Creating a video pinball game is tricky. Do it right, though, and you'll have a huge following. Farsight Studios achieved this years ago with Pinball Hall of Fame: The Gottlieb Collection for PS2, Xbox and GameCube, recreating several classic pinball tables right down to the interactive dot matrix screens. Now it's back with another visit to the Hall of Fame, this one dedicated to a more current Williams Collection for the Nintendo Wii and Sony PSP. Surprisingly, it's even better.
Upon starting the game, you visit an old-school arcade, resembling a mom and pop locale from the '80s. You'll be able to browse through 10 different Williams tables including Taxi, Gorgar, Space Shuttle, Funhouse, Sorcerer, Jive Time, Pin-Bot, Firepower, Black Knight and Whirlwind. A few of the games are unlocked so you can play them endlessly. Others, however, require quarters, but you'll have plenty on hand. Each table has a set of goals to complete, including skill shots and jackpots. Unlocking them earns you more credits, along with other features including deactivating tilting (which freezes the table) and using customized pinballs.
The Gorgar table. "MMMM! MMMM HMMMM!"
Along with casual play for up to four players, Williams Collection also offers various tournament options, including multi-table challenges. Sadly, the scoreboards don't support Wi-Fi Connection, but you can still compete against other local pinball enthusiasts for bragging rights. Nostalgic pinball fans can also view promotional flyers for each game, seeing how Williams advertised them to arcade dealers.
Thanks to great controls, the game feels like you're playing on the actual tables, right down to the super-accurate ball physics and the very reactive flippers. The Wii version also utilizes mild hand-shaking actions to tilt the table, although they may be a little too sensitive. One of our younger players jumped up and down in excitement during one session and accidentally tilted their game.
Farsight also deserves praise for recreating each table in a virtual manner. These look and sound just like the real machines. Taxi's table is an impressive sight, with twisting ramps and a spinner chute sitting in the corner, which lets you build up a heavy point count with a skill shot. The Funhouse table features an interactive host named Buddy who sits in the middle of the table, watching your ball as it rolls around. His commentary is also hilarious, especially when you strike his head with the pinball. ("I thought we were pals.") The background ambience is awesome as well, made up of old-school sound effects from other games and cheesy rock music (which, thankfully, can be turned off). You can also tinker with various camera options, so you can view each table any way you see fit.
Williams Collection's 10 tables give you lots to do. but the game would've really been something with just a few more tables and extras. Pin-Bot made the cut, but why didn't High-Speed? Where's F-14 Tomcat and Earthshaker? We certainly hope they show up in a future Collection. Also, the customized pinballs tend to blend into the table's surroundings.
Never mind these mild complaints. Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection is a superb retro collection that must be played, even if you've never touched an old-school pinball machine in your life. Drop $20 or $30 and get ready to flip out.
Related Links
Pinball Hall of Fame: Williams Collection Wii Game Guide
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