Rules & Strategies
NOTE: The following is based on my particular game set to replay mode with mostly factory game adjustments. Results may vary.
Spinout Skill Shot: The shooter lane consists of a short habitrail that elevates the ball to a second-level red ramp. At the end of the ramp in the upper right corner of the playfield is a funnel-like bowl. Revolving the ball around the edge of the bowl advances the skill shot award one step per revolution beginning at 1k points. The awards are shown along the side of the ramp and include 1k, 5k, 10k, 25k (and Spots a Passenger), 50k, 75k and 100k points. Exceeding the 100k points step (sixth revolution) returns the award back to 1k points. The 100k points award is enticing, but an overshoot may get only 1k points. Awards are multiplied by the ball in play up to 5x. For example, 300k points for the 100k points award on ball three. Extra Balls are required to reach 5x when the game is set to three ball play. It takes a super stiff plunger spring to make all this work correctly and I find that consistency is difficult to achieve. I usually shoot for "Spots a Passenger". I usually miss.
There's a one-way gate between the habitrail and the ramp. A weak plunger shot will fall through a hole at the bottom of the ramp and drop to Express Lane 1 without scoring any points. But there's no reason to try a weak plunger shot. It takes a lot of oomph to spin the ball around the bowl.
Spinout skill shot ramp.
Below is a picture of the Spinout bowl. The green circle indicates the switch that counts the number of ball revolutions and advances the skill shot award. The orange circle indicates one of several bumps toward the bottom of the bowl's funnel. After the ball loses enough momentum to fall away from the rim of the bowl, the bumps stop the ball from further revolutions and direct the ball toward the funnel opening. A spring steel flap (red arrow) directs the ball down and right toward a kicker hidden under the ramp. A switch associated with the kicker scores the lit skill shot award. Then the kicker propels the ball toward the top arch and the CAB Lanes.
Spinout bowl.
Spinout kicker with Spinout ramp removed.
CAB Lanes: The CAB Lanes are a set of three rollover lanes at the top of the playfield. The rollover lanes are accessible from the Spinout skill shot kicker, the Gorbie/Jackpot shot or by a random ricochet from the Jet Bumpers. Spelling CAB advances the end of ball bonus multiplier and lights Raise Jackpot for about 10 seconds. Multiplier values are 2x, 3x, 4x and 5x. Subsequent completions of the CAB Lanes beyond 5x score 50k points. Multiplier values are displayed by way of the taxi cab inserts on the lower playfield. The multipliers reset at the beginning of each ball. All playfield switch hits add 2k points to the Jackpot when Raise Jackpot is lit. The Jackpot range is 500k points to 4M points. The Raise Jackpot insert is between the CAB Lanes and the Jet Bumpers. When the Raise Jackpot is lit, the current Jackpot value is shown on a backglass display which looks like a fare meter on the cab's dashboard. The Jackpot value carries from ball to ball, player to player and game to game until collected. Completing CAB three times during the same ball lights Extra Ball at the Drac catapult. The lit Extra Ball does not carry from ball to ball. Lit or unlit CAB Lanes always score 5k points. Completing CAB scores an additional 10k points. Lit CAB Lanes carry from ball to ball. Lane change is always available. Rolling through an unlit CAB Lane adds 1k points to the end of ball bonus.
Note that Taxi includes a normally closed gate located above and to the left of the CAB Lanes. The gate traps balls at the top arch such that the balls must roll through one of the three CAB Lanes. The gate opens only to allow rear access to the top left eject hole by way of a Gorbie or Jackpot shot. The gate is only open when Gorbie or Jackpot is lit. There's a rollunder switch above the Gorbie/Jackpot lane. It is this rollunder that momentarily opens the gate if Gorbie or Jackpot is lit. The rollunder switch always scores 5k points.
CAB Lanes.
Current Jackpot value displayed on the fare meter.
Gorbie/Jackpot shot.
Jet Bumpers: Three Jet Bumpers are located at the top center of the playfield below the CAB Lanes. The Jet Bumpers are always lit and score 510 points. The Jet Bumpers are good for racking up some Jackpot points after completing the CAB Lanes. Whereas most switch hits add 2k points to the Jackpot, each Jet Bumper hit adds 4k points. Jet Bumper hits also toggle the outlanes when lit for Special.
Jet Bumpers.
