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Joystiq visits: The Pinball Hall of Fame
click for entire pinball-licious gallery! var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/A_Visit_to_The_Pinball_Hall_of_Fame_TONS_of_PICS'; Vegas isn't just a mecca for gambling, strip clubs and CES -- it's also the home of the Pinball Hall of Fame, situated a couple of miles off the strip. Although once you walk through these hallowed halls of gaming past, it's hard to figure out why a place like this isn't showcased in the middle of Mandalay Bay or in a sparkletronic gaming rotunda inside the Bellagio.That's because Tim Arnold and the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club have made this a non-profit labor of love. They aren't interested in razzle-dazzle showmanship or a high-priced entry fee -- which is why you can enter for free anytime they're open and play one of their 141 pinball machines for a couple of quarters. Joystiq took some time off during this year's CES to visit to the place, and we only left because they wouldn't let us stay overnight. The sheer amount of pinball games they have on display is staggering, including some extremely rare games like The Pinball Circus and Gottleib's two-player, head-to-head Challenger pinball machine.Check out the highlights of our visit after the break, and make it a point to stop by the place if you're ever in Sin City. It's the most fun you can have without blowing your entire bankroll. Gallery: Pinball Hall of Fame
VC Friday: Resistance is futile
EX-TERM-IN-ATE! EX-TERM-IN-ATE! Wait, no, those are the other ones. But whatever. The point is: after hearing nothing about Space Invaders Get Even! for months, the game has randomly appeared on the European and Australian Wii Shops. We are unashamedly jigging with joy as we type this. And the extra-terrestial goodness doesn't stop there, for Alien Crush Returns has also joined the line-up. Needless to say, we wholeheartedly welcome our new rulers (of all our spare time). The other game is Brain Challenge. Sorry, Brain Challenge. Alien Crush Returns -- WiiWare -- 800 Nintendo Points Brain Challenge -- WiiWare -- 1000 Nintendo Points Space Invaders Get Even! -- WiiWare -- 500 Nintendo Points %Gallery-25384%
XBLA's Pinball FX getting Street Fighter theme
Zen Studios has announced a hyper uppercut to its addictive XBLA release, Pinball FX, with a new table dedicated to Street Fighter. The Super Street Fighter II Turbo table is the pinball game's fourth expansion, and is expected to be available for purchase on November 12. No price for the download has been revealed, though we hope that neither Zen nor Capcom expect us to pay more than the 200 points normally asked for these tables, simply for the prestige that comes from rolling balls across Ryu's face.%Gallery-36271%
Wii Fanboy Review: Alien Crush Returns
I've been a huge fan of Naxat Soft's Alien Crush and other Crush games since they came out. It's no exaggeration to say that the availability of Alien Crush on the Virtual Console factored into my decision to purchase a Wii. When Hudson revealed plans for a 3D WiiWare update of Alien Crush, it definitely captured my attention. Alien Crush Returns, it turns out, is much more than an update: it is a direct sequel to Alien Crush, and a very different game. While the new version doesn't outshine the original, there's certainly more of it. And it finally brings online leaderboards to the series -- along with direct online competition! %Gallery-19346%
Wii Warm Up: Flipping out
We're very excited about Alien Crush Returns, because, as you've noticed, we're all about the Turbografx-16 original and its pseudo-sequel, Devil's Crush. We need some more time to learn to love Jaki Crush, but we're definitely fans of that one too. But just because we're insane-o-crazy about this series doesn't mean we're avowed video pinball fanatics. For the most part, outside of Naxat's excellent games, we're unmoved by simulated pinball.Are you a fan of pinball games? If so, are you also a fan of the noisy, clattering, awesome real thing? Also, what's your opinion of Crüe Ball?%Gallery-19346%
Alien Crush Returns, Bomberman Blast to make American debut at PAX
Tycho and Gabe, as well as all those other game companies, must be feeling pretty insecure right now, because they're all going to be upstaged by a humble WiiWare game. Or, at least, that would be the case if this year's Penny Arcade Expo were being attended exclusively by a crowd of weirdos just like us, because Hudson will have Alien Crush Returns and Bomberman Blast on display at their booth. This will be the first official public appearance in North America by either of these games!Fishing Master World Tour and the already-released Deca Sports will also be on display. And Alien Crush Returns! Did we mention that one?%Gallery-19346%%Gallery-18349%[Via press release]
