
Here is a VERY early draft of the rule sheet.  I haven't gotten back to the
machine yet to check things out but I am hoping by getting some input before
hand I can reduce the amount of things I need to look for.  Please post or 
email any input you can provide!

                           RULES SHEET: CONGO
                              Revision 0.1

     * Last Modified: April 15, 1996
     * Written by Lee Van Doren (eatlv@eancr2.att.com)
     * Congo, Williams, Multiball, and a declectable assortment of
       other words in this document are trademarks or registered
       trademarks of WMS Electronics, Inc. Batteries included. Coins not.
       
Under Construction
   
   This is my first attempt at a rulesheet... please bear with me! 
   Help Welcome!

   Note:  Areas I am unsure of are tagged with ?? double question marks.
          Search them out and send input!
          I am mostly weak on award sequences and the scoring end of things...
   
Credits

   Written by Lee Van Doren (eatlv@eancr2.att.com or lvd@lucent.com [5/1/96])
       http://members.gnn.com/~depeche/lee.html

   Rule Sheet format stolen from Whodunnit Sheet
     * Written by Mark Phaedrus (phaedrus@halcyon.com)

   Special Mention to the FSPA (Free State Pinball Association) and especially
   our germinating Towson, MD League, where Congo is our best machine right
   now (be that good or bad!).

   Thanks to the Congo at Towson State University for being the guinea pig.

   Special Thanks to Dan Yochelson and Dustin Manning who will be diligently
   helping to go through the machine and take notes on details.
   
   Additional Input from RGP folks:


Recent Changes
  
   4/15/96:  Document Born
   
Summary

   Congo is based on the movie of the same name.  This machine is notorious
for being released so far after the movie release it was almost on video.
I haven't seen the movie yet but a friend who plays it did and she said it
does a good job of reflecting the movie.
   I personally feel that this is a very good machine.  It may not be 
exciting to wizards but it is fair (unlike most recent Williams/Bally machines)
in that it is not a drain hog (unless your saucer kicks are misaligned) and
is not really bouncy or have post-cluttered shots.  Overall I give it a B+.
It would get an A- if it didn't have the sticky flipper syndrome.
   
Background
   
   Rent the movie...     
   
Playfield

    Here's the various playfield parts, starting from the plunger lane
   and working clockwise.  (* = Diamond Shots, explained later)

     - Plunger
          + Dual plunger; the manual plunger is used for
            skill shots, and an autoplunger is also there for ballsavers
            and Multiballs.
     - Right Outlane
          + Lights a ZINJ letter if not lit.  Tucked away in such a way that
            a ball that gets in here does NOT come back out!
     - Inlanes
          + Lights a ZINJ letter if not lit.
     - Flippers
          + The usual two, in the usual places. No center post.
            Congo suffers badly from the "sticky flipper syndrome".
     - Slingshots
          + Standard, just like the flippers.
     - Left Outlane
          + Kickback here, also your target for a super skill shot.  Kickback
            active for super skill even if not lit and it is not used up when
            "autofire" (aka ballsaver) is active.  Kickback shooting directly
            to Mystery Saucer gives Kickback Combo for 5M(??).
     - Kickback Targets
          + Three targets.  Light all to activate kickback.  If kickback is
            lit, you can accumulate targets towards next kickback.
            ??? Do kickbacks stack?
     - Upper Flipper
          + Standard size
     * Left Orbit
          + Feeds to rollovers, lock, and extra ball collection.  A post is
            here that holds the ball in the lane for certain modes.
     * Left Ramp
          + Collects M-A-P letters.  Each score ??.  Ball normally fed to
            right inlane except when MAP completed, ball is diverted to left
            flipper to set up shot to MAP saucer.  Collecting all 3 letters in
            a row awards MAP combo for 20M(?).
     * GRAY Lane
          + Collects G-R-A-Y letters.  Each score ??.  When completed, ball is
            held in left orbit while you play the lower playfield. 
            See GRAY Attack below.
     - Satellite Targets
          + Two targets, each scores (??).  After (??) hits, Satellite Transfer
            begins (see below).
     ** Rollovers and AMY Saucer
          (Yes, 2 diamonds for the saucer or just during diamond hunt??)
          + 3 rollovers labelled A-M-Y.  Standard flipper cycling of lit lanes.
            Completing AMY adds 1x bonus and starts Amy mode (see below).
            Ball drops in saucer below rollovers and is fed into pop bumpers or
            backwards along the gorilla's arm to left orbit during Amy mode.
     - Lock
          + Past the rollovers is a lock that opens at the appropriate time
            to lock ball.  
     * Upper Upper Orbit
          + Feeds to saucer under rollovers.  Can be lit for Mine Hunt or used
            to score Amy.
     * Upper Orbit
          + Can be lit for lock (fed to same lock area as above) or looped for
            5M+5M (max??) a loop.
     - Bumpers
          + A triangular pattern of three bumpers, in the middle right of
            the playfield; fed from the AMY saucer or from the right orbit.
            Each hit scores ?? and adds a H-I-P-P-O letter in the HIPPO lane
            and adds 1M to the HIPPO bonus.  HIPPO bonus is collected if the
            ball falls through a lane on the far right edge and back out to
            the playfield.
     * Volcano Ramp
          + Accessed via right orbit through pop bumpers. Each ramp scores ??.
            3 ramps to light extra ball at this ramp.  Subsequent extra balls
            lit at 55(??!) ramps.  Balls for multiball kicked out of volcano.
            Ramp feeds right inlane.
     - Right Orbit
          + Feeds through pop bumpers and up right ramp.
     - HIPPO Lane
          + As described above in Pop Bumpers.
     * MAP Saucer
          + Collects MAP award, collects Jungle/Ghost Tribe Jackpots, and 
            starts Skill Fire when appropriately lit.
     * Mystery Saucer
          + Collects Mystery, starts Video Mode, or collects Ghost Tribe
            Jackpots.
     - Perimeter Defense Target
          + (What does it do??)
     - Heiroglyphic Targets
          + Scattered around, do what???   I know they accumulate 4 pieces of
            a picture that says "We are watching you".
            
