Whirlwind

WHIRLWIND Rulesheet by Jim Hoxsey, Special thanks to Mark Phaedrus

"Whirlwind", "Multiball" and "Million Plus" are registered trademarks of Williams Electronic Games, Inc. © 1990 Chicago, IL.
NOTE: These rules are compiled from hours on end of continuous play of "Whirlwind" and are as accurate as possible to the author's best knowledge. If there are any discrepancies, please notify the author.

OBJECT OF THE GAME
To move the storm to your area by hitting various direction targets. Lock two balls, and start Multiball by locking a third and/or hitting the 3-toll ramp.

STARTING THE GAME
One to four players can play. New players can enter the game by inserting coins and pressing START until the end of the first ball. After that, pressing START aborts the current game for all players and begins a new one.

PLUNGER SKILL SHOT
Shoot the ball from the plunger to hit one or more of the "FEEL THE POWER" drop targets. 100K for "POWER", 200K for "THE" and 300K for "FEEL". Hitting more than one target will add their values together.

SO YOU MESSED UP...
A launched ball that scores no points before draining will be re-served. This does not apply after locking a ball or if the ball bounces into the plunger lane.

MOVING THE STORM
Scattered about the playfield are eight targets. Two of each: NE (Northeast), NW (Northwest), SE (Southeast), and SW (Southwest). These are easily noted by either the letters on them or color: NE/Red, NW/Yellow, SE/Orange, and SW/Green. Depending on the difficulty setting, a target is spotted for the player when he launches his 'first' ball of each ball. The targets the player must hit are lit on the compass at the center of the playfield. Once all these targets are hit, lock will lite.

After locking ball 1, the player must hit different targets to lite lock 2. After locking ball 2, Multiball will lite.

The set of targets for the first Multiball can be hit in any order. From the second time on, only one direction can be hit at a time. Once an orientation has been completed, another will lite.

SKYWAY TOLLS
Skyway Tolls are cumulative throughout the game. The number collected and how are:


Skyway Ramp -- 1 or 2, depending on status of the "2 Tolls" lite.
Cup -- 1.
3-Toll Ramp -- Of course, 3.
At the end of a ball, the player will recieve 2K for each Skyway Toll collected. No more than 99 Skyway Tolls can be collected. If 99 Skyway Tolls are collected, then the player has their "SKYWAY PAID FOR" and receive 200K (Plus a neat little tune) each time a ramp is hit.

SKYWAY RAMP(Right)
This ramp is used to advance Skyway Tolls and lock balls. Its entrance can be either open(down) or closed(up).

When open, the ball will be returned to the left inlane, and either one or two Skyway Tolls will be collected. Going through the left inlane or going up the ramp will briefly lite 2 tolls. The TORNADO DROP TARGET's value will also increase briefly. The point value of this ramp also increases with each successful run. It starts at 50K and increases by 10K each time up to a maximum of 100K.

When closed, the ball will land in a cup, 1 Skyway Toll will be awarded, and the ball will be ejected toward the upper right flipper.

The ramp's current status depends on a number of things. Entering the Super Cellar Door (either lit or not lit) will toggle its status, unless Multiball of either flavor is lit or in progress - in which case it will remain closed - or if LOCK is lit.

The ramp will remain open if LOCK is lit in a 1 player game. In a 2, 3, or 4 player game, things get a little more complex. If a player lites LOCK and the ball she is attempting to lock is less than or equal to the number of physically locked balls, the ramp will remain closed. In this instance, the cup under the ramp acts as the LOCK. If the ball she is attempting to lock is greater than the number of physically locked balls, the ramp will remain open. This will physically lock another ball.

The ramp will be open at the beginning of a player's turn, unless one of the above rules applies to keep it closed.

3-TOLL RAMP(Left)
This ramp awards 3 Skyway Tolls, spots a target (if LOCK isn't lit or Multiball isn't in progress), lites the Super Cellar Door, awards Million and/or Million Plus, and starts Multiball. Its value starts at 50K and increases by 10K each time up to a maximum of 100K. This ramp returns the ball to a point somewhere near the lower SE target, usually on the right spinning disk.

SUPER CELLAR DOOR(Yellow light)
To lite the door temporarily, the ball must traverse the right inlane. To lite it permanently (until awarded), the 3-Toll Ramp must be hit.

Depending on the difficulty level of your machine, this may or may not be lit at the beginning of a ball.

The possible awards are labelled on the backbox just below the score display. The value can be changed using the SPINNER located to the right of the Skyway Ramp.

