New Review Posted: Mario Pinball Land

[Daniel Weissenberger]

Brad Gallaway kicks off our 'games with no strategy guides available at Amazon.com' theme week with his review of Mario Pinball Land, and he kicks off his review with a transcript of his more colourful moments with the game:

"Damn!
(click, click)
Ok, that's two, only one more... Damn!
(rapid button-clicking)
What the hell? Aargh… Frickin' $&%!
(SP crashes loudly)
Ok, back up the two screens, hit the pulley and… damn!
(click, click, click)
Noooo… who the hell would design something like…
(click)
Goddamned fat bastard Bowser!!! Shove that damn flipper up…
(plastic cracking)
GGGaaahhhhh…..

…Ahem."

Dying to see what's next, right? Well the satisfaction to your curiosity is but a single click away: http://www.gamecritics.com/review/mariopinball/main.php

[jwe8k]

I believe the red fish are called "Cheep-cheeps."

[ferrarimanf355]

Honestly, Mario doesn't come to mind when one thinks of mascots that would make great pinball game material. Kirby, definetley. Sonic, hell yeah. But Mario? Ehhh, mabye not...

[Andrew Fletcher]

Having reviewed PS2 pinball game Flipnic earlier on this year, I can totally empathize with Brad's frustration at Mario Pinball Land. In fact, just reading the review gave me something of a headache.

I think it’s indicative of a change in attitudes towards gaming that whereas once pinball games were seen as fun (if disposable) pick-up-and-play titles, they are now vilified for their uncompromising ruthlessness towards the player. We’re now so used to being given total control in our games--even to the extent of slowing the game speed at will or undoing our own deaths a la Prince of Persia—that any title daring to introduce any element of luck is destined to come under heavy criticism for being unfair or poorly designed. Is this right? Hmmm…. maybe. Either way, I can’t see how incorporating exploration and adventure elements into a pinball game helps the genre’s cause much; they merely drag out an experience that could end in the blink of a glazed eye.

Still, the simplicity of the gameplay involved will ensure that the pulling power and addictiveness of pinball remains strong, and I’m guessing it’s this aspect that prevented Brad from giving Mario Pinball Land an even lower rating. Even so, the sympathy pains are only just starting to subside.

A stinging review in more ways than one.

[EnduroGamer]

Originally Posted by GC_Andrew

We’re now so used to being given total control in our games--even to the extent of slowing the game speed at will or undoing our own deaths a la Prince of Persia—that any title daring to introduce any element of luck is destined to come under heavy criticism for being unfair or poorly designed.

You're exactly right. There were people on this very forum earlier this year criticizing Culdcept for relying on the luck of a roll of dice to determine each player's turn. It was that element of chance and luck that not only made the game feel like a classic boardgame, but it also produced some of the most dramatic moments when playing it.

Luck and chance are things we deal with every day in everything we do; I have no idea why they should be removed from videogames.

[Andrew Fletcher]

Originally posted by EnduroGamer
Luck and chance are things we deal with every day in everything we do; I have no idea why they should be removed from videogames.

Maybe you should play Mario Pinball Land and find out.