The greatest single source of points in the game is the LAH 6-Ball mini-wizard mode. Shooting the left ramp lights the center scoop for a Dynamite Feature; LAH 6-Ball starts after collecting the three features corresponding to the words Last, Action, and Hero. The other main route to scoring is to play the multiball sequence; hitting either captive ball enough times lights the center scoop for M-Ball. M-Ball is always at least 3 balls, but you can start with more balls and higher jackpots by completing the Crane drop targets on the left then shooting the Crane lane to lock balls first.
The skill shot is purely timing based, and very similar to the skill shots on Lethal Weapon 3 (Data East, 1992) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Bally Williams, 1991). One of the five Crane targets will be lit, and the light will move back and forth. Time your press of the launch button so that the plunged ball hits whichever target is lit. Successful skill shot scores 2,000,000 points on ball 1, 3,000,000 on ball 2, and 4,000,000 on ball 3. Failed skill shots score 1/10 of the successful skill shot award. I am unsure how the skill shot scoring changes in a 5-ball game.
Dynamite Features are this game's modes, and are started when the center scoop (labelled M-Ball in front of it, because regular multiball is also started here) is lit with a yellow light above it. Shooting the left ramp lights the scoop solidly. Making either in lane lights the scoop very temporarily (only about 2 seconds). In general, Dynamite Feature modes can be stacked, but the mode start scoop will never light yellow if any multiball is running, regardless of whether it's a Feature multiball or part of the M-Ball sequence. The center scoop will be lit for a mode start for free at the start of each ball. If the center scoop is lit to start M-Ball, you cannot start a Dynamite Feature mode in any way.
With the exception of Light Extra Ball, all modes have a completion criterium that affects the value of LAH 6-Ball mini-wizard mode and World Premiere wizard mode. These will be listed alongside each mode. During most Dynamite Features, making the left in lane then shooting the lower right scoop within about 5 seconds will score Wildcard, which doubles all scoring for that mode. In any mode with a timer, the left captive ball will reset the mode timer back to 20 seconds one time. The modes are:
After playing all 10 regular modes as well as LAH 6-Ball, the next mode available at the scoop will be World Premiere wizard mode, which is extremely underwhelming as a finale compared to LAH 6-Ball. The display will count up from 1 to 20 over about 20 seconds. Shoot the mode start scoop to score the currently displayed number in millions of points. Do this as many times as you can. That's really it... After time expires, normal play resumes and all mode progress resets for you to make another lap through the game.
If the lower right scoop is not lit for anything else, shooting it when no mode or multiball is running will change the currently flashing mode to one of the words in Last Action Hero that you still need, to help make progress toward LAH 6-Ball. Otherwise, only the pop bumpers change the flashing mode, which is the one that will be started with the next shot to the lit center scoop.
Hitting either captive ball a certain number of times lights the mode start scoop for M-Ball. The number of hits required is 8 for the first multiball and increases by 4 for each subsequent multiball. You can score 2 hits toward M-Ball with a single shot by hitting a captive ball within about 2 seconds of rolling through an in lane. You can also score 4 hits toward M-Ball with a single shot by making a Crane lane -> ramp -> ramp -> right captive ball 4-way combo. The captive balls cannot be used to advance toward M-Ball if Go to the Movies is running.
M-Ball always starts with at least 3 balls: one that you put in the center saucer when M-Ball start is lit, and two more that get autoplunged to the playfield. However, two more balls can be added to the M-Ball start for a total of 5 by making Crane locks first, which there are two ways to do. The first, which is simpler to explain but harder, is to loop the Crane lane 5 consecutive times. The second, which occurs more often, requires completing the Crane drop targets on the left. However, taking too long to complete the drop targets or hitting the black and yellow "danger bar" behind the targets will reset the entire bank. When the bank is completed, a 10,000,000 point hurry-up collectible at the Crane lane will start, and the Crane lane will also be lit for a lock. Depending on game settings, the Crane lock may or may not stay lit if the hurry-up times out. Up to two balls can be locked in the Crane. In a multiplayer game, or if the Crane is disabled due to being out of order, Crane locks will be virtual and added to the playfield alongside the two free autoplunged balls. Completing the Crane drop targets when two Crane locks have been made scores 7,000,000 points.
M-Ball starts with a jackpot of 15,000,000, 20,000,000, or 25,000,000 depending on if zero, one, or two balls were locked in the Crane. All switches in the game add to the jackpot, usually between 50,000 and 250,000 at a time. Jackpot 1 is collected at the ramp. If Jackpot 1 is not lit to start, shoot the Crane lane to light it. Jackpot 2 is a double jackpot that must be collected at the Crane lane within 10 seconds of scoring Jackpot 1. If you do not collect Jackpot 2 in time, you must recollect Jackpot 1 for another chance. Collecting Jackpot 2 instantly upgrades the M-Ball into 6-Ball.