Hitting this target will toggle the status of the Skyway Ramp (see SKYWAY RAMP). Also, one Cellar Visit will be awarded.

The seven awards are:


"LO PRESSURE JETS ALL AT MAXIMUM"
Will increase the point value of the Lo Pressure Jets to 5K (flashing).

"SUPER DOOR SCORE 500,000"
Increases the player's score by 500K.

"EXTRA BALL IS LIT"
Lites the extra ball target. Only lit until collected or ball is lost.

"DROP TARGET AT MAXIMUM"
Sets the value of the "FEEL THE POWER" drop targets to 100K.

"QUICK MULTIBALL IS LIT"
Lites Quick Multiball.

"MILLION IS LIT"
Lites the Million shot.

"HI PRESSURE JETS ALL AT MAXIMUM"
Will increase the point value of the Hi Pressure Jets to 5K (flashing).
The Super Cellar Door is disabled during Quick Multiball or Multiball.

When all seven values have been awarded, all values will flash, and the Super Cellar Door will lite. Entering the Super Cellar Door at this point awards the MEGA DOOR BONUS. MEGA DOOR BONUS awards all seven values again as well as 2,000,000 points and lites ONE Special.

Once the MEGA DOOR BONUS is collected, the Super Cellar Door will only award Cellar Visits until the current ball ends.

THE CELLAR DOOR(Red light)
This target is similar to the SUPER CELLAR DOOR, but will not award anything except a Cellar Visit. Cellar Visits are worth 5K each and are cumulative through the entire game. The point value is awarded at the end of each ball. This is where the ball will come out if the ball enters the CELLAR DOOR or the SUPER CELLAR DOOR.

It is also used to start Cellar Multiball. Cellar Multiball is only possible if Multiball was started, and no Million Plus was awarded. Cellar Multiball is basically Multiball with only two balls. If the CELLAR DOOR or SUPER CELLAR DOOR is hit when the red light is flashing, Cellar Multiball will begin.

"FEEL THE POWER" DROP TARGET
These three drop targets are also used for the SKILL SHOT. Dropping all three of these targets awards the drop value. It starts at 50K and increases to 100K in increments of 10K. Sweeping (hitting all three in succession) awards 100K + current drop value. The drop value can be set to 100K immediately by using the SUPER CELLAR DOOR.

TORNADO DROP TARGET
This drop target's value varies, depending on trips up the SKYWAY RAMP and the time between them. The initial value of this target varies depending on the difficulty setting. The values are 50K, 75K, 100K, 150K, LITE QUICK MULTIBALL, and EXTRA BALL. Each trip up the Skyway Ramp lites the next highest value all the way to LITE QUICK MULTIBALL. Point values can be collected more than once, but Quick Multiball can only be collected once each time it is lit. See EXTRA BALLS to see how to lite the EXTRA BALL target.

After a certain point, LITE QUICK MULTIBALL can no longer be lit.

If no score is lit, the target scores zilch.

When hit, a tone sounds to give you an idea of the current value. The higher the tone, the higher the value.

SPINNER
This is located to the right of the Skyway Ramp. It changes the current value of the SUPER CELLAR DOOR. Each rotation moves the value 1 "box" to the left or right. Values that have already been awarded will be skipped.

The value of the SPINNER is briefly increased after the left inlane is traversed.

LO/HI PRESSURE JETS
These bumpers are like any other jet bumpers on most Williams games. Their point value is advanced by the platter in front of the center HI PRESSURE JET. Hitting this target will advance one jet bumper. The values are:


Unlit -- 1,000
Lit -- 3,000
Flashing -- 5,000
When all bumpers are flashing, the platter is worth 100K. The bumpers can also be maxed out with the SUPER CELLAR DOOR.

THE FAN and SPINNING DISKS
What makes Whirlwind what it is. They usually are operational at the same times. When LOCK of any flavor is lit, or when Multiball of either kind is in progress. The fan does nothing to game play, but the disks will wreak havoc with the ball(s) in play.

QUICK MULTIBALL
Quick Multiball can be lit from either the TORNADO DROP TARGET or the SUPER CELLAR DOOR. It is started by locking a ball in the cup under the Skyway Ramp when Quick Multiball is lit. If none or one ball is physically locked, then a normal Quick Multiball is started:

During Quick Multiball Unlimited Million is lit. This continues until one ball is lost. Direction targets can still be hit during Quick Multiball. The 3-Toll Ramp will award 1,000,000 points, 3 Skyway Tolls, and spot a direction target (if any need be spotted).

