Hyper 3-D Pinball

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Hyper 3-D Pinball
Hyper 3-D Pinball.jpg
cover of PAL version
Developer NMS Software
Publisher Virgin Interactive Entertainment
Platforms MS-DOS, PlayStation, Saturn
ReleaseMS-DOS
December 1995 [1]
PlayStation, Saturn
1996

Hyper 3-D Pinball is a pinball simulation video game developed by British studio NMS Software and published in 1995 and 1996 by Virgin Interactive Entertainment for MS-DOS, PlayStation, and Saturn. The game is known as Tilt! in some regions. [2]

Contents

Gameplay

Up to four players [3] can choose between multiple viewing perspectives, including a top-down 2D view and a 3D full-table view. [4]

There are six tables, each with a particular theme: "Fun Fair", "Star Quest 2049", "The Gangster", "The Monster", "Roadking U.S.A.", and "Myst & Majik". [2]

The game emulates authentic pinball mechanics, including responsive flippers, bumpers, and the ability to nudge or “tilt” the table to influence ball trajectory.

Animations are played when locking balls and hitting various other shots. [3]

The game supports English, Dutch, and French languages for the game’s menus and text.

Development

On PC, the game supports 320 x 200, 640 x 480, and 800 x 600 resolutions, but only the 640x480 resolution supports all three view options, with some requiring more RAM. [5]

Reception

Next Generation gave the MS-DOS version of the game four stars out of five; although generally commending the title, they noticed that some elements are missing, such as control of tilt sensitivity, number of balls, and table angles. [8] Computer Gaming World found the tables to be beautiful and target rich. [3] PC Gamer praised the graphics and audio (with the soundtrack played directly from the CD), and said the game would be near perfect if it had lower system requirements, and had a few more options such as the ability to adjust the table angle. [5]

The Saturn version was praised for having "near perfect" controls, the sound was also praised. The graphics were commended for looking good, but the ball was found to move too quickly in the 2D view, with the ball easier to track in the 3D view, but with parts of the table obscured. [6] In contrast, Intelligent Gamer found the game to be bland and misrepresentative to call it "Hyper" or "3-D". The physics of the ball were poor. [9] In 1998, Saturn Power ranked the game 94th on their Top 100 Sega Saturn Games saying the game is worth a few tries. [10]

Absolute PlayStation found the music tracks and sound effects to be excellent apart from on the "Myst & Majik" table, and the reviewer enjoyed the tables in the 2D views but recommended to avoid playing on the 3D setting. The game was declared good value for money. [2]

References

  1. ↑ "Hyper 3D Pinball". Coming Soon Magazine. January 13, 1996. Archived from the original on January 24, 1998. Retrieved November 22, 2025. Hyper 3D Pinball is the new 3D pinball released last month by Virgin and conceived by the British developer NMS.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "TILT - Review - ABSOLUTE PLAYSTATION". www.absolute-playstation.com. March 1997. Archived from the original on 2021-07-29. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Review - Paddle to Paddle". Computer Gaming World. No. 142. May 1996. pp. 162, 164.
  4. 1 2 Ham, Tom (January 12, 1996). "Hyper 3D Pinball Review for Saturn at GameSpot". www.gamespot.com. Archived from the original on 2003-12-17. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  5. 1 2 3 "Reviews". PC Gamer . No. 23. April 1996. p. 138.
  6. 1 2 Sutyak, Jonathan. "Hyper 3-D Pinball (Sega Saturn) Review". Allgame. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Hyper 3-D Pinball: The Saturn Plays A Mean Pinball". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 88. November 1996. p. 204.
  8. 1 2 "Finals". Next Generation . No. 18. Imagine Media. June 1996. pp. 122, 125.
  9. 1 2 "Reviews - Hyper 3-D Pinball". Intelligent Gamer. Vol. 1, no. 2. Ziff Davis. July 1996. p. 82.
  10. ↑ "Top 100 Sega Saturn Games" (PDF). Saturn Power (9): 95. January 1998.
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