I want to start out this review by saying I have never seen a game launch on so many platforms. You can get this game on just about anything that is considered a console. Let’s try to do this all in one go.
You can get this game on: Windows, Mac, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Playstation Vita, Nintendo 3ds, Itunes, and the Android Marketplace. Wow, that was a mouthful. The version I played is the PS Vita version, so I will base everything on that port.
The tables the game consists of are based off of real pinball tables. Tables from Williams, Bally, Gottlieb, and Stern. Having played the table Black Hole a million times growing up, you will see me comparing the real Black Hole table, and the games version.
As far as physics, it is impossible to do a perfect physics engine for pinball. There are too many variables. However, Pinball Arcade does a good job for a pick up and play game. If you have ever played a pinball game on a console in recent years, it is pretty much the same physics engine. The only major complaint I have on the physics engine is the bumpers. Sometimes I would hit a bumper hard as can be, and it wouldn’t activate, but shortly after I would barely touch it, and bounces off like it was hit with a rocket. There are little hiccups now and then, but the rest do not effect the gameplay enough to be a problem. Also, if you want a read, every table has a lengthy manual that explains the board in great detail. While I didn’t fully read them, it is set up where the information can be easily absorbed.
Graphically, it looks great. You cannot say the game does not look beautiful on the PSvita. The tables are faithfully brought into a console, and they look close, if not identical, to their real world counterparts. The camera angles help to show off every square inch of the board. Pinball nuts will love the attention to detail to the visual department. Every table included looks real close to the table it is based on.
The controls for the PS Vita port are amazing. The PS Vita feels like it was made for this game. The L and R triggers on the vita activate the left and right trigger, respectively. The right analog stick controls the ball shooter, and the left stick is for tilting the table. I am not too good at it, so everytime I used it more then a couple nudges, I tilted the table . That is due to my lack of skill however, not the game. You can also use the touch screen for the flippers, and the rear touch pad to nudge the table. Also, if you turn the PS vita sideways, you get a view of the whole table. I could not get used to playing with the PS Vita at this angle, but the view itself is amazing.
Sound is also a amazing plus. Some tables actually have better sound then the real tables themselves! That is a accomplishment. Authentic pinball sounds, realistic sounding bumpers,flippers, etc. I can’t think of a bad thing to say about the sound.
All in all, this pinball game is for serious players and even newcomers. This game offers something for everyone. The one thing that irks me, is the lack of tables at launch. I was only able to play 4 tables. At 10 USD, that means it is $2.50 a table. While this will be remedied by DLC in the future, that is still quite a good chunk of money for 4 tables. However, they are great recreations, and serious pinball experts will appreciate that. Lastly, the leaderboards on the PS Vita version were not working when I was playing the game for the review. Hopefully this will be remedied in the future, as I can’t wait to show my dominance on Black Hole.
Final Score: 8/10
