ESPN Pinball Will Please Old-School Fans and IPhone-toting Gamers Alike
- By Barbara Mae
- Published 12/28/2011
- Sports
- Unrated
Are you looking for a sports game to play on your iPhone 4? If so, you want to find something that takes advantage of the iPhone 4’s new features – fast processor, improved screen resolution, etc. How about a game of pinball?
If you think that pinball is too old-school to challenge the best of what iPhone 4 has to offer, then you haven’t tried ESPN Pinball. This is a pinball game for a new generation, with improvements and extras that may make old-timers question if they’ve ever really played pinball before.
The first improvement that the player will see when ESPN Pinball fires up is the crisp and colorful retina-display graphics. The homepage and menu screen is a study in chrome that glistens and shines better than the real thing. In contrast to the arcade games of days gone by, this newer version is like Pinball 2.0 -- sparks and other bits and pieces fly when the ball smashes into another object on the table. Then at other times, the pinball becomes super-charged with fire or starts to shoot out bolts of lightening towards everything within fireing distance.
ESPN Pinball features three different gaming tables: Basketball, Soccer and World Cup. Well, two really, because the third isn't available until the player racks up at least 100,000 points. (Hey, at least it’s not an in-app purchase.) Each of the tables are truly amazing to look at, and considerably more decorative than most other pinball games – especially in
comparison to other pinball apps on the iPhone.
Each of the tables has special features that make it unique. When using the basketball table, gamers can earn the highest number of points when making a basket by knocking the ball up a ramp and through the hoop at the top. While the soccer table is actually a double-decker machine, with an extra set of controls at the top.
Speaking of controls, the controls in this app are easily understandable to everyone who's ever played a pinball game on an iPhone or iPod touch: the left side of the screen controls the left paddle, and the right side controls the right paddle. In a simulation of real life, you start the game by launching the ball. To do this, just pull down on the spring found at the right side of the pinball table.
ESPN Pinball still has a few other bells and whistles up its sleeve. Such as, all the tables have a "turbine." Use it to trap the ball and then start tapping. This will super-charge the pinball to give it more power so that you can get more points.
The game comes with a pretty wide assortment of options. Players can play single-player pinball or turn it into a multi-player game. Gamers are also encouraged to create a profile so they can enter favorite teams or link the app to their Facebook accounts and compare top scores with their friends.
Both long-time pinball players and sports-loving ESPN fans are sure to like this game. It has a good design that, while not exactly traditional, is perfectly suited to the device you want to play it on – your iPhone 4.
If you think that pinball is too old-school to challenge the best of what iPhone 4 has to offer, then you haven’t tried ESPN Pinball. This is a pinball game for a new generation, with improvements and extras that may make old-timers question if they’ve ever really played pinball before.
The first improvement that the player will see when ESPN Pinball fires up is the crisp and colorful retina-display graphics. The homepage and menu screen is a study in chrome that glistens and shines better than the real thing. In contrast to the arcade games of days gone by, this newer version is like Pinball 2.0 -- sparks and other bits and pieces fly when the ball smashes into another object on the table. Then at other times, the pinball becomes super-charged with fire or starts to shoot out bolts of lightening towards everything within fireing distance.
ESPN Pinball features three different gaming tables: Basketball, Soccer and World Cup. Well, two really, because the third isn't available until the player racks up at least 100,000 points. (Hey, at least it’s not an in-app purchase.) Each of the tables are truly amazing to look at, and considerably more decorative than most other pinball games – especially in
Each of the tables has special features that make it unique. When using the basketball table, gamers can earn the highest number of points when making a basket by knocking the ball up a ramp and through the hoop at the top. While the soccer table is actually a double-decker machine, with an extra set of controls at the top.
Speaking of controls, the controls in this app are easily understandable to everyone who's ever played a pinball game on an iPhone or iPod touch: the left side of the screen controls the left paddle, and the right side controls the right paddle. In a simulation of real life, you start the game by launching the ball. To do this, just pull down on the spring found at the right side of the pinball table.
ESPN Pinball still has a few other bells and whistles up its sleeve. Such as, all the tables have a "turbine." Use it to trap the ball and then start tapping. This will super-charge the pinball to give it more power so that you can get more points.
The game comes with a pretty wide assortment of options. Players can play single-player pinball or turn it into a multi-player game. Gamers are also encouraged to create a profile so they can enter favorite teams or link the app to their Facebook accounts and compare top scores with their friends.
Both long-time pinball players and sports-loving ESPN fans are sure to like this game. It has a good design that, while not exactly traditional, is perfectly suited to the device you want to play it on – your iPhone 4.
Barbara Mae
Don't waste your money on inferior iPhone applications! Read the expert reviews at AppCraver.com, your resource for the best pinball games and other top apps for iPad and iPod touch.
View all articles by Barbara Mae