12DOVE Verdict
Pros
- +
A sleek
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stylish
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unusual game of pinball
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Audiovisual presentation hits a home run
- +
The high score makes a glorious return!
Cons
- -
More boards
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please.
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Limited touch screen support
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Dense design makes it easy to lose track of the ball
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If arcades were still packed with games like Metroid Prime Pinball, we’d all be spending a lot more time at the mall. The idea of series heroine Samus Aran trapped in morph ball mode, ricocheting across a pinball table seems totally asinine. But somehow it works, and most everything that makes the standout Prime series shine is represented here. The game even comes bundled with a new Rumble Pak to provide a small but crucial sampling of the tactile glee classic pinball machines have.
The presentation may be beautiful, but the guts are always the same: multilayered tables filled with bumpers, flippers, ramps ... nothing you haven’t seen already. What makes these tables special is the successful recreation of the layered, organic feeling the GameCube Metroid adventure games enjoy, complete with sound effects and music that bring back their best moments. As soon as you hit the title screen and hear the familiar opening theme, you'll understand how closely developer Fuse has managed to replicate Samus' more vigorous outings.
More info
| Genre | Arcade |
| Description | Though you may smack your forehead in confusion, the moody atmosphere of the console games has found an excellent tabletop home. |
| Platform | "DS" |
| US censor rating | "Everyone" |
| UK censor rating | "" |
| Release date | 1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK) |
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