Whack n Win is a modern take on the classic hammer hitting arcade game. Although, it is a skill-based hammer game instead of a strength-based one.
You need to use a precise hit to send the light up to the top of the machine, and towards the jackpot. But…..if you hit it too hard the light will bounce back towards the bottom.
It can be quite tricky to get your hammer hit just right. This strategy guide will help you know more about the ins and outs of the Whack n Win game and how you can have the best shot at winning the jackpot.
Whack n Win Jackpot Value
The jackpot for Whack n Win was 1000 tickets.
Most locations have lowered the jackpot to only 500 tickets now.
Whack n Win Arcade Game Manual
The Whack n Win manual shows all the settings that arcades can control. I will show some settings that arcades change to make it more difficult for players to win.
Here are the sensitivity options from the manual:
Do not alter this option unless you review the section titled “How to Calibrate the Hit Pad sensitivity”. Decreasing this value increases the sensitivity of the hit pad. Increasing this value will decrease the sensitivity of the hit pad.
Here are the payout options from the manual:
Bonus Window:
Picture a garage door open and how easy it would be to throw a ball into the garage. As you decrease this value the garage door begins to close making it harder to throw a ball into the garage. The lower the value, the more closed the door.
The manual gives the analogy of getting a ball into a garage as compared to winning the “bonus” or jackpot.
The Rigged Payout Settings
Whack n Win is rigged by most arcade locations in the sense that they turn the payout settings up to make it far more difficult to win the jackpot. Almost all machines will be at this highest difficulty setting.
The setting makes the game harder to beat because the light that goes up from the bottom will move faster to pass over the winning jackpot slot. The window to win the jackpot is a lot smaller than for any other ticket value.
This is similar to the rigged system in Mega Stacker, Cyclone, and Wheel of Fortune arcade games. Where it will skip over the jackpot much more quickly.
Even with the rigged payout settings, there will always be a chance to win the jackpot every time you play Whack n Win. The strategy and tips below will help you get the big win!
Tips for How to Get the Jackpot on Whack n Win
There is not an easy Whack n Win hack or cheat to get the jackpot. It will take time and practice to even have a higher chance of winning than if you were just randomly hitting the hammer on the button.
Whack n Win is hard to win consistently, especially with most arcade locations setting the machines to the highest difficulty setting. It can make it tough for anyone to hit the jackpot, even if they are skilled.
Drop the hammer onto the button from the highest you can.
There is a string attached to the hammer so this will be a standard to limit the hammer height on all Whack n Win machines.
Note: some arcade locations may have a shorter string from the standard length.
When you drop it this first time do not use any downward motion; just let gravity do the work.
You may have to guide the hammer onto the button. It is important to hit the button with as close to the center of the hammer as you can.
It depends on the settings, but just letting the hammer fall from this height will either give you the jackpot win or you will be pretty close.
If you miss the jackpot from here, then follow the tips and tricks below.
This hammer drop will help you determine how to adjust your strength to get closer to the jackpot.
Each Whack n Win arcade game can differ between locations, based on how the sensitivity and payout options are set.
You can control two things to adjust where the light lands:
- The force you pull down with your hand as it falls.
- How directly you hit the button in the center.
Try to consistently hit the same spot on the button to avoid any discrepancy with that. Look at the hammer for any lopsided issues that could cause variance.
Then all you have to control is the downward speed of the hammer hit.
If it was short of the jackpot with the hammer falling strategy, then pull down slightly with your hand as you guide the hammer onto the button.
Keep doing this and adjust your strength accordingly.
Again, the rigged payout system may make things difficult, but with these tips and enough determination you should be able to hit that elusive jackpot.
Whack n Win Review Score
Score is out of 10, with 1 being all luck to win and 10 being all skill.
Skill Rating: 6
Whack n Win seems like it would be 100% skill. With the amount of variance in machines from location to location, you really need to have some amount of luck to get the jackpot.
The timing of when you play can also affect how likely you are to win. If lots of other people played the arcade game just before you and did not hit the bonus tickets then you will have a higher chance that the Whack n Win machine is ready to payout when you play.
Fun Rating: 5
Whack n Win is pretty fun for the first handful of times you play it. It is exciting to try to adjust your strength just a tiny bit to see if you can get closer to the jackpot. The lights going up the machine give tension as they slow down when they get close to stopping.
The fun fades if you play for long periods of time, especially if you do not hit the jackpot. Whack n Win is great to play every once in a while but it may not keep your attention for playing long sessions.
Learn more on the easy ways to save money on chips at Dave and Buster’s. If you save more money, you can buy even more chips to play Whack n Win!
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Further Reading:
Want to find out how to beat other arcade games? Here is the full list of guides.