The subject matter of this rule sheet is the property of Bally/Williams/WMS Mfg., blah, blah, blah.

As this is my first attempt at a rule sheet, be merciful. All of the following has been obtained through numerous late nights with my own Diner machine. In addition, my machine is set to the factory difficulty level, both for gameplay and also tilt settings. Readers of this rulesheet should keep in mind that certain play/scoring features can differ greatly depending on the difficulty setting. Having said that, here goes:

Object of the game

Serve the cranky customers to start Dine-Time and collect the Jackpot.

All the Other Stuff

The Clock

Located on the backglass is an analog clock numbered 1-12 with each number corresponding to the current Dine-Time value (in millions)

Flippers

there are the usual 2 long ones.

Plunger

Nothing special (Autoplungers suck, dude! Heh, heh, heh...).

Skill Shot

There is a miniature jukebox at the upper right of the playfield. When a ball is in the plunger lane, the jukebox flashes a series of 5 lights: 150K, 100K, 75K, 50K & 25K. Plunging the ball sends it to the Upper Left Saucer where you are awarded whatever value the light stops on. It's somewhat similar to the Skill Shot on T2. The first attempt is worth 1X Value, then 2X and 3X.

Goofy sound #1: When awarding the 150,000 value the game says: "Num-ber One!" In a cheesy female voice. It's funny the first time but tedious after 40 or 50 times....

Upper Left Saucer

This sink-hole can be reached one of four ways: The plunger lane, where it awards the Skill Shot value; The Cup Shot, a stray bounce through the EAT Lanes, or through the Spinner Shot. This saucer is used for both the Multi-Ball start as well as the Dine-Time Jackpot award.

E-A-T Lanes

3 lanes at the top of the playfield. They can be steered with the flippers, and award 2x, 3x, 4x & 5x bonuses. After the 5x bonus the game awards 100,000 points for each subsequent lighting of all three lanes. Upon completion of the three lanes, the game lights the 2 serve food lights at the base of each ramp, as well as one of the advance dine-time lights in one of the two inlanes.

Jet Bumpers

There are three, in the usual triangular fashion arranged right below the EAT lanes. The ball can feed to either the right or the left side, and it's almost impossible for the ball to fall SDTM.

Grill Shot

A small target to the left of the jet bumpers and underneath the Cash Register Ramp. This target awards ??? per hit, except when it is hit soon after knocking down a complete bank of drop targets. It then awards 3 values, which increase each subsequent time a bank of drop targets is cleared. The awards are 100K, 250K, 500K, and 1.5M. After the 1.5M shot, the award resets back to 100K. On factory settings the award carries over between balls.

Goofy sound #2: An unlit grill shot makes a noise that sounds like someone burning himself on a hot griddle and then screaming.

Spinner shot

This is a half-orbit to the left of the jet bumpers that feeds the ball to the Saucer if going fast enough, otherwise the ball will feed to the EAT lanes. There is a mirrored spinner her (like FishTales) that awards 3000 per spin when lit.

"Today's Special" Hole

This is a sinkhole located roughly 2/3 of the way down on the right. A stray bounce will sometimes send it in here, but usually the only way in is through a careful left flipper shot. The sinkhole is lit at the beginning of the game, and also from the left inlane. When lit It awards 8 random awards- 25K, 50K, 75K, 100K, 250K, Extra Ball, Advance Dine-Time and Serve Customer. If a ball is locked, the game will (usually) award Start Multiball. The eject hole sends the ball to the Upper Left saucer if working correctly. If the eject is not working correctly the ball will dribble into the plunger lane (feh).

Cash Register Ramp

This is the looping ramp on the left side. It feeds the ball to the right inlane, and has a small mock-up of a cash register on top. This ramp awards increasing values for consecutive ramp hits of 20K, 40K, 60K, 80K, 100K, 120K, 140K, ...etc. After 80K the Grill Shot lights for an extra ball(one per ball). After 100K each successive ramp shot boosts the Dine-Time value by 1 million. The left ramp raises following a right ramp shot to lock a ball for Multiball. This ramp can easily(?) be backhanded from the left flipper.

Cup Ramp

This is the looping ramp on the right side. It feeds the ball to the left inlane after crossing the Cash Register ramp over the jet bumpers. When shot for the first time during the game two things happen: the diverter on the left ramp raises to allow a ball to be locked, and the diverter on the Cup ramp swings to the side to allow a shot at the large plastic cup at the top center of the playfield("Stir The Cup"). This diverter stays open for about 10 seconds, while the ball lock will stay open until a ball is locked, even between balls.

The Cup

This is the large plastic bowl that's supposed to look like a coffee cup at the top of the playfield, and one of the key shots in the game. Balls that enter here will travel rapidly around the cup, similarly to the whirlpool in CFTBL, tripping over a sensor each time. Each 2 revolutions of the ball advance one of the DINER lights in the middle of the playfield. The cup shot bonus is 10x the light value. the awards go like this: D-25K, I-50K, N-75K, E-100K, R-250K. After the R is lit each successive revolution is worth another 10X100K up to a maximum of 10X350K or 3.5 Million. Following a successful cup shot the ball will drain into the EAT lanes. Successive cup shots requires the right ramp to be shot 5 times before the diverter will open again.

