Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9407 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: System 3
• Released on: 2006-12-15
• Rating: To Be Announced
• Platform: Nintendo Wii

Manufacturer's Description:
Gottlieb Pinball Classics offers a totally authentic pinball experience and captures all the sights and sounds of a real arcade. Play eleven of the greatest Gottlieb pinball tables ever created, all featuring real pinball table mechanics as well as graphics and sounds. The game features six different camera angles to play in, multi-player tournaments with up to 4 players competing with each other, plus hidden extras like ‘un-lockable’ features and tables. All of this makes Gottlieb Pinball Classics the most accurate pinball simulation ever.

Customer Reviews

Don't bother.
As someone who has loved playing pinball for about 30 years, I should have been warned off by the title. Gottlieb machines were never anywhere near as good as Williams' and Bally's.

The plus points: there's a good range of tables (even if the only one I recognise is Black Hole); it's a pretty good simulation (including annoying drains where the ball falls off a return ramp when it should roll onto a flipper); the graphics are sharp and there's a wide choice of camera angles.

The minus points: Gottlieb machines were generally rubbish so no matter how good a simulation is they're still rubbish; the difficulty level in the challenge mode is all over the place - some machines far too easy and other nigh-on impossible; there's a few glitches where the ball jumps off and on rails or makes some other physically impossible manoeuvre (but to be fair this happens in most pimball sims) and it's just not much fun.

The Playstation version is £15 and this game is probably worth about that much, but for £30 it's simply not worth the money.

might seem a simple game idea but this is soooo addictive
How lovely is this....we got a Wii and a few titles and I got this as an extra the other day. My husband used to love playing pinball so it was nice for him - and I feel this is a great game for the whole family. Of course, pinball is flicking levers so not a huge use of the Wii remote and Nunchuk features but the reproduction of the machines, the sounds, the 'feel' of playing....is enchanting. Different ways of playing, from going round the games to taking on challenges....great fun. I actually find this very relaxing to play and could see myself reaching for it when there's a few minutes to spare or when I need to chill for an hour or so ! One of the cheaper games and well worth adding to your Wii library.

Pinball Dreams
I took a bit of a punt on this title not really knowing much about it and was pleasantly surprised!

The main play mode, titled Gottlieb Challenge, sees you having to beat a set score before being allowed to progress to the next table. There does not appear to be any increase in the level of difficulty as I found myself breezing past some tables but getting stuck on others. For those tables that I found more difficult (Eldorado & Black Hole) there is a practice arcade available to help you hone your skills.

I also found the replay value quite high with a number of unlockables available, some of which are unlocked via code and other by completing certain table goals. Codes can be purchased once you have collected enough credits - free plays that you have collected whilst playing for high scores etc.

Having never played any of these tables for real it is diffcult for me to comment on the accuracy of their virtual recreations but I found the graphics and ball physics to be fine. This game does note make full use of Wii remotes ability, using the trigger buttons on the nunchuck and Wiimote for left and right flippers however they have incorporated a nice nudge feature where by flicking your wrist you can nudge the table.

Other nice features worthy of note include tutorials on how to play each table, table history and original table flyers.

I have however noted a few bugs with the version of the game that I have; on occasion the ball has seeming passed through the flipper or fallen off the table although these have only happened on the odd occasion, usually when I am gunning for a high score! This however does not detract from what is a really good game.

In summary, if you like pinball and are looking for a new Wii game then I would have no problem in recommending this title. Personally, I feel it represents good value for money offering an enjoyable gaming experience with plenty of replay value. It's also devilishly addictive!