Pinball Simulation -- Does it get any better than a PS1 Game?

[boatofcar]

Seriously, Pro Pinball for the PS1 is hands down the best, most accurate pinball simulation I've ever played. Why hasn't the next gen put out a pinball simulation worth a darn?

[norkusa]

You don't like the Pinball Hall of Fame collection? I love the PS1 Pro Pinball series, but I like PHOF better. Physics are just as good as Pro Pinball and all the tables are tried and true originals.

And if you want to consider imports, Akira Psych-O-Ball and American Arcade (1950's - 70's compilation with real tables) kick ass too.

[RPG_Fanatic]

Pinball FX for XBLA is pretty good, check it out

[boatofcar]

You don't like the Pinball Hall of Fame collection? I love the PS1 Pro Pinball series, but I like PHOF better. Physics are just as good as Pro Pinball and all the tables are tried and true originals.


Not even close. The physics in PHOF are way off--the ball is way too light. Not to mention both Tee'd Off and Black Hole are glitchy almost to the point of being unplayable. When you add to that the horrendous load times (seriously, do you need a 10 second loading screen between each game on the same table?) I wanted so much to like PHOF, and yet despite how pretty the tables look, the rest of the game seems like a rush job.


EDITx2-I need to learn the finer points of parenthesis.

[kedawa]

Almost all PS2 games have long, unnecessary load times, so I wouldn't hold that against any one game.

[Rogmeister]

Is there just that one pinball collection for the GameCube? I haven't got that yet but it's sounding like I might not want to now. Maybe it's just me but I did like Pinball Dreams on the SNES...

[cyberfluxor]

I like a few of the Saturn pinball games but I've never played Pro Pinball before that I know of. I lean more towards PC pinball games than consoles, but nothing beats the real deal. :)

[bcombee]

While it's "video-game pinball", I've seriously enjoyed Metroid Hunters Pinball on the Nintendo DS. The rumble works pretty well, and the spilt-screen action gives you a much better feel than the horizontal-oriented TV display.

[norkusa]

Not even close. The physics in PHOF are way off--the ball is way too light. Not to mention both Tee'd Off and Black Hole are glitchy almost to the point of being unplayable. When you add to that the horrendous load times (seriously, do you need a 10 second loading screen between each game on the same table?) I wanted so much to like PHOF, and yet despite how pretty the tables look, the rest of the game seems like a rush job.



Hmm, well I didn't notice any problems with the ball physics in PHOF and I've played a ton of console pins. Maybe I'll replay it tonight to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.

I agree with you on Black Hole being glitchy (never had any problems playing Tee'd Off though) but calling it almost unplayable is a bit overdramatic. Of all the times I've played it, I think the ball only locked up on me 2 or 3 times.

What version do you have? PS2? I've got the Xbox and didn't notice any problems with the load times.


Oh yeah, I read somewhere that they're coming out with a PHOF Williams collection soon, which will have Black Night, Bride Of Pinbot, and a bunch of other classics. :-P

[Lord_Magus]

I'm surprised no one here has mentioned the awesomeness of Pinball Dreams and Pinball Fantasies yet (the original Amiga versions, of course). The ball physics were spot on, the tables were amazing and the game was addictive as hell. Even though the games are over 15 years old now, they hold up perfectly well and are still a blast to play.

Other than that, I haven't really played any other pinball games which stood out for me (not including semi-pinball games like Pinball of the Dead or Metroid Pinball). Pinball FX for the 360 though is looking veeery nice indeed...

[j_factor]

Someone has to mention Devil's Crush.

There was one released for the Wii in Europe not that long ago... I wonder if it's any good.

[Gapporin]

How apropos -- I was just playing some Pro Pinball today. I still can't get over how amazing each table looks! Now, I may be unfair here, considering that most of the graphics were pre-rendered, but the tables easily look like they could pass for PS2-type graphics, at least something definitely feasible early on in the system's life. The only qualm I have with the Pro Pinball series is that they one put out one table per game, but given the above, there's probably a reason for that.

A great series that really doesn't get the mention it deserves.

