Grand Cross Legend

Grand Cross Legend
Series	Grand Cross
Developer(s)	Konami
Publisher(s)	Konami
Platform(s)	Arcade
Release date(s)	(JP) March 1, 2019
Genre(s)	Pusher game

Grand Cross Legend is a pusher game developed and published by Konami released on March 1, 2019 in Japan. It is the fifth game in the Grand Cross series.

The machine

The cabinet houses 16 different stations, each with support up to two people per station, for up to 32 player play, which is the biggest at the time. With a diameter of about 6.4 m and a height of about 3.8 m, it is a size that is unprecedented for a commercial medal game machine so far, and it is the world's largest housing size for a pusher machine.

In addition, it is also compatible with Konami's network service "e-AMUSEMENT", and the ranking of the number of acquisitions such as jackpot is aggregated, and the version is being upgraded online.

Starting from this installment, the center lottery machine for Jackpot Chances receives several modifying:

• Labels above each holes are removed, and replaced by LED lights.
• One additional side monitor are added at each side of the original center monitor. Gold Jackpot and Silver Jackpot are displayed at side monitors, while the center monitor will display a digital roulette, linking with the real one.

Another feature installed is that the arcade can choose the satellites to upgrade. This means that the machine may be like: Grand Cross for Satellite No. 1 (STATION 1-4), Premium for Satellite No. 2, Chronicle for No. 3, and Legend for No. 4.

Overview

Grand Cross Legend is a massive-scale coin pusher with 16 different stations, in the theme of magic academy-like.

Exclusive in this installment are the Zone features, which, depending on the Zone currently in, will affect the Satellite Challenges and Jackpot Chances. In addition, if the players are in a Zone, s are given to the players if they score a Jackpot!

Gameplay

Playing Grand Cross Legend is simple but there is a lot to see. We will cover these features plus more here in this section.

Main Game

To play, you must simply insert medals from the sides of the station you are playing in. You must aim at the three Checker holes on the pusher. Doing so will gain you a stock which is represented by an item on the left-hand side of the screen. You can hold up to 10 stocks, in which if the stocks are full, stocks will level up and change appearance up to five times. The main objective is to push medals down the center hole to win them.

The Slot

As you drop the medals into the "checkers", you can acquire Slot Stocks to spin the slot in the form of different icons. Tracked Slot Stocks are shown on the bottom side of the screen, and count down as every spin goes. If you fill the Slot Stocks up to the top, you can acquire higher level stocks which award more medals if you win the slot, as signified by the icons transforming. All levels of stock include:

• Level 1: 30 medals
• Level 2: 50 medals
• Level 3: 70 medals
• Level 4: 90 medals
• Level 5: 120 medals

During slot play, line up three Numbers or Symbols to win prizes. The paytable is as follows:

• Numbers 2,4,6,8: Normal Medal win + Goal Step win.
• Numbers 1,3,5,9: Normal Medal win + Goal Step win + Fever Mode. During Fever Mode, the "Chance Wing" will open, making it easier for medals to enter the checker. It will last for certain spins.
• Number 7: Instant Jackpot Chance
• BALL: A Ball will be dropped to the field. In this installment, Ball Chance will then activate.
• ELEMENT: A transparent Special Ball will be delivered to the stand by area towards the player side. Zone Chance will then activate. Will not hit if already in a Zone.
• DRAGON ROAD: Only appear during Fever Mode. Dragon Road Mode is activated if lined up.
• SUPER DRAGON ROAD: Only appear during Dragon Road mode. Super Dragon Road Mode is activated if lined up.

When lining up two symbols, the Reach happens, which can lead to a movie called a Super Reach, and, if successful, you can win the slot.

Dragon Road / Super Dragon Road

During Dragon Road Mode, or Super Dragon Road Mode, the chances to line up Numbers or Symbols are greatly boosted. The Reach and Super Reach are cut during this two modes, therefore the Slot result comes out quite quickly.

Instead of lasting for certain spins, it is up to Goal Bonus to decide whether Dragon Road Mode or Super Dragon Road will continue or end. The continuing rate for Dragon Road mode is 40%, while it's 70% for Super Dragon Road mode.

