For Amusement Only

Like a digital phoenix rising from its analog ash heap,
pinball has been reborn as a digital simulation. With increased processing
power, and mass affordability, nearly everyone has the ability to own a DVD of
pinball simulations, regardless on the amount of space in their dwelling habitat.
Today, we’re going to examine some of the more recent titles offered to
players.

Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection – Anyone
skeptical about the ability of a CPU to emulate the nuances and intricacies of real-world
pinball table, should pick up this title. PHoF:WC’s physics are spot-on, the
ball behaves just like it’s steel counterpart. The titles offers numerous
camera angles from a ‘smart’ camera, that follows the ball, faithfully,
to a full table view. The Wii version offers ten classic tables from the 70’s ,
80’s and 90’s, while the PS2 and PSP counterparts offer only eight tables. While some
may be skeptical of the Wiimote and Nunchuck control found of Nintendo’s
console, we found it to be the most intuitive of all three versions. Especially
appealing was the ability to nudge the table without taking your fingers off
the flipper buttons. Highly Recommended

Pinball FX – Forgoing backwards compatibility, this title is
the only option for flipper-minded 360 players. While Pinball FX is only ten
dollars, it only has a selection of three tables, with one free download available
on the Xbox Live Marketplace.  Additionally,
two other tables are available for a meager 200 MS points each. FX’s physics
are slightly wonky- there seem to be an overemphasis on ball spin, which can
add some unrealistic curve to the ball’s trajectory. Additionally, the three
tables offered are as bland as their titles indicate- Extreme, Agents, and
Speed Machine. The downloadable Buccaneer table offers a bit more graphical and
aural excitement, however. While worth the asking price, better pin sims can be found
for owners of multiple consoles. Recommended Only for Fans

Dream Pinball 3D – Available for the PC, Wii, and DS, the
title’s sole innovation is the use of different ball materials such as wood,
marble and ivory. DP3D offers the player six tables, and six cameras (with one
full table view). Unfortunately, the Wii version is slightly crippled; in order
to maintain a 60 fps framerate, the flippers are either completely up or at a state of rest.
Without a range of animation, skillful shots are neigh impossible. Reportedly,
this problem is not evident is the DS version. We cannot recommend this title,
as the PC has much better sims available, and a number of older fantasy pinball
games like Adventure Pinball Forgotten Island. DS owners might want to look for
Metroid Prime Pinball, a respectable dual screen title. Avoid