Baywatch

Sega Pinball, 1995 — shot-by-shot rules and strategy guide.

Open Baywatch in the Pinball Genie app →

Baywatch is a single-SKU, single-hardware-revision Sega machine (no Pro/Premium/LE editions — that tiering didn't exist in 1995, ~2,000 units built). Its rules split into two documented code versions: the original 1995 Sega factory ROM (what most stock/unrestored machines run) and "Chad's Unofficial" tournament ROM (v4.01 2017, v4.02 2025), which rebalances skill-shot values, speeds up the bonus multiplier, and removes stock code's guaranteed-lock bug. Values below follow the stock code, with tournament-code differences called out where they diverge.

Skill Shot. The ball auto-plunges (no manual pull) onto an elevated wireform. Use the flippers to steer into one of three lit options: the Top SPF Lanes (10M, safest), the Shark Super Scoop via the shark-fin mini-flipper (20M stock/40M tournament), or the Side Ramp off the upper-left flipper (50M, hardest — also spells a letter toward IRONMAN). Each successful skill shot bumps future values +10M; hitting all three different across a game scores a 50M Variety Award, the same one three times also scores 50M.

The five Mode/GUARD shots — Left Ramp, Center Ramp, Upper VUK, Right Ramp, and Spinner Lane — are the backbone of the entire ruleset. Hitting a given shot 4 times cumulatively across the game starts its 30-second Vertical Mode: CPR (Left Ramp, 3-ramp escalating 50/60/70M), Chopper Rescue (Center Ramp, 5 vehicle standups rescuing swimmers, but a notorious center-drain trap), Diver Trapped (Upper VUK, repeatable scoop shots, ends in a 15-second Extra Ball), Shark Cove/Shark Attack (Right Ramp, kill shark waves on the SHARK bank then finish at the Shark Super Scoop for uncapped double points), and Tidal Wave (Spinner Lane, feeds the Upper Ball Launch to a Side Ramp "Rescue Award"). Completing all 5 modes once lights Horizontal Mode 1, "Guard" — all five shots pay a decaying countdown award (~50M down to a ~20M floor); completing them a second time lights Horizontal Mode 2, Tourist Season, a 2-ball multiball collecting six countries at the Right Ramp (25M each) before 100M Jackpots open at the Side Ramp.

Multiball. Complete the 3-Bank Drop Targets to light locks on the Left Ramp's internal Trap Door; three locks launches a 5-ball Multiball with ball saver. All five Mode Shots light for Swimmer Jackpots, valued at 15M + 5M x Balls-In-Play + 10M x Jackpots-already-collected + 1M x Drop-Target hits (each hit boosts the value, to a maximum boost of 20M), plus a separate 'Sneaky Shark' bonus of +10M (collectible up to 5 times per multiball). Routing a shot through the Spinner Lane into the Upper Ball Launch holds the ball ~10 seconds, during which all Jackpot values are doubled. After all 5 Jackpots are collected, a Super Jackpot (50M x Balls-In-Play) lights at the Shark Super Scoop, followed by a Double Super Jackpot (2x that) at the Side Ramp.

Multiplier. Baywatch has exactly one multiplier — the SPF Bonus Multiplier — which only affects the End-of-Ball Bonus (there's no real-time shot-value multiplier). Spelling S-P-F at the Top Lanes steps it 2X→10X; it never carries between balls. Completing SPF once more at 10X scores a bonus 20M and lights a one-time Extra Ball at the Upper VUK.

Shark Feature ladder. Shooting the Shark Super Scoop collects Sharks in escalating waves (1/2/3/4). Five cumulative tiers award, in order: 10M+Video Mode, 20M+Super Laser Kick, 30M+Shark Frenzy, 50M+Extra Ball, and finally 100M+Earthquake — a direct shortcut to the game's wizard mode.

Wizard Mode — Earthquake. Two qualification paths: (1) complete all 5 Vertical Modes plus both Horizontal Modes (Guard, Tourist Season), or (2) reach Shark Feature tier 5. Either way, shoot the lit Upper VUK to start it: the bonus multiplier locks at max 10X, MEGA Pops turns on (3M/hit), and for 30 seconds balls auto-launch continuously while all five Mode Shots recollect the total value of the modes played from that shot (minimum 25M each) — when the timer expires, flippers die and the field drains. The mode-completion path resets all modes afterward; the Shark shortcut path does not.

How Baywatch plays

Baywatch is a fast Sega beach game with an auto-plunger and no action button, where you run the lifeguard rescue modes and chase Multiball. Finish all five rescue modes plus both Guard rounds, or climb the shark scoop ladder, to reach the Earthquake wizard mode.