Rules

   No novice/expert mode (at least not by default settings).  Tournament mode
   can be started by holding both flippers a few seconds before starting
   (see below for specifics).
   
   You can buy up to (??) extra balls (one credit each) on a machine set
   to standard settings; this (does/doesn't??) affect the high score board.
   
   Software Changes: None known at this time...
   
   In general, CONGO is a simple game and probably "the best DE/Sega game
   Williams ever made".  I agree with that statement.  It plays a lot like
   a DE game and the rules are similar.  I think it is most like Jurassic
   Park.   Generally you collect letters all over the place, start modes, and
   collect diamonds.

  Skill Shot
   
   Shoot the kickback targets for standard skill shot.  Awards: ??
   Super skill shot is shot into the left outlane for 20M??+??
   If you are lucky, you can get the Kickback Combo out of it.

   NOTE:  If you don't hit any switches, ball saver is not activated and
   you get another free shot, so let it drain!  If you do hit a switch, ball
   saver is activated (but skill shots are still active if only a slingshot
   is hit!), so play the ball and take a shot at the skill shot if you want.
   Skill shots are active any time the ball is delivered to the plunger after
   a lock as well.  Note some locks do cause a ball to be kicked out of the
   volcano if it is full from previous player locks.
   
  Collecting Diamonds
   
   One of the game objectives is to collect diamonds.  Collecting diamonds
   lights locks.  The first multiball requires 4 diamonds per lock, more
   diamonds are required on each subsequent multiball.  Diamonds are
   collected either by making lit diamond shots or by completing various
   objectives.  Diamond shots are re-lit when all are completed or via other
   awards (e.g. MAP, Mystery, etc...).  Completing certain modes can give
   a 20 diamond reward (e.g. AMY mode, GRAY Attack, others??).

   Once you collect 100 diamonds you start the (forget the name??) Multiball.
   This is the wizard mode:  All balls ejected (5??) with lower playfield 
   active.  All switches score ??M?  Super Jackpot and Jackpots lit??
   Mode ends when one ball remains.

  Multiball
    
   The standard multiball is started after locking three balls.  Once that
   is done, the three balls are ejected from the volcano and fed to the
   right flipper.  The left and right ramps are lit for jackpots.  Each 
   shot will feed the ball back to the flipper for the opposite ramp.
   Jackpots stay lit for the whole multiball and score (??M) each.  The
   Super Jackpot must be lit by shooting a ball into the AMY saucer.  The
   ball will then be fed back to the upper flipper with the Super Jackpot
   lit for approximately 20 seconds.  Score the Super Jackpot for ??M back at
   the saucer.  Scoring the Super Jackpot resets the timer (I believe??).

