[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cunning-development-logo_8246.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''Cunning Developments'' logo]]

Silverball Studios (previously Cunning Developments, then Fuse Games) was a UK VideoGame company best known for their various [[DigitalPinballTables digital pinball games.]]

As Cunning Developments, the company received critical acclaim for their ''VideoGame/ProPinball'' line of digital pinball games for the Platform/IBMPersonalComputer. Whereas earlier computer pinball games used a scrolling top-down playfield, the ''Pro Pinball'' titles used pre-rendered views of modelled pinball tables, providing photorealistic graphics, fast action, and complex rulesets that rivaled the RealLife {{Pinball}} games of the time. After developing four ''Pro Pinball'' games, the company tried to branch into console gaming with ''Endgame'' for the Platform/PlayStation2, which was quickly ignored by critics after its release in 2002.

Out of the ashes of Cunning Developments came Fuse Games founded by ''Pro Pinball'' developers Adrian Barritt and Richard Horrocks. Seeking to show off their talents, they developed a prototype video pinball game with Creator/{{Nintendo}}'s [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros famous plumber]], then pitched it to Nintendo of America in Seattle. Nintendo was sufficiently impressed to sign the company, and their demo became ''VideoGame/MarioPinballLand''. Fuse Games went on to develop more games for Nintendo, but went into voluntary liquidation in 2009 when some of their shareholders departed.

The company reformed a month later as Silverball Studios, serving as a developer for Barnstorm Games to create titles for a variety of platforms. In 2012, the company attempted to revive the ''VideoGame/ProPinball'' series through Kickstarter, recruiting veteran pinball designer Creator/PatLawlor to develop a new table for the series. Unfortunately, the Kickstarter project failed to reach its funding goal; the studio then went into liquidation, and has been fully absorbed by Barnstorm Games.

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!!Games produced as Cunning Developments:
* The ''VideoGame/ProPinball'' series:
** ''[[VideoGame/ProPinballTheWeb Pro Pinball: The Web]]''
** ''[[VideoGame/ProPinballTimeshock Pro Pinball: Timeshock!]]''
** ''[[VideoGame/ProPinballBigRaceUSA Pro Pinball: Big Race USA]]''
** ''[[VideoGame/ProPinballFantasticJourney Pro Pinball: Fantastic Journey]]''
* ''VideoGame/{{Endgame}}'' (a light gun shooter)

!!Games produced as Fuse Games:
* ''VideoGame/MarioPinballLand''
* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimePinball''
* ''Active Health with Carol Vorderman''
* ''Pinball Pulse: The Ancients Beckon''

!!Games produced as Silverball Studios:
* ''Thomas and Friends: Hero of the Rails''
* ''Mensa Brain Test''
* ''Frogger Pinball''
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