Pinball video games with goals other than improving one's score

[Aussie2B]

I love me a good pinball video game, but I find I quickly get bored with ones that only have you trying to improve your score like on an actual pinball machine. I like ones that have stages and bosses, such that you can beat them, like in Kirby's Pinball Land and Sonic Spinball, or ones that have some other kind of goal to work toward, like collecting all the Pokemon to fill out the Pokedex in the Pokemon Pinball games.

Any recommendations for other pinball games with goals beyond racking up a high score?

[Steve W]

I'd say Mile High Pinball, where each table has a spot at the top where you can enter a higher table with the goal of going as high as you can, but it's for the Nokai N-Gage, which means its out of the hands of the general public. I bought a Nokia N-Gage QD at launch and even I don't have a copy. There's at least some emulators for the N-Gage, maybe you could give it a shot.

[Az]

Pinball of the Dead for GBA has bosses and levels, it's probably my favorite GBA pinball title. Genesis Crüe Ball has levels to work towards an ending, and I'm pretty sure Devil Crash/Crush has a final boss/ending as well. If I'm not mistaken I'm pretty sure all four of the Crush entries have endings based on completing all of the mini game levels.

[Nz17]

Pinball Quest (NES)
Mario Pinball Land (GBA)

[Tron 2.0]

Demon's Tilt close as you're gonna get to having another devils crush a spiritual successor in a way.

[Aussie2B]

Huh, I always liked what little I played of the Crush games but assumed there was no way to beat them. Good to know!

[Az]

Demon's Tilt close as you're gonna get to having another devils crush a spiritual successor in a way.

I really liked this game. My main disappointment was the lack of mini-game tables. The previous Crush games had quite a few tables, and they were easy to trigger. This has what, one mini-game? Maybe two? And they require a decent amount of skill to even trigger. Hopefully their Alien Crush themed sequel will rectify that.

It gets no respect but I thought Alien Crush Returns for Wii was a perfectly fine entry. My main issue with it was it required a Wiimote and nunchuk and wouldn't work with just a regular controller. Shoehorning waggle controls in traditional games isn't fun for anyone.

[frabi]

Hi. I'm not sure for what kind of progression is enough for you. I'm huge fan of pinballs from PC/Amiga and almost all starting from Pinball Dreams offer some progression. You have to work for some on table events than can be achieved only after longer games. Later in Slam Tilt there are missions that you need to activate and fulfilling number of missions creates progression feeling for me. Finally strongest progression in PC only Psycho Pinball (do not recommend SMD version) - there is multi table mode, where you start on main table and unlock next 3 tables and then play a game on them. Finally you get back to main table but in hard mode, visiting all 4 tables is a significant challenge. Maybe not a quest type progression but enough for me

[celerystalker]

Flipnic for PS2. It has multi-segmented stages with objectives to unlock the path to clear each area and new stages. At the end of each themed set of stages, there is a bods battle that opens a new set of themed stages with new objectives.

[Aussie2B]

Whoa, celerystalker, haven't seen you around here in forever. Welcome back! How have you been?

[celerystalker]

Hey Aussie! Doing much better than I was, thanks. My health had taken a bad turn that upended my existence for a few years, but things are finally starting to feel normal again. Hope you've been well!

[fpbrush]

Sonic Spinball and an old windows pinball game are the ones I’ve spent more time with. Kirby’s Tilt and Tumble might fit the bill but dunno. Happy pinning.

[Niku-Sama]

Has any one mentioned Kirby pinball and Pokemon Pinball...

if not then here you go, not just score games

[celerystalker]

I almost forgot to mention my favorite pinball adventure
Yoku's Island Express is a full-fledged pinball metroidvania, amd has a very sweet-natured story. I bet I played through it 6 times while I was sick and stuck in bed. It's on PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and Steam, amd I bet it ticks some boxes for you!

[Tron 2.0]

Ever since zen studio's remade pinballfx,williams releases have pickup again with star trek tng being the most recent one.

[Aussie2B]

Hey Aussie! Doing much better than I was, thanks. My health had taken a bad turn that upended my existence for a few years, but things are finally starting to feel normal again. Hope you've been well!

Glad to hear you're doing better! I remember hearing you were having health issues. I'm sorry you were going through that, but that's great things are turning around.

Me, I'm great, just perpetually chasing after a toddler now that I'm a mom, haha.

[celerystalker]

That's fun! My wife was pregnant around the time all my stuff happened, so we're up to 3 now (and we are done). Kids do a lot to brimg back fun to things that at one time seemed old hat. My oldest boy is almost 9 now, and is my player 2. It's a lot of fun seeing him explore a lot of the same interests as me, but also his own. I never did volleyball or judo, but he's really into them... but he has a fun taste for old video games that's really fun to share, and since my health got as bad as it did, I had to change careers to something easier on my body, so I left my 20 years as a Wal-Mart manager for an office job in insurance. I took a pay cut, but now I get to see my kids every night, every weekend, and at holidays in a way I never could before, which has given me much more play time together.

Actually, to be at least vaguely on topic, my boys reminded me of Yoku's Island Express, the pinball metroidvania I mentioned. My oldest is helping his little brother along with some of the tricker sections, and he's very patient with him, which makes me happy to see!