The loop

1. Steer the auto-plunge with flipper timing into one of three skill shots, then spell S-P-F at the top lanes to build the end-of-ball bonus multiplier.
2. Hammer any of the five mode shots -- the three ramps, the spinner lane, and the upper up-kicker -- since four hits on one starts its rescue mode and each carries a Guard letter.
3. Clear the three-bank drop targets to arm left-ramp locks, bank three of them, and start five-ball Multiball with its Swimmer Jackpots.
4. Collect all five Swimmer Jackpots for the Super at the shark scoop and the Double Super at the side ramp, holding a ball in the upper launch to double them.
5. Finish every mode, or climb the shark scoop ladder to its top tier, to light Earthquake at the upper up-kicker.

Reading the lights

• SPF Top Lanes (lanes) — lit: A lit top lane is a letter of S-P-F you have not rolled yet, the auto-plunge starts the ball up here, and each completed S-P-F resets the lanes to spell again. · then: Every S-P-F you finish steps the end-of-ball bonus multiplier one notch toward 10x, though it never carries past the current ball, so keep re-spelling it whenever the ball is up top. One more completion at a maxed multiplier pays a flat bonus and lights a one-time Extra Ball over at the up-kicker.
• Guard Tower Shots (mode) — lit: Each of the five mode shots carries a Guard lamp, so a lit one is a Guard shot still to collect, and hitting it lights that shot's GUARD letter. · then: During a Guard round, sweep all five lit shots fast, because the award decays toward a floor and a collected shot goes dark, so move to a fresh one each time. Lighting the second lamp on all five starts the Tourist Season two-ball multiball, where the right ramp farms countries and the side ramp pays 100M jackpots.
• Rescue Mode Shots (mode) — lit: The same five shots each build their own rescue mode, so a lit mode arrow means four cumulative hits there will start that shot's timed round. · then: Start CPR at the left ramp, Chopper Rescue at the center, Shark Cove at the right, Diver Trapped at the upper up-kicker, and Tidal Wave down the spinner lane. Play CPR and Diver Trapped freely, but let Chopper Rescue and Shark Cove time out unless you must have them, since their target banks fire straight at the center drain.
• Multiball Locks (status) — lit: Completing the three-bank drop targets lights a lock at the left ramp's trap door, so a lit lock is a ball you can bank under the playfield toward Multiball. · then: Lock three balls at the left ramp to launch five-ball Multiball with all five mode shots lit for Swimmer Jackpots, and send one up the spinner lane so the upper launch holds it and doubles every jackpot for about ten seconds. Collect all five Swimmer Jackpots to light the Super at the shark scoop, then the Double Super at the side ramp, the two biggest scores in regular play.
• Shark Scoop Award Ladder (ladder) — lit: The SHARK standup bank spells S-H-A-R-K, so a lit standup is a letter left, and completing the word switches on the game-controlled fin flipper. · then: With SHARK spelled, the fin flipper auto-fires the ball into the shark super scoop for you, climbing a five-tier ladder of a Video Mode, a Super Laser Kick, Shark Frenzy, an Extra Ball, and finally Earthquake at the top. Reaching that top tier lights the wizard mode without finishing every rescue mode.
• Side Ramp Award Word (letters) — lit: Every letter of the side-ramp award word is earned with a clean shot off the upper-left flipper, so a lit letter is one still to spell. · then: Use the upper ball launch to hand the ball back to that flipper for repeat cracks at the ramp, and completing the word pays a chunk of points plus a Video Mode at the spinner lane. The side ramp is also where the Double Super Jackpot lands during Multiball.

Lane change: not verified for this machine yet.

Start scoring

• Ball one — Take the default S-P-F skill shot off the auto-plunge, then pound the left ramp two or three times to build toward CPR before you drift into the bumpers. Roll the top lanes for the bonus multiplier any time the ball is up there. — Skill Shot — SPF Top Lanes, Beginner's First 30 Seconds, CPR
• Building — Clear the drop targets to bank three locks and start five-ball Multiball, where the escalating Swimmer Jackpots dwarf the standalone rescue modes. Route a ball through the spinner lane into the upper launch to double every jackpot, then finish at the Super and Double Super. — Multiball: Lock & Launch, Super Jackpot & Double Super Jackpot, Tournament Priority: Rush Multiball, Avoid the Traps
• The big one — Earthquake is the wizard mode, lit at the upper up-kicker either by finishing all five rescue modes plus both Guard rounds or by climbing the shark scoop ladder to its top tier. It maxes the bonus multiplier, turns on mega pop bumpers, and re-pays every mode you played across thirty auto-launched seconds. — Earthquake via Mode Completion, Earthquake via Shark Shortcut

Does Baywatch have an action button?