Collect Passengers and Jackpot: The main objective of Taxi is to collect or "pick up" five passengers and shoot for the Jackpot. The five passengers are Santa, Gorbie, Drac, Lola and Pin*bot. This is easier said than done. Only two passengers are lit at any given time. A lit passenger must be picked up before another passenger will light. Collected passengers do not carry from ball to ball. If you loose the ball, all your passengers will "get out" and you'll have to start over on the next ball. Here's where that "Spots a Passenger" skill shot can get you off to a good start. If you do manage to get the Jackpot, then only one passenger will be lit at any give time for all subsequent tries at another Jackpot. Lighting Jackpot a second time lights an outlane for Special. The second Jackpot need not be lit on the same ball to light an outlane for Special. Only one outlane may be lit for Special. Additional lit Jackpots do not light both outlanes. The Jackpot is collected at the top left eject hole when lit for Jackpot. Except that the eject hole must be entered from the rear by way of the top arch and the Gorbie/Jackpot shot. The Gorbie/Jackpot shot is located between the Lola drop targets and the right Airport Ramp. A strong accurate shot is needed to get the ball all the way up and around the playfield. The Jackpot shot is only available when Jackpot is lit. Rear access to the eject hole is normally blocked by a game-controlled gate. Unless Gorbie or Jackpot is lit, the gate remains closed and Jackpot shots go to the CAB Lanes. Weak shots also end up in the CAB Lanes.
An end of ball "tip" of 20k points is awarded for each passenger that's still riding along when the ball is lost. The collection of a Jackpot negates any end of ball tips unless passengers are collected again.
Santa is picked up via the top left eject hole when lit for Santa. Santa must be picked up from the front of top left eject hole by way of a tight shot between the left Airport Ramp and the Lola drop targets. The eject hole is far enough up the playfield that you're unlikely to benefit from any lucky ricochets. Get Santa and hear a few notes from the song "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town". Collecting Santa scores no points, but does add 5k points to the end of ball bonus. An unlit eject hole scores 5k points. Balls are ejected toward the Jet Bumpers. An end of ball "tip" of 20k points is awarded if Santa is still riding along when the ball is lost.
Santa shot.
Gorbie is picked up via the same top left eject hole when lit for Gorbie. Except that the eject hole must be entered from the rear by way of the top arch and the Gorbie/Jackpot shot. The Gorbie/Jackpot shot is located between the Lola drop targets and the right Airport Ramp. A strong accurate shot is needed to get the ball all the way up and around the playfield. The Gorbie shot is only available when Gorbie is lit. Rear access to the eject hole is normally blocked by a game-controlled gate. Unless Gorbie or Jackpot is lit, the gate remains closed and Gorbie shots go to the CAB Lanes. Weak shots also end up in the CAB Lanes. Get Gorbie and hear a few notes from that Russia-sounding tune that everyone has heard, but no one can name (a variation on Kalinka, perhaps?). Hey! There's a rollunder switch above the Gorbie/Jackpot lane. It is this rollunder that momentarily opens the gate if Gorbie or Jackpot is lit. The rollunder switch always scores 5k points. No further points are awarded for landing in the eject hole and collecting Gorbie. Collecting Gorbie does add 5k points to the end of ball bonus. Balls are ejected toward the Jet Bumpers. An end of ball "tip" of 20k points is awarded if Gorbie is still riding along when the ball is lost.
Gorbie/Jackpot shot.
Below is another picture of the Santa/Gorbie/Jackpot top left eject hole. The eject hole may be accessed from the front or rear (if the gate is open), but always ejects toward the Jet Bumpers. The gate is hidden to the left of the top arch and back behind the Carry Passengers Target. A front shot to the top left eject hole also gets a Joy Ride mystery award when lit and 1 Million when lit.
Santa/Gorbie top left eject hole.
Drac is picked up via the catapult when lit for Drac. The catapult entrance is at the lower left side of the playfield. Of all the passengers, Drac is the easiest pick up with a easy shot from the right flipper. The catapult launches the ball through a short habitrail to the left Airport Ramp and back around to the left flipper. Get Drac and hear a few notes from a tune that may or may not be from something else - I'm not sure. Shots to the Drac catapult score at least 5k points because there's a 5k point switch along the left Airport Ramp. The catapult itself does not award any points for collecting Drac. Collecting Drac does add 5k points to the end of ball bonus. An unlit catapult scores another 5k points. An end of ball "tip" of 20k points is awarded if Drac is still riding along when the ball is lost. The catapult is also Express Lane 2 and also collects Extra Ball when lit. Extra Ball is lit by three completions of the CAB Lanes on the same ball. A lit Extra Ball does not carry from ball to ball.
