Microsoft Pinball Arcade

The Good
The game consists of seven tables from various eras of pinball machines, from the very simple "Baffle Ball" to the very modern "Cueball Wizard". Each table is beautifully illustrated and even such effects as reflections on the pinball are included. The tables provide addictive gaming for both those who just want a quick play or to try and beat a high score. I have played this game on and off for years and I still enjoy it. My personal favorite is the table "Knockout".

The Bad
It is difficult to find any bad points about the game. I would say however that the nature of the game means that there is not much room for progression as in, say, a level-based game, so the game may not have much longevity among some players. Also, once a table has been played several times it is easy to predict where the ball will go when launched at, say, full power. This results in a certain degree of repetitiveness and again does not promote longevity.

The Bottom Line
While the subject of the game is very simple, it is still very easy to get it wrong. However, I think that Microsoft has done a good job here and has produced an addictive, and thankfully bug-free, video game. Pinball games are very common but I think this one stands out, simply because of the novelty of featuring tables from different time periods.