Pinball Dreaming: Pinball Dreams Review

Late last year Cowboy Rodeo released it’s iPhone port of the Amiga classic Pinball Dreams. Redubbed Pinball Dreaming: Pinball Dreams, the iPhone game set out to re-capture the fun and feel of the Amiga original while sacrificing none of the casual simplicity that iPhone gaming has become known for.

With the blessing of the original developers, the team at Cowboy Rodeo treated their port as a true restoration of the original. Working from the original code they ensured that every last bit of Dreams classic physics and memorable table design made the transition. From the world of early 90′s computers to the world of 21st century handhelds, not a moment of the action was lost. The sounds, the sights, and most importantly the gameplay remain intact. Fans of the original Pinball Dreams are going to find a lot to love here. It’s a perfect pocket trip down memory lane.

But what about gamers new to the Pinball Dreams series? Is there enough here to keep new audiences captivated, or is Pinball Dreams a game that can only be enjoyed through rose-colored glasses?

The answer to that is positive, albeit a tad mixed. Any gamer, young or old, that enjoys simulated pinball will find something of value in this title — but it is a title from 1992. That means that all of the bells and whistles that you may have come to expect from modern pinball simulations simply aren’t there. Interactive set pieces, flashing lights, and giant production numbers that you might find in a real world pinball table just won’t be found here like they will be in some of Dreams modern competition. Look past that though, and you’re getting one of the best values for simulated pinball on the iPhone.

Pinball Dreaming: Pinball Dreams features four distinctly different tables with different themes. Ignition takes you into the world of space exploration. Steel Wheels is a train journey through the old west. Beat Box has you involved in the world of club music. Nightmare is a spooky jaunt through a graveyard. While all four tables play pretty differently and can lay claims to originality, it seems as though some classic real world tables have played influence into their design. The one that most clearly jumps out at pinball enthusiasts would be Ignition, a table that seems inspired both in theme and playfield to the Williams classic Firepower. “Inspired” really is the key word here. Nothing feels like it’s a blatant rip off of something popular on the market. It all comes across as a loving homage, and it’s a good thing.

The heart of the action — the actual pinball — plays exactly like you’d want it to play. The flippers are controlled by simply tapping on the side of the screen the flipper is on. You can shoot the ball by tapping the plunger. You can tilt by shaking the iPhone. As mentioned earlier, the physics are about as dead on as a 2D pinball simulation can get. For a pinball fan, playing Pinball Dreams is a delight.

Dreams even offers a widescreen alternative by simply turning your device to the widescreen position, forcing the game to scroll rather than displaying the whole thing at once. Some gamers will actually prefer the scrolling motion to seeing the whole table at once (myself included) as it creates the illusion of faster action.

That’s not to say this title isn’t without it’s flaws though. Outside of the core game there are a fews twists and tweaks that could use some serious improvement. While the main menu selection offers a very sleek presentation, it also neglects to tell you that clicking on the title will bring up the “help” screen. Without information from that help screen, you’ll find yourself at a serious loss when you’re attempting to do even the most basic navigation in between games. If you want to access the options you’ll need to tap the right corner of the screen. If you want to quit and return to the main menu you’ll need to tap on the left. The hidden help screen on the main menu is the only way to learn this. Even entering your initials for the high score becomes a confusing mess without guidance. Making some of these things visible should be a simple fix, and we’d love to see one employed in a future update.

Despite some poor decisions in menu management, Pinball Dreaming: Pinball Dreams offers an unbeatable value for iPhone-wielding pinball fanatics by including four tables in the same package. The simpler tables of yesteryear may not hold the same appeal for everyone, but if you enjoy pinball less for it’s flash and more for it’s substance, this one’s a no brainer.

Pinball Dreaming: Pinball Dreams is available on the iTunes App Store for $5.99.

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