Dream Pinball 3D – WII – Review

That’s the same question developers face when
designing pinball games. The release of The Pinball Hall of Fame and its
stellar sequel proved that with the right engine, hardware (Wii, PS2 or PSP),
and real-world physics and mechanics, pinball can make the leap from reality
to video games.

But if one developer can pull it off, does that
mean others can as well?

At first glance, Dream Pinball 3D is a flashy
and high-tech. After taking a closer look, you’ll instantly spot the
similarities between it and the Pinball Hall of Fame series. But unlike those
famed products, Dream Pinball 3D wasn’t created with any particular pinball
table in mind. Rather, its development was driven by the world’s overall love
of pinball machines.

This led to the formation of six fantasy
pinball tables: Knight Tournament, Monsters, Aquatic, Dino Wars, Spinning
Rotors and Amber Moon. Do not confuse these tables for game modes – despite
the “tournament” and “wars” monikers, these are merely the names of tables. As
you’ll quickly discover, there aren’t any game modes to speak of – just six
tables to select and play.

No goals are provided. No missions are listed.
No rewards are announced. Upon selecting one of the tables, the game loads and
you’re off to flipper land. You can tap the minus button to get an extremely
long list of paragraphs, each of which outlines certain elements of the game
(multi-balls, point bonuses, etc.). But like the real game of pinball, you’re
not expected to achieve anything. You can come and go at your leisure.

If that’s what you’re looking for, Dream
Pinball 3D might seem like the perfect game. But if you wanted more of a
video game experience, with goals, challenges, and a significant reward
for completing them, this isn’t the game to get.

However, there are other things to consider.
Though there are six different tables, most gamers won’t be able to tell the
difference. The visuals between them are only slightly different (and look
very grainy and washed out on a high-def TV). Each table’s layout is extremely
similar. You have ramps and rails flowing through the sides and middle of each
table; quirky (and often annoying) sound effects; walls and floor points to
highlight; and other pinball table trademarks. Upon moving from one table to
the next, you don’t really get the sense that you’re taking on another
challenge. Instead, it feels like you’re playing a rehash of the table you
just finished.

And what is the definition of “finished”
anyway? To most gamers, it’s when the “mission complete” message appears. But
without any specific goals in mind, you won’t get any such message.

Mechanically, Dream Pinball 3D isn’t half-bad.
If the Pinball Hall of Fame didn’t exist, this would be the closest a game has
come to emulating a real pinball machine. In spite of that accomplishment, the
mechanics are still very flawed. Flipper animations are limited to just two
frames – the stationary position and the upward position. From the start, this
makes the game feel very cheap. Worse yet, the ball doesn’t feel right.
Whether normal or enhanced with some additional property (such as marble or
steel), Dream Pinball 3D plays like a knock-off – not like a real pinball
machine.

Seven different camera angles are offered, all
of which try to impersonate those featured in the Pinball Hall of Fame titles.
Some follow your ball wherever it goes – others stay put in a wide-angle view.

hAt all times, players can get a score update
by glancing at the bottom left corner of the screen. Score details appear
there throughout the entire game. And yet, if you press the B button, the game
awkwardly tilts upward to show you the scoring details – the same scoring
details – displayed on the top of the pinball table. Not only is this
completely useless, but by tilting the camera upward, you won’t be able to see
where your ball is moving across the table.

Unfortunately, you probably won’t care. Without
an ultimate goal in mind, you won’t be urged to continue. And with boring
tables and annoying sound effects, you’ll be glad you don’t have to.