Model number: 50059
Design: Brian Eddy
Art: Greg Freres, John Youssi
Graphics: Adam Rhine, Brian Morris
Software: Lyman F. Sheats Jr.
Mechanics: Robert C. Friesl
Sound: Dan Forden
Music: Dan Forden
Released in
1997 by
WMS Industries under the
Williams name. Medieval Madness was designed by the same team that brought the
pinball community
Attack From Mars in 1995. In comparing the two
playfields, both Attack from Mars and Medieval Madness are almost identical. Significant differences between the two games are
- Lower scoring: Medieval Madness was not programmed to award billions of points for keeping the ball in play for longer than a few minutes and hitting key targets.
- Different targets: Attack From Mars did not have a catapult target that launched balls up a ramp.
- Location of targets: The castle target in Medieval Madness is located left of center. The flying saucer in Attack From Mars was located in the center of the playfield.
- Trolls vs Aliens: Trolls were outnumbered 2:1 by aliens in the two games. The aliens had funnier quotes too.
The
objective of Medieval Madness is to defeat the five
Barons of the kingdom to square off against the
King of Payne to earn the right to
Battle for the Kingdom. In addition to defeating the King of Payne, the player must also become:
- Master of the Trolls (destroy ten Trolls)
- Defender of Damsels (save three damsels)
- Patron of the Peasants (finish three Peasant revolts)
- Catapault Ace (make three catapault slams)
- Joust Champion (win three Joust victories)
Playfield description (courtesy of www.gamefaqs.com)
Flippers: Only two, centered at the bottom of the playfield above the
drain.
Left
Inlane /
Outlane: Plenty of rubber in the area makes saves a little
easier than on some games, but it is difficult to bounce the ball out
of the inlane/outlane area. Both the inlane and outlane light a letter
in FIRE (like KHAN on "Shadow"). Completing FIRE adds 2 Bonus X.
Completing FIRE a set number of times (default 8) lights Video Mode
in v1.0.
Catapult: the most difficult shot in the game, to the far left side --
about the same position as the Drac shot in "Taxi" or the Hang-On shot
in "Dr. Who"... more difficult than either, since there is no metal guide
to help. You are more likely to fall into the Catapult by a slingshot
bounce than from a direct shot, in my opinion, although there is value in
a direct shot (see below). The catapult fires the ball around the back of
the Castle and back to the left inlane. Catapult advances toward the
Catapult Slam! award and the "Catapult Ace" light.
Catapult Standup: Shooting the Catapult shot directly from the right flipper
may hit the red standup target in the back of the Catapult area. This
target, in single-ball play, counts as a Catapult hit; since the ball
promptly falls into the Catapult, you get credit for 2 Catapult shots.
This is especially useful in Royal Madness.
Left Joust
Orbit: Fairly standard-position orbit. Feeds bumpers during
multiballs, while Super Jets is lit, or when you score a Joust Victory --
otherwise screams around the orbit. Shots advance toward the Joust
Victory award and the "Joust Champion" light.
Left (Peasant)
Ramp: fairly long and wide ramp, feeds around the Castle and
to the left inlane. The ramp is "split" (looks broken with a six-inch
lengthwise break), designed so that missed ramp shots feed directly to
the right flipper. Certainly a good idea. Shots advance toward the
Peasant Revolt award and the "Patron of the Peasants" light.
Castle: the back left of the playfield is taken up by a large castle. The
castle has two entrances (the Lock and the Main Entrance, described below)
as well as a moat in front. Balls which fall into the moat (either by a
short shot to the Lock or a shot to the closed Main Entrance) are ejected
into the Left Joust Orbit and return to the left flipper.
Lock: in the same position as the Lock ramp on "Attack From Mars", this is a
short shot, jumping over the moat and into the castle through a door
(which the ball passes through easily). Lock advances toward Castle
Multiball, and collects Super Jackpots and Double Super Jackpots during
Castle Multiball and Multiball Madness.
Left Troll: the Trolls are under the two doors in the playfield (very much
like the Trap Door from "Theatre of Magic"). The Left Troll blocks the
Lock shot when raised, although it is possible to bank a ball into the
Lock off the other Troll. Trolls are active during the Trolls! round
and during Troll Madness. Destroying trolls advances toward the "Master
of Trolls" light.