Drac catapult.
Lola is picked up by completing the bank of three Lola drop targets when lit for Lola. The Lola drop targets are in the middle of the playfield. All three targets must be hit within about 10 seconds or the bank resets for another try. Pick up Lola and hear a wolf whistle. Collecting Lola adds 5k points to the end of ball bonus. An end of ball "tip" of 20k points is awarded if Lola is still riding along when the ball is lost. Weather lit or unlit for Lola, each drop target scores 5k points plus an additional 10k points for completing the bank. Each drop target adds 1k points to the end of ball bonus. Whether lit or unlit for Lola, a completion of the drop target bank will momentarily light the Carry Passengers Target for about 20 seconds.
Jackpot is lit after all passengers have been picked up. The Jackpot must be collected within about 15 seconds. If the Jackpot is not collected, then Lola "gets out". The Lola drop target bank must again be completed to get Lola back and relight the Jackpot for another try. A lit Jackpot never carries from ball to ball. Even if all five passengers have been collected and a Carry Passengers has been earned before the ball drains, Lola "gets out" before the next ball is served.
Lola drop targets.
Pin*bot is picked up by completing the bank of three Pin*bot drop targets when lit for Pin*bot. The Pin*bot drop targets are at the lower right side of the playfield. All three targets must be hit within about 15 seconds or the bank resets for another try. Pick up Pin*bot and hear a few notes of Multiball music from the 1986 Williams Pin*bot pinball machine. Collecting Pin*bot adds 5k points to the end of ball bonus. An end of ball "tip" of 20k points is awarded if Pin*bot is still riding along when the ball is lost. Weather lit or unlit for Pin*bot, each drop target scores 5k points plus an additional 10k points for completing the bank. Each drop target adds 1k points to the end of ball bonus. Whether lit or unlit for Pin*bot, a completion of the drop target bank will momentarily light the Carry Passengers Target for about 20 seconds. The Pin*bot drop targets are not that easy to hit. I often get Pin*bot from the skill shot or just incidentally during the frenzy of a Multiball.
Pin*bot drop targets.
Carry Passengers Target: The Carry Passengers Target is a stationary target at the upper left side of the playfield beyond the Jet Bumpers and next to the Santa/Joyride top left eject hole. Collected passengers are typically not carried from ball to ball. The exception is to hit the Carry Passengers Target when lit. Carry Passengers is lit for about 20 seconds by completing either drop target bank. The drop target banks need not be lit for their respective passengers. The Carry Passengers Target is a tight shot and is most likely to be hit from a left flipper backhand. An unlit target scores 5k points. A lit target initially scores 5k points. Subsequent shots to a lit target on the same ball progressively score 20k, 30k and 50k (max) points. If a lit Carry Passengers Target is hit on the last ball, then any end of ball "tip" awards are tallied twice.
Carry Passengers Target.
Inserts in the lower middle of the playfield indicate which passengers have been collected and if a Carry Passengers has been earned.
Passenger inserts.
Airport Ramps: Taxi features a pair of crisscrossing Airport Ramps. The left "Departures" ramp leads back to the left inlane. The right "Arrivals" ramp leads back to the right inlane. Each inlane lights the opposing ramp which sets up alternating crisscrossing ramp shots. Each ramp remains lit for only about 5 seconds. The ability to make consecutive alternating ramp shots is a useful skill. There's little time for a second try at a lit ramp. If a ramp goes out, then the ball must return to an opposing inlane to relight the ramp. Each lit ramp shot collects and advances the Airport awards which are 20k, 40k, 60k, 80k and 100k points. The ramps need not be consecutively shot to advance through the awards. A shot around any lit ramp at any time will collect and advance the current award. Collecting the 100k points award lights 1 Million at the top left eject hole. Subsequent lit ramp shots score only 10k points. The 1 Million must be collected before the Airport award resets to 20k points and the whole process begins again. The lit 1 Million shot is untimed, but does not carry from ball to ball. Getting the 1 Million displays 1,000,000 on the fare meter. The Airport awards reset to 20k points at the beginning of each ball.
An Airport award might be collected from the Drac catapult when the left ramp is lit. Or the ramp might go out before the catapult actually launches the ball. Unlit ramps score 5k points. A shot around a ramp adds 1k points to the end of ball bonus. A shot around the left ramp also starts Multiball when lit for Release. The ramps are also good for passing a ball from one flipper to the other.