Your Customers

represented by five lights below the DINER lights and in front of the flippers: At the start of each game a customer is randomly selected to give you their order. The customer is served by hitting all six drop targets, which then reset. The next customer then barks out their order, etc. This continues until all five customers have been served at which point Dine-Time starts.

If the EAT lanes have been lit the white arrow lights at the base of each ramp will light to spot 1 bank of targets for each successful right or left ramp shot.

When you serve a customer a voice says "Order up!" and the Grill shot lights for about 10 seconds for the Grill bonus shot.

Some more Goofy Sounds (in various un-PC accents):

• Haji: "Could you please give to me a Hot Dog and a Root Beer?..."
• Babs (who looks suspiciously like Margaret Thatcher): "I'd like an Iced Tea and a Frankfurter..."
• Boris (looks just like Gorbachev!): "I'll have Burger and Fries!..."
• Pepe: "Gimme the Chili and a Root Beer!..."
• Buck: "I'll have the Texas Chili and Fries!..."

Your customers will also taunt you if they think you are taking too long.

• Haji: "Come on, man. You are too slow!"
• Babs: "Really, I haven't got all day!"
• Boris: "Hey! Get lead out!"
• Pepe: "Andelay, andelay!" (sp?)
• Buck: "Hurry up, partner!"

Drop Targets

there are two banks of three, positioned similarly to Dracula. One bank is on the left about halfway down, the other in front of the flippers just below the jet bumpers. The left targets have the Root Beer, Fries and Iced Tea lights. The right have the Hot Dog, Burger and Chili Lights. If you knock down one or two targets in a bank and then drain, the game resets all three (grr...)

Multiball

A 2-ball multiball, and fairly easy to get, as multiballs go. When the left ramp raises for ball lock the ball travels under the raised ramp to land in a saucer underneath. The left ramp then lowers, another ball is fed to the plunger, and the Spinner shot lights for the ball release. The ball must be shot through the spinner so it lands in the upper left saucer to start multiball. The other way is to get the "Start Multiball" award from the "Special" sinkhole.

There are two main objectives to multiball. The obvious one is to nail all the drop targets, which can happen very quickly. The other is to get the:

Rush

The secondary multiball feature. During multiball, the upper left saucer and the "Special" sinkhole light for "Beat The Rush" These lights stay on for about 10-15 seconds, or until one or more balls drain. The saucer is "Rush #1" and the sinkhole is "Rush #2", and I think you have to nail them in that order. When both shots are made the game says "B-b-b-b-bbbaby" (Sounds just like Elvis!) and each ramp is lit for 500K per ramp for the duration of multiball. Cool.

Dine-Time

THE shot of the game, and the only real way to the BIG POINTS. When the last customer is served, the Spinner shot lights for the jackpot shot. The ball MUST land in the saucer to get the award, which is 1 million X the current Clock value, to a maximum of 12 million. There is a backdoor into the jackpot shot, which happens when the ball goes in the "Special" sinkhole and is then fired into the saucer. The jackpot is lit for about 10-15 seconds, after which the game resets the last served customer and you start that customer over (grrr...)

I've never gotten more than one Dine-Time in a game, so I have no idea what happens if you got 2 or 3 (although I suppose I could take the glass off and look...naahhh.)

End-of-ball Bonus

some number which I've I think is determined by Jet Bumper hits (can anyone verify?) X the multiplier. In addition each served customer counts as a 1%(of the bonus) tip, which is added afterward. The end of ball bonus is no big deal...

Other Stuff

Cows

There aren't any, at least none that I've seen. Maybe too early for cows. Damn.

Ballsaver

One of the outlanes is lit when your first two balls are real stinkers(the time is operator settable). The lane is steerable with the flippers, and awards an extra ball when hit during a right or left drain.

Death Saves and Bang Backs

I'm no wizard, but I can do a Death Save from the right 75% of the time. I would imagine BBs are possible, but the large nasty bruises I get have discouraged me from trying further.

Strategies

Hit right Ramp. Hit cup shot for 3.5M. Lock ball. Nail left ramp repeatedly to increase Dine-Time value and light extra ball. Release Ball. During multiball go for "Get the Rush". Serve the customers and get your prize. Repeat.

No, really, that's basically it. Diner does not have a particularly deep rule set, but it does offer the novice to intermediate player a challenging way to improve his/her game without a confusing bunch of stuff to shoot at, like most newer games.

Bragging (Hah!)- My high score is only 23.5M, so there. Kevin, Lyman or Phaedrus probably get that on their first ball...

That's it! If you are familiar with this game and have any additions, I'd love to hear them.

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.