If two balls are physically locked, then normal Multiball will be started, except 1,000,000 points will be awarded in addition to each Million Plus.

After a certain point, Quick Multiball can no longer be lit from the TORNADO DROP TARGET.

LOCKING A BALL
This will vary between one and two player games. In general, a player must 'lock' two balls before he can start Multiball. In a two or more player game, if a player does lock two balls, then fails to start Multiball, another player may 'steal' those balls with a Quick Multiball. Basically, before a player can play Multiball, there must be two balls physically locked. Physically locked balls are those that are sitting in the lock lane on the left hand side of the machine.

Locking a ball will advance the Bonus Multiplier. The Bonus Multiplier will multiply the Skyway Tolls value at the end of a ball. The values are 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, 6X+Lite Extra Ball, and 6X+Lite Special. The bonus multiplier will not exceed 6X. A player's multiplier will never decrease.

"FEEL THE POWER" MULTIBALL
Multiball is started by locking two balls and then releasing them with a third. They can be released two ways, by hitting the 3-Toll Ramp (which will award 1,000,000 points and three Skyway Tolls), or locking a ball in the cup. The latter will only work up to a point, then Multiball must be started by hitting the 3-Toll Ramp.

During Multiball Million Plus will be lit. Hitting the 3-Toll Ramp will score 2,000,000 points. This will increase by 1,000,000 points each time to a maximum of 10,000,000 points. If at least one Million Plus is collected before loosing two balls, normal play will resume. Otherwise, Cellar Multiball will lite. See CELLAR DOOR(Red light) for details.

3-WAY COMBO
Going between the Lo Pressure Jets to the upper right flipper, around the Hi Pressure Jets and back to the upper right flipper again and finally up the 3-Toll Ramp scores a 3-Way Combo (plus an awesome siren). The 3-Way Combo will score only 250K, as well as the current value of the 3-Toll Ramp. All these targets must be hit in order, with no other targets in between (except the neccessary direction targets and the spinner).

EXTRA BALLS
Extra Balls will be awarded by hitting the TORNADO DROP TARGET when Extra Ball is lit. There are three ways to lite Extra Ball:


Skyway Tolls
Depending on the setting of your machine, this can be from 5 Skyway Tolls to 50. Also, the number of 'stops' that will lite it can vary. For instance these can be 8, 35, 50, and 75. Or 35 and 50. Use the Instant Info feature to find out how many are needed. A tone will sound to let you know that Extra Ball is lit. It will remain lit until awarded.
Super Cellar Door
If the current award is "LITE EXTRA BALL" then it'll do that. It will remain lit until awarded or end of current ball.
Locking the 5th ball
Once and only once. Will remain lit until awarded.
SPECIALS
Specials can be collected only from the outlanes. There are only two ways to lite Special:


Mega Door Bonus
Will only remain lit until awarded or current ball is lost.
Locking the 6th ball
Once and only once. A tone will let you know it is lit. Will remain lit until awarded.
If only one Special lite is lit, the lit lane will toggle between left and right outlanes each time a slingshot it hit.

DIFFICULTY SETTINGS
Look at the TORNADO DROP TARGET's initial value. The lower it is, the more difficult the settings are.

The initial values of the Skyway Ramp and 3-Toll Ramp may vary.

5-BALL MACHINES
I have no idea what options are changed if set for five balls. Possibilities are lower bonus values for Skyway Tolls and Cellar Visits, and more Skyway Tolls required to lite Extra Ball.

MECHANICAL FAILURES
Skyway Ramp. It it is left open (down) and will not rise, Multiball and Quick-Multiball can still be started. If the CPU sees three balls in the lock lane, it will start Multiball. The Skyway Ramp will only award one Skyway Toll during Multiball of either type, or when the ramp should be closed during regular play. You will notice sometimes that the 2 Toll lamp will not lite when the ball enters the left inlane. This means that the ramp should be closed (raised). If it is left up and will not lower, don't play.

TORNADO DROP TARGET. If Extra Ball is lit, and the TORNADO DROP TARGET isn't working, the machine will award the EXTRA BALL if there is a lot of HI PRESSURE JET activity. The CPU assumes you may have hit the target during that time. It may do the same for lite Quick Multiball.

Ramp diverter. If the diverter fails to lock a ball, LOCK will remain lit. Repeated attempts may get the diverter to work. If it doesn't, I have no idea what happens.

I've seen some games suddenly launch locked balls during normal play. If this happens, LOCK will lite so that you have a chance to get them back in there.

Jim Hoxsey
2nd edition; January 6, 1995



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