Left Troll Standup: one of two standups to the left and right of the Main
Entrance. These standups light Trolls!, and can award Troll Bombs.
Main Entrance: The Main Entrance is straight up the middle of the game.
Since the Castle is angled slightly, the Main Entrance is less of a drain
hazard than the Saucer on AFM, though you should be prepared to slap save
many a ball. One of the main goals of the game is to enter the Castle
via the Main Entrance. To do this, you must go through three stages:
1. Drawbridge up: a Drawbridge blocks the entrance; hit the Drawbridge
(actually, the opto sensor in front of the moat) a number of times
to lower it. After hitting the Drawbridge, the ball will most
likely fall into the moat, and return via the left orbit.
2. Drawbridge down, gate down: the ball may cross the Drawbridge, but
a gate keeps the ball from entering the Castle. Hit the gate a
number of times to raise it.
3. Now, enter the castle to destroy it. Destroying castles advances
toward the "Castle Crusher" light.
Right Troll Standup: To right of Main Entrance. Advances toward lighting
Trolls! and toward Troll Bombs.
Merlin's Saucer: a standard
saucer, a little to the left of the Stroke of
Luck scoop from AFM. The ball is kicked out of the saucer into the Right
Joust Orbit, returning to the right flipper. The saucer awards Merlin's
Magic (a random award, see "Merlin's Magic" section) and starts Trolls!,
Multiball Madness, and Royal Madness (when lit). Extra balls are also
collected at this saucer. It is possible to fall into the saucer from
the Jet Bumpers (far less likely than in AFM), where it will award Extra
Ball when lit, but nothing else.
Right Troll: blocks Merlin's Saucer when raised during Trolls! or Troll
Madness. It is possible to hit Merlin's Saucer during Trolls! by banking
a ball off the Left Troll.
Right (
Dragon /
Damsel) Ramp: The ramp is equipped with a diverter; most
shots travel around a short ramp and back to the right inlane, but
when lit, the shot travels straight to a hole in the back right of the
cabinet (to "save the damsel"), then feeds the rollover lanes. The ramp
entrance is "split" (like the Left Ramp), so that missed ramp shots fall
to the right flipper. Ramp shots advance toward the Damsel Save award and
the "Defender of Damsels" light.
Right Joust Orbit: functions identically to the Left Joust Orbit with respect
to feeds. Shots advance to the Joust Victory award and the "Joust
Champion" light.
Merlin's Magic targets: 3 red standups on the right. Shoot all 3 to light
Merlin's Magic if unlit. Progress on the targets reset ball-to-ball.
Right Inlane / Outlane: spot FIRE for +2 Bonus X on either the inlane or
outlane, advancing toward Video Mode. Right drains seem to be more
common than left drains.
Top Rollovers: identical to AFM. Two rollovers; complete both for +1 Bonus X.
Warning: the rollovers are _very_ hard to see!
Jet Bumpers: The
bumpers score a marginal number of points, and advance toward
Super Jets.
Autoplunger: At start of ball, the normal plunge is to the rollover lanes,
but a Super Skill Shot exists (see "Skill Shot" section for more). All
plunged balls for Multiball travel to the rollover lanes.
Ball Launcher: red button, launches the ball... also activates Troll Bombs if
you have any (see "Master of Trolls" section for more). Also may prove
useful during Video Mode.
Battle for the Kingdom
Battle for the Kingdom is the
wizard mode in the game. The objective to win the Kingdom is to play this four-ball
multiball mode to break into the castle. Prior to doing so, the following must be done in sequence:
- Hit both orbits, the catapult, all ramp shots, and the lock
- Hit the castle gate several times to raise it. Note that the trolls will interfere with the shot on the gate, but are helpful in protecting from drains straight down the middle.
- Shoot the open gate for 50 million.
Repeat the process again for bigger points.
Video Mode
Video mode is lit after the FIRE rollovers have been completed a specified number of times (default is 8). When lit, it will be started by hitting Merlin's Saucer. The object of the game is a lot like
Defender. You need to kill
buzzards before one can fly off with one of the
children standing on the ground.
MOOOOO....
Cows are all over the place in this game. A cow is featured in the
backglass art. One of the objects you can lob during Catapult Madness is a cow. There is even a Barnyard Madness mode within the game. You can also feature cows in Video Mode
Exact production numbers for this game are not known, but I'm assuming it's way less than Attack from Mars.