[cyberfluxor]

While it's "video-game pinball", I've seriously enjoyed Metroid Hunters Pinball on the Nintendo DS. The rumble works pretty well, and the spilt-screen action gives you a much better feel than the horizontal-oriented TV display.
I haven't stumbled across too many rumble packs. I've been meaning to eventually pick one up for those games that support it.

[j_factor]

I haven't stumbled across too many rumble packs. I've been meaning to eventually pick one up for those games that support it.

Metroid Prime Pinball came with a rumble pack in it...

[diskoboy]

Pinball FX is pretty good. But the physics feel like you're playing with a ping-pong ball. Not a solid steel ball.

Me - I like to play Visual Pinball. The physics are almost spot on. They use real tables and ROMS. You can't get any better than Visual Pinball.

Better yet - it's free.

It's all about Twilight Zone pinball! ;)

[boatofcar]

Hmm, well I didn't notice any problems with the ball physics in PHOF and I've played a ton of console pins. Maybe I'll replay it tonight to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.


That's just it--it plays like a console pin. I would think that a game as new as PHOF would be able to accurately portray the correct weight of the ball, as if you're playing on a real table. So far, the only console pinball game I've felt that way about is the Pro Pinball series.




I agree with you on Black Hole being glitchy (never had any problems playing Tee'd Off though) but calling it almost unplayable is a bit overdramatic. Of all the times I've played it, I think the ball only locked up on me 2 or 3 times.


1 out of 10 games I play of Tee'd Off ends with a ball getting hung up in the Pitch 'n Putt hole or behind (?) a flipper. Sometimes tilting works to get out of it, but sometimes I have to reset the game.



What version do you have? PS2? I've got the Xbox and didn't notice any problems with the load times.

Load times might only be an issue on the PS2 version.

[Sweater Fish Deluxe]

The only qualm I have with the Pro Pinball series is that they one put out one table per game, but given the above, there's probably a reason for that.
Check out Pro Pinball Trilogy for the Dreamcast. It's just same tables from the Windows/Playstation/Saturn versions, but at least they're all in one package. The only table not included is The Web.

I agree that the Pro Pinball games are definitely the most accurate video renditions of pinball that I've ever played. No other video pinball game I've played (and I've played most of them) really comes close to the ball physics accuracy they have.

Personally, though, I usually prefer more unrealistic pinball simulators. If I want total accuracy, I'll just play real pinball. Video pinball like the Crush games really just seem more fun on a telivision with a controller in your hand. I don't know why I haven't tried out Metroid Pinball DS since having two screens would indeed be a big bonus for a video pinball game.


...word is bondage...

[Buyatari]

Devils Crush is my fav of all time. Most others just aren't worth a damn.

[Lerxstnj]

The only one I have is Kiss Pinball for PS-1 which pretty much sux. But I have a real Bally Kiss machine for my pinball fix.

[Iron Draggon]

how's Pure Pinball on the XBOX? the PC version seems pretty good to me, but I sure wish it had the extra table the XBOX version has... even the recent remix version for the PC doesn't have it... WTF? a remix without a new table?

[norkusa]

I hated Pure Pinball on Xbox. I thought the ball physics were real bad and the table designs were poor. There's even a major bug in the game which won't let you get more than a certain score (think it's 256 mil). And if you look at the Live scoreboards, you'll see a bunch of people with 255 mill but nothing higher than that.

[Nebagram]

It's hardly what you would call a 'simulation' but I loved Flipnic on the PS2. Mainly because it was just utterly barking mad. :)

[sabre2922]

I really enjoyed Big Race USA on PS1 at I think thats what the name of it was.

but yea the pro pinball games were great on PSone. I was a little let down by the pinball hall of fame not bad but could have been so much better.

[norkusa]

It's hardly what you would call a 'simulation' but I loved Flipnic on the PS2. Mainly because it was just utterly barking mad. :)

Yeah, Flipnic is one of my favorite console pins. Real wacky but made very well. Love that 2600-style stage in it where the playfield is made of big, chunky blocks.

[RugalSizzler]

I hate pinball simulators to be honest.

They bring the death of real pinball games.

About that the only ones I played was Saturn recently. It might be fun but it is still a simouation.