  M-A-P Awards

   Shoot the left ramp to collect M-A-P letters.  Once three letters are
   collected, the shots to the ramp are diverted to the left flipper for
   a shot at the MAP award saucer.  If you collect all 3 letters in 
   subsequent shots, you collect the MAP Combo for 20M.  If MAP is lit at
   the saucer, you may collect the next 2 letters but you will not collect
   any more until you score MAP (not positive on this??).  MAP awards in order
   are:  (not sure of exact order yet??)
      - 25 Million
      - Re-light Diamonds
      - Diamond Hunt Multiball
      - Light Extra Ball
      - Jungle Jackpot
      - Light Skill Fire
      - ???
      - Repeats at some point... BUT
      - There is a big ? on the map by the volcano, wonder what it awards??

  Diamond Hunt Multiball

   This mode is started as an award either at Mystery, MAP, or Gray(??).  All
   diamond shots are lit, mainly for 1 diamond each, except for the AMY saucer
   which is 2 diamonds.  This is a 3 ball multiball with play continuing until
   1 ball is left.  A good way to collect diamonds towards your 100 diamond
   goal.

  Jungle Jackpot -> Ghost Tribe Multiball

   This mode is started from a MAP award.  The ball is released and a countdown
   from 20M?? is started.  Collect the Jungle Jackpot by re-shooting the MAP
   saucer.  Once the countdown reaches ??M it stays until timed out.  If you
   collect the Jungle Jackpot, you start Ghost Tribe multiball.  This is a 
   2 ball multiball where either MAP or Mystery saucer scores the Jungle
   Jackpot.  Scoring both saucers at the same time awards a bonus of ??M.

  Skill Fire

   This is a very unique mode and the most valuable mode of the game
   (other than the "wizard" mode).
   Skill Fire is lit at the MAP saucer by a MAP award.  Once the MAP saucer
   is shot, Skill Fire begins.  Normal game play ends, flippers die, and the
   ball is ejected and drained.  You have 20?? seconds to shoot as many skill
   shots as you can.  Shoot for the super skill shot obviously.  Each skill
   shot scores 10M+10M.  With a perfect run you can score 1B+ on this mode
   alone!!  Note that the software does not expect this and has trouble
   displaying a 1 Billion score at the completion of this mode.  I usually 
   score 1B on a perfect but I have scored 1B missing one shot so I think it
   is possible to score one more.  After the mode times out, the machine waits
   until all the balls settle in the trough before restarting your ball and 
   allowing you to start the ball off with yet one more skill shot!

  A-M-Y Mode

   Completing the rollovers lights the saucer for AMY mode which the ball
   will drop into next.  A countdown is started at 50M(is the first one
   50M??) and the ball is delivered to the holder in the left orbit to be
   fed to your left flipper for a shot at the upper upper orbit back to
   the saucer.  If you collect the award, Amy will say something nice to
   you and start another countdown at 50M.  If you collect 3 awards you get
   20 diamonds for completing it.  If the countdown times out, the mode is
   over.

  GRAY Attack

   Once you complete G-R-A-Y at the GRAY lane, the ball is held at the holder
   in the left orbit and the lower playfield is activated.  You use the 
flippers
   to have the gorilla bat the ball with his hands at 5 C-O-N-G-O targets.  
   Score 10M a target and complete the targets for an award (20 diamonds??
   Does it progress to others??) before the timer runs out (20 seconds??).
   Note that the mechanics are a little strange.  There are 3 positions to
   the gorilla: hands parallel, left hand back/right hand forward, right
   hand forward/left hand back.  So in order to move the right hand back, you
   need to hit the left flipper to move the left hand forward.  This gives
   you a better angle shot at the corner targets.  Don't just bat wildly,
   think a little about what you are doing and you should score it every
   time.  If you don't, you are a loser ;)

  Video Mode 

   "Watch out for the HIPPOS!!!"
   You steer a boat, avoid rocks (1st wave), Hippos (2nd wave), etc...
   I haven't gotten to the 3rd wave so I don't know what other fun things
   are there but I imagine there are Cows eventually. 
   Watch out for this video mode, the boat moves in a sluggish manner
   when you initially move it but speeds up as you hold the flipper button
   so you need to develop a sweeping type of motion, because you are a boat
   in water!  Video mode scores ??M for each object avoided and (20 diamonds??)
   for completing.  Video mode is lit by (completing ZINJ??)

  Mine Hunt (or is it Shaft??)

   This is lit at the upper upper orbit by (??).  Scoring it puts you in a
   really really stupid video mode where you simply choose an entrance and
   get an award.  No skill here whatsoever.  You go through different stages.
   The first has 2 choices, 2nd has 3, 3rd has 4, 4th has 5, and (5th has 5??).
   Choosing an entrance will give you either 5 diamonds, a snake biting your
   head off, a bear mauling you, or N * 10M for completing stage N.  If you
   get the point award you move to the next stage and continue.  If you mess
   up, you continue at the same place the next time with previous choices
   boarded up.  If you complete the whole 5 stages you get a bonus: 
   (I forget: 20 diamonds??) and next time you start over with a new pattern.

