Who Dunnit
Who Dunnit is a Midway pinball machine with a 1940s style and a murder mystery theme. The playfield features up to five different murder mysteries by revealing clues by sending the ball to an elevator, phone, or slot machine. The machine accepts up to four players, and features four-ball play.[1]
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| Manufacturer | Midway |
|---|---|
| Release date | 1995 |
| System | Midway WPC-Security |
| Design | Dwight Sullivan, Barry Oursler |
| Programming | Dwight Sullivan |
| Artwork | Linda Deal, Paul Barker |
| Mechanics | Zofia Bil |
| Music | Paul Heitsch |
| Sound | Paul Heitsch |
| Voices | Tim Kitzrow (Nick Spade) Paul Heitsch (Bruno) Gingi Lahera (Trixie) Vince Pontarelli (Tony) Rachel Davies (Victoria) Ed Boon (Butler) |
| Production run | 2,416 units |
An interpretation of "Peter Gunn" is used as the primary background music, with portions of "Theme from A Summer Place" playing during certain modes.
Rules
The aim of the game is to solve five murder mysteries by interrogating suspects and finding evidence before heading to the Roof in the game to catch the killer. There can be a maximum of four balls in play at any time, and it can support up to four players.
The player may purchase an extra ball at the end of a game, either by using a credit already on the machine or by inserting coins. Bonus credits are awarded for achieving the highest score (Grand Champion) or any of the next four best scores.[2] Players can also enter their initials as Loop Champion or Roof Champion for achieving the most consecutive right ramp shots or the highest score for the Roof, respectively.
If the machine's internal clock reaches 12:00 am while a game is in progress, it is interrupted for "Midnight Madness," a 4-ball multiball with an extended ball saver in which all targets award 3 million. Normal play resumes after all but one ball have drained.
Suspects
The five characters involved in the cases are Tony, Victoria, Trixie, Butler (previously known as Walter), and Bruno (previously known as Tex). Each case begins with a headline announcing that one character has been murdered; the player's goal is to choose the killer from the remaining four.
The player can gain information by making shots to interrogate one suspect at a time or collect evidence, then make an indicated shot (usually the phone) to choose the killer. An incorrect choice awards points for eliminating an innocent suspect, while a correct choice sends the player to the roof in an attempt to apprehend the killer and close the case (see "The Roof" below).
A suspect being interrogated will always mention the killer by name unless he/she actually is the killer.
Mystery Slots
Three slot machine reels displaying various items and rewards are set into the center of the playfield. Whenever a flashing "SPIN" shot is made (phone, roulette lane, sewer) or a lit outlane is hit, these reels spin and come to a stop, with the result of the spin shown on the display as well. The player scores points and/or receives items based on the following combinations:
- Unmatched images on all three reels, or a Wild on the left or right plus two unmatched images = 5 million points
- Two of one image and an unmatched third, with no Wild showing = Second chance (hit any lit "SPIN" shot within a time limit to complete the trio and collect the reward)
- Single or pair of one image, plus Wild images on all other reels = Same reward as three images together
- Two unmatched images on the sides, Wild Choice in the middle = Choice between the two items on either side
- Three fingerprints = Clue (Bullet, Broken Mirror, etc.) - 10 million points
- Three "JACKPOT" images = Jackpot (starts at 75 million points; increased by hitting jet bumpers during Basement Multiball)
- Three magnifying glasses = Piece of equipment (Revolver, Magnifying Glass, etc.) – 25 million points
- Three BAR images = 100 million points
- Three MULTIBALL images = Start Basement Multiball
- Three EXTRA BALL images = Extra Ball
- Three question marks = Elevator Madness (instant two-ball multiball)
- Three Wild images = The Roof
Shooting the left orbit when it is not lit for a Taxi Chase diverts the ball into the jet bumpers, each of which corresponds to a different reel. Hits to the bumpers nudge the reels; once two or more reels match, the bumpers no longer affect them. After the ball falls into the sinkhole underneath the bumpers, the player receives points or items for the three displayed symbols as listed above.
If the player earns a second chance from a spin triggered by draining the ball down a lit outlane, another ball is automatically put into play.
Roulette
Shooting the far right lane raises/lowers the roulette bet with every turn of the spinner, and the color for the bet is changed between red and black by hitting two stand-up targets. When the lane is lit and the player shoots the ball into a saucer at its end, the game offers the option to bet or pass. If the player takes the bet, a simulated roulette wheel is spun; the bet is added to the player's score if it stops on the last color hit, or deducted if it does not. The bonus multiplier is increased whether the player wins, loses, or passes.
Elevator
The player can shoot any of the three short center ramps to ride an elevator up or down within Tony's Palace or exit at the current floor. Awards for the individual floors are as follows.
- Basement: Start Basement Multiball (see below).
- Main floor: Light Roulette and Mystery Slots.
- 2nd floor: Collect a clue.
- 3rd floor: Choice between collecting evidence (worth 25 million points) or identifying the killer.
- 4th floor: Mystery Slots spin.
- 5th floor: Same as 3rd.
- 6th floor: Collect a piece of equipment.
- 7th floor: Elevator Madness.
- 8th floor: Choice between interrogating a suspect or identifying the killer.
- Penthouse: Penthouse Party. Can only be accessed if the player has previously hit the Penthouse Key stand-up.
- Roof: Start the Roof phase (see below). Can only be accessed after all other floors have been visited.
After a floor is visited, a bank of three stand-up targets rises to block the ramps; all three must be hit to lower them and access the elevator again. Shots to the UP or DOWN ramps skip any previously visited floors. Once every floor has been visited, all of them become available.
Basement Multiball
This mode can be started in three different ways:
- Shoot three balls into the lock just below the T-A-X-I targets
- Exit the elevator at the basement
- Win it on the slots
Three balls are put into play, and the sewer, roulette lane, and Mystery target all award jackpots when hit. A jackpot is also awarded once all three elevator ramps (Up, Down, Exit) have been shot; the three stand-ups then rise to block the ramps and must all be hit to lower them.
The jackpot starts at 75 million and increases by 1 million for each jet bumper hit during this multiball, or 5 million per hit if the player has the Revolver. It carries over from one multiball to the next, and stops rising after the first jet bumper hit that brings it to 500 million or higher.
The Roof
This phase of the game involves the player's attempt to catch the killer. It can be started in any of the following ways:
- Choosing the correct suspect after shooting the phone or stopping at the 3rd/5th/8th floor
- Spinning three WILD cards on the Slots
- Visiting all other floors in Tony's Palace, then exiting the elevator at the Roof
The player must first shoot the lit Taxi Chase loop within a limited time, starting a hurry-up countdown, then shoot the phone before it times out. Doing so scores the points, closes the case, and starts a four-ball multiball with all major shots lit to collect the hurry-up value. If the player fails to shoot the phone before the countdown times out, another Taxi Chase must be hit to restart it. Once the player either loses the ball or runs out of time during the Taxi Chase phase, or drains all but one ball during the multiball, a new case begins with all clues unlit.
Digital versions
Digital version of this table is no longer available in The Pinball Arcade for any platform. WMS license expired on June 30, 2018.
Unlicensed versions have also been created for Visual Pinball.
References
- Internet Pinball Database
- Up to four credits may be awarded for a new high score, according to operator settings.
External links
- Who Dunnit at the Internet Pinball Database
