Pinball Dreams Review
Time sure does fly, it seems like only yesterday I was at the corner grocery store waiting in line to play the hottest gaming gadget in town. Our first pinball machine. Nothing can replace that first feeling you got from seeing the flashing lights, or hearing the sounds of the powered bumpers to the joy you felt when you heard your first free game POP. So while you might not be able to accurately reproduce those feeling’s again Cowboy Rodeo is offering a chance to at least revisit them for a little while.
Pinball Dreams is a port of the Commodore Amiga game from 1992 developed by Digital Illusions CE. The port supports both modern and classic graphics for those looking for the authentic old school feeling.
The game itself is built around very realistic ball physics and includes a selection of 4 tables with varying themes: Ingition (themed around a rocket launch, planets, and space exploration), Steel Wheel (themed around steam trains and the Old West), Beatbox (themed around the music industry, charts, bands and tours), and Nightmare (themed around a graveyard, ghosts, demons, nightmares and generally evil things). The object of the game is to use your flippers to keep the ball on the table, hitting targets, running ramps, and getting the ‘skill shot’ (a typically hard to reach area of the table that, when hit, gives you a special bonus) for as long as possible while running up your high score.
Graphically the game looks sharp and smooth. The tables have a lot of color and everything is very easy to read. Targets and lights are easy to see in relation to the board art, and tables that have ramps going over the table are handled well.
Sound wise the game great. Each map’s theme music and sound effects give the game a more authentic feelings, and draw you into the boards theme and settings even more. All the old sounds you would expect are there from the ball dropping into the launcher or the clash of the ball hitting the bumpers and targets.
The game can be played in either portrait or landscape mode depending on your preference. Both styles play identical though in landscape the game does tend to scroll more because of the screen layout.
The flippers are controlled by hitting either side of the screen. You do not have to use the bottom of the screen simple press anywhere on the left or right sides to flip the corresponding bumper.
Along the top of the screen is the score and also acts as the menu. Pressing the left side of the top section while in game will pause the game allowing you to change sound and graphical layouts.
I did notice a very small stutter once in a great while, but other than that the game-play was fast, smooth and flawless. Much better than the other pinball games currently on the market.
Pinball dreams was the first in a series of 5 pinball games released by Digital Illusions, and Cowboy Rodeo has stated that depending on the sales of this version he will be porting over the others in the series. So for the sake of all of us pinball fans lets hope this happens, as I honestly feel this is the best pinball game out right now.
Anyone looking for an authentic pinball game, that plays and looks great should give this one a try, and while some might scoff at the $5.99 price tag you are basically getting 4 games for the price, and endless hours of nostalgia, and how can you put a price tag on that?
click here to buy it now
Related posts:
Category: Games
Way to go Chumbake you bastard!
Damn you chumbake!! I never win anything!
Congrats to CHUMBAKE the winner of the free app!
Woooo hooooo. Man I’m excited. I so wanted this game.
I’m glad someone who really wanted this won .
Me too. Congrats Chumbake!
I love pinball! I bet this is good!
Looks pretty good, but I probably wouldn’t pay $6 for it.
o yes!!! a pinball game for the iphone! i gotta get this
I….LOVE….PINBALL
i dont know why maybe its the lights and sounds that distract me. i really want this game
best pinball app ever!
looks fun! i really enjoy pinball games, so I may have to pick this game up.
Who doesn’t like pinball???
I’d check this out for sure! Looks old school!
is this the same company that made Pinball Fantasies for the Amiga?
same game yes, but its ported by a different company.
awww, i want my oldschool levels!
I noticed when this came out and was quite interested. Pinball games have the potential of being excellent on this platform.
Great review Glenn.
Yes! I’ve been wanting a pinball game on my iPhone for a while now and the others don’t look so good but pinball dreams look amazing, and 4 games in one is a really good deal!
I played pinball alot on windows and arcades. This game comes just in time for my pinball addiction!
cool finally a pinball game for iphone that really looks good……
btw good review
OMG! Pinball!!!! That is what I have been missing on my iPod Touch!!!
I used to spend HOURS in the game room playing pinball!!! Now to have one this smooth in my pocket?? Too good to be true!
The only thing missing is a lite version to hook everyone on in!
Pinball is one of those old school games we used to play back in school right before the video arcades came out. Makes me think of Happy Days with Fonzi and the gang. Great review Glenn…Pinball Dreams is currently the best pinball app available in the iTunes store.
Thanks for the brill review, this looks beautiful…
this looks to be the best pinball game, i have that inferno one and i dislike it. These graphics and physics look so much better.
I love pinball. Thanks for the review.
My favorite pinball game back in the day was called Taxi. I played that game so much. I easily put $6 into that game each Sunday.
looks sweet! i haven’t played pinball in so long i think i might check this out!
Looks awesome, I love pinball.
i never got to experience the shock of playing a pinball machine as i was born less than 20 years ago, i do however enjoy it!
Thanks for the great in depth reviews!!!
Really? never played pinball? Thats like not even possible. Im only 15 and i have never even heard of someone never playing pinball, i mean unless you are like 1 or something.
Well there aren’t many pinball machines around anymore. I worked at an arcade for three years which was great until they stopped fixing the machines. For some reason I’d really like a ball from one of the machines. Damn that was a while ago.
no, i mean i was never shocked by playing one as glenn stated.
oh, and yes, the rock ive been living under is kinda uncomfortable
Not sure I follow, I never said shocked orioin?
looks really fun! I love pinball!