Pinball Hall of Fame

All of a sudden it's done bouncing. The ball starts falling like a skydiver without a parachute. It's coming, it's closer, IT'S HERE! The flippers! I'll just whack that ball back into the air! Eureka, I did it!

Two seconds later the ball plunges to its death.

Crap!

Pinball is the game before the game. The originator of arcades (and perhaps the inspirer for Pong), pinball is forever a part of classic gaming. It's still a great way to get rid of pocket change, and a good excuse to exchange fives, tens, and twenties for quarters. Thus the formation of the Pinball Hall of Fame, an initiative to restore and display (and allow us to play) old pinball machines. And since no hall of fame about the first interactive game can be without a video game, a Pinball Hall of Fame game has been created. 

Starting with 11 classic Gottlieb tables, Farsight Studios (developer) had a challenge bigger than any game we've played: they had to re-create these machines for play on PSP. Many developers have attempted this and failed miserably. Pinball games just don't work. Or so I thought...

The game begins with Genie, a table from the end of the disco era. Designed with a wider body, Genie gives players more chances to score big – and lose bigger. There are three pillars, three triangular bumpers, and eight high point slots (labeled "ABCD"). One ditch rests in the top right corner; land inside for an easy score. The two bottom flippers are close enough to catch the ball but far enough apart to let it fall right through.

A third flipper is located above the right bottom flipper, letting you catch stray balls that could have otherwise been lost. Two additional flippers can be found on the top left corner of the table – here you have the opportunity to really rack up the points and do so safely. If the ball falls through it's no big deal since you have the rest of the table for it to bounce around on. The catch: these flippers are spread very far apart, making it next to impossible to keep the ball bouncing in this area for more than a few seconds at a time.

I'm sure pinball experts would beg to differ, but I've never been a hardcore pinball player. Just a loyal fan.

Genie is challenging yet simple enough for newbies to grasp. It's unlikely that anyone (aside from infants) are new to pinball, but Pinball Hall of Fame is not typical for the genre. To be good at this game you have to be good at the real thing. 

Following Genie is Victory, a narrow, deflector-heavy table from 1987. This table is packed with realistic adaptations of the machine's sound effects. Those effects are merged with background noise that comes very close to the aural experience of being at an arcade. Victory's ramps and ball return paths became a staple in the 80s and have been a part of pinball ever since. High scores are presumed to be exciting, which is why each generation of pinball gets a bit more ridiculous with how generously it gives points. In the end it all comes down to the same thing, and is similar to inflation; 1,000,000 points now is the equivalent to 1,000 points then.

Strikes N' Spares is what happens when a bowling alley decided to mate with a pinball machine. Similarly, Big Shot is a table with elements of 8 ball. Tee'd Off is one of the most recent tables, and as I'm sure you can imagine it's like a miniature golf course (but more challenging!). Goin' Nuts is my favorite, a table from 1983 that never made it into production. It's a wider table that lets you whack three balls simultaneously. Points aren't all you're shooting for: this table is timed, so extra seconds must also be obtained. The timer doesn't kick in until two of the balls have been lost, but it's a rush to gain points as soon as it does.

From the moment the game begins players will notice the difference between Pinball Hall of Fame and its lackluster, unaffiliated predecessors. The ball is heavy, really heavy. No, it doesn't magically add weight to your PSP (that'd be a good trick though!). It does, however, sink faster than an anvil in water. As a result it's less bouncy than a faux pinball. Remember, this is supposed to be like the real thing. And it is, everything from the way the flippers move to the way the ball reacts to its ricochet environment.

At first the camera is somewhat of a pain. There are a lot of different angles though, and it wasn't long before I found one that was just right for me. These angles range from high above the table (full view) to closer views that follows the ball wherever it goes. The game also features slanted views for another look at the action. 

Excruciatingly difficult tables were to be expected if the game was going to stay true to real pinball. You'll be frustrated a lot, but at least you won't have to insert more quarters every time the ball decides to form a straight line down the center of the table (where the flippers cannot reach). Tilting is an effective way to avoid such deaths, but do it too often and the game will shut down all flippers until one ball has been lost. I've never tilted a real machine, but it seems that pinball manufacturers and arcade operators don't want you to do it. In keeping with the realistic theme, they don't want you to do it here either.

Gameplay: 8
Budget games haven't been garnering much attention on the PSP. For the record, let me state right now that Pinball Hall of Fame is the first of its kind to gain and hold my attention; first for being a great pinball game, and second for having a low-price without being junk. You'll get frustrated, yell at the screen, and likely give up. But like the real pinball (see all these comparisons I'm making to the real game? I've never been able to do that before), Pinball Hall of Fame has high replay value.

Graphics: 7.5
Cool effects (like reflective glass that covers each table) and realistic animations make it impossible not to like this game’s simple graphic style.

Sound: 8
Unusually catchy. I can almost swear I’ve heard some of the songs before, but can’t figure out where. They sound like gaming’s past, that’s for sure, which has got to be the music style they were going for. In the background you’ll notice the chimes and jingles of other players, simulating the sounds of an arcade with impressive realism. The pinball sound effects are notably accurate.

Difficulty: Medium/Hard
As challenging as real pinball.

Concept: 8.9
A wonderfully executed game that emulates the experience of real pinball. Everything from the way the flippers move to the way the ball reacts (like a rock always falling to its death) is pinball-perfect. These guys did their homework before starting development, no question.

Multiplayer: 7
Pinball is not much of a multiplayer title (though this version does offer a four-player multi-disc mode). One cool feature has been implemented: game sharing. You can send a table to a friend and let him/her play for a while. That’s a great way to demo games and spread the love.

Overall: 8
Nothing is safe from video game adaptation. If it exists in the "real" world, it'll exist in the virtual world – eventually. Long before video games were invented a few creative designers gave birth to the first of many interactive machines that stole our pocket change: pinball. Two flippers, three balls and dozens to hundreds of flashy lights, pinball made it fun to hang out at the local diner. Presumably. I wasn't born yet, but I spent my younger years hanging out at malls, movie theaters and roller rinks to play Mortal Kombat. Couldn't the same be true for pinball?

Pinball Hall of Fame is the first of its kind: a grand virtual adaptation of the arcade game that has captivated millions for over five generations. Playing this game is as much of a nostalgic experience as it is a new one. It doesn’t replace the real thing; it complements it. Not everyone will got nuts for this title, but if you’re like me and are fond of pinball, make sure you add Pinball Hall of Fame to your collection.