When 6-Ball starts, balls are plunged to the playfield until all 6 are in play. From now, there is no ball save and no add-a-ball in any form, so you're on your own. The goal of 6-Ball is to make it through this sequence as many times as possible before returning to single ball play:
If M-Ball ends without Jackpot 1 being collected even a single time, the mode start scoop will be lit for M-Ball Restart for 10 seconds. Restarting M-Ball in this way means you only get 2 balls total, and the starting jackpot value is only 10,000,000 points, but can still work toward 6-Ball at the normal value by making Jackpots 1 and 2 in the same way.
The center-right saucer labelled Chicken scores a Chicken advance if you shoot it directly (does not count if the ball trickles in from the pop bumper area). Two Chicken scoops scores 5,000,000 points. Three further Chicken scoops scores 10,000,000 points or extra ball depending on game settings. Four scoops after that scores 15,000,000 points or lights the out lanes for special depending on game settings. All chicken scoop awards after the third require 6 scoop shots and score 15,000,000 points.
The Ripper is a narrow lane between the Chicken scoop and the right captive ball. Shooting this lane will launch the ball back at the flippers at an incredibly high speed, similar to the Yagov left kicker on F-14 Tomcat (Williams, 1987). A very short ball save is active in case the return sends the ball straight between the flippers. The Ripper jackpot starts at 7,500,000 points and increases by 500,000 each time the Ripper is hit; this is a progressive jackpot that builds across players, balls, and games. Collecting 6 Rippers in one game to spell Ripper as soon on the left side of the apron near where you put your left hand scores the Ripper bonus and resets it back to 7,500,000.
Another carryover award that starts at 3,000,000 points. Shooting the ramp when not lit for anything else adds 100,000 to the value. The secret passage switch that comes down from the pop bumpers between the Chicken scoop and the Ripper lane adds 250,000 to the value. Collect the value by shooting two consecutive ramp shots, immediately followed by the Chicken scoop, with nothing in between. The second ramp shot will divert the ball to the left flipper instead of the right to assist with a shot to the Chicken scoop.
Hit all three targets to score Benedict's Bonus Boost (all switches now contribute 20,000 to the end of ball bonus for the rest of the ball instead of 10,000) and light one of the four Badge shots around the game for 5,000,000 points one time.
The spinner always scores 50,000 points per spin by default. Every 5 times a ramp -> ramp combo is scored, the spinner will be lit as Super Spinner, where each spin is worth 1,000,000 for a single shot.
Smart Missile is triggered by a hutton on the cabinet just above the gun trigger ball plunger. It can be used once per game, and will award everything currently lit on the table. It can be used as one shot of credit for most modes, instantly award a jackpot in multiball, or instantly light M-Ball if there is not currently any multiball running. Smart Missile can be used at any time unless the game thinks that the only ball on the playfield is currently in an out lane.
Last Action Hero has a conventional in/out lane setup. Out lanes can be lit for Special by the third Chicken award. In lanes temporarily light the captive balls for 2 advances toward M-Ball, and also temporarily light the center scoop to start a mode if it is not already lit. Both temporary opportunities are only there for about 2-3 seconds before they unlight.
This game does recognize death saves. If the ball goes down an out lane but is then *somehow* returned to play, 3,000,000 points are scored with a slightly spooky sound effect. It's not too difficult to bang back or death save compared to other games of the era, if you know how to. Remember that this is a very illegal technique in tournaments.
Base bonus starts at 1,000,000 points. Any switch hit anywhere in the game adds 10,000 points to the bonus. If the three Eyeball targets have been completed, each switch hit will add 20,000 instead. Completing the three top lanes, which can only be accessed via pop bumper luck or a weak shot to the Crane lane, will double the entire current bonus as it stands. There is no limit to the number of times the bonus can be doubled, but the bonus maxes out at 50,000,000 points. Competing the top lanes when the bonus is maxed out scores 10,000,000 points directly. There is no bonus holdover, bonus multiplier, or mid-ball bonus collect.
I could not find any information about possible point values for extra balls and specials in competition/novelty play. I also do not know if the game has a tournament mode that equalizes the value of the Ripper or Second Cousin Frank carryover awards, either.
The game can require that a value be collected from the Crane Hurry-up in order for the Crane lock to count.
The game can require a shot to the Crane lane during M-Ball before Jackpot 1 is lit at the left ramp.
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