Galactic Pinball

Last updated

Galactic Pinball
Galactic pinball.jpg
Developer(s) Intelligent Systems [1]
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Designer(s) Kenji Yamamoto (Director) [2]
Gunpei Yokoi (General Manager) [3] [2]
Composer(s) Kenji Yamamoto [2]
Masaru Tajima [2]
Platform(s) Virtual Boy
Release
  • JP: July 21, 1995
  • NA: August 14, 1995 [4]
Genre(s) Pinball
Mode(s) Single-player

Galactic Pinball [lower-alpha 1] is a pinball video game for Nintendo's Virtual Boy game console. The game was released on July 21, 1995 in Japan and on August 14, 1995 in the United States. It is set in the Milky Way galaxy, and has players maneuvering a puck around one of four pinball tables available in the game. The Virtual Boy's standard red-and-black color scheme resulted in criticism of this and other games on the platform for causing nausea, headaches, and eye strain. It uses parallax, which allows the game to display three-dimensional effects. It has received a mixed reception; it was praised for its authenticity, while reception to its physics and controls were mixed. It has received criticism for its lack of ambition and originality.

Contents

Gameplay and premise

Gameplay image of Galactic Pinball. The game is designed with red and black visuals. VB Galactic Pinball.png
Gameplay image of Galactic Pinball. The game is designed with red and black visuals.

Galactic Pinball is set in the Milky Way galaxy, and tells the story of the discovery of a new, strange world. [5] At the title screen, players can choose from four pinball tables: Cosmic, Colony, UFO, and Alien. Players can choose to look at the top scores. [5] The Cosmic table features a cameo from Metroid where players control protagonist Samus Aran's ship. [4] Players are given five pucks, which players must keep going by using the flippers to hit it upward. [5] The goal is to accumulate points and avoid allowing the puck to drop to the bottom of the table. [5] The game begins with players shooting a puck into the table by holding the A button to launch it with a plunger. The longer the button is held, the harder the puck is launched. Players can also push a button to shake the in-game table, though if it is used too often, the flippers will be disabled and the puck will fall. [5] There are various bonuses that players can experience during play. Some tables allow players to activate a "Bonus Roulette wheel", and some will allow them to get bonus points by collecting letters that spell the table's name. Bonus points will be awarded when a puck drops out of play, which varies depending on how long a puck was in play. Each table features a bonus puck to find. [5] Players can collect stars, and upon collecting enough of them, they will be able to choose to go to a Bonus Stage or collect bonus points instead. [5]

Development

The development of Galactic Pinball was managed by Gunpei Yokoi, who created the Virtual Boy. [3] [2] It was directed by Kenji Yamamoto, who composed the sound alongside Masaru Tajima. [2] It was shown during the Virtual Boy's debut alongside Teleroboxer . [6] It has been called at varying points as Space Pinball, Virtual Pinball, and Pinball VB. [7] [8] [9] It was one of the launch games for the Virtual Boy, and was released on July 21, 1995 in Japan and on August 14, 1995 in the United States. [4] Like all Virtual Boy games, Galactic Pinball uses a red-and-black color scheme and parallax visuals to simulate three-dimensional depth. [10]

Reception

Galactic Pinball has received a mixed reception. Before its release, GamePro speculated that it might be "one of the best pinball games around." [11] On release, Weekly Famicom Tsūshin scored the game a 24 out of 40, [12] while GamePro reviewer Slo Mo praised the diversity of tables, responsive controls, and innovative 3D stage design. [13] Writer Jeremy Parish called it a quality pinball game for its time and felt that it would have been a better pack-in title than Mario's Tennis . [14] An editor for IGN called it one of the best Virtual Boy games for its pinball gameplay and visual design. [3] Retro Gamer 's Nick Thorpe felt that it was less popular than other Virtual Boy games, but deserved to be played. [15] Outlets including Videogames and Retro Gamer praised it for its authenticity as a pinball game. Specific praises include its physics and sound design. [16] [17] A retrospective feature by Australian video game talk show Good Game praised its authenticity, but felt that it lacked ambition. [10] VentureBeat writer Jeff Grubb was more negative on Galactic Pinball, calling it a bad Virtual Boy game due to being low effort as a pinball game. [18] Galactic Pinball was reviewed by two GameFan editors, both of whom were not enthused with it. The first reviewer found it forgettable for people not interested in pinball games, while the other suggested avoiding it. [19] Allgame disliked Galactic Pinball, feeling that the slow pace and unrealistic physics hurt it as a pinball experience. [20]

