Contents:
WhoDunnit? is a 4 ball game by Bally manufactured in 1995. Most everything in this game is copyrighted by Bally / Williams.
This sheet can be distributed and copied in any manner provided it is done so freely and the special thanks section and my name are not removed or edited.
Michelle Tiesma
Stephen Hill
Design by: Dwight Sullivan, Barry Oursler
Art by: Linda Deal (aka Doane)
Dots / Animation by: Adam Rhine, Brian Morris
Mechanics by: Zofia Bil
Music by: Paul Barker
Sound by: Paul Barker
Software by: Dwight Sullivan
As per usual this starts at the bottom middle and proceeds clockwise around the game.
During Multiball the Sewer Hole and Roulette VUK are the jackpot shots (as shown on the playfield). Note: The mystery target also awards jackpots if lit. Furthermore, going up, down, and exiting on the elevator will award a jackpot (each habitrail stops the slots on jackpot).
Very slick. It is very noirish and has a old time murder mystery feel to it (think 1930's Sam Spade... etc).
1900
Walter, a young wealthy playboy, and Mia, wife of the English Ambassador
have a fling. They conceive VICTORIA, a secret VICTORIA'S mother keeps. She
doesn't tell him before she leaves never to see him again.
1911
TRIXIE's mom dies giving birth to her. Tex is forced to be a single parent.
1915
Walter comes to town, meets TONY, and they become partners. They start the
W&T PALACE, a struggling casino. TONY then cheats Walter out of his half of
the casino and Walter disappears.
1917
Walter returns to Europe to find that VICTORIA'S mother has died and that
VICTORIA has grown up in a boarding school. VICTORIA looks amazingly like
her mother. Walter can only think of how much he loved Mia when he sees
VICTORIA. Walter changes his name to BUTLER. He tells VICTORIA that he used
to work for her mom and she hires him as her manservant. BUTLER, trapped by
the memory of Mia, does whatever VICTORIA says. VICTORIA treats BUTLER like
dirt....as she does most everyone.
1919
Tex forms a partnership with TONY and they create the T&T PALACE. This
casino thrives and they become rich. TONY and Tex each get a tattoo on their
arm that reads T&T PALACE. TRIXIE is 8 and has a crush on TONY. TONY and Tex
are like brothers.
1922 (MAY)
BUTLER suspects the fate of all his daughters' past husbands and encourages
VICTORIA to go after TONY. VICTORIA shows up with BUTLER. VICTORIA and TONY
have been lovers off and on for a couple of years. TONY still avoids her
grasp. VICTORIA marries Tex, her third husband. She becomes TRIXIE'S
stepmother. TONY doesn't recognize Walter because BUTLER is the shadow of
the man Walter was and looks 10 years older.
1923 (JANUARY)
VICTORIA and TONY conspire to kill Tex. The plan was: VICTORIA gets the
money and TONY gets the Casino. Tex overhears VICTORIA'S half of the
conspiracy. When she hangs up the phone he roughs her up and threatens that
if anything happened to him she would be sorry. BUTLER witnessed Tex
roughing her up. Unknowingly to VICTORIA or TONY, BUTLER sabotages the
brakes of Tex's car. Tex drives off a cliff. Car explodes. Body was never
found.
Tex, injured and disfigured, makes it to an underground doctor / plastic
surgeon. Tex is reborn as BRUNO. BRUNO has one agenda; to get VICTORIA for
attempting to kill him. No one will get in his way.
TRIXIE, now 11, moves in with TONY. VICTORIA can not be tied down with a
child. TONY is the closest family that TRIXIE has. She resents VICTORIA for
this and still has a crush on TONY.
TONY and VICTORIA each believe that the other did the brake job on Tex. VICTORIA
and BUTLER leave for Europe in search of another husband for
VICTORIA.
T&T PALACE becomes TONY'S PALACE
1930
TRIXIE and TONY are lovers but TONY will not commit. TONY gives her a job at
his Casino. He keeps her on a string, never letting her get enough money to
be free.
