Customer Reviews

Pac Man Pinball

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This pinball game takes elements from the PACMAN series and uses its classic theme in the form of pinball. And it all ties in well. This is video pinball at its best with some short comings. It incorporates most elements that made Pacman a classic such as collecting pellets, avoiding ghosts, collecting power-ups and chasing ghosts in the realm of a visually appealing pinball game that makes you wonder why an idea of this caliber hasn't come about sooner. The Pacman theme fits seamlessly with a pinball game. This game features a 3-dimensional pacman as the ball and characters from both Pacman and Pacman World has bumpers and triggers. It goes beyond just theming out a table with Pacman graphics, its gameplay is fused well with Pacman elements that made the original and its followings a classic.

From the launch of the ball (Pacman), the ghost are caged up for 30 seconds and bumpers are in place of the gaps to prevent
immediate loss of life as standard with pinball. Upon expiration of the "safety" period, the ghosts are released from the cage and are placed underneath your paddles and the bumpers are removed. Certain triggers upon impact will release power-ups. If these power-ups are collected by Pacman then the ghosts will turn blue and be released out onto the board, vulnerable to be eaten by Pacman. The game also features ramps and other portals that are opened up by triggers, all the elements of pinball that you come to expect plus elements that until now have been untouched.

Pellets are sporadic amongst the board in set locations. When all the pellets are eaten, you will advance one level, fruit will be released and the pellets will reset. New fruit will come availabe when you the ball (pacman) gets shot up one ramp 4 times. Each fruit progressively worth more points. Multi-ball / pacman is a lot fun as well as it is intuitive, the focus on the screen shifts to always cover the ball that's coming towards your paddles. Many pellets, points and ghosts can be had during this mode and it all adds to the excitement. These pellets can be used as currency or coins to shop at the store, which is in the house that opens up by accomplishing certain triggers and ramp quests. With this money, you can open up mini games or release elements of the game (such as fruit or ramps). Different sections of the house (main area shop, cellar and observatory) will open up with different triggers and quests, each section hosting a different mini game. The cellar hosts an all out collect pellets marathon, flip you paddles to shoot Pacman into as many pellets as you can before falling through the gap between the paddles, which will transfer you back to the regular board. Collect all pellets, and the pellets reset into a different shape on the cellar board (Pacman, ghost, circle etc). Endless fun, points and pellet credits will be acquired until you let Pacman fall through your paddles. The observatory hosts the vertical scroller, very similiar to a retro racing game, which Pacman flies through space and tries to avoid the ghosts who roam back and forth while he collects pellets and power-ups. Both mini games are both fun and intuitive. Especially the observatory game, it makes you wonder why such brilliance hasn't been thought of sooner.

Mini games add a lot of exciting to video pinball and has been the essential element to prolong excitement in console pinball games since the original "Pinball" for NES. Mini games such as being taken to cellar of the house, where you go through a series of collecting pellets and another where pacman is zapped through space to collect pellets through a dynamic vertical scroller really add to the excitement and replay value. Its very well done.


Pros: Real time physics are used, emulating an actual pinball game. Surpising for its theme yet welcomed. Such physics make for a gradual learning curve, making it harder to hit triggers and targets at first. However with some experience, the user will grasp the controls. Offers two boards to play, each board has two different color schemes. The game offers a good variety.

Cons: No high score saves. Reminiscent of back in the NES days when the gamer had to write down his scores in a notebook. There is no need for that anymore, I'm not sure why they didn't include this in the game.

No story mode, despite flawless and fun gameplay, a common feature of this genre is to add elements of a story mode and level progession. You won't find any of that here. Which is unfortunate because a game this fun could substantially increase its replay value with some story mode or level up progession, each level offering up a different board. This game could some notes from Sonic Spinball(Sega), Sonic Pinball (GBA) and the like. Video pinball on consoles has the capacity to be so much more, why limit yourself to one board and elements of real space -- video pinball demands more depth and dimension in order to succeed.

This game offers very little in the line of features. No high score board and no level of difficulty. No control menus or configurations except for muting sound efx and music. I hope they make a sequel that incorporates story mode, board progression, tournaments and more features such as a hi-score board. This game has a lot of potential to be so much more but until then I won't give it a perfect score but one that comes pretty close.

Ratings
Graphics: 4 out of 5
Sound and Music: 4 out of 5
Gameplay: 5 out of 5
Replay value: 3.5 out of 5
Mini-games, quests and side quests: 5 out of 5
Level and Board variety: 3 out of 5, more boards and story progression would help
Fun factor: 4 out of 5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Handheld Video Pinball Games With A Tracking Screen

1. Dream Pinball DS
2. Sonic Pinball GBA
3. PacMan Pinball GBA
4. Pinball Tycoon GBA
5. Kirby's Pinball GB
6. Pinball of the Dead GBA

Handheld Video Pinball Games With A Stationary Screen

1. Metroid Pinball DS
2. Mario Pinball GBA

If it were not for Metroid Pinball for it is the king of all handheld video pinball games because it has a stationary screen which more emulates the early game arcades feel of a wooden pinball machine than the tracking screen handheld video pinball games, and because it has a rumble pak, which I would give 7 out of 5 stars, I would give this game 5 stars. That is why I only give this game 4 stars.


Pac Man Pinball brings the player to a tracking screen rather than a stationary screen of a choice of two tables, the traditional PacMan themed table and a Haunted Pirate Ship screen. The Haunted Pirate Ship screen is my favourite one of the two.

There are plenty of surprises as new worlds, strange games, and strange challenges emerge in this typically labyrinthian pac man themed pinball video game. PacMan himself is the video ball and rolls around the screen attacking ghost monsters eating regular pellets and power pellets and generally bouncing and rolling around the video screen.

The music on this is not as good as the music on Sonic Pinball.