Line #74 VideoGame/ThePinballArcade


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pinball_arcade.png]]
2
3	''[[http://www.pinballarcade.com The Pinball Arcade]]'' is a [[DigitalPinballTables digital pinball game]] by [=FarSight=] Studios, a successor to their earlier ''Pinball Hall of Fame'' titles. Unlike most digital pinball games which feature original tables, ''The Pinball Arcade'' is a platform for downloading and playing emulated versions of famous PhysicalPinballTables from [[Creator/MidwayGames Bally]], Creator/{{Gottlieb}}[[note]]Either David G. or Alvin G.[[/note]], Creator/SternPinball, Creator/WilliamsElectronics, Creator/{{Sega}},[[note]]Released under Stern Pinball[[/note]] and Creator/DataEast.[[note]]Also released under Stern Pinball[[/note]] Each one comes with a full set of rules, production trivia, and operator controls; players' scores are shared for online leaderboards and tournaments.
4
5	The predecessor titles were ''Pinball Hall of Fame: The Gottlieb Collection'' (2004) and ''Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection'' (2008). These were developed by [=FarSight=] and released by various publishers for MediaNotes/{{the sixth generation of console\|VideoGames}}s, (Platform/NintendoGameCube, Platform/{{PlayStation 2}}, Microsoft Platform/{{Xbox}}) and Nintendo's Platform/{{Wii}}. As the names suggest, each title was a collection of six to twelve simulated pinball machines from [[Creator/{{Gottlieb}} Gottlieb & Co.]] and Creator/WilliamsElectronics, and included unlockable features, table histories, and achievements.
6
7	''The Pinball Arcade'' was first released for Platform/{{iOS}} and Platform/{{Android}} mobile devices in 2012 with four titles available: ''Pinball/TalesOfTheArabianNights'' (Williams), ''Pinball/BlackHole'' (Gottlieb), ''Pinball/RipleysBelieveItOrNot'' (Stern Pinball), and ''Pinball/TheatreOfMagic'' (Bally). Additional versions for Platform/XboxLiveArcade, Platform/PlayStationNetwork, [[Platform/AppleMacintosh OS X]], Platform/MicrosoftWindows (on Platform/{{Steam}}), Platform/WiiU, Platform/NintendoSwitch, and Amazon Kindle were released afterward. Versions for the Platform/Nintendo3DS and [[Platform/{{UNIX}} Linux]] have been planned, but as of May 2016, they seem to be in DevelopmentHell.
8
9	If you're living outside the US, however, don't expect to be able to find the game in your country's Platform/XboxLiveArcade or Platform/PlayStationNetwork--it's NoExportForYou in some markets where said online stores are concerned. Thankfully, the PC, [=iOS=] and Android versions are truly available worldwide.
10
11	Pinball tables are rendered as real-time 3D models, allowing for dynamic camera changes to follow the action. And while the game uses a common framework to play the tables, [=FarSight=] uses the actual physical machines for reference, tweaking the behavior of each emulated title to more closely match the real thing. ''The Pinball Arcade'' allows all tables to be played for free up to the game's lowest high score. As a further enticement, [=FarSight=] also makes one table free to play each month, supported by advertisements.
12
13	Almost all of the digitally recreated tables are available for all versions of ''The Pinball Arcade''.[[note]]The planned Platform/Nintendo3DS version only featured non-emulated electro-mechanical tables and tables using numeric displays and early alphanumeric displays and would have been released under a different title; the Xbox 360 version had the newest releases delayed due to the publisher's bankruptcy in 2012. In 2013, both the DLC and the game was delisted from said version, and was finally re-released on May 11, 2015 with nearly all tables ever released up to that point.[[/note]]
14
15	In December 2015, a spin-off titled ''Stern Pinball Arcade'' was released. A collaborative effort between [=FarSight=] and Creator/SternPinball, it provides digital versions of Stern's library from 2000 to the present.