No action button, and no shooter rod either — Baywatch fires every ball for you. That makes the plunge a timing exercise instead of a strength one: you pick one of three skill shot targets and then work the flippers as the ball arrives. The shark-fin mini-flipper that redirects the launch is driven by the game, not by a button.

Goals in Baywatch

Every goal below is tracked step-by-step, with shot paths drawn on the playfield map, inside the app.

• Skill Shot — SPF Top Lanes skillshot · Easy

  One of three shots lit for the skill shot at the start of every ball, and the safe, beginner-default pick: ride the auto-plunge up and take the flashing SPF top lane.

  Reward: 10M stock, plus cumulative +10M per skill shot made that game; all three different in one game = 50M Variety Award, the same one 3x = 50M Three of a Kind.

• Skill Shot — Shark Super Scoop skillshot · Medium

  One of three shots lit for the skill shot at the start of every ball: flip the game-controlled shark fin to redirect the auto-plunge into the Shark Super Scoop for a bigger payout.

  Reward: 20M stock (buffed to 40M on Chad's tournament code), plus cumulative +10M per skill shot made that game; all three different in one game = 50M Variety Award, the same one 3x = 50M Three of a Kind.

• Skill Shot — Side Ramp skillshot · Hard

  One of three shots lit for the skill shot at the start of every ball, and the hardest of the three: time the upper-left flipper to catch the Side Ramp off the auto-plunge.

  Reward: 50M, the hardest option, plus cumulative +10M per skill shot made that game; all three different in one game = 50M Variety Award, the same one 3x = 50M Three of a Kind.

• Tourist Season Right Ramp Farm combo · Easy

  Once Tourist Season (Horizontal Mode 2) is running, the Right Ramp pays a flat ~25M repeatedly with no variety requirement — the easiest, lowest-risk money in the game.

  Reward: ~25M/shot flat, plus 100M Jackpots at the Side Ramp after all 6 countries are collected.

• CPR Three-Ramp Run combo · Medium

  CPR mode lights Left, Center, and Right Ramp for an escalating 50M/60M/70M sequence plus a completion bonus.

  Reward: 230M total per clean completion (50+60+70+50 bonus).

• 3-Way Combo combo · Medium

  Chain Center Ramp (or Side Ramp) into Right Ramp into Spinner Lane to instantly light and collect a Video Mode.

  Reward: Instant Video Mode award.

• Diver Trapped Scoop Farm combo · Easy

  Diver Trapped lights the Shark Super Scoop, Upper VUK, and Spinner Lane for repeatable, shot-agnostic scoring — just keep shooting whichever is easiest.

  Reward: 20-50M escalating, plus a 15-second Extra Ball on completion (30M Fast Forward Bonus for repeat shots).

• Guard Millions Countdown Farm combo · Medium

  Hit any of the five lit Guard shots in any order as fast as possible — the award value decays from ~50M toward a ~20M floor, and collecting a shot disables that specific shot for the rest of the round.

  Reward: Up to ~50M per hit, decaying with time toward a 20M floor — reward comes from speed AND moving to a different shot each time, since a collected shot goes dark for the rest of the round.

• Multiball: Lock & Launch multiball · Medium

  Complete the 3-Bank Drop Targets to light locks on the Left Ramp trap door; collect all 3 locks to start 5-ball Multiball with a ball saver.

  Reward: 5-ball Multiball begins; Swimmer Jackpots are lit, and their value climbs with the drop targets you cleared beforehand

• Tourist Season: 2-Ball Multiball multiball · Medium

  Light the 2nd progress lamp on all five mode shots (Horizontal Mode 2) to start a 2-ball multiball collecting countries at the Right Ramp.

  Reward: 25M per country, then 100M Jackpots at the Side Ramp.

• Super Jackpot & Double Super Jackpot multiball · Hard

  Inside Multiball, collecting all five Swimmer Jackpots lights the Super Jackpot at the Shark Super Scoop and the Double Super Jackpot at the Side Ramp.

  Reward: Super Jackpot followed by the Double Super Jackpot — the two biggest scoring events in regular play.

• CPR mode · Medium

  Hit the Left Ramp four times (cumulative across the game) to start CPR — a 30-second timed 3-ramp round.

  Reward: 230M total (50+60+70+50 bonus) if run clean inside 30 seconds.

• Chopper Rescue (Copter Rescue) mode · Medium

  Started from the Center Ramp; hit the 5 vehicle stand-up targets to rescue swimmers from the sinking ship — decent value but a notorious drain trap.

