Arcade Archives Pinball

Genre: Pinball

Players: 1-2 Alternating (Local)

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Review:

This game, originally just called Pinball, is a Pinball game loosely based on a Game & Watch game of the same name, with a version releasing in 1984 on the Japanese Famicom, and then in 1985 on its Western counterpart, the Nintendo Entertainment System, as a launch title. Meanwhile, the game also received an arcade port in 1984.

Balloon Fight uses 2D pixel art visuals and chiptune sound design that are fairly simple and bland. It’s not exceptional in any way.

At first glance, the Arcade and NES versions of this game are identical, but there are subtle differences between the two, and while I find the NES game is bland, with terrible lines and even worse physics, this version manages to be even worse, with moments where the game seems to glitch out, turning off the sound and making flippers invisible. Or maybe this is a “bonus”? Either way, it makes a terrible Pinball game worse. In fact, this may well be the worst Pinball game I have ever played.

This release of the game includes a new “Hi-Score Mode” that challenges players to make as many points as they can in one run. There is also a new “Caravan Mode” that does much the same, but with the limit being five minutes. In addition, this release of the game gives players a decent array of options, including various display options, sound options, challenge modifiers, button mapping, and online leaderboards.

So here’s where I do my usual copy-paste spiel where I say there are only two remaining elephants in the room to discuss. But no, there really isn’t Didn’t you see above, where I said that this might be the worst Pinball game I ever played? Who cares if the $8 price tag is too high, or if you can already play it on Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Entertainment System app? Even if this wasn’t the case, I’d still say not to buy it. Avoid this one.

tl;dr – The Arcade version of Nintendo’s Pinball is even worse than the Nintendo Entertainment System version, and in fact it’s possibly the worst Pinball game I’ve ever played. Do not buy it.

Grade: F

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