   I BELIEVE there are a small number of fixed patterns.  I mapped one once and
   I see that same one repeated, so the actual maps of the mine will be listed
   here as they become available if you want to memorize them(!).

  Satellite Transfer

   Once you hit the Satellite targets (x??) times, you start Satellite
   Transfer mode.  Each hit to the targets scores xM + xM??.  There are
   easter eggs here as posted on RGP.  I'll have to dig them up out of
   the archives.  There are different images on the screen for each
   hit.  This is a timed mode lasting 20?? seconds.

  Bonus
    
    At the end of the ball, bonus is figured as follows:

    ... I don't know, I don't pay attention here, I'm too mad  (??)
   
   Note that these numbers are for the entire game, not just for the
   current ball.
   
   This bonus is then multiplied by the current bonus multiplier.
   
  Extra Balls
    
    There are three ways to collect extra balls in this game:
     * MAP award lights left orbit
     * 3 Volcano Ramps lights Volcano Ramp
     * Mystery lights left orbit
     (...others ??)
       
  Tournament Mode
    
    Like most Bally/Williams games, Congo can be switched into
   "Tournament Mode" by the operator. Like the last few Bally/Williams
   games, the player can also do this; just insert the money, then hold
   down both flippers, wait for "TOURNAMENT MODE ENABLED--PRESS START" to
   pop up on the display, then press Start.

   Only thing we have noticed so far is that random awards are given in
   a fixed pattern every time.  That pattern will be printed here when
   available.  Extra balls are still awarded!
   
Strategy

   This game has a remarkable linear scoring pattern to it.  That is, 
   there are no BIG POINTS areas (except for Skill Fire and maybe the
   Wizard Mode), so you have to just keep plugging along and slowly
   edge your score up.  This makes competition more fun I think because
   one person can't just break through.  The skill fire does unbalance
   the game because the super skill shot is too easy.

   So the idea is -
   1: Get the extra balls! They are easy to get, so get them!
   2: Get MAP awards while locking balls along the way.
   3: Play multiballs as they come.
   4: Keep your kickback lit!

   That's all there is!  Seriously, if you just do that, you do as good
   as you can (that's why most wizards don't like this game).  One trick
   I use is to collect 3 MAP letters to set the diverter to the left
   flipper, then shoot the volcano ramp repeatedly to get the extra ball
   while the ball is always delivered to your left flipper for repeated
   shots.  Collect the extra ball, then move back on the MAP bandwagon...
   it's easy safe shots.

   That's about all for now... Please post additions to RGP or email them
   to me!

Lee Van Doren
eatlv@eancr2.att.com



From mccannr1@pilot.msu.edu Sun Apr 21 17:09:45 1996
Path: msunews!netnews.upenn.edu!news.cc.swarthmore.edu!news.cse.psu.edu!uwm.edu!fnnews.fnal.gov!gw1.att.com!nntphub.cb.att.com!news
From: eatlv@exchange.wcc.att.com (Lee Van Doren)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: RULE SHEET: Congo v0.9
Date: 19 Apr 1996 13:16:17 GMT
Organization: Lucent Technologies
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Message-ID: <4l83n1$jjh@nntpb.cb.att.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: p173tlv.nse.att.com
Mime-Version: 1.0
X-Newsreader: WinVN 0.93.11

[Ok, I got everything down I have far.  Still not good enough for 1.0 I 
think... still need help in filling in the blanks!  Thanks so far! - Lee]


                          RULES SHEET: CONGO
                             Revision 0.9

     - Last Modified: April 19, 1996
     - Written by Lee Van Doren (lvd@lucent.com)
     - Congo, Williams, Multiball, and a declectable assortment of
     other words in this document are trademarks or registered
     trademarks of WMS Electronics, Inc. Batteries included. Coins not.

Under Construction

     This is my first attempt at a rulesheet... please bear with me!
     Help Welcome!

     Note:  Areas I am unsure of are tagged with ?? double question
     marks. Search them out and send input!  I am mostly weak on award
     sequences and the scoring end of things...

Credits

     Written by Lee Van Doren (lvd@lucent.com)
     http://members.gnn.com/~depeche/lee.html
     
     Rule Sheet format stolen from Whodunnit Sheet written by Mark
     Phaedrus (phaedrus@halcyon.com)
     
     Special Mention to the FSPA (Free State Pinball Association) and
     especially our germinating Towson, MD League, where Congo is our
     best machine right now (be that good or bad!).
     
