A review of Pinball Spire

Platform: Microsoft Windows

Developer: Apparition Games

Genres: Action game, Simulation video game, Adventure

Engine: Unity

Publisher: Freedom! Family Alabama LLC

Initial release date: March 20, 2024

I appreciate thorough pinball simulations, which allow me to explore rare, real-world tables. However, having grown up playing Alien Crush, Devil’s Crush, Dragon’s Revenge, and Sonic Spinball, I like it when game creators take liberties with the sport. Each of the aforementioned titles allows you to move your orb over a network of connected playfields rather than a single table. That’s also how Pinball Spire operates.

You play as Pip, Spire’s sentient, wide-eyed ball. When examining the game’s eponymous tower, which has unexpectedly appeared in the middle of the forest, he stumbles into a pit filled with lifeless spheres in this pinball prison. But with some skill, patience, and a series of three attainable powers, Pip might be able to scale the huge battlement and meet the bright red eye peering from the pinnacle.

Becoming a Wizard Through Abilities.

Apparition Games’ medieval-styled zones incorporate all the normal features seen on most modern pinball tables, like bumpers, kickbacks, and wavy lanes, and the game is billed as a “pinballvania”. However, the game’s several playfields feature novelties such as enormous gears and whirling plinko cogs, which you may manipulate. Pip’s progress is typically based on careening into targets or acquiring gems. When this happens, you will open a gate that leads to the next area. Occasionally, save points track your progress on a journey that will take between three and six hours, depending on your level of flipper skill.

Apparition Games’ medieval-styled zones incorporate all the normal features seen on most modern pinball tables, like bumpers, kickbacks, and wavy lanes, and the game is billed as a “pinballvania”. However, the game’s several playfields feature novelties such as enormous gears and whirling plinko cogs, which you may manipulate. Pip’s progress is typically based on careening into targets or acquiring gems. When this happens, you will open a gate that leads to the next area. Occasionally, save points track your progress on a journey that will take between three and six hours, depending on your level of flipper skill.

Loss Can Be Exhausting

A decent amount of novelties are available in the majority of the game’s chambers. But sometimes, when you have to hit some of the hardest targets, frustration can surface. Pip may manage to get past the flippers while you’re doing this, which might make Spire feel almost unreal at times as you clamber back up the spire. Another issue could be the lengthy battle that lasted more than twenty minutes at the final showdown. Epic conflicts are fun. However, doing the same thing over and over might get tiresome.

Even though I had a great time with Spire for the first hour, it eventually wore off. The campaign is sadly linear, despite a few side missions that award players with cosmetic goodies. I had anticipated more investigation given the description of “pinballmania,” and branching routes would have been a nice addition. In other places, it appears that pushing the ball is a basic feature of practically every pinball game. Unfortunately, Pip’s mobility cannot be directly controlled, which could have reduced the annoyance on occasion.

Review Overview

Gameplay: 81%

Controls: 78%

Aesthetics: 84%

Content: 75%

Accessibility: 80%

Value: 79%

Overall: 79%

GOOD

Summary: “Pinball Spire” enhances the original pinball concept by incorporating aspects of platforming and puzzle solving. Players must negotiate difficult, brilliantly crafted levels, requiring quick reflexes and clever thought to succeed. The game’s distinct artistic design makes each level visually appealing, yet difficulty spikes and occasional control difficulties may irritate some players. While the content could be more varied, “Pinball Spire” is still an intriguing and satisfying experience, particularly for aficionados of imaginative arcade-style gaming. Overall, it’s an excellent addition to the genre, providing both challenge and charm.