1932
BRUNO goes on a fact-finding mission about VICTORIA. He learns all about her
and her dead husbands. He learns about her real life father. He also learns
about her relationship with TONY. He now suspects TONY and VICTORIA of
"fixing" his brakes.
TONY, unknowingly, hires BRUNO to work for him. BRUNO wants to be close
because he knows that sooner or later VICTORIA will show up, and he wants to
keep an eye on TRIXIE, his daughter. TRIXIE has been his only reason to live
on some dark lonely nights. BRUNO keeps a locker full of TRIXIE pictures and
news clippings.
1934 (Yesterday)
BRUNO waits for the day that he can extract his revenge on VICTORIA and
TONY.
TONY thinks all is well and is ready to enjoy the good life that he
deserves.
TRIXIE has finally learned that TONY is not to be trusted and she must do
what it takes to protect herself.
VICTORIA and BUTLER show up to try and snag TONY once more!
Pull the plunger and collect what is displayed on the DMD for the letter you hit if that letter is lit. Else you just spot that TAXI letter.
The awards cycle such that:
| T | Points (10M, 20M, etc.) |
| A | Clue |
| X | Advance Multiplier |
| I | Light Roulette |
Pull the plunger and attempt to have the ball enter the Lock Entry. This collects points (20M X # of super skill shots), a clue, advances the multiplier, and locks the ball. Once you have locked two balls and hit it again it locks the third ball and gives you "basement multiball".
In General, the objective is to solve the murder mystery by discovering whodunnit and then to capture them. There are a total of five cases before the cases cycle again.
To solve cases one must (usually) collect evidence, interrogate suspects, choose / guess a killer, and (when that choice is correct) catch the killer.
Note also, there are a few modes which are started either via exiting the elevator on the appropriate floor or solving a case.
There are 11 floors accessible via the Elevator. They are, and their awards/modes are:
| Basement | 3 ball multiball |
| Main Floor | Light Slots and Roulette |
| 2nd Floor | 4 Taxi Letters (thus awarding a Clue) & lights the phone |
| 3rd Floor | Collect Evidence OR pick WhoDunnit |
| 4th Floor | Spin slot machine |
| 5th Floor | Collect Evidence OR pick WhoDunnit |
| 6th Floor | Award a piece of equipment (furthest left, unlit one) |
| 7th Floor | Elevator Madness |
| 8th Floor | Interrogate a Suspect OR pick WhoDunnit |
| Penthouse | Penthouse Party (accessible only after collecting the Penthouse Key) |
| Roof | Catch the Killer (accessible only after having accessed all other floors or correctly guessed killer). |
This is done by answering the phone (when lit / ringing). Upon answering, one of the suspects will answer a question asked by you (actually, the game asks it). Note: the suspect will ALWAYS talk about the killer unless he/she IS the killer.
This is lit at the phone and allows you to choose who you think is the killer. If you choose the correct suspect Catch the Killer is initiated. It is lit by answering the phone.
Collecting Clues / Evidence / Equipment:
Clues can be collected by spelling T-A-X-I (either directly or via Taxi Chase), the Super Skill Shot, and the Slots (3 fingerprints). Clues max out a 50M, and five clues collected in one case will light an extra ball. Collected clues reset when starting a new case. Collecting a clue lights the telephone. Clues are (in order): Bullet, Broken Mirror, Dagger, Fingerprint, & Matchbook. They have no specific significance to the case or killer.
Evidence can be collected via exiting on floors 3 and 5 and gives you 25M points.
Equipment can be collected by exiting on floor 6, the Slots (3 magnifying glasses), the 2nd consecutive Train Loop, and the Sewer.
| Revolver | Helps you during multiball by increasing the value of the jackpot in the jets faster. |
| Magnifying Glass | Eliminates a suspect in a Phone shot if no other award is given. |
| Flashlight | Helps you find the Map in the Sewer or the Magnifying Glass in the Phone if no other award is given. |
| Map | Helps you in the Sewer if no other award is given. |
This is started by having the ball roll over a lit inlane. After this, both orbits are lit for Taxi Chase. Each shot will extend the time of the chase and award a T-A-X-I letter.
