Night Mission Pinball

Last updated
Night Mission Pinball
Night Mission Pinball cover.jpg
Developer(s) Sublogic
Publisher(s) Sublogic
Designer(s) Bruce Artwick
Platform(s) Apple II, Atari 8-bit, IBM PC, Commodore 64
ReleaseMay 1982: Apple, Atari
1983: C64, IBM PC
Genre(s) Pinball
Mode(s)1-4 players alternating turns

Night Mission Pinball (originally released as A2-PB1 Pinball: Night Mission) is a pinball simulation video game published by Sublogic in 1982. It was developed by Bruce Artwick for the Apple II, then ported to the Atari 8-bit computers, Commodore 64, and IBM PC (as a self-booting disk).

Contents

Gameplay

Night Mission Pinball simulates a pinball machine. Players can tweak dozens of settings in the simulator, including the number of balls in play, velocity of the balls, strength of the flippers, sensitivity to tilting, bounciness of the surfaces, and gravitational force exerted on the balls. [1] Up to four players can compete for a high score.

The Atari version uses high resolution monochrome graphics. [2]

Release

The game was initially marketed as A2-PB1 Pinball and subtitled "Night Mission". [3] The Apple version was released in May 1982. [4] The Commodore 64 version was released in late 1983. [5]

Reception

Robert C. Gray of SoftSide wrote that the IBM PC version's configurability changes pinball from being a game of chance to "a game of intellectual choice". [6] In a PC Magazine review, Corey Sandler called it "a strange combination of game and graduate physics lesson" that could have appeal to tinkerers and those who wish to learn how physics impacts game design. [1] Softline highlighted the Apple version's tweakability as having "a modest educational purpose" and making it "a programmer's tour de force". [3]

Some reviewers compared it to other arcade games released around the same time. John J. Anderson of Video & Arcade Games called the Atari version's realism "obsessive" and praised its configurability, even though one can not design one's own pinball machine, as in the Pinball Construction Set . [7] Computer Games Magazine rated it A+ and called it "the best computerized pinball game", as it has some features missing from the PCS, such as a "tilt" mechanic. [8] Comparing it to Raster Blaster and David's Midnight Magic , Computer Gaming World 's reviewers determined that Night Mission had the best ball physics and fastest balls, making it the best choice. [9] Rick Teverbaugh of Electronic Games called it "easily the most complex" of the pinball games released in 1983. [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Zaxxon</i> 1982 video game

Zaxxon is a scrolling shooter developed and released by Sega as an arcade video game in 1982. The player pilots a ship through heavily defended space fortresses. Japanese electronics company Ikegami Tsushinki was also involved in the game's development.

<i>Pinball Construction Set</i> 1982 video game

Pinball Construction Set is a video game by Bill Budge written for the Apple II. It was originally published in 1982 through Budge's own company, BudgeCo, then was released by Electronic Arts in 1983 along with ports to the Atari 8-bit computers and Commodore 64.

<i>Centipede</i> (video game) 1981 video game

Centipede is a 1981 fixed shooter arcade video game developed and published by Atari, Inc. Designed by Dona Bailey and Ed Logg, it was one of the most commercially successful games from the golden age of arcade video games and one of the first with a significant female player base. The primary objective is to shoot all the segments of a centipede that winds down the playing field. An arcade sequel, Millipede, followed in 1982.

<i>Miner 2049er</i> 1982 video game

Miner 2049er is a platform game developed for Atari 8-bit computers by Bill Hogue and released by his company, Big Five Software, in 1982. The player controls Bounty Bob through multiple levels of a mine, with the goal of traversing all of the platforms while avoiding or defeating enemy mutants. At a time when "climbing games" such as Donkey Kong had four screens, Miner 2049er had ten.

<i>Lode Runner</i> 1983 video game

Lode Runner is a 2D puzzle-platform game, developed by Doug Smith and published by Broderbund in 1983. Its gameplay mechanics are similar to Space Panic from 1980. The player controls a character who must collect all the gold pieces in a level and get to the end while being chased by a number of enemies. It is one of the first games to include a level editor.

<i>Pinball Fantasies</i> 1992 video game

Pinball Fantasies is a 1992 pinball video game originally developed by Digital Illusions and published by 21st Century Entertainment in Europe for the Amiga home computers. It is the sequel to Pinball Dreams, which was released earlier in the same year on multiple platforms. In the game, players can choose between any of the four available playfields, both of which have their own thematic and main objectives in order to obtain the highest score possible.

<i>Choplifter</i> Video game first made in 1982 for the Apple II computer

Choplifter is a military themed scrolling shooter developed by Dan Gorlin for the Apple II and published by Broderbund in 1982. It was ported to Atari 8-bit computers the same year and also to the VIC-20, Commodore 64, Atari 5200, ColecoVision, MSX, and Thomson computers.

1982 was the peak year for the golden age of arcade video games as well as the second generation of video game consoles. Many games were released that would spawn franchises, or at least sequels, including Dig Dug, Pole Position, Mr. Do!, Zaxxon, Q*bert, Time Pilot and Pitfall! The year's highest-grossing video game was Namco's arcade game Pac-Man, for the third year in a row, while the year's best-selling home system was the Atari 2600. Additional video game consoles added to a crowded market, notably the ColecoVision and Atari 5200. Troubles at Atari late in the year triggered the video game crash of 1983.

<i>Davids Midnight Magic</i> 1982 video game

David's Midnight Magic is a pinball simulation video game written by David Snider for the Apple II and published by Broderbund in 1982. The game was published in Europe by Ariolasoft. A port to Atari 8-bit computers was released the same year, then the Commodore 64 in 1983. In 1987 Atari Corporation published a cartridge version in the styling of the then-new Atari XEGS.

