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Feels like I'm back in college!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 29 / 31
Date: February 29, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I have been waiting for this game for months and I finally got my copy one day after release thanks to prime shipping from Amazon. The main reason I wanted this game was becuase of "Funhouse". I was addicted to that game back in my freshman year of college (1991-92) as we had it in our dorm's common area. That game caused many people to skip classes and skip dinner just so they could put Rudy to sleep and nail him in the mouth with the pinball! So much fun!

So, to the game, my expectations were rather low due to the fact that it was delayed for so long. Usually, that means there are problems. Well, 5 minutes after opening it, I was back in college playing Funhouse again. Now, there is nothing like playing pinabll on a real machine but the physics employed by this game are rather astounding in my opinion. Everything that I remember about the original game was in this. The one thing that may have been different is the sound of Rudy's voice. Maybe its the simulated surround sound I am using on my home theater for the WII or maybe they just couldn't get the original Rudy!

As far as the other games, I was not too familiar with them but I did play a few including Gorkon and Space Shuttle. I enjoyed them a lot and found them to have their own interesting set of challenges.

The overall game has several modes to it. There is a simple go to the arcade mode where you can play most of the games (although I think some are locked). As you play, you have certain challenges to complete like get a certain score or hit this or that. When you achieve these, it may give you the opportunity to unlock another game or give you more credits (you need credits to play some games and you start with 20...but it is very easy to get more).

I played the Challenge mode where you play each pinball machine where you have to achieve a certain score before moving to the next machine. You get three tries on each machine to get the score or the challenge ends. I made it to the fourth machine (Funhouse) but, ironically, I couldn't get the required score to move on.

There is a tournament mode but I did not try that yet but it appears you can play with only one person. I assume you must play against AI somehow.

There is another mode that I could not open as I hadn't built enough credits yet so I can't comment on that yet. I will post an update as I progress in the game.

Overall, for $30, this is going to provide me with hours and hours of enjoyment. Funhouse alone is worth it to me but having the variety of games on there really increases the longevity of this game. The sounds make you feel like you are at an old arcade and the games seem to replicate the machines just like the originals.

greatest collectiion Of Pinball games ever!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 26 / 29
Date: March 04, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Wow I love this game game, I ordered mine Sat the first of March and have gotten it today the 4th that's pretty amazing in itself. This Collection of pinall has some of the all time greatest pinball machines ever created, and it does them all well. I have played 9 of the ten machines selected here in real life. I have to say they are as close as I have seen in the video game medium. The controls with the Wii version are the best emulated pinball controls yet. Everything works perfectly with both hands controlling the action and shake of either the Wiimote or the Nun Chuck to shake the table. I also like that the games do not tilt as easily as the Gottlieb version of PBHF.

The only gripe I have is I would like to see some of those acrade video games as unlockables or a hidden pinball machine or two, that is a fairly minor gripe as this is an amazing pinball collection. It just seems its awfully bare for an arcade and all those fake machines are kind of an annoyance. They could easily add a dart board or pool table as extra unlockables, just in case you want a break from Pinball. But hey this is pinball hall of fame, just putting out a few Ideas. Anyone who loves pinball owes it to themselfs to check this game out. It really is flippertastic! Well worth the full retail price.

A must own for pinball fanatics

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 18 / 20
Date: April 23, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Emulating pinball in the world of video games has never been an easy thing, but somehow, someway; all of the games included in Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection, are emulated nearly perfectly, and perfectly capture the feel and enjoyment of the classic game. Featuring tables including Taxi, Gorgar, Black Knight, Funhouse, and Pinbot among others; Pinball Hall of Fame also features a variety of modes, unlockables, and goals to achieve to hold your interest. The pinball physics are dead-on as well, and the game's overall presentation is a pleasent surprise as well. The only real flaws with Pinball Hall of Fame is that more games weren't included on the disc. It just feels like more tables should have been included here, or at least something else. Other than that, the Wii motion controls work very well here, although one may wonder if that is reason enough to justify the price tag of the Wii version of the game being doubled. All that aside, Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection is a sheer blast, and for Wii owning pinball fans, you can't go wrong here at all.

Pretty dang awesome!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 14 / 15
Date: March 01, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I just spent the last few hours happily reliving memories from decades ago when I used to play some of the ten actual tables contained in this game during the golden age of arcades. I remember the last time I played Funhouse was just a few weeks before the arcade that had it was closed. I haven't played it again since until now, and thanks to the careful attention to detail paid by the games developers, it is just as I remember.

The games controls are very well executed on the Wii Remote + Nunchuck. It takes no time at all to pick up and responds just like a real pinball machine. You can even shake the controls to shake the pinball machine...not too much though or you'll tilt!