The functionality of the ramp switches is semi-related to the functionality of their respective inlane switches in a way that seems a bit redundant. For example, a ball shot around the right ramp lights the left ramp. But a ball shot around the right ramp must pass through the right inlane which would have lit the left ramp anyway. Likewise, a ball shot around the right ramp lights Joy Ride. But a ball shot around the right ramp must pass through the right inlane which would have lit Joy Ride anyway.
Each ramp also has an rollunder switch at the ramp entrance. The rollunder switches add another 100 points to any ramp shot. Wimpy ramp shots score 200 points as a rollunder switch is hit once on the way up and again on the way back down.
Airport Ramps.
Airport award inserts.
Multiball: Taxi offers a two ball Multiball. The lock is an eject hole at the end of Express Lane 1. Express Lane 1 is a short passage on the right side of the playfield between the Pin*bot drop targets and the right Airport Ramp. Lock is lit at the beginning of each game. Lock may be relit by collecting any passenger. Locking a ball serves the second ball to the shooter lane. Here's another chance at the "Spots a Passenger" skill shot. Miltiball starts by shooting the second ball up the left Airport Ramp. Note that the Drac catapult doesn't count. The ball must be shot directly to the left Airport Ramp to start Multiball. The object of Multiball is to get 300k points by shooting one ball back to the lock eject hole at Express Lane 1 and shooting the other ball to Express Lane 2 which is also the Drac catapult lane. Express Lane 1 must be shot first.
The beginning of Multiball can be messy because the shot to the left Airport Ramp sets up the second ball on the left flipper. This would be a great shot to Express Lane 1. Except that the second ball gets to the left flipper before the locked ball is actually ejected from Express Lane 1. The timing is perfect for the both balls get in each other's way. A kick-ass solution is to flip the second ball to Express Lane 1 such that the second ball bashes the first ball back into the eject hole immediately after it's ejected. This almost never works.
When a ball is successfully shot to Express Lane 1, the other ball must be shot to Express Lane 2 within about 20 seconds or the first ball is ejected for another try. If the 300k points award is collected, then the Airport Ramps are worth 100k points per shot until Multiball ends. Got a cradle separation? Simultaneously shooting each ball around opposing Airport Ramps will score a 250k point Crossover Bonus. The best aspect of Multiball is that you have a ball to lose. It's a good time to collect passengers knowing you won't immediately lose your passengers with one drained ball.
Lock theft is available during multi-player games.
Ball lock and Express Lane 1.
Express Lane 2 and the left Airport Ramp are both elements of Multiball play.
Joy Ride: This game gets a lot of mileage out of that top left eject hole! Passing through the right inlane lights the top left eject hole for a Joy Ride. Joy Ride remains lit for only about 15 seconds. Joy Ride is a mystery award as indicated in lights below the game's display panel. Random awards include 10k points, Spot Passenger, Mystery Score (anything is better than the 10k), Extra Ball and Special. I'm usually so preoccupied with other objectives I don't even notice a lit Joy Ride. It's a tight shot and maybe not worth the risk unless you're also trying for Santa.
Top left eject hole (under ramp) lit for Joy Ride.
Joy Ride awards below the main display.
Slingshots: There are a pair of slingshots in the usual configuration which score 10 points per hit and toggle the outlanes when lit for Special.
Inlanes: Each inlane lights an opposing Airport Ramp for an Airport award. The right inlane also lights the top left eject hole for a Joy Ride mystery award. Each inlane advances the end of ball bonus by 5k points when lit. The right inlane is lit by collecting Gorbie. The left inlane is lit by collecting Santa. Lit inlanes do not carry from ball to ball. Each inlane always scores 5k points and adds 1k points to the end of ball bonus when not lit.
Outlanes: Outlanes score 10k points and add 1k points to the end of ball bonus. An outlane is lit for Special by lighting Jackpot twice. Only one outlane is lit. A lit outlane is toggled by Jet Bumper hits and slingshot hits, but not by flipper lane change. A lit outlane carries from ball to ball until collected.
Flippers: There are a pair of flippers in the usual configuration. Lane change is available for the CAB Lanes, but not for the outlanes when lit for Special. Taxi has no center post. The flippers are not enabled when entering high score initials. This is different from my other System 11 games.
Lower playfield.
