Cheap Microsoft Pinball Arcade (Software) (Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows Me) Price

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Customer Reviews of Microsoft Pinball Arcade

The ball physics is very poor, and the animation was way too choppy (I have a fast machine, and the other pinball games played much more smoothly). I found myself instantly frustrated with the lack of control I had over the ball and gave up playing it after just an hour.

I'm a pinball fan, and spent the last couple of months buying pinball games and trying them out. Microsoft Pinball arcade scores near the bottom of the list. If you want a great pinball game, get "Pro Pinball: Timeshock" instead. "Addiction Pinball" was also pretty good, and "Full Tilt 2" wasn't bad, but all of them beat this lame program hands down.

Bottom line: I had high hopes for Microsoft Pinball Arcade, and it let me down. Big time.

As Real as it gets.
Along with the Pro Pinball series, This may be the best pinball simulation available for the PC.

However, where the Pro Pinball series of games only contain one table, and are typically modeled after 90's era machines. None of the Pro Pinball machines ever existed.

Microsoft, however brings us 7 machines in Pinball Arcade that ACTUALLY existed.

Now for those young folks to whom "Video Modes", Ramps, and complex scoring schemes, are blase' you may find that this collection isn't for you.

However for those of us born in the 60's or earlier, or Electro-Magnetic Pinball junkies you won't find a more enjoyable collection.

The sounds and action on each of the tables is shockingly realistic. In many cases, I forget I'm not playing an actual machine.

From the 30's, Baffle ball is actually a precursor to pinball. Like the little pinball games of your childhood, the object is not to "keep" the ball in play, but by using proper force on the plunger and nudging, try to maximize your score for 10 balls.

From the 40's, Humpty Dumpty, looks more traditional, but the object still is not to keep the ball in play, but rather use the "flippers to direct the ball to higher scoring regions. This game has most of the recognizable features of pinball but again emphesis is on positioning the ball, not keeping it in play.

From the 50's Knockout is a cute machine with a neat boxing ring in the center. The object to knockdown your opponent as many times as you can. Here the flippers are in the traditional orientation, but there is a "bar" at the mammoth exit hole that gives you virtual invunerability for a time. Once a certain score is achieved for the ball, the bar drops, and your ability to keep the ball in play for an extended time is very limited.

From the 60's Pinball now has most of the components many of us recognize. Thumper Bumpers, Rollovers, roll over buttons. Slick Chick does not have any side exits, but makes up for that with a farily wide center hole, and an insidious "gobble hole" in the center of the playing field.

From the 70's, Spirit of 76 is the archtypical 70's era pinball machine. The flippers have grown to be larger and more powerful. A trio of Thumper Bumpers in the center really can accelerate the ball. 8 Knockdown targets and multiple rollovers exist. The sound effects on this table are spot on, and is easily my favorite.

From the 80's Haunted House. In reality, this table was extra wide sporting two pairs of flippers at the bottom. The table was the first to incorporate a 3 level design with an "upstairs", Main Floor, and "Basement" beneath the main table seen through clear plexiglass on the main table. It was also one of the first machines to use LED's for scoring. This game is fun, but the need to have an unobstructed view of the "basement" makes the table feel bare, as all the scoring opportunities are on the perimeter of the table

From the 90's, Cue Ball Wizard is the typical chatterbox Pinball machine with ramps, elevated ball "tubes" and very complex scoring modes, designed to force the player to aim his shots. Unlike earlier tables, it's not just keeping the ball in play, but getting through all the modes that get's the Big Points.

As this game was developed in 1998, there should be no problem getting the game to run smothly on a current machine. All these tables are rather challenging and can lead to rather short games. It's a shame that you don't have configuration menu that allows you to set number of balls per game, and replay scores, as you would be able to do owning a REAL pinball machine. However, it seems here that Microsoft here is attempting to simulate how it is to play these machines in an Arcade, even down to the point of having you insert money into the machines to play.

Real Pinball machines can cost thousands of dollars, and especially older machines, often have worn out components that are hard to find or replace.

Microsoft Pinball gives you 7 accurate pinball machines in your PC, and you never have to worry about replacing a light bulb, or Flipper relay.

Microsoft Gets One Right
I began playing pinball back in the 1960s and always liked the Gottlieb machines the best. Microsoft has done a fantastic job of simulating these games, right down to the glare off the glass and the sounds of the EM components coming to life. No detail has been overlooked. The flippers even make that electric buzzing noise if you hold down the buttons. Incredible!

Game play is smooth and realistic. There are a few quirks -- the ramp shot on Cue Ball Wizard is almost impossible with the left flipper and the machines tilt too easily, but these are minor complaints. If you don't have a lot of space, this game is a perfect way to have a bunch of pinball machines in your basement.

My only complaint is that the CD has such a limited number of games. With the exception of Knock Out, the early designs are interesting from a historical perspective, but not that much fun to play repeatedly. I'd like to see a "Best of Gottlieb" CD with about fifty more games from the Golden Era of pinball.

I'd also like to see the same quality applied to some of the old games produced by Chicago Coin, Bally, and Williams. A lot of the old pinball games are disappearing and it would be nice to see them preserved for posterity. New generations should get the chance to play games like El Dorado and 8-Ball Deluxe!

And why stop there?

I'd love to see Microsoft recreate some of the golden oldies with the same attention to detail. Games like Jet Rocket, S.A.M.I., Stunt Pilot, or Bally's old soccer game would be a blast.

But with that said, hats off to Microsoft for putting out a top notch CD.

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