Riggs and Murtaugh are back on the case — Data East’s 1992 Lethal Weapon 3 turns the buddy-cop blockbuster into a fast, ramp-happy four-player, and it was a big seller, with a confirmed run of 10,350 making it one of Data East’s most-produced machines. Designed by Joe Kaminkow and Ed Cebula with a Brian Schmidt score, it’s an accessible, action-packed early-DMD game with modes, multiball, and a satisfying ramp you’ll be shooting all night long.
The strategy is built around the ramp and the modes. Get modes by hitting the Lethal Weapon 1-2-3 shots in any order, with each mode worth an escalating five, ten, fifteen, twenty, then twenty-five million. After you earn a replay, the ramp pays a fat twenty-five million, and hitting it over and over rewards an increasing pile of millions. The multiball offers lucrative jackpot escalation: shoot the ramp twice in quick succession for double jackpots, or hit the lit saucer followed by two quick ramp shots for a quadruple. There’s a fun secret in the video modes too — when a character’s eyes flash, pull the trigger for an extra million — and filling the uzi clip by working the spinners lights the shooter-lane gun for awards you empty via the trigger. On ball three, multiball is always ready at the Lethal Weapon 2 shot.
Lethal Weapon 3 is exactly the kind of crowd-pleasing licensed action machine Data East excelled at — quick, loud, and easy to enjoy while still rewarding a player who learns its ramp-and-multiball scoring. Work the 1-2-3 shots, stack those jackpots, and ride the ramp to a big number. It’s a lethal good time, partner.