     Thanks to the Congo at Towson State University for being the
     guinea pig.
     
     Special Thanks to Dan Yochelson and Dustin Manning who will be
     diligently helping to go through the machine and take notes on
     details.
     
     Additional Input from RGP folks:
          Karl Brostrom <d3karl@dtek.chalmers.se>
          Christian Magnusson <d1mag@dtek.chalmers.se>
          Rodney <rodney@worf.netins.net>
          Jim Schelberg <pinjournal@aol.com>
          David Gersic <dgersic@niu.edu>


Recent Changes

     0.1:  4/15/96:  Document Born
     0.2:  Various improvements including formatting.
     0.9:  4/19/96: Much input received and research done but still
     MANY unknowns.

Summary

     Congo is based on the movie of the same name.  This machine is
     notorious for being released so far after the movie release it was
     almost on video. I haven't seen the movie yet but a friend who
     plays it did and she said it does a good job of reflecting the
     movie.
     
     I personally feel that this is a very good machine.  It may not be
     exciting to wizards but it is fair (unlike most recent
     Williams/Bally machines) in that it is not a drain hog (unless
     your saucer kicks are misaligned) and is not really bouncy or have
     post-cluttered shots.  Overall I give it a B+.  It would get an A-
     if it didn't have the sticky flipper syndrome.
     
     A special note of interest from Jim Schelberg (pinGame Journal):
     Congo marks the end of pinball production at the Williams
     California Avenue plant.  That same plant was also home to the
     very first Williams game, Suspense.  The production space is now
     filled slot machines :-(    Games after  Congo are being built in
     the new facility in north-east Illinois.   The design teams,
     admistration and the construction of the first few test games are
     still  there, but most everything else pinball is gone.  :-(((((

Background

     Rent the movie...

Playfield

     Here's the various playfield parts, starting from the plunger lane
     and working clockwise.  (* = Diamond Shots, explained later)

     - Plunger
          Dual plunger; the manual plunger is used for skill shots, and
          an autoplunger is also there for ballsavers and Multiballs.
     - Right Outlane
          Lights a ZINJ letter if not lit.  Tucked away in such a way
          that a ball that gets in here does NOT come back out!
     - Inlanes
          Lights a ZINJ letter if not lit.
     - Flippers
          The usual two, in the usual places. No center post. Congo
          suffers badly from the "sticky flipper syndrome".
     - Slingshots
          Standard, just like the flippers.
     - Left Outlane
          Kickback here, also your target for a super skill shot.
          Kickback active for super skill even if not lit and it is not
          used up when "autofire" (aka ballsaver) is active.
     - Kickback Targets
          Three targets.  Light all to activate kickback.  If kickback
          is lit, you can accumulate targets towards next kickback, but
          targets unlight when completed.
     - Upper Flipper
          Standard size
     * Left Orbit
          Feeds to rollovers, lock, and extra ball collection.  A post
          is here that holds the ball in the lane for certain modes.
     * Left Ramp
          Collects M-A-P letters.  Each score ??.  Ball normally fed to
          right inlane except when MAP completed, ball is diverted to
          left flipper to set up shot to MAP saucer.
     * GRAY Lane
          Collects G-R-A-Y letters.  Each score ??.  When completed,
          ball is held in left orbit while you play the lower
          playfield.  See GRAY Attack below.
     - Satellite Targets
          Two targets, each scores (??).  After (??) hits, Satellite
          Transfer begins (see below).
     * Rollovers and AMY Saucer
          3 rollovers labelled A-M-Y.  Standard flipper cycling of lit
          lanes.  Completing AMY adds 1x bonus and starts Amy mode (see
          below).  Ball drops in saucer below rollovers and is fed into
          pop bumpers or backwards along the gorilla's arm to left
          orbit during Amy mode.
     - Lock
          Past the rollovers is a lock that opens at the appropriate
          time to lock ball.
     * Upper Upper Orbit
          Feeds to saucer under rollovers.  Can be lit for Mine Hunt or
          used to score Amy.
     * Upper Orbit
          Can be lit for lock (fed to same lock area as above) or
          looped for 5M+5M (max??) a loop.
     - Bumpers
          A triangular pattern of three bumpers, in the middle right of
          the playfield; fed from the AMY saucer or from the right
          orbit.  Each hit adds a H-I-P-P-O letter in the HIPPO lane
          which adds 1M to the HIPPO bonus when completed.  HIPPO bonus
          is collected if all letters are lit and the ball falls
          through a lane on the far right edge and back out to the
          playfield, or triple bonus collected at volcano ramp.
     * Volcano Ramp
          Accessed via right orbit through pop bumpers.  Each ramp
          scores 3x HIPPO Bonus or adds 1M to HIPPO bonus if at 0M.  3
          ramps to light extra ball at this ramp (apparently this value
          reflexes over time).  Subsequent extra balls lit at 55(!)
          ramps.  Balls for multiball kicked out of volcano.  Ramp
          feeds right inlane.
     - Right Orbit
          Feeds through pop bumpers and up right ramp.
     - HIPPO Lane
          As described above in Pop Bumpers.
     * MAP Saucer
          Collects MAP award, collects Jungle/Ghost Tribe Jackpots, and
          starts Skill Fire when appropriately lit.
     * Mystery Saucer
          Collects Mystery (complete ZINJ to light), starts Video Mode,
          or collects Ghost Tribe Jackpots.
     - Perimeter Defense Target
          Awards 5M when lit by GRAY lane.
     - Heiroglyphic Targets
          Accumulate 3 pieces of a picture that says "We are watching
          you".  Complete all 3 targets to start picture and all 3
          targets 3 more times to complete (total of 4 completions of 3
          targets).  When completed, it lights Video Mode.