Ball Chance

When you line up BALL symbols in the Slot, Ball Chance will activate. The ball will first be dispensed on a platform which will move to your station, raise, and release the ball into the funnel mechanism on the side of your pusher. Once the ball drops into the hole, it will trigger a switch and stop the digital roulette on the screen, and the line will show the prize received.

Available prizes are:

• NORMAL ROUTE: The ball will be dropped into the field. If the player is not in a Zone, it will be converted into ELEMENT.
• CHANCE WING: The ball will be dropped into the field. Two Chance Wings above the center Checker will activate for 20 seconds, which will guide the medals into the Checker.
• CHANCE ROUTE: Like the "Lucky Pocket" in the past installments, the ball will be vended out on the front of the field. However, no medals will be paid out.
• ELEMENT: Only appear when not in a Zone. When hit, Zone Chance will then activate.
• LV UP: Only appear when in a Zone. When hit, the Zone Level goes up. The panel will be Normal Route if the Level is maxed out.
• UPGRADE: Only appear when in a Zone. When hit, the Zone upgrades to the next Zone (in the order of ICE → WIND → THUNDER → FIRE). Sometimes a further Zone (e.g. ICE → THUNDER), or LEGEND Zone may appear. Will be Chance Wing if already in LEGEND Zone, or LEGEND Upgrade does not appear when in FIRE Zone.
• SPECIAL SATELLITE CHALLENGE: This is something you DON'T want to hit. If hit, the Special Ball in the stand by area will be pushed down, and SPECIAL SATELLITE CHALLENGE will then activate. After the Challenge the Zone ends.

Zone

Exclusive in this installment are the Zone features, which, depending on the Zone currently in, will affect the Satellite Challenges and Jackpot Chances.

Zone types

• ICE (★): Initial JP Bonus is 100, and goes up by 50 per level. Maximum is 1000. During this Zone the Blue hole in Satellite Challenge will be converted into JPC hole.
• WIND (★★): Initial JP Bonus is 200, and goes up by 100 per level. Maximum is 2000. During this Zone the Green hole in Satellite Challenge will be converted into JPC hole.
• THUNDER (★★★): Initial JP Bonus is 300, and goes up by 150 per level. Maximum is 3000. During this Zone the Yellow hole in Satellite Challenge will be converted into JPC hole.
• FIRE (★★★★): Initial JP Bonus is 400, and goes up by 200 per level. Maximum is 4000. During this Zone the Red hole in Satellite Challenge will be converted into JPC hole.
• LEGEND (★★★★★): Initial JP Bonus is 1000, and goes up by 500 per level. Maximum is 10000. During this Zone all colored holes in Satellite Challenge will be converted into JPC hole.

Zone Chance

Zone Chance will activate when lining up ELEMENT in the slot, or getting ELEMENT in Ball Chance. The chance goes like the Ball Chance, except with the transparent Special Ball. Depending on the panel stops at, the player will then go into the corresponding Zone. Available prizes are: 70% for ICE, and 10% each for WIND, THUNDER, and FIRE.

• If the Zone the player goes into is the same as the one just ended, the Zone Level will be carried over. Otherwise, Zone Level starts from Level 1.
• For LEGEND, the Zone Level will not be carried over if you immediately go into LEGEND again, but will be carried over if you go into other Zones.

Once the Zone Chance is over, the Special Ball will go to the stand by area towards the player side.

Goal Bonus

When you collect a Goal Step, the Goal Bonus will go up depending on the level of the stock. When you collect 8 Goal Steps, you get a try on Goal Bonus lottery, which goes like a Ball Chance. This also mean you will get one Ball as well. Available prizes are: 100% Goal Bonus (10%), 50% Goal Bonus (40%), and 10% Goal Bonus (50%). For 50% and 10%, the prizes are rounded up to the nearest 10s.

Satellite Challenge

When a ball drops from the field down the center hole, that game goes to the Satellite Challenge. This is how you can go to the Jackpot Chance, where you can win the jackpots of this game.

