3D Pinball: Space Cadet

"Three...two...one...BLAST OFF!"

When we received our second computer from my uncle, it already had this game installed. I thought it looked interesting, so I played it once. After playing it once, I thought it was so fun, I played it for 5 hours straight. When I told my brothers about the game, they played it, and couldn't stop as well. Even my grandma enjoyed playing it (she also got a high score)! When I joined Game FAQS, I discovered that you could rate games yourself. Therefore, I decided to make a review for 3D Pinball: Space Cadet.

Allow me to explain how fun this game really is.

Game play-9/10
In this game, the game play is simple. All you have to do is launch the ball into the little ring. It will hit random things, which give you points based on how difficult it is to hit. When it's about to hit the bottom, you use two boosters to knock it back into the ring. If it passes them, and goes through the hold at the center of the bottom, you lose one ball, and have to start the process over again. When you lose all your chances, the game is over. If you were lucky enough, you can get onto the high score list, which is usually an honor to have. This game is easy to play, but it is just like any other pinball game, which I wasn't expecting (based on the name of this game, I thought it would be a bit different).

Graphics-10/10
For a 3D pinball game, I thought the graphics were actually pretty good. The lights look great, and the ball doesn't look all blocky like the other 3D pinball games. When you play this game, it looks so real, you feel like you're actually there! I couldn't believe how amazing this game's graphics looked when I played it. This game has some of the best 3D graphics out there.

Sound-10/10
The sound is just as good as the graphics are. When the ball is shot, the spring actually makes the sound of a spring. When the ball hits a wall, it makes the thumping noises it should. Whether the ball runs into a warp hole, fall into the hole at the bottom, or hits a dead end, this game does it all. The sound suits the object that the ball hit, and there are cool sound effects when you start, and when you end.

Control-9/10
The control for this game is hard to learn at first, but you get used to it fairly quickly. To move the two little boosters at the bottom, you must press the Z and / keys. The Z key moves the left one, and the ? key moves the right. To launch the ball when you're starting a new round, press the space bar. The controls for this game are difficulty to learn, but pretty easy to get used to, so it isn't too bad.

Difficulty-9/10
Although most pinball games are easy, this one changes it all. This game is mind-breaking! You never know where the ball is going to hit, and it takes patience to get the ball where you want it. Most of the places that give you a lot of points are hard to hit, and it is difficult to keep the ball in the ring for 2 minutes! However, it is still like a regular pinball game, so it gets a little easier after a long time.

Overall-9/10
Just like my other review, this game comes out to a 9.4/10. This game has a lot of potential, and can also be very fun for people of all ages. This pinball game has some of the best graphics I have ever seen. Its sound is also good, and everything else is fine as it is (even thought they didn't get a perfect score). 3D Pinball: Space Cadet is an excellent game. I enjoyed playing it a lot.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/30/06