I remember me land lubber days as a child with as much fondness as the mist clingin’ to the shores o’ beautiful England. Before me home was pillaged by the original Dread Pirate Roberts, I would always hobble to me favorite arcade to play a bit of pinball. Ah the lights, the pings, and me effort to move the giant table around were all a part o’ me youth. As fer now, I cannot bring the pinball machine I put in me cave to the ship as the rockin’ o the ocean makes it seem like I be cheatin’. Thankfully, I can take Monster Pinball HD, which is a pretty good app to pick up.
The Gameplay: Pinballing with a Twist
Though pinball is iconic on its own, there are some things that can be improved upon. Of course, there’s no beating the feel of the machine between your hands and hearing the sharp tings with each metal ball bouncing off the machine walls. Monster Pinball can’t replicate that nostalgic feel, but it does something a bit better with the concept. You see, while other pinball simulators constrain themselves to the same nostalgia of old school looks, this game takes free reign in design.
Each table has its own unique layout, with bumpers and paths differing from each other in a major way. At the same time, the gameplay is offbeat, and the table design lends itself to support it. Falling through the little slit at the bottom of the table does not mean you lose; it just means you move on to the lower table, and shooting for the whole at the top of the screen transfer you to a new one. The game almost feels like you’re exploring a bit. And that addition in design makes a huge difference in gameplay. Often, you start scoring across tables, as opposed to the limitations of just one.
The Look
Even though pinball is restricted to the confines of the table, it doesn’t stop this game from showing off some pretty wild table design. Every time you make the leap from one table to another, you are treated to a uniquely designed and pretty playground to work with.
All of those tables are also designed with new challenges as you go along. In glorious HD and with the help of a larger screen, the game becomes beautiful. The whole game feels like a frantic dance between control and scoring, and it works really well. Controls are tight, but that’s not a huge point in the game’s favor as you only control the panels anyway.
The Verdict
This title isn’t just another Pinball game; it redefines what pinball games on the iPad should be. Boasting a uniquely designed mechanic of table switching, coupled with pretty aesthetics and HD support, this game becomes a must have. It’s actually quite funny that an arcade game from the earliest days of gaming is starting to evolve and become relevant. Pick up an iPad or iPhone 5 and download this game – it is worth it, trust me.