The Satellite Challenge takes place on a central roulette positioned on the top of the four stations, known as a Satellite. It has an outer area compromised of ten holes and a central area compromised of five holes. A ball is vended out the same way a ball is vended out on the field, but instead, the platform raises it onto a ramp to send the ball in motion around the roulette. To get to the center area, the platform raises the ball to a higher ramp and puts it there.

In this installment, the Bingo Card is hexagonal, with six Element space on the corners and one FREE space in the center. The objective is to make lines of Bingo using holes other than JP Chance holes. Depending on the result of the Challenge, the Element in the Element Space circled by a white Magic Circle will change. The holes are:

• JACKPOT CHANCE hole. If hit, the player will go to the Jackpot Chance.
• Lights-out holes. If hit, the element will not change.
• Red / Blue / Green / Yellow light holes: If hit, the element changes into the color of the hole that is hit. If in a Zone, the light of the corresponding hole will flash, becoming another JP Chance hole.

A Bingo line is formed with 3 spaces containing same Element. Rewards are:

• ALL LINE (3 Lines): 300 medals.
• 2 LINES: 100 medals.
• 1 LINE: 50 medals.
• 0 LINES: 20 medals.

After the challenge, the Magic Circle goes to the next space clockwise. If No Lines are formed, one additional Magic Circle will appear, in clockwise direction.

Special Satellite Challenge

If Special Satellite Challenge is hit during Ball Chance, the Special Ball in the stand by area will be pushed down, activating the Special Satellite Challenge. The Special Ball is then sent into the center area of the roulette, and depending on the result of the Challenge, the light of those lights-out holes will start flashing, becoming JP Chance holes. One last Satellite Challenge will be played under this condition, and after that the current Zone ends.

Jackpot Chance

When a ball gets into the JACKPOT CHANCE hole in Satellite Challenge or the player lines up 7-7-7 in the slot, they will get 1 drawing on the big device on the center of the machine. This unit can have a chance to pay one of two progressive jackpots: Silver Jackpot and Gold Jackpot.

The game begins as the center device rotates to your station. Then, as it settles into place, the text "JACKPOT CHANCE XXXX (XXXX being the current Zone, e.g. JACKPOT CHANCE Thunder. Simply JACKPOT CHANCE if not in a Zone.)" appears on the screen. The roulette pieces come forth to stitch together, and then take the effect of the Zone to "power up" before inserting into the Roulette, starting the Chance. Two Jackpots current values are shown at the side screens, while Jackpot Bonus is displayed at the top of the center screen.

A ball is then thrown out of the left or right side of the machine, and into the slowly spinning roulette. The roulette has 20 pockets numbered 1-20, and each contains a reward once the ball lands into one of them. Due to the effect of the Zones, the reward on the roulette may change. Possible rewards listed below:

• 100, 200, 300 medals: The number of medals are paid out to the field.
• SLOT: Activates the BIG SLOT.
• ROULETTE: Activates the BIG ROULETTE.
• SILVER JACKPOT: Win the Silver Jackpot.
• GOLD JACKPOT: Win the Gold Jackpot.
• VS 100: Rarely appear only when there are at least two Grand Cross Legend Satellites. If hit, 100 medals are paid out, and VS mode is activated. When appears, there is a 10% chance to hit it.

Jackpot Chance Roulette layout listed below (VS 100 excluded):

• NO ZONE: Gold Jackpot (5%), Silver Jackpot (5%), 100 medals (60%), 200 medals (20%), SLOT (10%).
• ICE: Gold Jackpot (5%), Silver Jackpot (5%), 100 medals (60%), 300 medals (20%), ROULETTE (10%).
• WIND: Gold Jackpot (5%), Silver Jackpot (5%), 100 medals (60%), 300 medals (10%), SLOT (10%), ROULETTE (10%).
• THUNDER: Gold Jackpot (5%), Silver Jackpot (5%), 100 medals (60%), 300 medals (10%), ROULETTE (20%).
• FIRE: Gold Jackpot (5%), Silver Jackpot (5%), 100 medals (60%), SLOT (10%), ROULETTE (20%).
• LEGEND: Gold Jackpot (5%), Silver Jackpot (5%), 100 medals (40%), 200 medals (20%), ROULETTE (30%).