<i>Shamus</i> (video game) 1982 video game

Shamus is a shooter with light action-adventure game elements written by Cathryn Mataga and published by Synapse Software. The original Atari 8-bit computer version was released on disk and tape in 1982. According to Synapse co-founder Ihor Wolosenko, Shamus made the company famous by giving it a reputation for quality. "Funeral March of a Marionette", the theme song from Alfred Hitchcock Presents, plays on the title screen.

<i>Hard Hat Mack</i> 1983 video game

Hard Hat Mack is a platform game developed by Michael Abbot and Matthew Alexander for the Apple II which was published by Electronic Arts in 1983. Ports for the Atari 8-bit computers and Commodore 64 were released simultaneously. It is part of the first batch of five games from Electronic Arts, and the company called it out as "truly EA's first game." Versions for the Amstrad CPC and IBM PC compatibles followed in 1984.

<i>Caverns of Mars</i> 1981 video game

Caverns of Mars is a vertically scrolling shooter for Atari 8-bit computers. It was written by Greg Christensen, with some features later added by Richard Watts, and published by the Atari Program Exchange (APX) in 1981. Caverns of Mars became the best selling APX software of all-time and was moved into Atari, Inc.'s official product line, first on diskette, then on cartridge.

<i>Raster Blaster</i> 1981 video game

Bill Budge's Raster Blaster is a home computer pinball simulation written by Bill Budge for the Apple II and published in 1981 by Budge's company, BudgeCo. It was ported to the Atari 8-bit computers. Raster Blaster resembles the Williams Firepower table from 1980.

<i>Apple Panic</i> 1981 video game

Apple Panic is a game for the Apple II programmed by Ben Serki and published by Broderbund Software in 1981. Apple Panic is an unauthorized version of the 1980 arcade game Space Panic, the first game with ladders and platforms. While the arcade original remained obscure, Apple Panic became a top seller for home computers. It was ported to the Atari 8-bit computers, VIC-20, IBM PC, and TRS-80.

<i>The Dark Crystal</i> (video game) 1983 video game

Hi-Res Adventure #6: The Dark Crystal is a graphic adventure game based on Jim Henson's 1982 fantasy film, The Dark Crystal. The game was designed by Roberta Williams and was the first Hi-Res Adventure directly released under the SierraVenture label in 1983. Versions were published for the Apple II and Atari 8-bit computers. An alternate version of the game intended for younger players called Gelfling Adventure was released in 1984.

<i>Crossfire</i> (1981 video game) 1981 video game

Crossfire is a multidirectional shooter created by Jay Sullivan for the Apple II and published by On-Line Systems in 1981. Using keyboard-based twin-stick shooter controls, the player maneuvers a ship in a grid-like maze. Versions with joystick-control use the stick for movement and switch to firing mode when the button is held down.

<i>Midnight Magic</i> (Atari 2600) 1986 video game

Midnight Magic is a pinball video game written by Glenn Axworthy for the Atari 2600 and released by Atari Corporation in 1986, although on-screen it displays a copyright of 1984.

<i>Jawbreaker</i> (video game) 1981 video game

Jawbreaker is a Pac-Man clone programmed by John Harris for Atari 8-bit computers and published by On-Line Systems. Released in 1981 before an official version of Pac-Man was available, it was widely lauded by reviewers and became a major seller. The story of its creation and Harris's Atari 8-bit implementation of Frogger form a portion of Steven Levy's 1984 book, Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution.

<i>Rear Guard</i> (video game) 1981 video game

Rear Guard is a horizontally scrolling shooter written for Atari 8-bit computers and published in December 1981 by Adventure International. Neil Larimer created the game with assistance from Sparky Starks. It was ported to the Apple II, TRS-80, and TRS-80 Color Computer.

<i>Crisis Mountain</i> 1982 video game

Crisis Mountain is a platform game written by David H. Schroeder for the Apple II and published by Synergistic Software in 1982. A port to Atari 8-bit computers was released in 1983. Creative Software published cartridge versions for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. Ports for the FM-7 and PC-8800 series were from Comptiq.

References

  1. 1 2 Sandler, Corey (July 1983). "Fun With Frogs and Flippers". PC Magazine . Vol. 2, no. 2. p. 450.
  2. ↑ Rixon, Paul (December 1993). "Night Mission Pinball". New Atari User . No. 65. p. 48.
  3. 1 2 "Gameline". Softline . Vol. 1, no. 5. May 1982. pp. 15–16.
  4. ↑ "Fastalk". Softalk . Vol. 3, no. 7. March 1983. p. 22.
  5. ↑ "New Arrivals". Softline . Vol. 3, no. 1. September–October 1983. p. 3.
  6. ↑ Gray, Robert C. "Night Mission Pinball". SoftSide . No. 59. p. 56.
  7. ↑ Anderson, John J. (December 1983). "Micro Pinball Wizardry". Video & Arcade Games. Vol. 1, no. 2. p. 96.
  8. ↑ "1985 Software Buyer's Guide". Computer Games Magazine . Vol. 3, no. 5. February 1985. p. 51.
  9. ↑ Rhodes, Mark; Gittleman, Barry (January–February 1983). "Micro-Reviews" (PDF). Computer Gaming World . Vol. 3, no. 1. pp. 42–43.
  10. ↑ Teverbaugh, Rick (November 1983). "Video Pinball Flips Out!". Electronic Games . Vol. 2, no. 9. pp. 48–54.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.