Multiball: A two ball Mulitball is available by way of the Express Lane 1 and the left Airport Ramp as noted above.
Extra Balls: Extra Balls are by way of the Joy Ride mystery award as noted above or by way of the CAB Lanes and Drac shot as noted above.
Specials: Specials are by way of the Joy Ride mystery award feature as noted above or by way of lighting Jackpot twice which lights an outlane for Special. Only one outlane may be lit for Special. A lit outlane is toggled by Jet Bumper hits and slingshot hits, but not by flipper lane change. A lit outlane carries from ball to ball until collected.
End of Ball Bonus: The end of ball bonus is called the "Meter Bonus" and is shown by a backglass display in what looks like a fare meter on the cab's dashboard. Note that the end of ball bonus is scored in increments of 1k points only. The three least significant digits on the fare meter increase during gameplay as a visual simulation of a running fare meter. Whatever these three digits may display is not actually added to the player's final score. The end of ball bonus starts at 1k points at the beginning of each ball and may advance up to a maximum of 99k points. Various shots add 1k or 5k points to the end of ball bonus where noted above. The end of ball bonus is multiplied by any multipliers earned by way of the CAB Lanes. An additional end of ball tip is added to the score in the amount of 20k points times the number of passengers collected when the ball drains. Multipliers do not apply to tips. The only way the tips can be "multiplied" is by hitting a lit Carry Passengers Target on the final ball. In that case, all tips are counted twice. All end of ball awards are forfeit by a tilt. There are two warnings before tilt. The end of ball bonus, tips and multipliers reset at the beginning of each ball. Taxi has no hold bonus feature.
The picture below shows the backglass fare meter when displaying the end of ball bonus. There's nothing wrong with the digits on the right. It's part of a rolling animation that makes the least three significant digits look like they're rolling from 000 to 999 (and back to 000 again). The three least significant digits don't actually count for anything. The current end of ball bonus as displayed would be 24k points.
Current end of ball bonus value displayed on the fare meter.
Bell: Taxi has a bell inside the cabinet which rings for getting Multiball, 300k during Multiball, Crossover Bonus, Carry Passengers, 1 Million, Jackpot, Extra Ball, Special, Match and high scores. That's a lot of bell ringing!
Vocabulary:
(D) = Drac; (G) = Gorbie; (L) = Lola;
(P) = Pin*bot; (S) = Santa
"Ooh taxi"(L) - Start of Game
"Yo taxi"(D) - Drac lit for pick up
"Taxi"(D) - Drac lit for pick up
"Hey comrade taxi"(G) - Gorbie lit for pick up
"You give to me ride"(G) - Gorbie lit for pick up
"Hey"(G) - Gorbie lit for pick up
"Hey!" (G) - Gorbie picked up
"Ooh taxi"(L) - Lola lit for pick up
"Ooh ooh ooh taxi"(L) - Lola lit for pick up
Whistling for taxi (L) - Lola lit for pick up
"Ooh"(L) - Lola picked up
"Taxi taxi taxi"(P) - Pin*bot lit for pick up
"Pin*bot stranded"(P) - Pin*bot lit for pick up
"Yo taxi"(P) - Pin*bot lit for pick up
"Ho ho ho taxi"(S) - Santa lit for pick up
"Taxi"(S) - Santa lit for pick up
Whistling for taxi (S) - Santa lit for pick up
Whistling "Jackpot"(L) - Jackpot lit
"Jackpot"(L) - Jackpot lit
"Ooh jackpot"(L) - Jackpot lit
"Wwwhoa"(D) - Ball shot from catapult
"Look out"(D) - Start of Multiball
"Take the express lanes"(L) - Start of Multiball
"Quick taxi" (D) - Shoot Express Lane 2 during Multiball
"Quick" (D) - Shoot Express Lane 2 during Multiball
"Taxi taxi taxi" (D) - Shoot Express Lane 2 during Multiball
"Quick, to the airport"(D) - Completed Express Lanes 1 & 2
"Ho ho ho Million"(S) - 1 Million lit
"Million"(S) - 1 Million lit
"Look out"(D) - Right outlane
"Ooh Taxi"(L) - Random Attract
"Hey comrade taxi"(G) - Random Attract
"Yo taxi"(P) - Random Attract
"Yo taxi"(D) - Random Attract
"Ho ho ho taxi"(S) - Random Attract
"Ooh"(L) - High Scores Reset
Hitting a flipper button in attract mode may get a passenger callout.