Event the original sound effects from each machine have been carefully reproduced and sounds exactly like they did on the actual machine, down to the early voice synthesis technology built into pinball games like "Black Knight". Even the LED scoreboards are there and behave exactly like the real thing.

I really liked the main interface of the game. It's designed to look like the quintessential video & pinball arcade from your memories, complete with it's own loud rock music soundtrack-including a track that sounds very much like "Pinball Wizard".

To up the replay value, the develops have added all sorts of goals on each game. On some tables you have to achieve certain scores, on others you must execute complex maneuvers to receive bonus credits, which you can use to unlock some extra features.

I've been waiting for "Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection" to come out for a long time. Evidently, it was announced some time ago, but was subject to production delays and just now finally became available.

Overall, I really like this game. If you're a big fan of Williams pinball machines, this is a great way to relive some of their best games from the 1970s and 1980s.

I really hope the developers release a second volume containing Williams tables from the 1990s...there were some awesome tables made in that decade that'd I'd love to get the chance to play again.

Best Video Pinball to date.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 12 / 12
Date: March 03, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Being a pinball nut, I basically collect all things pin-related; videogame recreations of the silver ball game being one of them. Through the years, It has gotten progressively better with the Super Pinball series, the Pro Pinball series, and the incredible DIY future pinball and visual pinball releases. I've got to say, after having played this for a few hours, Pinball Hall of Fame: the Williams Collection is hands-down the best simulation to date. First and foremost, all camera and physics issues I had problems with in the Gottlieb collection have been taken care of - I've yet to feel that sinking feeling that the camera can't keep up with a ball hurtling toward the center gap - the "Smart Camera" truly is smart.
The recreations themselves are spot-on. Having spent some serious time on most of the machines represented here in their actual form, I was pleased that almost all the tables held up (no experience personally with Jive Time - and really... that's the EM machine you choose out of all of them for this? seems bizarre.. ) to their real-life counterparts.
The control in this game certainly raises VP games to a new level - the simple act of being able to have your hands seperated between the remote and nunchuk like you would on a real machine helps quite a bit, and being able to tilt the machine with gestures is just fantastic and really brings you into the game.
Now, the most MAJOR improvement for me between this game and the gottlieb one is this: No more freakin' crickets in the background. What was the deal with that? In this version, you can choose to just hear the table itself, which is a godsend. The gottleb version had this amazingly annoying cricket just chirping in the background to add to the "realism"..>!!!! but with no option to step on it as you would want to in real life.
While- of course, this is no substitute for the real thing, The Williams Collection does an impressive job of capturing the essence of the game as well as its addictive quality .. "just one more game..." Now - if Crave could just release more of these titles with the same engine!!!!! Maybe download more tables via Wii-Ware in the future? ah, we can only hope. Hopefully more than 5 people buy this, it's a great addition to the Wii library!!!!

No-brainer for Pinball Fans

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 11
Date: March 01, 2008
Author: Amazon User

After only seeing screen previews at last year's E3, this game was finally released after several delays. The game contains 10 classic Williams pins from the 70's thru the 90's: Black Knight, Firepower, Funhouse, Gorgar, Pinbot, Space Shuttle, Taxi, Whirlwind, Jive Time, and Sorcerer. The game is a budget title for Wii, PS2 and PSP. I picked up the Wii version, which is probably the best version based on the control setup.

Just some random thoughts:

Anyone who was concerned that this is a budget price title, don't worry. The game is quality! The physics are excellent and the presentation is top notch. Well worth the $30.

For the Wii version, you play with the both the remote and nunchuck. Triggers on each are your flippers, and a quick flick of each control is the nudge. The nunchuck stick pulls the plunger. Control feels very good and precise.

There are several display options in terms of angle. The default is called "smart view" which pans and zooms the camera as needed. Multi-ball will always revert to a full-table view. There are a handful of different viewing options and I haven't given them all a try yet. The graphics overall are crisp and detailed, but this title just screams for a high-res update. Too bad this did not come out for the 360.

Each table has an audio/video tutorial which is real nice, as well as a scan of the original flyer. There is an "ambience" setting which plays arcade sounds in the background. These sounds originate from several classic-era games: Missile Command, Centipede, Galaga and tons more. It is faint and in the distance, but a nice touch. Again, an all-around quality presentation.

High scores ARE saved.

There is a multi-player tournament option (which I haven't tried yet).

