scores. There is also a daily high score board, which holds the four highest scores of the day. This list resets every day at midnight. No credits are awarded for making the daily high score board.

The match sequence is pretty dull. It's similar to TNG's, except without the stars and Trek music. The Match is disabled by default.

Miscellaneous quotes:

Hitting the shooter bypass - Red: "Big points!" or "Nice shot!"

Having over 100M at Fun With Bonus - Red: "Big Points!"

Tilting - Red: "Oh no..." Ted: "Now THAT'S pinball."

When you buy in - Ted: "There goes Friday's paycheck."

At the start of the game - Red: "Let's rip some road!", or Red: "Time to go to work! Let's fire that thing up!", then Ted: "*yawn* huh?"

At the end of the game - Red: "Don't be a stranger."

<17> Operator Adjustments

Here is the list of adjustments. This info is all straight out of the Road Show manual. That means that it's copyrighted by Williams and you'll likely get in trouble if you try to sell it. Of course, it's OK for us to use it, as we're using it solely for reference. O:)

After the adjustments is a lst of default settings for 3 ball and 5 ball games.

Feature Adjustments
The following game features are adjustable by an operator. A feature with memory will remain lit from ball to ball. Factory Setting refers to medium difficulty level.

  1. Blink eyes
    ON = Red and Teds eyes Blink.
    OFF = Red and Teds eyes do not blink.
    Factory Setting: OFF.

  2. Special percent
    5% - 15%
    Factory Setting: 8%.

  3. Extra Ball percent
    5% - 34%
    Factory Setting: 20%.

  4. Extra Ball memory
    ON = Extra ball light remains lit between balls.
    OFF = Extra ball light resets between balls.
    Factory Setting: On.

  5. Buy extra ball
    OFF = No Buy ins.
    Credit = Buy in for 1 credit.
    Half Credit = Buy in for half a credit.
    Coin = Buy in for 1 coin.
    Factory Setting: Half Credit.

  6. Buy In count
    Unlimited = Player my buy in an unlimited number of times.
    1 - 6 = Player my only buy in X number of times.
    NOTE: Buyins are not permitted after a player reaches the west cost.
    Factory Setting: Unlimited.

  7. Attract Mode sounds
    ON = Attract mode will play music and speech.
    OFF = Attract mode will not play music and speech.
    Factory Setting: Off

  8. Starting Day
    Monday - Friday = The first day lit when the game starts.
    Factory Setting: Monday.

  9. Weeks to lock 2
    0 = Lock two lights after lock 1.
    1 = Lock two lights after going through every day again.
    Factory Setting: 0.

  10. Count between Wheels
    0 = Wheel lit after ever Bridge Out.
    1 = Wheel lit after every second Bridge out.
    Factory Setting: 0.

  11. Skill Shot Award
    Start City = Skill Shot starts a city.
    Souvenir = Skill Shot awards a Souvenir.
    Flying Rocks = Skill Shot lights Flying Rocks.
    Factory Setting: Souvenir.

  12. Game Over effect
    On = Flashlamp and music effect at the end of a game.
    Off = No flashlamp and music effect at the end of a game.
    Factory Setting: Off.

  13. Wheel Lamps memory
    On = Wheel remains uneffected from one ball to the next.
    Off = All Wheel lamps reset between balls, except light Extra Ball and light Special, which always remain lit.
    Factory Setting: On

  14. Wheel In memory
    On = The Wheel does not reset between balls.
    Off = The Wheel will not be lit between balls.
    Factory Setting: On

  15. Miles Between Cities
    100 - 1000 = Number of Miles to travel to light the next city.
    Factory Setting: 400

  16. Longer Path
    On = The player cannot get two cities of the same color in a row.
    Off = The player can get two cities of the same color in a row.
    Factory Setting: On.

  17. Ball Save timer
    On = There will be a short ball saver.
    Off = There will not be a short ball saver.
    Factory Setting: Off

  18. Outlane Serving
    On = A saved ball will be served as soon as an outlane switch is hit.
    Off = A saved ball will be served when the drained ball reaches the trough.
    Factory Setting: Off.

  19. Default Extra Ball Blast
    5 - 10 blasts = Default blast count that awards extra ball.
    Factory Setting: 7

  20. Disable Ted
    On = Ted's mouth and his bulldozer will not move.
    Off = Ted works perfectly.
    Factory Setting: Off.

  21. Disable Red
    On = Red's mouth will not move.
    Off = Red works perfectly.
    Factory Setting: Off.

  22. Disable Left Ramp diverter
    On = The diverter will not activate.
    Off = The diverter will activate.
    Factory Setting: Off.

