Our Favorite "Video Pinball" Games

[HDN]

I don't often have the opportunity to play pinball in the wild. They aren't to common, and I often don't have any quarters on hand to play them. I do have my tabletop, and that's fun and all, but not close to the real thing. Physical pinball is a blast, but oftentimes I'm only stuck with "video" pinball games. These aren't just different versions of Atari's arcade game, rather pinball games you play on a screen instead of a physical table. You can play these games on a console, a handheld, PC, a digital pinball table, or something like that.

I think that there are a lot of good pinball video games. I feel games that simulate real tables are fun and all, but they aren't as fun as the real thing and a bit of a missed opportunity in my opinion. I feel the best pinball video games are ones that take the whole "video game" idea and run with it. It's cool when these games have crazy tables that aren't physically possible to reproduce in real life!

So, here are some of my favorites. What are some of yours? I know I am missing a few games that I would like to add, but I want to leave some left for you!

Kirby's Pinball Land (Game Boy)

Pinball: Revenge of the Gator (Game Boy)

Sonic Spinball (Genesis)

Pinball (Intellivision)

[CrossBow]

Well for classic consoles the one that was played a LOT in my house was easily Midnight Magic on the 2600. However, without question my favorite video pinball games would have to be  Pinball Fantasies (Especially Stones 'n Bones table) and Epic Pinball for the PC. Although Pin Fantasies was played much more in my house and I still fire them up today.

Forgot to add that I also frequently will load up either Alien Crush on my TurboDUO or Dragon's Fury on my Genesis. 

I also really liked Flip Nic for the PS2 when it was released and played the heck outta that, but I haven't played that in some time. Flip Nic is totally a fantasy pinball simulator that would NOT be possible on actual hardware due to the physics or lack thereoff it uses.

More modern pin simulators that I frequently fire up are many of the tables available in Pinball FX3 on the PS4. I owned them originally on the PS3 and was able to transfer those over to the PS4. I don't own all the tables for that series but I do like the Tesla and Mars tables quite a bit.

 

Edited October 28, 2020 by CrossBow

[RickR]

You guys have some great ones listed.

One I would add is "Pokémon Pinball" for Gameboy color.  The cartridge incorporates a rumble pack, and that gives is a little more realism. 

[TrekMD]

Some of my favorites...

Atari 2600 - Midnight Magic

Atari Lynx - Pinball Jam

Atari Jaguar - Ruiner Pinball

[Gianna]

I've only ever played pinball in person. I haven't seen a pinball machine in forever! Midnight Magic looks quite neat. 

[DegasElite]

15 minutes ago, Gianna said:

I've only ever played pinball in person. I haven't seen a pinball machine in forever! Midnight Magic looks quite neat. 

It does at that. I have four copies of Midnight Magic for the A2600 with different label variations. Great game.

I like playing Midnight Magic and Video Pinball for the A2600, David's Midnight Magic for the XEGS, and Pinball Jam for the Lynx. I have all of these games except for Pinball Jam, but I have played Pinball Jam before. It's pretty cool. :O)

Edited October 29, 2020 by DegasElite

[Atari 5200 Guy]

Video pinball?  Gee...where do I start?  Pin*Not on the NES was a personal favorite but I could have done without all the extras.  I have a few tables for Pinball Arcade on my tablet including Bride of Pin*Bot, my favorite, and Pin*Bot. For the OG XBOX I have the Gottleb Hall of Fame and for the 360 I have the Williams Hall of Fame. IMHO I prefer the Williams collection over the other but both are good and offer a large variety of tables to enjoy.

[DegasElite]

I also forgot. I don't have Pinball Fantasies and Ruiner Pinball for the Jaguar either, but would love to collect them. So, including Pinball Jam for the Lynx, that is three Atari pinball games I don't have yet. :O)

Edited November 9, 2020 by DegasElite

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I have a PC pinball game that I've never opened made by the same people that made Ruiner Pinball.  I also forgot to mention the Epic MegaGames' pinball games.  I had the Android table and bought the Silverball pack that came out later.  I loved those pinball games and I believe they also made one for PlayStation but I forget the name of it.  There were some on Saturn but I don't remembers if I played those.

Edited November 9, 2020 by Atari 5200 Guy
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[Atari 5200 Guy]

Here you go!  These are the pinball games I remember most.  But I was under the impression Silver all came after Epic Pinball on PC.  Wiki says otherwise.

Nova table was my favorite.