True Pinball (Sony PlayStation & Sega Saturn)

 

Sony PlayStation
Box Art

Released in 1996 for the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn, True Pinball was developed by Digital Illusions and published by Ocean Software. As the console version of the 1995 game Pinball Illusions, which was released for the Commodore Amiga and MS-DOS, True Pinball promised to bring the excitement of playing pinball at the arcade straight to your living room. But did it live up to the hype? Let's take a retrospective look at the game.

Law & Justice
Table 3D Mode

True Pinball featured four different tables: "Extreme Sports", "Vikings - The Tales", "Ricochet", and "Babewatch." Each table had its own unique theme and set of obstacles, providing a diverse range of gameplay experiences. The game also offered both 2D and 3D views, with the latter not being available in the computer versions. The graphics were impressive for the time, with over 32,000 colours used in high resolutions.

Gameplay Video

Extreme Sports
Table 2D Mode

Critics' opinions on True Pinball were mixed, with scores ranging from 85 out of 100 from Mean Machines (PlayStation version) to 28 out of 40 from Electronic Gaming Monthly (SEGA Saturn version). Mean Machines Sega praised the game for its "look and feel" of a real pinball machine and stated that it requires skill. Electronic Gaming Monthly's four-person review crew praised its "hi-res" graphics and also noted that it emulated the "look and feel" of a real pinball machine, with one reviewer stating that it is "as close to true pinball as can be."

Saturn Box Art

Next Generation, on the other hand, gave the Saturn version of the game a three-star rating out of five and stated that it is "a good video pinball game, just not a great game of pinball." NowGamer gave the game a score of 6.5 out of 10.

Despite the mixed reviews, True Pinball was a solid offering for pinball fans looking for an arcade-like experience at home. The game's use of 3D graphics and the variety of tables helped set it apart from other pinball games of the time. It may not have been a "great" game of pinball, but it was certainly a fun and enjoyable one.

In conclusion, True Pinball was a game that aimed to bring the excitement of playing pinball at the arcade straight to your living room. While it may not have been a "great" game of pinball, it was certainly a fun and enjoyable one. With its use of 3D graphics, variety of tables and its look and feel, it was a solid offering for pinball fans looking for an arcade-like experience at home.