16
17	On May 7, 2018, [=FarSight=] Studios [[https://www.facebook.com/pinballarcade/posts/1791386990882353 released an official press release]] stating that their contract for the Williams and Bally tables was not offered an extension; the rights to these tables are now officially held by VideoGame/ZenPinball [[https://youtu.be/I8jF4Zff5jE (announced on September 4, 2018)]]. As of July 1, 2018, all tables previously released under the Williams and Bally labels are no longer available for ''The Pinball Arcade''. The Platform/NintendoSwitch version, having been released around the time of [=FarSight=]'s announcement, is limited to tables from the Gottlieb and Stern lineages.
18
19	Not to be confused with ''VideoGame/MicrosoftPinballArcade'', released in 1998 for PC and 2001 for Game Boy Color. Coincidentally, both games feature ''Haunted House'' and ''Cue Ball Wizard'', both of which are Gottlieb titles.
20
21	----
22	!!The following pinball tables are available (or have been announced) for ''The Pinball Arcade'' (in alphabetical order):
23	[[index]]
24	* ''Al's Garage Band Goes on Tour''
25	* ''Big Buck Hunter Pro''[[note]]Switch version of Stern Pack #3 unavailable[[/note]]
26	* ''Big Shot''
27	* ''Pinball/BlackHole''
28	* ''Pinball/BoneBusters''
29	* ''Cactus Jack's''
30	* ''Pinball/Centigrade37''
31	* ''Central Park''
32	* ''Class of 1812''
33	* ''Pinball/CueBallWizard''
34	* ''Doctor Who: Master of Time''[[/index]][[note]]An UpdatedRerelease of [[index]]''Pinball/DoctorWho''[[/note]]
35	* ''Pinball/ElDorado'' (Original EM table and ''City of Gold'')
36	* ''Pinball/Flight2000''
37	* ''Frank Thomas' Big Hurt''
38	* ''Pinball/{{Genie}}''
39	* ''[[Pinball/{{Ghostbusters}} Ghostbusters Premium]]''
40	* ''Pinball/{{Gladiators}}''
41	* ''Goin' Nuts''
42	* ''[[Pinball/HarleyDavidson Harley Davidson 3rd Edition]]''
43	* ''[[Pinball/HauntedHouse Haunted House/Ghostbusters]]''
44	* ''Pinball/HighRollerCasino''
45	* ''Jacks Open''
46	* ''Pinball/LastActionHero''
47	* ''[[Pinball/LightsCameraAction Lights... Camera... Action!]]''
48	* ''Pinball/MaryShelleysFrankenstein''
49	* ''[[Pinball/MustangStern Mustang Premium]]''
50	* ''Pinball/ThePhantomOfTheOpera''
51	* ''Pistol Poker''
52	* ''Pinball/{{Rescue 911}}''
53	* ''Pinball/RipleysBelieveItOrNot''
54	* ''Pinball/StarshipTroopers''
55	* ''[[Pinball/StarTrekStern Star Trek Vengeance Premium]]''
56	* ''Pinball/TeedOff''
57	* ''Pinball/TXSector''
58	* ''Pinball/{{Victory}}''
59	* ''Pinball/WhoaNellieBigJuicyMelons'' [[note]]Switch version of Stern Pack 3 unavailable[[/note]]
60	* ''Wipe Out''
61	[[/index]]
62	----
63	!!The following tables were originally featured for ''The Pinball Arcade'', but are no longer available due to the expiration of any licenses[[note]]but can still be re-downloaded by those who purchased their copies beforehand[[/note]]:
64	[[index]]
65	* ''Pinball/{{ACDC}}''
66	* ''Pinball/TheAddamsFamily''
67	* ''Pinball/AttackFromMars''
68	* ''Pinball/BanzaiRun''
69	* ''Pinball/BlackKnight'' and ''Black Knight 2000''
70	* ''Pinball/BlackRose''
71	* ''Pinball/BramStokersDracula''
