Pinball Machines have been widely used and popularized in the world of arcade games. During the early years, it was just steel balls, flippers, holes, and glass cabinet. It caught the heart of many by its art, music, physics, and the use of strategy in its gameplay. However, as the generation evolves, innovation is always a part of it. Before, pinball games were only available in machines. But as of today, you can play your virtual pinball machine in your own gaming platform.
Pinball as the Mother of Video Games
Taking a look back at the early days of video games, it was considered that pinball games have immensely attached some cultural influence on video games, especially in arcades, which we can still see up to this date.
Video games in arcade were considered as a technological innovation based on the games made prior to their development. Games like Pong and Breakout were pretty much like a pinball gameplay, which involved a virtual ball and hitting through paddle. Also, Space Invaders is more than a shooting game. Furthermore, the game Pac-Man features a maze– like when playing a pinball game, the tables were maneuvered in order to make the ball past an obstacle.
However, the emergence of video games in arcades closed some doors for the pinball gaming. Some businesses had replaced their machines into virtual games, thus, eventually drove out pinballs.
But still, there is a strong convergence between the game design of video games today and how pinball playfields were made. Boundaries are just between the interface and a simple game mechanics of slide and shoot.
Though there were lots of stories on how video games were developed, still Pinball Machines were considered as a slice of video gaming history.
Pinball Machines in Video Games
Though pinball gave rise to video games, there’s no restriction for the pinball gaming to invade the world of video games. The rapid rise of video games’ popularity made the developers create something for its nature, and the ideas for virtual pinball machines were not the least.
Pinball video games can be as good as the playing the real thing– though there were questions on where do exactly pinball stand with these gaming technology.
Having one for your console is sure to be convenient because it is portable, and you can play it comfortably from your home. And of course, there were huge numbers of pinball video games that came to life. You can play it in almost every different console. Here are some top pinball games that you might want to try:
- Full Tilt! Pinball: It seems like no one hasn’t heard yet or played the ever classic Full Tilt! Pinball. The Space Cadet pinball table is a childhood memory. It comes in every copy of Windows before. Also, it might be one of the most available pinball video game, and sure a lot of fun to play!
- Devil’s Crush: This game has eerie, horror theme with skulls, skeletons, and demons. Released in 1990, this game is not as available unlike games of today, because this was played in Turbo Grafx-16.
- Pinball FX2: Aside from the classic tables, this pinball video game features custom tables. There’s a wide range of awesome tables that you can choose from.
- Pinball Arcade: This game is one of the populars in the history of pinball video games. Also, this game is available for every platform that you know.
The Birth of Pinball Machines in Virtual Reality
In relation to the new inventions for video gaming, the industry have plunged into a deeper way of bringing games into life– the virtual reality. With this platform, it’s like a feeling of your in the world of the game itself.
Let’s say you’re running away from a herd of zombies, you are climbing mountains, flying high, or better if you are a pinball lover– you have your own pinball machine right in front of you! A lot of games have been developed and possible to be developed for the platform of virtual reality gaming, and recently, virtual pinball machines became a part of it.
The ever classic pinball machine manufacturer, Stern, has recently launched its virtual pinball game for the virtual reality console. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is included for free. Gamers can purchase Star Wars, Starship Troopers or Ripley’s Believe it or Not games for an additional of $5 or $10, depending on which game.
Stern’s Virtual Pinball Tables will bring you an authentic pinball gaming experience. The music, effects, lights, and the gameplay totally resembles a real pinball machine! You can even nudge the machine like in real life.
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