Stay either on the upper playfield or in multiball for as much of the game as possible. Lock balls for multiball in the horseshoe lane just to the right of the A ramp. Start multiball by locking three balls there or hitting the Release target in the top right of the upper playfield. In multiball, shoot the A and B ramps to get to the upper playfield (ideally following an in lane, to earn a double or triple mystery award along the way) then complete the 4-bank of drop targets for big points.
The value for completing the bank constantly scans between the five white lights on the playfield- 20,000, 40,000, 60,000, 80,000, or 100,000 points. Hitting one target stops the scan and starts a sound effect: completing the rest of the bank before the sound effect ends (about 5 seconds) scores the lit value. Each target down scores 1,000 points whether the bank is completed or not. Completing the bank scores 2 bonus advance.
The manual claims that if this drop target bank is swept, the award is double the lit value. However, with the angles of the ramps and flippers on this playfield, sweeping the bank is basically impossible. The only way I assume this can happen is if there are 2 balls on the upper playfield, and each of the 2 knocks down two adjacent drop targets at the same time. If you can get this to happen, congratulations; this can be written down, but I don't think it can be done.
Each target down scores 1,000 points. Completing the bank scores 25,000 points. The cave loop on either side of the 3-bank scores 3,000 points; however, the first three completions of the 3-bank increase the cave value to 10,000, then 20,000, then 40,000 points. The fourth completion of the 3-bank lights extra ball; the fifth completion of the 3-bank must be finished within 5 seconds of hitting the first target, and scores the extra ball; the sixth completion of the 3-bank is timed in the same way and scores the special, resetting the cave value to 3,000 points in the process. All completions of the 3-bank also award 2 bonus advance. The same sweeping-this-bank-doubles-its-completion-reward mechanic is supposedly present on this bank too, but again, I don't know how it would work.
The cave loop around the 3-bank of targets scores 3,000 points or the lit value. It also briefly lights the standup target in the top right of the upper playfield for 50,000 points, and increases the value of the 4-bank of drop targets if the timer on that bank is currently running.
Scores 5,000 points and 2 bonus advance. If any balls are locked, this target is lit for Release, which starts multiball. If the cave loop was just hit, this target is briefly lit for 50,000 points instead of 5,000.
Each target scores 1,000 points and a bonus advance. Hitting an unlit target lights it. Spelling L-I-Z or A-R-D adds 1 unit to the left or right magna save time, respectively, up to a maximum of 3 units. (On default settings, one unit is approximately 2 seconds.) Completing Lizard advances the bonus multiplier, in the sequence 2x - 3x - 4x - 5x - 10x, and spots one of the A or B ramps. Bonus multiplier is never carried over from ball to ball. Advancing to 2x bonus lights the spinner in the center of the game for 2,000 points per spin.
Any ball shot into the lock lane just to the right of the A ramp scores 30,000 points and 2 bonus advance. Locking 3 balls in this lane instantly starts multiball. Multiball is also started by hitting the top right Release standup target when at least one ball is locked. During multiball, all scoring is doubled if there are 2 balls in play, or tripled if there are 3 balls in play. Putting a ball in this lock lane during multiball does score the 30,000 points times the playfield multiplier, but then immediately kicks the ball back out.
Making the ball all the way up either ramp such that the dragon's head toy at the top of the playfield spits the ball out, scores 10,000 points and lights that A or B ramp. Lighting both A and B once lights the right side lane on the lower playfield for Hold Bonus. The second A-B set lights the out lanes for 50,000 points. The third A-B set lights the lower right standup target for extra ball. The fourth A-B set lights the lower right standup for a special. Any sets of A-B made after the fourth score 50,000 points.
If the opposite side in lane is rolled over immediately before a ramp (left in lane to B ramp, or right in lane to A ramp), that ramp scores a mystery award, which can be any multiple of 1,000 points between 30,000 and 99,000.
The game manual mentions that the second A-B set has a "chance for full bonus" alongside lighting the out lanes. Neither myself nor anyone else on the internet as far as I've been able to find actually know what this means; there doesn't seem to be a possibility for any kind of bonus collect when the second A-B is made or when the 50,000 out lane is used during a drain.
Scores 100 points per spin, or 2,000/spin when lit. It is lit for the rest of the ball by completing the Lizard targets once to advance to 2x bonus multiplier.
Scores 5,000 points. If A-B has been completed once on the current ball, this lane will hold the base bonus count over to the next ball.
A very late left flipper shot that the right slingshot almost gets in the way of. Scores 10,000 points, and can be lit for extra ball and/or special by completing the A-B ramps 3 or 4 times, respectively.
Grand Lizard has a conventional in/out lane setup with a center peg between the flippers. The out lanes score 5,000 points and 2 bonus advance, or 50,000 points if A-B has been completed twice. The in lanes score 3,000 points and light the opposite ramp for a mystery award for a few seconds.
There is a player operated magna save above both in lanes that is used by pressing the secondary buttons on either side of the cabinet. On default settings, each light next to a magna save corresponds to about 2 seconds where the button can be held down. Time is added back to each magna save by completing the LIZ or ARD standup targets. It's possible to hold down the magna save button to trap a ball and get it to fall into the in lane, but a much better and more efficient use of the magna save is to press it briefly or pulse it, just long enough to affect the ball's momentum such that it gets flung away from the in/out lane structure altogether and back towards center playfield.
Lizard targets, the in lanes, and the A-B ramps score 1 bonus advance. The lock lane, the out lanes, the top right standup target, and a completion of either upper playfield drop target bank score 2 bonus advance. When the bonus ladder in the center of the playfield is flashing in a fancy way, that signals that the base bonus has been maxed out at 39,000 points.
Complete spelling of Lizard from the lower left standup targets increase the bonus multiplier to 2x, then 3x, then 4x, then 5x, and finally to 10x.
Base bonus does not carry over from ball to ball, unless the Hold Bonus award is collected from the lower right side lane after making one set of A-B ramps. Bonus multipliers never carry over from ball to ball. The bonus cannot be collected mid-ball.
Advancing the bonus multiplier to at least 2x lights the center spinner for 2,000 points per spin.
In competition/novelty play, specials score 100,000 points. Extra balls are either on or off and cannot be set to a point value.
Balls locked for multiball are ALWAYS able to be stolen by other players.
The speed at which the value of the 4-bank of drop targets scans can be adjusted.
The time limit before the 3-bank and 4-bank of drop targets reset after the first target has been knocked down can be set to between 1 and 9 seconds.
The time limit where the mystery award is lit on a ramp after going through an in lane can be set to between 1 and 10 seconds.
Each unit of magna save can be set to correspond to anywhere between 1 and 3 seconds, in increments of 1/5 second.
The time limit on the 50,000 point top right standup target after the cave loop is hit can be set to between 0.5 and 3 seconds, in increments of approximately 1/4 second.
Bonus multipliers can be set to carry over from ball to ball. However, even if this setting is on, a 10x bonus multiplier will be cleared between balls.
The A-B ramps can be set up so that either ramp can give credit for either letter, instead of each set requiring one left ramp and one right ramp. Also, spelling Lizard can be set not to spot an A or B light.
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