Pinball Spire
- October 2, 2024
- Apparition Games
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Pinball Spire" is a pinballvania game, combining classic pinball mechanics with platforming, puzzles, and exploration. As a brave pinball named Pip, you'll explore the titular spire, conquering a strange pinball maze filled with secrets, enemies, and interactive contraptions. With mana-powered pinball abilities, overcome challenges and uncover the mystery at the spire's peak. Official game description count: 221 characters.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Unique blend of pinball mechanics and adventure elements, providing a fresh take on both genres.
- Charming visuals and a delightful soundtrack enhance the overall experience, making it enjoyable to play.
- Short and sweet gameplay that doesn't overstay its welcome, making it perfect for casual play sessions.
- The game is quite short, with a playtime of around 3-4 hours, which may not justify the full price for some players.
- Lacks traditional pinball mechanics like nudging, which can lead to frustrating moments when the ball gets stuck or doesn't behave as expected.
- Described as a 'metroidvania', but the linear progression and limited exploration may disappoint those expecting more depth in gameplay.
- gameplay53 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a unique blend of traditional pinball mechanics and RPG elements, offering a fresh take on the genre. While the slowdown mechanic and customization options enhance the experience, some players feel the game lacks depth in conventional pinball features and complexity. Overall, it provides a fun, albeit short, adventure with solid mechanics, though some may find it frustrating due to its simplicity and limited gameplay duration.
“This game is a fresh take on pinball, mixing classic mechanics with a touch of adventure.”
“A delightful little pinball adventure with some fun mechanics to give the game its own personality.”
“The combination of traditional pinball mechanics with a unique platformer/fantasy twist makes it truly stand out.”
“While it uses the mechanics of pinball fairly well, it's a little bit lacking in actual pinball nerdery - sure, that's not what the game is about, and it uses its mechanics well, but I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of conventional pinball mechanics like table tilting or more complex wizard mode mechanics.”
“Considering the price tag on this one, I find myself overall unsatisfied at the end of the day with barely under 3 hours of gameplay to do pretty much everything in this game.”
“But as it is right now - about 3 hours of play for $15, with some serious mechanical and performance issues - I can't recommend it.”
- music34 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers praising its chill vibe and nostalgic feel. The soundtrack features a mix of styles, including elements reminiscent of jazz and influences from classic games, and adapts to the player's location within the game. While some players noted that repetitive tracks could become tiresome during extended play, the overall consensus is that the music is a standout feature that complements the vibrant visuals and engaging gameplay.
“The visuals are vibrant and the soundtrack adds to the fun, nostalgic feel.”
“The music feels like the perfect match for a game you can just sit down with and enjoy, and reinforces the chill atmosphere of the game.”
“I found myself jamming along to the soundtrack as well as sometimes my breath catching in my throat with how gorgeous every new level was.”
“The music is fine, but when you hear the same track over and over while you're stuck in a room for ten minutes, it gets a little old.”
“I'm not sure if the music is the most fitting for this title, yet I also enjoyed it well enough.”
“Some sections made me think of slow jazz music, with an emphasis on the piano, while others had a faster tempo, but without a distinct genre.”
- graphics17 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are praised for their vibrant pixel art and charming environmental design, creating a pleasing visual experience that complements the gameplay. Reviewers highlight the crispness and clarity of the graphics, noting that they are well-executed for an indie title, with a consistent art style that enhances the overall nostalgic feel. While some minor scaling issues were mentioned, the visuals are generally regarded as professional and enjoyable, especially on devices like the Steam Deck.
“The visuals are vibrant and the soundtrack adds to the fun, nostalgic feel.”
“Graphics are really, really nice, gorgeous, simple, clear pixel art!”
“The art style is simple but charming, and it fits the overall vibe really well.”
“A couple of the smaller rooms have also been annoying to play through because the graphics don't scale well, but I'm sure it's great on something like the Steam Deck instead of a big normal monitor.”
“Pinball Spire has crisper graphics, being made in the modern era.”
“Tl;dr: pleasing presentation (both sound and visuals), however gameplay can get frustrating a little quickly and don't go in expecting a true metroidvania either.”
- grinding11 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, with many expressing a lack of desire to replay after completing certain achievements. While some areas, like the planetary system room, are visually appealing, they often suffer from poor design choices that lead to a tedious gameplay experience, particularly during boss fights and lengthy objectives. The game captures some enjoyable elements of pinball, but the grinding detracts significantly from the overall experience.
“It's just boring grinding.”
“After grinding out the pinball wizard achievement, I have no desire to touch this game again.”
“Just tedious and frustrating when it could have been so much better.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game experiences notable performance issues, particularly in a few screens and later tables, which detracts from the overall experience. While it runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, it is resource-intensive and has mechanical flaws that hinder enjoyment. Despite these challenges, players find the gameplay enjoyable, hoping for future patches to address the optimization concerns.
“Despite being for the Sega Genesis (an ancient platform by today's standards), Sonic Spinball played smoother and had more consistent performance.”
“Other than this small performance issue, the game is loads of fun and I have been having a blast exploring through the spire.”
“Hopefully the developer is able to put out a patch that will clean up this performance issue.”
“I enjoyed the gameplay there was (enough to beat it despite the performance issues), but that is still quite short.”
“Finally, while it plays very well on Steam Deck, it is a complete resource hog and has some performance issues in the later tables.”
“But as it is right now - about 3 hours of play for $15, with some serious mechanical and performance issues - I can't recommend it.”
- story4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal, featuring some metroidvania elements, but lacks depth and engaging characters, leaving players wanting more narrative substance.
“It has a bit of a story to it and some Metroidvania elements.”
“There is absolutely no story here.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Reviews on replayability are mixed; some players feel the game offers infinite replayability typical of good pinball experiences, while others find it lacking in replay value, preferring games that prioritize fun over endless grinding or uninspired content.
“I have a feeling this could be infinitely replayable, like all good pinball should be.”
“This game offers a unique experience each time, making it highly replayable and enjoyable.”
“There is no replayability, at least for me.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted for its affordability, which players find amusing compared to the costs of traditional arcade games and digital pinball titles. However, some users express disappointment that the game lacks the quirky, humorous elements they were hoping for in a pinball platformer.
“You'll find the price hilariously affordable, having spent untold quarters in arcades and purchased so many digital pinball games looking for the evolution of the format.”
“One of the main reasons I bought the game was the desire for more pinball platformers that allow you to do tricky, funny stuff.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by a perfectly matched soundtrack that fosters a relaxing experience, while the cleverly designed levels contribute to an immersive and engaging environment.
“The music feels like the perfect match for a game you can just sit down with and enjoy, and reinforces the chill atmosphere of the game.”
“The levels are very atmospheric and clever.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express that the emotional engagement in the game is tied to the physicality of interactions, suggesting that simply touching elements may not evoke the desired feelings; instead, a more forceful approach is required to fully experience the emotional depth.
