Pinball Hall of Fame - The Gottlieb Collection

"Retro fun"

One of my best souvenirs concerning arcade come from pinball's machines. The sound, the feel and the peoples around it all come together to form a unique gaming experience. Driving a metal ball in various holes and against bumpers is a time long gone now but you can relive partly the fun in the comfort of your house without spending thousand on genuine machines. Playing the game “Pinball Hall of Fame: The Gottlieb Collection” might not be as fun as the real thing but it is strangely addictive.

Gameplay: 7/10
Now it's really simple. Or is it? You bump a ball continuously with the left and right flippers, respectively the L and R shoulder button, while titling the table in hope of achieving the table specific(s) goal(s); doing so unlock some extras as the option to select a design for the ball. Each table have a fully spoken demo explaining the goals or if you don't care you can just play for high score. You have the choice of many tables, ranging from the very old (and I mean it) Playboy table to more recent one like Black Hole. The goals are varied enough and often hard to attain, requiring an equal amount of might and luck. You will have you're preferred ones just l do. You have a set number of balls per games and you can play alone or with a friend. Too bad the ball and physic feels a little off sometimes.

Graphics: 8/10
You're playing with a choice of four camera view. The different views are all quite a bit frustrating expect for one that allow you to oversee the entire table. It's just too bad because by going practical and zooming out you'll lose the detail put into graphic. Each table are replicate of a real one so they did not invent anything. The only thing to be said about the graphic is that they work.

Sound and Music: 7/10
You won't hum along the game: it's all sounds from the real thing. Expect “buzz” and “bing” with some voices that really sound like they come from the original machines. Again, each table have their specific sounds and it all sound very genuine. I would have liked the option to have a choice of music from the same era as the table while I play but maybe that's a little bit too much to ask.

Replay Value: 9/10
I find the replay value to be great. It's one of these low budget games that don't look like much but pack an addictive power. The game is fun and it will take you a good amount of work to go through each goals. I find myself often playing the game as filler between more involving games or when I have a short time. If you're into high score, this game has infinite replay value and if you're into pinball and a bit nostalgic you'll never gets bored.

Overall score: 8/10
As a budget game and the only pinball game so far on the Gamecube it is very very good. The game has a good replay value and can last very long. If you're looking to kill time it's the perfect companion. If you're like me this game will call to you from time to time and you'll have an overall great time. Just don't get it as you're main game or if you're too tight on cash to afford anything else.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 05/16/06