  23. Disable Right Ramp diverter
    On = The diverter will not activate.
    Off = The diverter will activate.
    Factory Setting: Off.

  24. Disable Lower Left diverter
    On = The diverter will not activate.
    Off = The diverter will activate.
    Factory Setting: Off.

Difficulty Settings
Abbreviations:

  • Ex Ball, EB = Extra Ball
  • b/w = Between
  • bst = Blast
  • Brdg Out = Bridge Out
  • M = Miles

Adj # Description Extra Easy Easy Medium (Default> Hard Extra Hard
02 Special % 10% 9% 8% 7% 6%
03 Extra Ball % 30% 23% 20% 15% 10%
04 Ex Ball memory On On On On Off
08 Start Day Friday Thursday Monday Monday Monday
09 Weeks lock 2 0 Weeks 0 Weeks 0 Weeks 1 Week 1 Week
10 Cnt b/w Wheels 0 B/Os 0 B/Os 0 B/Os 0 B/Os 1 B/O
15 Miles b/w city 200 M 300 M 400 M 500 M 600 M
16 Longer Path Off Off On On On
17 Ball Save time On On Off Off Off
19 Default EB Bst 5 Blasts 6 Blasts 7 Blasts 8 Blasts 9 Blasts

Five ball vs Three ball settings
Abbreviations:

  • Ex Ball, EB = Extra Ball
  • b/w = Between
  • bst = Blast
  • Brdg Out = Bridge Out
  • M = Miles

Note:
A.1 is Standard Adjustments.
A.2 is Feature Adjustments.

Adj Number Description Install five ball Install three ball
A.1 01 Balls per game 5 3
A.1 07 Replay Start 700 Million 500 Million
A.2 02 Special % 7% 8%
A.2 03 Extra Ball % 15% 20%
A.2 04 Ex Ball memory On On
A.2 08 Start Day Monday Monday
A.2 09 Weeks lock 2 1 Week 0 Weeks
A.2 10 Cnt b/w Wheels 0 Brdg Outs 1 Brdg Out
A.2 15 Miles b/w city 500 Miles 400 Miles
A.2 16 Longer Path On On
A.2 17 Ball Save time Off Off
A.2 19 Default EB Bst 8 Blasts 7 Blasts

<18> Strategies

How to save a ball trapped under the Middle Left Flipper
No matter how hard you try to avoid it, it's going to happen eventually. A ball is going to get stuck under that tiny flipper. So, now you're in a predicament.

You have two choices. If your machine's tilt is lenient, raise the flipper and give the machine a nudge forward (a little stronger than your normal up-push). The ball will roll up and be in range of the flipper. Bat it away and continue playing.

The other method is a bit more tricky. Again, raise the flipper. Just as the ball turns right and heads for the Outlane, slap the right side of the cabinet. If you do it right, the ball will hit the top of the Inlane/Outlane divider, bounce off the movable post to the left of the Outlane, and bounce back to the Inlane.

Extra balls
EBs are not that hard to come by. If you're close to getting an EB from Blasts, keep shooting Left Loop -> Blast Hole or Targets to rack up Blasts. If Lite EB is the flashing Wheel award, go for Right Ramp (Bridge Out) -> Blast Hole or Left Loop -> Blast Hole.

Big points
The Ramps are the best place to shoot. By themselves, they don't award much, but they light many other shots which DO give good awards. On their own, the Ramps score miles which lead to modes, and collect awards in some modes.

Collecting the Bridge Out awards increases your Bonus Multiplier towards an extra ball, and lights the Wheel (usually) which leads to more awards. And if you don't have a Bridge Out lit, just shoot a Ramp to light one!

Bonus multipliers become even more important near the end of a big game. You'll have lots of cities, lots of miles, and lots of Blasts. Building up your multiplier each ball should be a high priority. Mike once collected a 799M Fun With Bonus with a 6x multiplier!

After you have many cities lit, go for souvenirs as often as possible. This means let balls drain if the ball saver is on, to have another chance at the Skill Shot and another souvenir. Combine all those souvenirs with 6x multipliers for mega-bonuses. (Remember, the 10M bonus per souvenir per city at Fun With Bonus is multiplied by your bonus multiplier.)

Editor's Notes

  • HTML added by David Gersic dgersic@niu.edu
  • E-mail addresses have been expunged to prevent web-bot spamming, and Web links have been updated where possible.

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