General Rules

     No novice/expert mode (at least not by default settings).
     Tournament mode can be started by holding both flippers a few
     seconds before starting (see below for specifics).

     Buy In is disabled in default settings, otherwise you can buy up
     to (??) extra balls (one credit each); there is a separate buy-in
     high score board.

     Software Changes: None known at this time...

     In general, CONGO is a simple game and probably "the best DE/Sega
     game Williams ever made".  I agree with that statement.  It plays
     a lot like a DE game and the rules are similar.  I think it is
     most like Jurassic Park.   Generally you collect letters all over
     the place, start modes, and collect diamonds.

Skill Shot

     Shoot the kickback targets for standard skill shot.  Awards:
     10M+5M (for game) if lit target hit.  If all are flashing, score a
     fixed 10M.  The cycling of lights speeds up as more skill shots
     are collected.  Super skill shot is shot into the left outlane for
     25M.  If you are lucky, you can get the Kickback Combo out of it.

     NOTE:  If you don't hit any switches, ball saver is not activated
     and you get another free shot, so let it drain!  If you do hit a
     switch, ball saver is activated (but skill shots are still active
     if only a slingshot is hit!), so play the ball and take a shot at
     the skill shot if you want.  Skill shots are active any time the
     ball is delivered to the plunger after a lock as well.  Note some
     locks do cause a ball to be kicked out of the volcano if it is
     full from previous player locks.

Collecting Diamonds

     One of the game objectives is to collect diamonds.  Number of
     diamonds required for each lock at each multiball level is 4, ??,
     10, ??, ...  Diamonds are collected either by making lit diamond
     shots or by completing various objectives.  Diamond shots are re-
     lit when all are completed or via other awards (e.g. MAP, Mystery,
     Mine Shaft, etc...).  Completing certain modes can give diamond
     rewards (e.g. AMY mode, GRAY Attack, etc.).  Once you collect 100
     diamonds you start the Super Multiball.

Super Multiball

     This is the wizard mode:  All balls ejected (4) with lower
     playfield active.  Jackpots at ramps and lower saucers for (??).
     Super Jackpot for defeating gorilla in lower playfield for
     50M(??).  Relight Super Jackpot by scoring a Jackpot.   Mode ends
     when one ball remains.

Combos

     - M-A-P Completed in a Row: 20M
     - Kickback to Mystery Saucer: 5M??
     - Loop Combo: GRAY Lane -> Upper Orbit: 20M
     - GRAY Lane to Perimeter Defense target: 5M
     - Upper Loop repeat: 5M+5M
     
Multiball

     The standard multiball is started after locking three balls.  Once
     that is done, the three balls are ejected from the volcano and fed
     to the right flipper.  The left and right ramps are lit for
     jackpots.  Jackpots stay lit for the whole multiball and score
     (??) each.  The Super Jackpot must be lit by shooting a ball into
     the AMY saucer.  The ball will then be fed back to the upper
     flipper with the Super Jackpot lit for approximately 20 seconds.
     Score the Super Jackpot for 2 x Jackpot back at the saucer.
     Scoring the Super Jackpot resets the timer.