Outlets such as Electronic Entertainment and Nintendo Power praised the 3D design, the latter voting it the fourth best Virtual Boy game of 1995 due in part to the limited use of 3D. [21] [22] A reviewer for Nintendo Power however criticized the limited 3D as well as a lack of a battery save for high scores. [23] PC Magazine 's Benj Edwards included it among his list of seven "forgotten Nintendo Virtual Boy classics." He cites Yokoi's interest in the Virtual Boy's black space as a way to convey "infinite space behind the playfield," and speculates that this was the origin of Galactic Pinball. [24] A writer for Electronic Gaming Monthly found the level design excellent but that the flippers were too slow to respond. [25] Kill Screen writer Jon Irwin similarly criticized its physics, stating that slowdown occurred whenever the puck approached the flippers. He felt that the action and physics were better in the Space Pinball demo than the final release. [26] Next Generation was critical of Galactic Pinball due to poor lasting value. [27] Tim Stevens for Engadget criticized the sound effects, in particular the lack of sound for the puck. He speculated that it was due to the digital voice work taking up too much room on the cartridge. [28]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: ギャラクティックピンボール, Hepburn: Gyarakutikku Pinbōru

Related Research Articles

<i>Sonic Spinball</i> 1993 pinball video game

Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball, also known as Sonic Spinball, is a 1993 pinball video game developed by Sega Technical Institute and published by Sega. It is a spinoff of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog, who must stop Doctor Robotnik from enslaving the population in a giant pinball-like mechanism. The game is set in a series of pinball machine-like environments with Sonic acting as the pinball.

<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>Kirbys Pinball Land</i> 1993 video game

Kirby's Pinball Land is a 1993 pinball video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. It was HAL Laboratory's third pinball video game after the MSX and NES title Rollerball and the Game Boy title Revenge of the 'Gator. It was also the first spin-off and second Game Boy title in the Kirby series, as well as the second pinball video game Nintendo published after the NES title Pinball. The game was rereleased on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console service in July 2012.

<i>Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire</i> 2003 video game

Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire is a 2003 pinball game developed by Jupiter and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console. It was first revealed at E3 2003. The North American release was done to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the North American release of Pokémon Red and Blue. It is based on Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, and is a sequel to Pokémon Pinball for the Game Boy Color. In some ways, it plays like a traditional pinball game, where the objective is to get a high score by keeping the ball in play as long as possible and hitting bumpers. In keeping with the theme of Pokémon, it features Pokémon collection, where while the players play pinball, they must also capture the eponymous creatures.

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

Pinball Dreams is a pinball simulation video game developed by Digital Illusions and originally released for the Amiga in 1992. It spawned several sequels, including Pinball Fantasies and Pinball Illusions. The MS-DOS port was digitally released by Rebellion Developments along with its sequel and Pinball Mania on February 22, 2011 on GOG.com with support for Microsoft Windows. It received an OS X build on April 23, 2013; and a Linux build on August 19, 2014.

<i>Pinball</i> (1984 video game) 1984 video game

Pinball is a pinball video game developed by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is based on a Game & Watch unit of the same name, and was first released for the Famicom in Japan in 1984. It was later released as an arcade game for the Nintendo VS. System in Japan and North America in 1984. In 1985, it was a launch game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America.