When Taxi Chase is not occurring a shot up the left orbit will be forced into the Bumpers. Each bumper moves a different reel of the slot machine. When two or more match they won't change. The slot machine award is collected if the ball then falls into the hole directly beneath the Bumpers.
During multiball each bumper hit raises the jackpot value. 1M normally or 5M per hit if you have the Revolver.
If lit it does the slot machine.
If unlit and you have the Flashlight but NOT the Map you will find the Map.
If unlit and you have the Flashlight AND the Map it will award various rewards (increase multiplier, interrogate suspect
find evidence, lite whodunnit, or give you 50M).
If unlit but you don't have the Flashlight or Map you get 1M X the number of times you've entered the Sewer.
Note: The first time you enter the sewer with the Map you will get a voice saying something similar to "Hey Nick, what're you doing in the Sewer?". Nick responds, "I like it in the Sewer". I believe this is the only time the private eye (ie. you, the voiceover guy) is named.
Hitting a Penthouse Key Target lights the Mystery Target. The Mystery Target awards whatever should be awarded at the time. For example, if during Penthouse Party, it awards the 3 Penthouse Party awards.
Making consecutive ramp shots scores a Train combo.
1st lights Roulette
2nd gives Flashlight
3rd lights Extra Ball
4th starts Loop Champion (Try to beat previous champion for "big points".)
When lit, you are given the choice to bet or not. Regardless, the multiplier will be increased. The amount of the bet is determined by the spinner. Whether you'll win or lose seems random. However, it has been noticed that in tournament mode it wins every other time (1,3,5,etc).
Note that, early on in the game you can bet MORE than you have. If you win, you win that amount. If you lose, you just go to zero.
Roulette is lit by shooting up the Roulette VUK when unlit, by exiting on the Main Floor, and completing the 1st Train Combo.
The slots act just like a slot machine. However, if 2 reels match when you are finished you are given a second chance. To win the second chance you only need to complete a spin shot (Phone, Roulette, Sewer, and Exit). Note: if you cause a slot event by losing the ball down a lit outlane and match two, the second chance feature becomes a "Psuedo Kickback".
Possible awards are:
| 3 Bars | 100,000,000 |
| 3 Magnifying Glasses | Equipment |
| 3 Fingerprints | Clue |
| 3 Multiballs | Multiball |
| 3 Extra Balls | Extra Ball |
| 3 Jackpots | Jackpot |
| 3 Wilds | Roof |
| 3 Question Marks | Elevator Madness |
A mismatch scores 5M.
Note: There is a wild on each reel. On the middle wheel it is labeled Wild Choice and gives you the choice between the award on the left or right reel (unless they match). Else, the wild can replace anything (obvious, eh?).
Note: The ?'s are located on reels with another award. On the left reel it is with the Extra Ball, middle reel - Bar, and right reel - Fingerprint.
If, on losing your ball via a lit outlane, the slot machine matches only 2 of 3 awards you will be given a Second Chance and an autolaunched ball.
Other awards from the slot that simulate a kickback are Multiball and Elevator Madness for obvious reasons.
There are a total of five cases which occur in the following order: Missing Bullet, Broken Mirror, Bloody Dagger, Sticky Fingers, and The Tattoo. There is no significance, in the game, to any of the cases.
Catch the Killer (aka The Roof):
You attempt to catch the killer. To do this, you must complete the lit Taxi Chase followed by the Phone. Taking too much time causes the lit Taxi Chase to change, or the Phone to unlight and go back to a lit Taxi Chase. Once the phone is lit a 100M hurry up award is started which stops at 25M. Catching the killer ends the case (lighting it on the playfield) and starts a 4 ball multiball. During this multiball any lit shot that you hit earns the value of the hurry up award when you caught the killer. During this multiball the 3-Bank Target will cycle up and down intermittenly. At the end of multiball a new case is started.
Should you not catch the killer you still go on to the next case, but you will have to resolve this case later.
This mode is accessed via the Roof or choosing the correct suspect from WhoDunnit?.