M-A-P Awards

     Shoot the left ramp to collect M-A-P letters.  Once three letters
     are collected, the shots to the ramp are diverted to the left
     flipper for a shot at the MAP award saucer.  If you collect all 3
     letters in subsequent shots, you collect the MAP Combo for 20M.
     If MAP is lit at the saucer, you may collect additional letters
     but if you complete they will be lost.  Her are the MAP awards in
     order (need help here!??):
          - 25 Million
          - Re-light Diamonds
          - ??
          - Light Extra Ball
          - Jungle Jackpot
          - Light Skill Fire
          - Diamon d Hunt Multiball somewhere...
          - Most awards after this are trivial: diamonds, points, or
          diamond relights...
          - There is at least one ? on the map by the volcano, wonder
          what it awards??  Rumor is, it is only 5 diamonds... or it
          could be a mystery award.

Diamond Hunt Multiball

     This mode is started as an award at Mystery or MAP.  You get 1
     diamond for starting and all diamond shots are lit for 2 diamonds
     each.  This is a 3 ball multiball with play continuing until 1
     ball is left.  A good way to collect diamonds towards your 100
     diamond goal.

Jungle Jackpot -> Ghost Tribe Multiball

     This mode is started from a MAP award.  The ball is released and a
     countdown from 20M is started.  Collect the Jungle Jackpot by re-
     shooting the MAP saucer.  Once the countdown reaches 5M it stays
     until timed out.  If you collect the Jungle Jackpot, you start
     Ghost Tribe multiball.  This is a 2 ball multiball where either
     MAP or Mystery saucer scores the Jungle Jackpot.  Scoring both
     saucers at the same time awards a bonus of 40M.

Skill Fire

     This is a very unique mode and the most valuable mode of the game
     (other than the "wizard" mode).  Skill Fire is lit at the MAP
     saucer by a MAP award.  Once the MAP saucer is shot, Skill Fire
     begins.  Normal game play ends, flippers die, and the ball is
     ejected and drained.  You have 20?? seconds to shoot as many skill
     shots as you can.  Shoot for the super skill shot obviously.  Each
     skill shot scores 20M+20M up to 100M.  If you miss at this point
     it goes down to 50M.  (Need more input about specifically what
     happens on a miss: divide by 2??)  With a perfect run you can
     score 1B+ on this mode alone!!  Note that the software does not
     expect this and has trouble displaying a 1 Billion score at the
     completion of this mode.  I usually score 1B on a perfect but I
     have scored 1B missing one shot so I think it is possible to score
     one more.  After the mode times out, the machine waits until all
     the balls settle in the trough before restarting your ball and
     allowing you to start the ball off with yet one more skill shot!
     
     Our machine has a problem in that sometimes the game refuses to
     serve another ball and effectively ends your mode prematurely,
     anyone else have this problem?

A-M-Y Mode

     Completing the rollovers lights the saucer for AMY mode which the
     ball will drop into next.  A countdown is started at 25M and the
     ball is delivered to the holder in the left orbit to be fed to
     your left flipper for a shot at the upper upper orbit back to the
     saucer.  If you collect via the upper upper orbit you get Super
     Score (double).  If you collect the award, Amy will say something
     nice to you and start another countdown.  If you collect 3 awards
     you get 15 diamonds for completing it.  If the countdown times
     out, the mode is over.

GRAY Attack

     Once you complete G-R-A-Y at the GRAY lane, the ball is held at
     the holder in the left orbit and the lower playfield is activated.
     You use the flippers to have the gorilla bat the ball with his
     hands at 5 C-O-N-G-O targets.   Score 10M a target and complete
     the targets for an award before the timer runs out (20 seconds??).
     Awards in order:
          - 20 Diamonds
          - Multiball
          - 20 Diamonds
          - Light EB (Left??, Right??)
          - 50M (from then on...??)
          
     Once you get to the 4th level, a letter scored stays lit for only
     about 5 seconds so you have to act fast!
     
     Note that the mechanics are a little strange.  There are 3
     positions to the gorilla: hands parallel, left hand back/right
     hand forward, right hand forward/left hand back.  So in order to
     move the right hand back, you need to hit the left flipper to move
     the left hand forward.  This gives you a better angle shot at the
     corner targets.  Don't just bat wildly, think a little about what
     you are doing and you should score it every time.  If you don't,
     you are a loser ;)

Mystery Awards

     - 25 Million
     - Light Extra Ball (Left)
     - Light Lock
     - Diamond Hunt Multiball
     - Multiball (Advance to)
     - GRAY Complete
     - GRAY Attack
     - ??
     
