Who Dunnit
| Company type | Pinball machine |
|---|---|
| Industry | Arcade games |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Pinball machine |
Who Dunnit is a Midway pinball machine launched in 1995, themed around a 1940s-style murder mystery. The playfield presents up to five distinct homicide cases, where players collect clues by hitting designated shots. It accommodates up to four participants and features gameplay with four balls simultaneously. The main background soundtrack is a rendition of "Peter Gunn," complemented by excerpts from the "Theme from A Summer Place" during select game modes.
Rules
The objective is to resolve five murder investigations by questioning suspects and gathering evidence before proceeding to the Roof to capture the culprit. The machine allows for four-ball play and supports up to four players at once.
Players may purchase an extra ball at the conclusion of a session using credits or coins. Bonus credits are awarded to the highest scorer (Grand Champion) and the next four top scorers, with a maximum of four credits distributed depending on operator settings. Players can record their initials as Loop Champion or Roof Champion for achieving the most consecutive right ramp shots or the highest Roof score, respectively.
At midnight, any active games enter "Midnight Madness," a 4-ball multiball phase featuring an extended ball saver and where every target hit grants 3 million points. Once all but one ball drains, regular gameplay resumes.
Suspects
The cases involve five suspects—Tony, Victoria, Trixie, Butler (previously Walter), and Bruno (formerly Tex). Each case starts with one character found murdered; players must deduce the murderer from the remaining four.
Interrogations occur through specific shots, after which players select the perpetrator via a designated shot (commonly the phone). Incorrect accusations yield points for eliminating innocent suspects; correctly identifying the killer advances the player to the Roof to apprehend them and conclude the case.
During questioning, a suspect will accuse another unless they are guilty themselves.
Clues and Equipment
Up to five clues can be gathered per case, each lighting an extra ball indicator; however, clues do not disclose who the killer is. Clues reset when a new case begins.
Four pieces of equipment are earned through particular shots and remain active throughout the game, influencing gameplay:
- Revolver: Speeds up jackpot accumulation during Basement Multiball.
- Magnifying Glass: Removes one suspect when hitting the phone without other lights active.
- Flashlight: Awards either the Magnifying Glass by hitting an unlit phone or the Map by hitting an unlit sewer.
- Map: Provides a random reward when shooting the sewer with no other lights on.
Mystery Slots
At the center of the playfield, three slot machine reels display various items and prizes. These reels spin when players hit flashing "SPIN" targets (phone, roulette lane, sewer) or lit outlanes. Upon stopping, they grant points or items based on symbol combinations:
- Non-matching symbols or Wild plus two unmatched = 5 million points
- Two matching symbols plus one unmatched (without Wild) = Additional chance to complete trio within time limit
- Symbols combined with Wild(s) = Full three-symbol reward
- Two unmatched side symbols with Wild Choice in center = Player chooses between side prizes
- Three fingerprints = Clue plus 10 million points
- Three "JACKPOT" = Jackpot starting at 75 million points, increased by jet bumper hits during Basement Multiball
- Three magnifying glasses = Equipment piece plus 25 million points
- Three BARs = 100 million points
- Three MULTIBALLs = Initiates Basement Multiball
- Three EXTRA BALLs = Awards Extra Ball
- Three question marks = Activates Elevator Madness (two-ball multiball)
- Three Wilds = Accesses The Roof mode
When the left orbit is unlit and shot, it redirects the ball to jet bumpers that nudge the reels; obtaining two matching reels disables further nudging. After the ball moves below bumpers, players receive points or items corresponding to displayed symbols.
A second chance spin triggered by draining down a lit outlane automatically awards an additional ball.
Roulette
Activating the far right lane modifies the roulette wager and switches the bet color between red and black through stand-up targets. When illuminated, shooting into a saucer presents a betting choice; a successful hit increases the score, while a miss subtracts from it. The bonus multiplier rises regardless of whether the bet wins or loses.
Elevator
Players may shoot any of the three short central ramps to board an elevator inside Tony's Palace or disembark on the current level. Rewards available on each floor include:
- Basement: Initiates Basement Multiball.
- Main floor: Activates Roulette and Mystery Slots.
- 2nd floor: Grants a clue plus 10 million points.
- 3rd floor: Offers a choice between collecting evidence (25 million points) or naming the killer.
- 4th floor: Triggers Mystery Slots spin.
- 5th floor: Same options as the 3rd floor.
- 6th floor: Provides equipment and 25 million points.
- 7th floor: Starts Elevator Madness.
- 8th floor: Allows interrogation of a suspect or identification of the killer.
- Penthouse: Unlocks Penthouse Party, accessible only after hitting the Penthouse Key stand-up target.
- Roof: Begins Roof phase, available after visiting all other floors.
Evidence gathered supplies useful clues to help eliminate suspects. After visiting any floor, three stand-up targets block elevator ramps; all must be struck to reopen elevator access. Shots aimed at Up or Down ramps bypass floors already visited. Once every floor has been explored, all become accessible again.
Basement Multiball
This mode commences by locking three balls beneath the T-A-X-I targets, exiting the elevator at the basement, or winning on the slots.
Three balls are launched into play; hitting the sewer, roulette lane, and Mystery target awards jackpots. Additionally, completing shots on all three elevator ramps triggers a jackpot; subsequently, stand-up targets block ramps until all are hit again.
Jackpot values begin at 75 million and increase by 1 million for each jet bumper hit during multiball—or by 5 million if the player possesses the Revolver—and accumulate across multiball sessions, capping at 500 million.
The Roof
This concluding stage centers on apprehending the killer and can be initiated by:
- Selecting the correct suspect after shooting the phone or stopping on specific floors (3rd/5th/8th).
- Removing incorrect suspects by shooting the phone after acquiring the Magnifying Glass.
- Spinning three Wild cards on Slots.
- Visiting every other floor and exiting at the Roof.
Players must shoot the lit Taxi Chase loop within a set time frame to activate a hurry-up countdown, then shoot the phone before time expires to earn points, close the case, and start a four-ball multiball with major shots lit. Failure to shoot in time requires restarting Taxi Chase. Losing balls or running out of time ends the case; a new case begins with clues reset.
Digital versions
This table’s digital edition is no longer accessible in The Pinball Arcade across any platform due to expiration of the WMS license on June 30, 2018. Unlicensed recreations have been developed for use in Visual Pinball.