A two ball multiball (with a x second ballsaver). The object is to hit the Elevator. Either left or right shot reverses the direction of the elevator, and collects value for that floor. Exiting on a floor also collects point value for that floor. Points awarded range from ~10M to ~35M. After you've been given awhile to score points (20 sec?) the 3-Bank Target begins to cycle up and down intermittently.
All flashing shots score increasing values (10M, 20M, 30M, etc.) until the timer runs out.
3 ball multiball that ends when less than 2 balls are in play. Jackpots can be collected at the Roulette VUK and the Sewer along with the Mystery Standup and making all 3 Elevator shots.
Jackpots are increased by Bumper hits, increasing 1M normally & 5M when you have the Revolver.
There isn't one :-(
Number of Cases Started X 5M +
Number of Clues Collected X 1M +
Number of Times You've Spun the Slots X 5M +
Number of Cases Finished X 20M +
X Multiplier
Can be collected / lit via:
An Ego Award where one gets to put in their initials if they've scored the most during the Catch the Killer mode. These initials will be displayed whenever the Slots start.
Based upon number of Train Loops in a row...
Grand Champion / 1st - 4th (can be bought):
Two credits for GC, 1 for all others. There is no limit on the number of buy-ins allowed.
The highest score I've heard of is ~120 Billion. The highest I've seen is 27 Billion.
The Basement Multiball and Penthouse are very lucrative. In the Basement you can just keep getting Jackpot after Jackpot. For the Penthouse it's like printing money. Just keep making shots at the elevator. Keep making the shots consistently until the timer runs out (which is easy!) and it's worth ~750M.
Do not necessarily choose the correct killer. For instance, if you have a number of clues it might be better to work on getting more clues (to light the extra ball) than to choose the right killer. Then you can start racking up more clues for the next extra ball.
Catch the killer! The 4 ball multiball (with ball saver for a bit) can be very lucrative.
In a good, long game the end of ball bonus becomes important. So spin the slots, start & finish case, and get that multiplier up there and you can get bonuses of 1B+.
My favorite is "Player X is a real wizard!" upon ...?
"You'll do" upon getting Grand Champion ;-)
Tournament Mode:
Press and hold both flippers for about 5 seconds during attract mode, then follow the display.
Doesn't display 10B+ when in play:
If you score more than 9,999,999 the display does not change the font so that you can see the "1" for 10 billion. The default font for the score cannot display that digit. Once the game is over you will get the proper credit for scoring the 10 billion.
7th floor labeled wrong on DMD:
When the ball exits on the 7th floor for Elevator Madness the DMD actually says 8th floor. I don't know if that's a bug or part of the Elevator Madness, meaning the "elevator" is "malfunctioning".
Upon powering up the game it doesn't check for the 3-bank target being up:
When a game ends and the 3-bank target is up and you turn the machine off you run into a problem the next time you turn the machine on. It does all its initial checks but doesn't notice if the 3-bank target it up! So when you go to play it's always up and it doesn't register when you hit it! Only way to "fix it" is to trigger a mode that would make the machine cycle the 3-bank target up.
At midnight, assuming the clock is set correctly, Midnight Madness will start. If someone is in the middle of a game, it will happen during play. If a game is not active, it will occur at the first ball-start. At the beginning you will hear "I was afraid of this". After a few seconds of gameplay, the flippers will go dead. The balls you have in play will drain. The playfield goes dark. The game will shut-down. It will appear as if you tilted the game. But did you? Nope! "Midnight Madness" will now flash on the screen. It will then empty every ball inside the machine and start Midnight Madness (4 ball) multi-ball. Every hit is worth 3M and a "BOOM", "BLAM", "DOH!", etc. will appear on the DMD with each score, ala the old Batman TV show.
Start a game and then press the following sequence:
B, 8L, 1R, 5L, 1R, 5L, 1R, 6L, 2R (where B is both flippers, L is left & R is right)
When it says "Put on your 3D Glasses Now" launch the ball.
(It has also been reported to work "During Attract mode, with no credits" but didn't work for me.
Editor's Notes