North America soon to join in on the Alien Crushing
If you thought Hudson was done announcing WiiWare games, you were dead wrong. In fact, Bomberman Blast was just a warmup for the real WiiWare announcement, which we all knew was coming, but we're elated to see: Alien Crush Returns is coming to North America! A few new screens came with the announcement, which you can find in our gallery. Chris Kohler's impressions of today's Japanese release suggest that this news is, in fact, a good thing. According to the press release, "Alien Crush Returns is the only pinball game for WiiWare that lets gamers compete head to head online." It also happens to be the only pinball game for WiiWare. As with Bomberman Blast (and Star Soldier R), Hudson will host periodic online tournaments, starting with one near the unspecified launch period. %Gallery-19346% [Via press release]
Alien Crush: new screens before it returns to Japan
Just one day before the Japanese release of Hudson's Alien Crush Returns, we're treated to new screens of the remake/sequel of the glorious Turbografx-16 pinball game. The one above appears to be one of the new boss levels (briefly seen in the trailer), in which you fire pinballs at a grotesque alien rictus. Also highlighted: the two-player versus mode -- which is based on score and time, as far as we can tell, and not simultaneous multiplayer, but we doubt it, because that sounds amazingly insane -- interfering with each other's shots, sharing flippers, and generally just having a frustrating old time. Just knowing that a new Crush pinball game is being released tomorrow somewhere makes the world seem like a happier, warmer place. %Gallery-19346%
Alien Crush Returns to Australia
PAL regions got the first official release of the amazing pinball game Alien Crush just last year via the Virtual Console. According to the OFLC, the new WiiWare version is Australia-bound as well. Not to be too presumptuous, but this suggests a worldwide release as well. We never doubted that Hudson would make Alien Crush Returns available around the world, but it's nice to have some evidence. Also rated: Tetris Party and something called Pit Crew Panic, another Hudson Wii game. We have no idea what that is -- some kind of racing-related thing, sure, but ... could it really be a whole game about replacing tires and such? %Gallery-19346% [Via Siliconera]
New methods of crushing aliens
The WiiWare sequel to Alien Crush is officially the hottest thing ever, even though we're not entirely keen on the new 3D look -- and even though we prefer Devil's Crush to Alien Crush. Among the many reasons it's super hot (reason the first: DUDE ALIEN CRUSH RETURNS) are the new ball upgrades. Reverse Ball allows you to instantly send the ball back the way it was moving. Split Ball enables multiball on the field. Boost Ball boosts the speed of the ball. Strangely, these new "Action Balls" will be available as DLC. We don't know if they're otherwise unlockable, or if they'll be paid DLC or just time-released. They aren't the only Crush DLC, either -- new stages for the game's Story Mode will be available as downloads. %Gallery-19346%
Oxygen to release Powershot Pinball at the end of this month
Pinball fanatics, your time has come to enjoy a bit of pinball on the go. Actually, you already can if you have Metroid Prime Pinball, but there aren't many other pinball games for use on the DS. Oxygen hopes that the prospect of creating your own tables and sharing them with friends (locally). We think the other selection of features is also interesting (sabotage mode, especially). After checking out the video, be sure to head into our gallery for some screens.The game is currently set for release on March 28th in the UK.%Gallery-18271%
Virtually Overlooked: Jaki Crush
Welcome to our weekly feature, Virtually Overlooked, wherein we talk about games that aren't on the Virtual Console yet, but should be. Call it a retro-speculative.Whenever possible, I like to freak out on the Internet about how awesome Naxat Soft's Crush series of pinball games is. Alien Crush and Devil's Crush are not only the best pinball games ever made for a not-pinball-machine, they also happen to be the best games on the Virtual Console (I am allowed to have opinions!) When we gave away a bundle of VC games, I made sure that Devil's Crush was part of the bundle.Jaki Crush is another one of those. It's another Crush game. That's really the only motivation I need to freak out.