<i>Star Wars</i> video games Video games based on the Star Wars franchise

Over one hundred video games based on the Star Wars franchise have been released, dating back to some of the earliest home consoles. Some are based directly on films while others rely heavily on the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

<i>Metroid Prime Pinball</i> 2005 video game

Metroid Prime Pinball is a pinball video game themed after the Metroid series. The game uses the graphical style and various story elements from Metroid Prime. It was developed by Fuse Games and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS in North America and Australia in 2005, in Japan in 2006, and in Europe in 2007. Metroid Prime Pinball uses the basic mechanics of pinball, along with typical pinball items. New mechanics are introduced, such as wall jumping and the ability to fire weapons. The Nintendo DS's touchscreen can be nudged with a finger to alter the pinball's trajectory while in motion.

<i>Sonic Pinball Party</i> 2003 video game

Sonic Pinball Party is a video game released for the Game Boy Advance in 2003. It is a celebration of sorts for Sonic Team featuring many references to its previous games, mostly prominently Sonic the Hedgehog, Nights into Dreams, and Samba De Amigo. There was also a release on a Twin Pack cartridge bundled with Sonic Battle and Sonic Advance respectively in 2005.

<i>Alien Crush</i> 1988 video game

Alien Crush is a pinball video game developed by Compile for the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16. It was released in 1988. The game is the first installment in the Crush Pinball series. It was followed by three sequels, Devil's Crush, Jaki Crush, and Alien Crush Returns. Alien Crush was later rereleased on the Virtual Console and on the PlayStation Network.

<i>The Pinball of the Dead</i> 2002 video game

The Pinball of the Dead is a pinball video game developed by Sega's Wow Entertainment division and published by Sega in Japan and THQ in North America. It was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2002 and 2003. Based on Sega's The House of the Dead series of light gun games, particularly The House of the Dead and The House of the Dead 2, the game contains three tables and includes a "Challenge" mode. Full-motion video sequences and audio samples from previous games were also added. The game was first announced during the 2001 Nintendo Space World. Composer Hitoshi Sakimoto was involved with making the game's music.

<i>Revenge of the Gator</i> 1989 video game

Revenge of the 'Gator, known in Europe as Pinball: Revenge of the 'Gator, is an alligator-themed pinball video game developed and published by HAL Laboratory. It was released for the original Game Boy in 1989/1990. The objective of the game is to score as many points as possible without having the player's pinball eaten by the gator.

<i>Pinball FX</i> 2007 video game

Pinball FX is a pinball machine video game for the Xbox 360. It was developed by Zen Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was released on April 25, 2007 via the Xbox Live Arcade service. The game features three tables, with six more available as downloadable content, leaderboards and online multiplayer. A sequel to the game, Pinball FX 2 was released on October 27, 2010.

<i>Ruiner Pinball</i> 1995 video game

Ruiner Pinball is a 1995 pinball video game developed by High Voltage Software (HVS) and published by Atari Corporation for the Atari Jaguar. The game features two different pinball tables: the nuclear war-inspired Ruiner, and the medieval-themed Tower. Each table contains targets for the player to hit with the ball, increasing their score before the ball is lost. It was marketed as the first title to support the ProController, a redesigned Jaguar controller that added three more face buttons and two triggers.

<i>Devils Crush</i> 1990 video game

Devil's Crush is a pinball video game developed by Compile for the TurboGrafx-16 and released in 1990. The second installment in the Crush Pinball series after Alien Crush, the game has an eerie occult theme with skulls, skeletons, and demons. It was later followed by Jaki Crush and Alien Crush Returns.

<i>Jaki Crush</i> 1992 video game

Jaki Crush is a pinball video game developed by Compile and published by NAXAT Soft. Jaki Crush was released exclusively in Japan for the Super Famicom in 1992. The game is the third in the Crush Pinball series, and was preceded by Alien Crush and Devil's Crush on the TurboGrafx-16.

<i>The Little Mermaid II: Pinball Frenzy</i> 2000 video game

The Little Mermaid II: Pinball Frenzy is a 2000 pinball video game developed by Left Field Productions and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color. First released in North America on September 24, 2000, it was later made available in PAL regions on March 16, 2001.

<i>Virtual Fishing</i> 1995 video game

Virtual Fishing is a 1995 fishing video game developed by Locomotive Corporation and published by Pack-In-Video in Japan for the Virtual Boy. The player participates in a series of fishing tournaments at various different locations by catching a large number of fishes with a high average weight under a time limit. Its gameplay consists of two segments and features two additional modes of play.