The Silver Jackpot grows continuously as coins are inserted into the machine, at a rate of 0.03 per medal. The Gold Jackpot, on the other hand, increases every Jackpot Chance if it's not won, at a rate of 25 per drawing.

Big Slot

When the ball goes into the Big Slot pocket in Jackpot Chance, this feature will happen. The monitors of the center device change to a big slot reel, which spins like a slot. The three reels will then start spinning until they come to a completely stop. If the symbol lines up, the prize is won. If no symbols line up, 100 medals are paid. The prizes are:

• 200 WIN: 200 medals are paid out to the field.
• 300 WIN: 300 medals are paid out to the field.
• 500 WIN: 500 medals are paid out to the field.
• DRAGON ROAD: Activates Dragon Road Mode. If Dragon Road Mode or Super Dragon Road Mode is already activated, then it will be stocked.
• SUPER DRAGON ROAD: Activates Super Dragon Road Mode. If Dragon Road Mode or Super Dragon Road Mode is already activated, then it will be stocked.
• LEGEND BALL: One Legend Ball is paid. It's the LEGEND Zone version of the Element symbol, which makes the player go to LEGEND Zone. If the current Zone is still active, then the Legend Ball will be stocked.
• NEXT: Only appears at the center reel. If the center reel stops at NEXT, then the player gets a respin for better reward.

Big Roulette

When the ball goes into the Big Roulette pocket in Jackpot Chance, this feature will happen. A ball is then thrown out of the left or right side of the machine, and into the slowly spinning roulette. During which a digital roulette, appearing on the screens, will also start spinning slowly. When the ball lands into the pocket the digital roulette stops, and the arrow will show the prize received. The prizes are:

• DIRECT 200 WIN: 200 medals are added into your Credit. 50% chance.
• DIRECT 300 WIN: 300 medals are added into your Credit. 25% chance.
• DIRECT 500 WIN: 500 medals are added into your Credit. 1/12 chance.
• SUPER DRAGON ROAD: Activates Super Dragon Road Mode. If Dragon Road Mode or Super Dragon Road Mode is already activated, then it will be stocked. 1/12 chance.
• LEGEND BALL: One Legend Ball is paid. It's the LEGEND Zone version of the Element symbol, which makes the player go to LEGEND Zone. If the current Zone is still active, then the Legend Ball will be stocked. 1/12 chance.

VS MODE

When the ball goes into the VS Mode pocket in Jackpot Chance, this feature will happen. The system will wait until all current Challenges on those available Satellites end. Then the VS Mode will start.

In VS Mode, the Stations using the same Satellites are the same team. The teams then compete against other team by getting highest score with one Special Satellite Challenge and then one Satellite Challenge.

The team with the highest score is the winner, and medals equal to the winning score is paid out to all the players in the winning team. The losing team, however, will get nothing.

Jackpot Celebration

When you get the Silver or Gold Jackpots, a celebration begins. The celebration features tons of lights, sounds, music, and a very special payout mechanism, as of Konami standards.

As soon as the jackpot is won, their Host will say the jackpot won as the center device's screen imminently crashes to black, leaving just silence for a second. Then, one of a few things happen as the celebration begins.

Celebration Part 2: Paying Out!

After the movie happens, the main attraction begins, the payout of the medals. It begins with the center device's monitor showing the station number and the Jackpot wo. Then, the device rotates to the back side of the device, lining up with the station.

Then, as the music begins to play, the "curtain" of the device slowly opens up, revealing a smaller device inside. That device is the payout mechanism: an extendable ramp with the text "JACKPOT" on it. The words "CONGRATULATIONS" are shown as the payout mechanism rotates to you, before stopping for a bit, then extending from the base to the station.

After the ramp extends all the way, a thunder crash happens as the payout gate opens, sending a crash of 200 medals at once, starting the payout. During the payout, medals are cycled from all of the station's pay hoppers up to the ceiling rails, which are sent down the center mechanism and down the ramp, being shot out right onto the field.

After all of the medals have been paid out, the payout mechanism retracts back to the base, then rotates back to its initial position, then the curtains close. After that, the game returns back to the main mode.