If you are a fan of Williams pinball, this is a no-brainer. I was fortunate to live near an arcade in the mid-80's to mid-90's that had a pinball section that was always kept up to date. We got all the good stuff and Williams was by far the best in my opinion: Addam's Family, Pinbot (+ Bride), Funhouse, Taxi, Cyclone, Twilight Zone, T2, Indiana Jones, Dracula, Theatre of Magic, and the list goes on. My only small gripe is that this game is a retrospective and I am not familiar with some of the earlier titles. Funhouse and Taxi are some of my all-time favorites so I was thrilled to be able to be able to play them at home.

Great graphics and easy to play

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: March 06, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I have been playing video versions of pinball for many years, and this is the best yet. The graphics are outstanding. I am playing on a 46" LCD with the HD hookups. Sweet! The play off the flippers seems to be spot on. And because each pinball game is so detailed, I believe each presents a good challenge. Meaning they aren't overly simplistic pinball games. They are exactly like the originals. The Funhouse game is awesome.

What I really appreciate with this release is that Crave includes the strategy instructions right in the game. It takes you through all the scoring rules and how to achieve all the bonuses. I have never found this type of instruction anywhere. Let's face it, in the arcade, you just put the quarter in and start playing. It's nice to know exactly what to hit and when. Lastly, this game is really easy to pick up and play and it priced right at $29.99. Very impressive release for Crave.

Now THIS is gaming!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 10
Date: March 02, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I agree with the other positive reviews of this game! I received it the day after it was released, and so far I am thrilled with the gameplay of the tables I've tried. The graphics, ball physics, and sounds are fantastic, and I am enjoying switching the various camera angles during play. I do believe this one will have longevity in my Wii catalog!

A Must Have for the Pinball Enthusiast

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: March 18, 2008
Author: Amazon User

What a great game! I've been looking for a good pinball game for PC or console for some time. I was astounded when I heard this game was being released, and even more astounded to how little fanfare it has received.

I have experience playing three of the tables: Funhouse, Whirlwind, and Taxi. A buddy of mine owns Funhouse, and let me say, this Wii console port is dead on. The visuals, the sounds, the quirks are exactly how they are in real life. Quirks such as opening the crazy steps, then barely getting a ball up the ramp. When this sluggish ball drops it sometimes falls into the left flipper lane rather than the crazy steps. What might seem faulty is actually true to life. This is exactly how the real game plays sometimes when you really don't nail the ball up the ramp when the steps are open. I couldn't believe it when it happened on the Wii. Also, being able to lock a ball from the upper flipper by ricocheting it off the upper target above the Superdog. I've done this countless times on the real machine. Rudy is spot on, especially the audio. Simply put - they got Funhouse right.

Taxi and Whirlwind are exactly how I remember them, too. Great sounds and visuals from the originals. Lots of fun to play. The Whirlwind spinning discs are exactly how I remembered them - the ball darting every which way.
I originally thought playing the old machines wouldn't be much fun. I couldn't have been more wrong. The sounds on Gorgar really build the intensity, and the ramps and upper playfield on Black Knight seem ahead of their time. The older machines actually feel like older pinball machines... it's tough to convey this without actually playing them. They have a good classic pinball feel to them. Very addicting.

One negative would be some of the physics, infrequently, seem spotty. But this is to be expected when trying to duplicate real physics. I think they've done as good a job as possible. There have been no ball movements that seem totally unrealistic.

Great original rock songs between tables, with an option to have ambient arcade sounds during game play.

Controls are solid and easy to learn. Multiple camera angles really help for upper playfield play.

Table goals build an achievement level into the game, in addition to high scores being maintained. Also, jackpot building, such as in Taxi, remain from play to play even after you quit the game. This is a nice touch.

Maybe the best feature to complement the game play is the instructions for each game. Provided is a user guided slideshow of each game and how to score points to maximize game play. It's a great way to walk through the game slide by slide with both text and audio to show the ins and outs of each table.

Couldn't be happier with this purchase. Nothing will ever compare to the real thing, but for these ten tables, it's as close as it'll ever get. The level of detail and fun factor are unparalleled compared to any other video pinball game. If you enjoy pinball, then this game is definitely worth a look.

Very, very nice.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: April 18, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I second what other reviewers have said. Great game.

My father owns Gorgar. I have put in countless hours with this table while growing up. I think we've had the table for about 20 years or so. So, when I see a pinball "videogame" and it happens to have Gorgar in it, I use that as my test table to see if the game is a good simulation. I check to see if the game FEELS like Gorgar feels. I'm happy to report that this table feels like Gorgar. The ball bounces like it does on the real table. Actually, the only difference is that the physical table has little quirks...stuck drop targets, sensors that give double score, etc...The videogame version of the table is more "factory new"..;)

A good collection of tables and overall very fun.

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