Line #10 VideoGame/PinballDreams


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pinball-dreams-logo_5670.jpg]]
2
3	''Pinball Dreams'' is the name for a series of [[DigitalPinballTables digital pinball games]] originally written for the Commodore Platform/{{Amiga}}. Published by 21st Century Entertainment, they were developed by DICE (Digital Illusions Creative Entertainment), an Amiga {{Demoscene}} team who later went on to create ''VideoGame/MirrorsEdge'' and the ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield}}'' series.
4
5	Unlike many digital pinball games, the tables in the series avoided VideoGame-only features, striving instead to create games that could conceivably be built in RealLife. This illusion was maintained down to the playfield, which included screws and plates where appropriate. The games utilized a vertical-scrolling screen to follow the action, since the screen could not show the entire playfield at once. The games were praised for their fast action, realistic physics, and memorable music, and helped establish Digital Interactive as a serious software firm.
6
7	----
8	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pinball-dreams_4339.jpg]]
9
10	The first game in the series is '''''Pinball Dreams'''''. It was originally released in March 1992 for the Platform/{{Amiga}}, but proved to be a runaway hit, resulting in versions being released on Platform/{{IBM Personal Computer}}s, the Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem, the Platform/GameBoyAdvance, and Creator/{{Sega}} Platform/GameGear.
11
12	It has subsequently been ported to Platform/PlayStationNetwork, Platform/MacOS X and [[UsefulNotes/IOSGames iOS devices]] by Cowboy Rodeo as both "Pinball Dreams" and "Pinball Dreams HD" (using a three-quarters view).
13
14	''Pinball Dreams'' came with four tables:
15	* "Ignition"
16	* "Steel Wheel"
17	* "Beat Box"
18	* "Nightmare"/"Graveyard" (the name on the menu was "Nightmare", but the playfield has "Graveyard")
19
20	In 1995, ''Pinball Dreams 2'' was released by 21st Century Entertainment. It was developed by Spidersoft (who did the Platform/IBMPersonalComputer ports) and was only available for the IBM PC.
21	* "Neptune"
22	* "Safari"
23	* "Revenge of the Robot Warriors"
24	* "Stall Turn"
25
26	----
27	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pinball_fantasies_3803.jpg]]
28
29	A sequel, '''''Pinball Fantasies''''', came out in December of the same year. It was originally released in late 1992 for the Platform/{{Amiga}} and [=CD32=], with versions later ported to the Platform/{{IBM Personal Computer}}s, Platform/SuperNES, Platform/GameBoy, Platform/AtariJaguar, and Platform/PlayStation. It has subsequently been ported to [[UsefulNotes/IOSGames iOS devices]] and Platform/PlayStationNetwork by Cowboy Rodeo as both "Pinball Fantasies" and "Pinball Fantasies HD" (using a three-quarters view).
30
31	''Pinball Fantasies'' came with four tables:
32	* "Party Land"
33	* "Speed Devils"
34	* "Billion Dollar Gameshow"
35	* "Stones 'N Bones"
36
37	''Fantasies'' is improved both technically and graphically than its predecessor, with larger/taller playfields, support for additional flippers, and more advanced animations. Unfortunately, the Amiga version [[ChristmasRushed was released with numerous bugs]], though they were fixed in subsequent versions.
38
39	In 2002, Ubisoft released ''Pinball Challenge Deluxe'' for the Nintendo Platform/GameBoyAdvance, a collection of of all eight tables from ''Pinball Dreams'' and ''Pinball Fantasies.''
40
41	----
42	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pinball-illusions_7719.jpg]]
43
44	'''''Pinball Illusions''''' was the third game in the series, and was released in 1995 for the Platform/{{Amiga}}. A port for the Platform/IBMPersonalComputer (on floppy disk and CD-ROM) came out a year later, with "The Vikings" included on the CD-ROM version.
45
46	''Pinball Illusions'' came with the following tables:
47	* "Law 'n Justice"
48	* "Babewatch"
49	* "Extreme Sports"
50	* "The Vikings" (CD-ROM and ports only)
51
52	Although the general game design remained the same as its predecessors, the tables in ''Illusions'' had more complex designs, and finally offered support for multiball play. "The Vikings" was originally developed by DICE, but finished by [=FrontLine=].
53
54	The game was later ported to the Platform/PlayStation and Platform/SegaSaturn as ''True Pinball'', with all four tables and a pseudo-3D perspective.
55
56	----
57	!!''Pinball Dreams'' (and its sequels) demonstrate the following tropes:
58
59	* AcePilot: Seen on the "Stall Turn" playfield.
60	* AlternateCompanyEquivalent:
61	** "Steel Wheels" uses the same playfield layout as Creator/WilliamsElectronics ''Bad Cats''.
62	** "Beat Box" uses a similar playfield layout as Creator/WilliamsElectronics' ''Pinball/TheMachineBrideOfPinbot''.
63	** The playfield for "Nightmare"/"Graveyard" is taken directly from Creator/WilliamsElectronics' ''Pinball/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' [[http://imgur.com/r/pinball/a11Jz (as shown here)]]
64	* AmusementPark: "Party Land" takes place in one.
65	* BoobsAndButtPose: Done by one of the girls on "Babewatch".
66	* {{Bowdlerise}}: The Platform/SuperNES version of "Nightmare" removed the crosses from the tombstones.
67	* CaptainErsatz: No, that's ''[[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial totally]]'' not [[Anime/{{Appleseed}} Briareos and Deunan]] on the ''Law 'n Justice'' board of ''Pinball Illusions''.
68	%%* {{Combos}}
69	* CreepyCemetery: The "Graveyard"/"Nightmare" table.
70	* {{Fanservice}}:
71	** "Babewatch" has the requisite beach bunnies on the playfield.
72	** "Revenge of the Robot Warriors" has a large-busted girl wearing a one-piece swimsuit while [[GunsAkimbo holding two large guns]].
73	* FauxFirstPerson3D: Done with ''True Pinball'' and the "HD" versions of ''Dreams'' and ''Fantasies''.
74	* GameShowWinningsCap: Averted with "Billion Dollar Gameshow". Even if you win the maximum prize -[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOntheTin one billion dollars]], er, points-, you can continue playing as long as you've balls remaining.
75	* GunsAkimbo: Done by the girl in "Revenge of the Robot Warriors".
76	* HonorAmongThieves: Played with; many Amiga software pirate groups promised to not crack or release''Pinball Dreams'' out of respect for Digital Interactive's roots in the demoscene area. It was eventually cracked by a group called Fairlight, though with the message "A GAME WORTH PLAYING IS A GAME WORTH BUYING!" added on their boot screen.
77	* MermaidProblem: Averted in "Neptune", as the mermaid on the playfield has clearly-delineated buttocks.
78	* {{Mockumentary}}: Invoked by some of the tables, most notably "Law 'n Justice" (an {{Expy}} of ''Franchise/RoboCop'').
79	* MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily: The robots in "Revenge of the Robot Warriors".
80	* NintendoHard: Some of the boards, such as "Nightmare" and "Party Land"
81	* PinballScoring:
82	** ''Pinball Fantasies'' caps out at a ''trillion'' minus ten. The record stands at around 44 trillion.
83	** Inverted with the Game Gear version of ''Pinball Dreams'', which reduced all scores by a factor of 100.
84	* RepetitiveName: The Super NES version of ''Pinball Dreams'' was published in Japan under the name "Pinball Pinball".
85	%%* SkillShot
86	%%* SpellingBonus
87	%%* TopDownView

Context VideoGame / PinballDreams