72	* ''Pinball/CactusCanyon''
73	* ''Pinball/{{Centaur}}''
74	* ''Pinball/TheChampionPub''
75	* ''Pinball/CirqusVoltaire''
76	* ''Pinball/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon''
77	* ''Pinball/{{Cyclone}}''
78	* ''Pinball/{{Diner}}''
79	* ''Pinball/DoctorWho''
80	* ''Pinball/DrDude''
81	* ''Pinball/{{Earthshaker}}''
82	* ''[[Pinball/EightBall Eight Ball Deluxe]]''
83	* ''Pinball/ElviraAndThePartyMonsters''
84	* ''Pinball/F14Tomcat''
85	* ''Pinball/{{Fathom}}''
86	* ''Pinball/{{Fireball}}''
87	* ''Pinball/{{Firepower}}'' and ''Firepower II''
88	* ''Pinball/FishTales''
89	* ''Pinball/FunHouse1990''
90	* ''Pinball/{{Gorgar}}''
91	* ''Pinball/HighSpeed'' and ''Pinball/TheGetawayHighSpeed2''
92	* ''Pinball/{{Hurricane}}''
93	* ''Pinball/Indianapolis500''
94	* ''[[Pinball/{{Jackbot}} Jack*Bot]]''
95	* ''Pinball/{{JunkYard}}''
96	* ''Pinball/JudgeDredd''
97	* ''[[Pinball/TheMachineBrideOfPinBot The Machine: Bride of Pin*Bot]]''
98	* ''Pinball/MedievalMadness''
99	* ''Pinball/MonsterBash''
100	* ''Pinball/NoFearDangerousSports''
101	* ''Pinball/NoGoodGofers''
102	* ''{{Pinball/Paragon}}''
103	* ''Pinball/ThePartyZone''
104	* ''[[Pinball/PinBot Pin*Bot]]''
105	* ''[[Pinball/RedandTedsRoadShow Red & Ted's Road Show]]''
106	* ''Pinball/SafeCracker''
107	* ''Pinball/ScaredStiff''
108	* ''Pinball/{{Sorcerer}}''
109	* ''Pinball/SpaceShuttle''
110	* ''Spanish Eyes''
111	* ''Pinball/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''
112	* ''Swords Of Fury''
113	* ''Pinball/TalesOfTheArabianNights''
114	* ''Pinball/{{Taxi}}''
115	* ''Pinball/Terminator2JudgmentDay''
116	* ''Pinball/TheatreOfMagic''
117	* ''Pinball/TwilightZone''
118	* ''Wild Card''
119	* ''Pinball/{{Whirlwind}}''
120	* ''Pinball/WhiteWater''
121	* ''Pinball/WhoDunnit1995''
122	* ''[[Pinball/WorldCupSoccer World Champion Soccer]]''[[note]]Renamed from ''World Cup Soccer'' due to licensing issues.[[/note]]
123	* ''Pinball/{{Xenon}}''
124	[[/index]]
125	----
126	!!The following tables are available (or have been announced) for ''Stern Pinball Arcade'':
127	[[index]]
128	* ''[[Pinball/{{ACDC}} AC/DC Premium]]''[[note]]Digitally delisted as of June 30, 2019[[/note]]
129	* ''[[Pinball/{{Ghostbusters}} Ghostbusters Premium]]''
130	* ''[[Pinball/HarleyDavidson Harley Davidson 3rd Edition]]''
131	* ''Pinball/HighRollerCasino''
132	* ''Pinball/LastActionHero''
133	* ''Pinball/MaryShelleysFrankenstein''
134	* ''[[Pinball/MustangStern Mustang Premium]]''
135	* ''Pinball/ThePhantomOfTheOpera''
136	* ''Pinball/RipleysBelieveItOrNot''
137	* ''Pinball/StarshipTroopers''
138	* ''[[Pinball/StarTrekStern Star Trek Vengeance Premium]]''
139	[[/index]]
140	----
141	!!The following pinball tables are available previously on the ''Gottlieb'' and ''Williams Collection'' releases, but have not been made available for ''The Pinball Arcade'' (in alphabetical order):
142	[[index]]
143	* ''Ace High''
144	* ''Jive Time''
145	* ''Playboy'' (Bagatelle table featuring cards)
146	* ''Strikes N Spares''
147	* Two novelty games, ''Love Meter'' and ''Zoltan''
148	[[/index]]

Context VideoGame / ThePinballArcade