UltraPin is a virtual pinball machine, which is to say it's not really a pinball machine at all: all the action is contained within a standard enough video game, with the cabinet and controls in otherwise authentic shape. The table itself is a big LCD display.
Something vaguely similar this was tried at the end of the pinball era, but cancelled when it wasn't immediately a massive success. The taste of sour grapes for all but the bean-counters, in other words. I can't wait for a go of this latest monster, even if it seems, on the face of it, like just another serving of overbaked nostalgia.
Those of you suspicious of the very notion should know that pinball video games, when not being garbage included for free with the operating system, are often addictive beyond all reason. Pinball Dreams, anyone?
Arcade's Next Great Machine [Cranky's]
Dammit, I wondered if someone had this idea, and apparently they have. Not like I would have ever implemented it anyway.
Speaking of virtual pinball, Pinball Hall Of Fame: The Williams Collection on Wii and Metroid Prime Pinball on the DS are two of the finest games of virtual pinball to be had. I said as much not too long ago but it bears repeating.
Also, you briefly alluded to Pinball2000, which gives me an excuse to mention Tilt: The Battle To Save Pinball, a wonderful little documentary about the team at Williams behind the system and how it came to be, and came to be shuttered. The bonus materials on the DVD are FABULOUS.
I’ve played the UltraPin at Pinball Expo in 2006. Even though I was skeptical at first, it really is fun to play. It has a great selection of Tables (although it would be even better if they offered more). The Nudge and Tilt features were great. I thought the back box portion could have been better ultilized. A very nice package though and I would definitely play if I found at a local bar or arcade (as I do regular pinballs). I don’t think it replaces a standard pin machine…it is better than nothing though.
I agree with A NEW CHALLENGER – Tilt: The Battle To Save Pinball is a fantastic DVD. Even if you are only slightly interested in pinball it is a great story of engineering, creativity, business models, and love for a product. I’ve given it to several “non-pinball” people and they enjoyed it enough to become interested in pinball.
“addictive beyond all reason”
I spent sooo much time on Atari Pinball on the 2600. Fun!
Gah – $5,000. I’ll stick with the Wii and some VPMAME for now.
It’s gotta have the thuds and smacks and bumps and ramps – the haptics – or it ain’t the same.
sigh…I love REAL pinball.
my agency has a Family Guy machine in the break room, and I love it.
I shall continue to rebuke all virtual pinball! Yes! My balls shall remain hefty and life-like!
Pinball Dreams Pinball Dreams Pinball Dreams Pinball Dreams!!
I agree with #6. There’s just something about the semi-connected feeling you get when you nail the ball at just the right time and it vibrates down through the flipper’s button. And after watching the ball arc up, it drops down onto a bumper, lowering it’s mechanism, and the score display makes the perfect thwac-thwac-thwac sound as it rapidly calculates your score.
Until a virtual pinball machine can get down the feeling and the sound, it might be fun, but it won’t be addictive.
Speaking of which .. is there any good pinball for the mac out there ?? I had some really cool ones for windows .. back in 2000 (i actually still have them but never bothered if they still run) .. especially ‘balls of steel’ was my fav … straight forward .. scroll up and down screen .. no fancy 3d antics that make things unsmooth … i would love to have something like that (and a bit more challenging and imaginative than some of those freebie apps one can find) … anyone any idea ?
I’ll see your Pinball Dreams and raise you a Pinball Fantasies.
No, this isn’t vaguely like Pinball 2000, the combo video + pinball that Williams did near the end of their manufacturing of pinball.
Pinball 2000 had a real ball and real targets with real physics, some of the targets of which interacted very well with the video based presentation.
Pinball 2000 was not a failure in the market, it was simply not successful enough for Williams to continue to pursue it *instead* of their slot gaming business. Which makes sense, slot based gaming rakes in the dough and is a shitload easier to maintain.
This?
This is nothing more than a video game. Likely, a very good video game, but it is definitely *not* pinball and definitely not akin to Pinball 2000.
If you’re ever in Vegas, you should check out the Pinball Hall of Fame and Museum on E. Tropicana. Not only can you come see classic old pibnalls, but you can play them too (at their original prices!). The perfect remedy to a boring convention or an early poker tournament bust-out.
http://www.pinballmuseum.org/
Not too mention… the death of pinball has been greatly exaggerated.
Stern is making some awesome machines these days, with most units being sold directly into home use.
Stern even has some of the superstar Williams/Bally designers on board!
@12: With you there, but you can’t play them all at their original prices. Some of the more rare machines cost quite a bit more than a quarter to play. Still a must-see for any pinball fan!
I added some flippers, ball launch, and tilt controls to my MAME cabinet a while back on a whim, and now find myself booting up VPMAME to play Creature From The Black Lagoon and Addams Family about 10 times more often than I boot up MAME itself…
The Pinball Hall Of Fame and Museum notably has one of the only Williams’ Pinball Circus machines in existence– I think there are two, they never reached full scale production. I have no idea how fun it is to play but the thing is a total spectacle to behold (even in videos, which is the only way I’ve seen it to date.)
As I understand it this uses Visual Pinball and Pinmame as it’s basis so if you can make do without the cabinet you can save yourself $5k right there…