Video Mode

     "Watch out for the HIPPOS!!!"
     You steer a boat, avoid rocks (1st wave), Hippos (2nd wave),
     etc... as follows (scoring unknown??):
          1st Wave: Rocks
          2nd Wave: Hippos
          3rd Wave: Rocks and Hippos
          4th Wave: Rocks (collect diamonds)
          5th+: ??
          
     Watch out for this video mode, the boat moves in a sluggish manner
     when you initially move it but speeds up as you hold the flipper
     button so you need to develop a sweeping type of motion, because
     you are a boat in water!  Video mode scores ??M for each object
     avoided and (20 diamonds??) for completing.  Video mode is lit by
     completing “We are watching you” via heiroglyphic hits (see
     above).

Mine Shaft

     This is lit at the upper upper orbit by (??).  Scoring it puts you
     in a really really stupid video mode where you simply choose an
     entrance and get an award.  No skill here whatsoever.  You go
     through different stages.  The first has 2 choices, 2nd has 3, 3rd
     has 4, 4th has 5, and (5th has 5??).  Choosing an entrance will
     give you either 5 diamonds, a snake biting your head off, a bear
     mauling you, or N * 10M for completing stage N.  If you get the
     point award you move to the next stage and continue.  If you mess
     up, you continue at the same place the next time with previous
     choices boarded up.  If you complete the whole 5 stages you get 15
     diamonds and next time you start over with a new pattern.

     I BELIEVE there are a small number of fixed patterns.  I mapped
     one once and I see that same one repeated, so the actual maps of
     the mine will be listed here as they become available if you want
     to memorize them(!).  [Actually, memorizing them would give a
     serious competitive advantage!]

Satellite Transfer

     You hit each satellite target to light a panel on the satellite.
     You need to complete both targets 4 times to start Satellite
     Transfer mode.  Each hit to the targets scores 10M.  There are
     different images on the screen for each hit.  This is a timed mode
     lasting 20?? seconds.
     
     From RGP: The first six or seven hits will get you various
     pictures of gorillas, diamonds and the like. The eighth hit gives
     a cow that mooohhs at you.  The next hit gives a duck that quacks,
     I believe it to be the peking duck from Shadow. After that comes
     the picture "move your car" from CFB, with the appropriate
     sampling. Then follows the "Here's Your Hotdog" picture without
     the original sampling, a picture I do not remember, and after that
     it wraps around and goes from the beginning.

Bonus

     At the end of the ball, bonus is 500K a diamond, that’s it!

     This bonus is then multiplied by the current bonus multiplier
     which is not held.

Extra Balls

     There are many ways to collect extra balls in this game:
          - MAP award lights left orbit
          - 3 Volcano Ramps lights Volcano Ramp
          - Mystery lights left orbit
          - GRAY Gorilla Defeated Award #4 lights (left/right??)
          - Complete Bonus 5x lights (left)
          - (...others ??)

Tournament Mode

     Like most Bally/Williams games, Congo can be switched into
     "Tournament Mode" by the operator. Like the last few
     Bally/Williams games, the player can also do this; just insert the
     money, then hold down both flippers, wait for "TOURNAMENT MODE
     ENABLED--PRESS START" to pop up on the display, then press Start.

     Only thing we have noticed so far is that random awards are given
     in a fixed pattern every time.  That pattern will be printed here
     when available.  Extra balls are still awarded!

Strategy

     This game has a remarkable linear scoring pattern to it.  That is,
     there are no BIG POINTS areas (except for Skill Fire and maybe the
     Wizard Mode), so you have to just keep plugging along and slowly
     edge your score up.  This makes competition more fun I think
     because one person can't just break through.  The skill fire does
     unbalance the game because the super skill shot is too easy.

     So the idea is -
          1: Get the extra balls! They are easy to get, so get them!
          2: Get MAP awards while locking balls along the way.
          3: Play multiballs as they come.
          4: Keep your kickback lit!

     That's all there is!  Seriously, if you just do that, you do as
     good as you can (that's why most wizards don't like this game).
     One trick I use is to collect 3 MAP letters to set the diverter to
     the left flipper, then shoot the volcano ramp repeatedly to get
     the extra ball while the ball is always delivered to your left
     flipper for repeated shots.  Collect the extra ball, then move
     back on the MAP bandwagon... it's easy safe shots.

     That's about all for now... Please post additions to RGP or email
     them to me!

Lee Van Doren
lvd@lucent.com


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* Lee Van Doren                http://members.gnn.com/depeche/lee.html  *
* Lucent Technologies - CIO  (Formerly AT&T)      eatlv@eancr2.att.com  *
* Cockeysville, MD               (V) 410-584-6420     (F) 410-584-4962  *
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