I suggest some sort of adjustable crate bracket mod to reduce the size of the opening. Envision prison bars. If you could make it the size of the openings on Dr Who for instance, it would definitely make the machine more challenging.

He'll, that thing is looser than....

How easy is it for you to complete the Spider wheel and get to the wizard mode?

I'd liken that to not thinking Valinor is the wizard mode on LotR, and thinking that Destroy the Ring is.

When I owned SS, the ultimate goal was to complete the Spider Wheel for Spider multiball. I only saw it once.

Getting Scared Stiff (completing all six modes) is NOT the wizard mode. Getting Spider Multiball is.

I've owned SS for *many* years and only gotten Spider Multiball legitimately once or twice.

In the true definition of the word 'ultimate' I disagree because the finale is unquestionably the completion of the Stiff-o-Meter for Monster Multiball.

In the common use of the word 'ultimate' meaning 'superior' or, in this case 'most difficult or elusive' then you're correct, completing the Spider Wheel is the toughest goal.

However completing the Spider Wheel doesn't require you to 'play the game'. It only uses two playfield shots.

I agree that lightning flippers are a good way to make the game tougher (a location SS I've played a lot has lightning flips and it is definitely tougher). Also adjust the slingshots so they're on hair triggers.

Having not owned SS I don't know what operator adjustments there are to add to the difficulty.

Turn off extra balls.

Dan...are you trying to make the games shorter?

I agree with what other people have said...you can complete many modes of the game, but nailing the ultimate grail...it's not a quick thing.

So if you want to just make it have shorter ball times, jack the back legs up on blocks and go to town...but you can't ask about making it harder until you've legitimately finished it!

Go into adjustments and install "Extra Hard".

it looks like there might be room to put pin posts in to narrow ramp entrances a bit?

Turn off extra balls. Set the crate and coffin to extra hard and lower the timer for Stiff-o-Meter to 15 seconds.

Spider multiball is not the wizard mode...it's a hidden mode ala Lyman's Lament on MB. Not to mention it's a boring tedious chore to get there and basically pointless.

Scared Stiff has shallow rules so it needs short ball times. Make sure your playfield is cleaned and waxed. Adjust your sling shots so they are super sensitive. Open the outlanes. Tighten the tilt. Reduce extra balls to one. Tweak the software settings.

Ball times will be reduced but the game will still be rather repetitive in nature due to its limited ruleset.

put the glass back on...

Getting to the "Stiff-O-Meter" shouldn't be that hard IMHO. It's different than other games, and shouldn't be viewed in the same "Wizard Mode" comparison. It seems that many people feel every game needs a "hard to get to Wizard Mode" - sorry - not so.

I hope this doesn't offend anyone, but there seems to be a "Video Game" mentality regarding "Beating the Game". For many video games (especially RPG), once you play it to the end, it's not much fun anymore since you've seen it all and "Beaten It". IMHO this is a BAD perspective to have regarding pinball, and impedes peoples enjoyment of certain games.

Scared Stiff was designed so people could enjoy experiencing the Stiff-O-Meter and Monster Multiball features of the game somewhat frequently versus "once in a blue moon". Spider Multiball is included for the "once in a blue moon" experience - although it may be too hard to even go for for most people. IMHO Scared Stiff would NOT be as good/fun a game if "Monster Multiball" was harder to get to.

Also, the Stiff-O-Meter is very cool, but the goal is "Monster Multiball", which is not as easy to achieve.

Back to the OPs question - it's very easy to make Scared Stiff a tough game (as most tournaments do)....
- set the difficulty setting to EXTRA HARD
- set to tournament mode (reduces random "good" awards)
- turn off extra balls
- turn off ball save timers - beginning of ball AND multiball ball savers
- increase the pitch
- clean and wax the playfield
- lightning flippers
- wide outlanes - or take off the rubber - or remove the posts
- replace rubber - extra bouncy rubber
- tweak all switches to be "hair triggered" - for slingshots & pop bumpers
- Change the Stiff-O-Meter timer from 30 seconds to 15 seconds - much harder to complete

The above (except for Stiff-O-Meter timer) apply to pretty much ANY game btw.

Regarding EXTRA HARD settings on Scared Stiff, I'm pretty sure it will...
- Make it tough to light/relight the virtual kickback
- Make it much harder to start Crate Multiball
- Take multiple ramp shots to light lock (for Stiff in the Coffin Multiball)
- Increase hits to complete "Monsters Lab"
- --- possibly more for all the other modes needed to light Scared Stiff

Any Scared Stiff with ALL of the above done will be a VERY TOUGH GAME!

_{Post edited by T7: Add bullets}

Tighten tilt, lightning flippers, slingshots tight. Software to harder settings, especially the crate.

IMO it's set up perfect if you can get to Stiff-O-Meter in 20-25% of games.

I have yet to complete the Stiff-O-Meter more than once!

Remove one of the flippers.

Isn't that how the one-armed man from the Fugitive plays pinball?

take notes:
-open up out lanes or remove the posts period.
-jack up the back leg levelers all the way, use the tall levelers (3") no need to worry about "pitch" specific numbers.
-no tilt warnings
-3 balls
- no extra balls
-tight tilt
-extra hard settings in software menu
-install white rubber
-install red flipper rubber (the bouncy pinkish color type)
-polish and wax the heck of of the play field.
-install new balls

- wake me up when you're done

Trade it for a game with some depth. It's a looker, but no player.

You know, it does play incredibly well. I can't think of a game with sweeter ramps. The design is impeccable. It simply lacks depth. So I guess it depends on your definition of 'player'.

Me too. I even have mine set to 5 balls and still have only done it once in 6 years.

A game doesn't have to be deep to be good. There is no such thing as a "deep" system 11 pin and I think most of those are a blast to play.

Use one hand!