Dream Pinball with not-so-dreamy art
Previously, we were only able to see one table of SouthPeak Interactive's Dream Pinball 3D. Our dreams usually have much more pinball than that -- like, say, three tables. Sure, they may be startlingly generic-looking pinball tables, but our love for the jangliest genre of gaming is such that we're willing to withhold judgment on the quality of the game until we can see, hear, and bump for ourselves.Although, we admit, it's pretty hard to withhold judgment when we are faced with that Spinning Rotors backglass, with its WordArt logo and guy-jumping-at-bird design. And what's the deal with the title? Is the guy supposed to have rotors, or the bird?%Gallery-13367%[Via GamesPress]
Dream a little dream of pinball
Sure, the kinds of things that usually come to mind when we think about the Wii's motion controls are shooting and fighting, or maybe dancing around like loons. But as soon as someone whispered, "hey, man, pinball," in our little ears, we thought .... well, yeah. We could do that. You could hold the remote and nunchuk just as though you were at a machine, and if there's nothing to kick, well, hire a friend to stand nearby or just move the table over for those moments of frustration. These shots of Dream Pinball 3D aren't the best looking things we've ever seen, but what we're interested in now is seeing it in motion. The title promises great ball physics, and isn't that what really matters? We've played some pretty shady pinball machines in our day, all boobs and hobbits, and the backdrop only mattered so far as how it affected the game. We'll be keeping an eye on this one, because if done well, it could be worth a play or three.%Gallery-13337%[Via Press Release]
Pinball Dreams has balls of gold, sharks of orange
Shmups aren't the only underrepresented genre on Nintendo's handheld -- the high score whores among us have yet to be treated to a truly killer pinball experience, unless you count Metroid Prime Pinball (bland table design) or Flipper Critters (too distracted with trying to tell a story) as "truly killer." Which we don't. Sorry, fans of those titles.SouthPeak's Pinball Dreams is the latest attempt to fill the flipper-shaped hole in our hearts. Due to also appear on the Wii and PC, the game sports six tables, plus the option of playing with marble, oak, ivory or gold balls; serious questions, that require serious answers, no doubt.The single shot we've received so far is ... not bad. Acceptable. We're a little unsure about the choice to squash the action into just one screen, but we'll refrain from judging too much until we see more of the game. Pretty sure sharks aren't orange, though. FYI, SouthPeak.
Virtually Overlooked: Time Cruise
Welcome to our weekly feature, Virtually Overlooked, wherein we talk about games that aren't on the Virtual Console yet, but should be. Call it a retro-speculative.If you've read Wii Fanboy for any amount of time, you know that we appreciate Turbografx-16 pinball games. It's pretty likely that if you glance at the site at any random moment, you'll see the words Devil's and Crush somewhere on the screen, usually under a "JC Fletcher" byline. The pinball games more than justify the system, especially now that you don't need a Turbografx-16 system to play them. As awesome as it is to have two great TG16 pinball games on the Virtual Console, it would be more awesome to have three. Obviously. Time Cruise is the elusive, lesser-known Turbografx-16 pinball game.
Flat screens modded into art installation pinball machine
El rei de la casa, meaning "the king of the house" in Spanish, is a video game exhibition being shown in Barcelona, Spain. The aim of the exhibition is to highlight the mainstream media's misrepresentation of the internet and all its evils©, and what better way to dispel these daily falsehoods than by putting together a pinball machine with a couple of LCDs mounted flat? There's even a "Prey of the Net!" level, where kids avoid losing control by aiming the virtual ball at a browser bar. Just make sure to hit the power-up surely contained in that blue E![Via MAKE]
Live Top Ten: Plenty o' Pinball
Last week saw some demolition to the Live Top Ten list with the Command and Conquer 3 demo shaking up the top three. This week, the same thing happens, but it's out of left field with Pinball FX, which incidentally was also the top downloaded Arcade title as well, popping into third, behind Gears of War and Rainbow Six Vegas. All of which are followed by Guitar Hero II and the C&C3 demo. Call of Duty 3 moves down to sixth, while GRAW 2 stays put, Crackdown moves up to eighth. 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures proves it has some staying power by pulling off second to last, with Oblivion rounding off the list at tenth. Full list available after the break.
DS pinball with a twist
So maybe you love a good game of pinball. Really, who doesn't? The good, clean, flip-flappin' fun of pinball can be so exhilarating. But what if the power to create that experience was in the palm of your hand? Wouldn't that make you like a happy-funtime god?Okay, okay, so we're a little melodramatic. The slow news day bring it out. Here's the deal: Powershot Pinball Constructor is a chance for any pinball lover to realize their most cruel and creative dreams. Players create every aspect of their custom tables and then share them via this series of tubes we call home. And hey, if you're not ready for the ultimate pinball creation challenge, you can just play. No pressure. Oxygen Games says their Powershot Pinball Constructor is scheduled for this summer, though they're unspecific as to which region. Oxygen Games is based in the U.K., so we assume they mean Europe.
Pepsi taps into today's culture with ... pinball?
So let's get this straight. Coca-cola, looking for inspiration for a high-profile ad, apes Grand Theft Auto, a best-selling series that has inspired countless knock-offs and holds incredible relevance in today's pop culture landscape. Pepsi, on the other hand, creates a TV ad based on pinball, a once-popular arcade staple that has declined over the decades to the point where only one company in the world is still making tables. At this rate, we can expect RC Cola to come out with an ad based on bagatelle any day now.