  Reward: 20-25M per target, up to all 10 swimmers rescued. Caution: the vehicle targets aim straight at the center drain.

• Diver Trapped mode · Medium

  Started from the Upper VUK; shoot the three lit shots (Shark Super Scoop, Upper VUK, Spinner Lane) to rescue the trapped diver and light a 15-second Extra Ball.

  Reward: 20-50M escalating, plus a 15-second Extra Ball at the end of the mode (30M Fast Forward Bonus for repeating the same shot back-to-back).

• Shark Cove (Shark Attack) mode · Hard

  Started from the Right Ramp; clear waves of sharks on the SHARK bank and finish them off at the Shark Super Scoop for uncapped double points — high value, high drain risk.

  Reward: 10M/shark plus uncapped double points at the Scoop, plus a 50M completion bonus. Play cautiously — often correct to let it time out rather than chase it.

• Light the SPF Bonus Multiplier multiplier · Easy

  Spell S-P-F at the Top Rollover Lanes to step the End-of-Ball Bonus multiplier from 2X up to 10X. It never carries between balls.

  Reward: Up to 10X multiplier on the entire End-of-Ball Bonus formula.

• SPF Max-Out Lap multiplier · Medium

  After reaching 10X, one more SPF completion scores a bonus 20M and lights an Extra Ball at the Upper VUK — worth chasing even after the multiplier is maxed.

  Reward: 20M plus a lit Extra Ball, once per game.

• Earthquake via Mode Completion wizard · Hard

  Complete all 5 Vertical Modes and both Horizontal Modes (Guard + Tourist Season) to light the Earthquake wizard mode at the Upper VUK.

  Reward: Earthquake, the game's primary wizard mode. Every mode returns to its starting state when the round ends.

• Earthquake via Shark Shortcut wizard · Medium

  Skip the full mode-completion grind by climbing the 5-tier Shark Feature ladder at the Shark Super Scoop to its 5th tier, which lights Earthquake directly.

  Reward: Earthquake wizard mode without needing all 5 modes finished first.

• Beginner's First 30 Seconds strategy · Easy

  The safest, most concrete opening sequence for a first-time player — skill shot, then Left Ramp, then the drop targets.

  Reward: A clean, low-drain-risk opening ball with a mode and lock progress both started.

• Best Opener: CPR Rush Before Lock strategy · Medium

  Prioritize repeated Left Ramp shots immediately after the skill shot — CPR's mode timer is effectively racing the drop-target bank, which slingshots and bumpers can topple by accident.

  Reward: CPR's 230M+ payout banked before committing to the lock/Multiball grind.

• Tournament Priority: Rush Multiball, Avoid the Traps strategy · Hard

  Multiball's escalating Jackpots and Super Jackpots dwarf grinding standalone rescue modes — prioritize locks, and avoid Chopper Rescue and Shark Cove as deliberate goals.

  Reward: Maximized Jackpot/Super Jackpot scoring while minimizing unforced drains.

• Tidal Wave mode · Hard

  Started from the Spinner Lane; the fifth Vertical Mode, and the one most players never see because the spinner lane is a long shot down the extreme right side.

  Reward: Timed mode scoring at the Spinner Lane, and the last of the five Vertical Modes needed for the Guard and Earthquake qualification chain.

• Spell the Side Ramp Word strategy · Hard

  Every Side Ramp shot off the upper-left flipper adds one letter; completing the word pays 25M and lights a Video Mode at the Spinner Lane.

  Reward: 25M plus a lit Video Mode at the Spinner Lane.

• Complete SHARK for Fin Flips strategy · Medium

  Knock down all five S-H-A-R-K stand-ups to switch on the game-controlled fin flipper, which fires balls at the Super Scoop for you.

  Reward: Automatic fin-flipper shots at the Shark Super Scoop, feeding the 5-tier scoop award ladder without you having to time the mini-flipper.

• Two Named Video Modes: Water Ski and Ironman secret · Medium

  Whenever this machine says it has lit a Video Mode, it is really holding two separate mini-games that the playfield never names. One is a water-ski run scored on the obstacles you steer past; the other is an Ironman race won by working the flippers.

  Reward: Scoring depends on which code the machine runs. Water Ski pays per obstacle passed: 1,000,000 each on stock code, 3,000,000 on updated code. Ironman pays per flipper hit: 250,000 each on stock, 500,000 on updated. Stock code gives only Ironman a completion bonus, and a finished stock Ironman totals 55,000,000. Updated code puts a 50,000,000 completion bonus on both modes.