<i>Virtual Bowling</i> 1995 video game

Virtual Bowling is a 1995 sports video game developed and published by Athena in Japan for the Virtual Boy. In the game, the player participates in a series of bowling tournaments consisting of four 10-frame matches at various alleys against computer-controlled opponents, in order to obtain a high score and progress further. Its gameplay, featuring three modes of play, is viewed from a first-person perspective.

References

  1. ↑ "Galactic Pinball". IGN. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Galactic Pinball". Planet Virtual Boy. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  3. 1 2 3 "IGN Retro: Virtual Boy's Best Games". IGN . 2008-01-14. p. 2. Archived from the original on July 15, 2018. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  4. 1 2 3 Frear, Dave (June 16, 2009). "Galactic Pinball Review (VB)". Nintendo Life . Archived from the original on December 2, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Galactic Pinball manual. Nintendo. p. 14. Archived from the original on September 20, 2017. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
  6. ↑ "Winter C.E.S. Special Report". Nintendo Power . No. 70. 1995-01-06. p. 29. Archived from the original on January 4, 2019. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
  7. ↑ "Virtual Boy Unveiled". Total! (37): 8. January 1995. Archived from the original on January 4, 2019. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
  8. ↑ "Virtual Boy Makes Gamers See Red". Total! (39): 8. March 1995. Archived from the original on 2015-06-11. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
  9. ↑ "1995 CES Winter Consumer Electronics Show". Electronic Gaming Monthly . 1995. Archived from the original on January 4, 2019. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
  10. 1 2 "Backwards Compatible: The Virtual Boy". Good Game . 2009-06-01. Archived from the original on July 12, 2015. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  11. ↑ "Virtual Boy Games". GamePro . September 1995. p. 17. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  12. ↑ "NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: ギャラクティックピンボール". Weekly Famicom Tsūshin . No. 347. 1995-08-11. p. 29.
  13. ↑ Slo Mo (October 1995). "ProReview Virtual Boy". GamePro . No. 85. p. 100. Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  14. ↑ Parish, Jeremy (2 January 2019). "The weird, true story of Super Metroid's Virtual Boy follow-up". Retronauts . Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  15. ↑ Thorpe, Nick (January 21, 2014). "Virtual Boy". Retro Gamer . Archived from the original on September 11, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  16. ↑ Tait, Elliot (May 23, 2010). "Galactic Pinball". Retro Gamer . Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  17. ↑ "It's a Virtual Boy!". Videogames. September 1995. p. 54. Archived from the original on 2015-06-11. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  18. ↑ Grubb, Jeff (July 9, 2018). "Virtual Boy VR emulator takes the pain out of playing those old games". VentureBeat . Archived from the original on February 11, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Virtual Boy Viewpoints". GameFan . No. 11. Archived from the original on March 6, 2018. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  20. ↑ Marriott, Scott Alan. "Galactic Pinball". Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
  21. ↑ "Virtual Boy: The Best of 1995". Nintendo Power . No. 80. January 1996. p. 5. Archived from the original on July 9, 2017. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  22. ↑ Kent, Steve (November 1995). "Virtual Boy". Electronic Entertainment. p. 144. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  23. ↑ "Galactic Pinball". Nintendo Power . No. 75. August 1995. p. 104. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  24. ↑ Edwards, Benj (February 7, 2019). "7 Forgotten Nintendo Virtual Boy Classics". PC Mag . Archived from the original on February 10, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  25. ↑ "Review Crew: Galactic Pinball". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 75. Ziff Davis. October 1995. p. 38.
  26. ↑ Irwin, Jon (3 May 2016). "Seeing Red". Kill Screen . Archived from the original on May 3, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  27. ↑ "Finals". Next Generation . No. 9. Imagine Media. September 1995. p. 93.
  28. ↑ Stevens, Tim (2011-03-21). "Nintendo Virtual Boy review". Engadget . Archived from the original on April 9, 2019. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
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.