Quoted from tiesmasc:If I recall correctly 90's Data East games compensated "bad players" by giving them a "mercy" lit multiball on their 3rd ball. I believe the idea was that the player was so bad it didn't matter if they got multiball and played longer... they were still having a short game and wouldn't feel like they didn't get their money's worth.
It gives it to every player who hasn't already started a multiball. ChadH's code updates have fixed this in Star Wars and I think Jurrasic Park (maybe Baywatch and Hook also). I wish he'd fix it in Lethal Weapon 3.