Pro Pinball Ultra

About

Pro Pinball Ultra is a single player simulation game. It was developed by Barnstorm Games and was released on July 21, 2016. It received positive reviews from players.

"Pro Pinball Ultra: Timeshock!" is a pinball simulation game with ultra-realistic physics and stunning 4K graphics. The game features a top-class soundtrack, customizable game settings, and various game modes like multiball and wizard modes. Enjoy challenging yourself with global high score leaderboards and explore the table's numerous interactive elements for an immersive experience.

Genres & Tags

Simulation

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 196 reviews

graphics28 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Incredible graphics and lighting that enhance the immersive experience of playing pinball.
The game features realistic ball physics, making it feel like a true pinball machine.
The table design is deep and engaging, offering a variety of challenges and modes that keep gameplay interesting.

The game requires lengthy downloads for additional camera views and settings, which can be frustrating.
Only one table is available, which may not justify the price for some players looking for variety.
The developers have seemingly abandoned the project, leading to concerns about future updates and support.

graphics
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
54%
4%
The graphics in this pinball simulation have received widespread acclaim for their stunning detail and realism, particularly with the use of pre-rendered visuals that enhance clarity and lighting effects. While some users note that the graphics may not fully meet modern standards, they are still considered superior to many other pinball games, offering a nostalgic yet visually impressive experience. Overall, the combination of great graphics and physics contributes to an immersive gameplay experience that captures the essence of traditional pinball.
- “The graphics are amazing, and the table does look very realistic.”
- “The pre-rendered graphics and lighting effects are virtually photo realistic and look better than the 3D graphics in other pinball games.”
- “The updated graphics are gorgeous, the light show at the beginning of the time travel mode is one of the best in any pinball machine.”
- “And mostly... the game has to download graphics files from a very slow server every time you install it or change graphics options.”
- “Sometimes the ball will freeze for a moment especially if the game graphics resolution is not at the optimal setting.”
- “It takes a few minutes after you start up to download the graphics, and if you change camera angle or resolution, you have to wait for another download.”
gameplay
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
52%
12%
The gameplay of the game is praised for its variety and depth, particularly in the context of a single pinball table that integrates a compelling narrative. While the physics and mechanics are noted for their realism and accuracy, some players feel that the gameplay can be sluggish compared to earlier versions, and there are concerns about the game's abandonment by its developers. Overall, it is regarded as an excellent pinball experience, though some aspects may not meet the expectations of all players.
- “The game even features a bit of a story that is deeply integrated into its gameplay.”
- “This is an excellent pinball game showcasing stellar physics modeling and amazing gameplay.”
- “In terms of gameplay, this remains one of the most interesting, deep, and well-crafted 'narrative' pinball tables ever made.”
- “Most probably one of the best pinball tables ever conceived, but the game is clearly abandoned by its developer, and the gameplay is a little more sluggish than the '90s original game.”
- “This is absolutely ridiculous...should have stayed away, as the gameplay is not worth these shortcomings.”
- “It used too many feature lamps on the matrix, actual accurate switch location design was not really considered, and the physical mechanics were not directly feasible (time crystal, ramp alignment, etc.) based on what was included in the virtual game among other factors.”
story
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
72%
12%
The game's story, while present, is often overshadowed by its gameplay mechanics, featuring a time travel theme with missions that require precision aiming and strategic play. Players can engage in various challenges and side missions, but some find the narrative elements repetitive and less engaging compared to the frenetic gameplay. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the action, with unique missions and a "glassless" mode that allows for practice and exploration of the game's mechanics.
- “The game even features a bit of a story that is deeply integrated into its gameplay.”
- “There is indeed a story, and yes, even two special finale missions (dawn of time where you use the crystal fragments to create the counter-timeshock wave to rescue the universe, the official end, and the end of time in which you go for the ultimate global domination after rescuing the universe).”
- “Also, I find myself without the urge to follow the game's 'storyline' and even avoid aiming for certain lanes as it means I will be dragged out of my pinball trance and forced to play another tedious mini 'video game,' which really gets repetitive after the 10th time or so.”
- “I didn't find it (FYI - you press the 's' key!) so I exited, then saw the instructions (and story!) under a little icon on the (mostly empty) main menu.”
- “Offers a complex story about time travel and the acquisition of artifacts from the varying periods visited.”
music
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
44%
17%
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy and memorable soundtrack, which enhances the overall experience and complements the game's aesthetic. Players appreciate the faithful restoration of the music, eliminating previous quality issues, and find the sound effects satisfying and immersive. While some note the absence of sound level settings, the overall consensus is that the music and sound design significantly contribute to the game's appeal, making it a standout in the pinball genre.
- “The game is gorgeous, the lighting immersive, its sound effects are satisfying, its soundtrack memorable and catchy, and the callouts quotable.”
- “Timeshock is a masterpiece of a table, with very fun objectives to achieve, an awesome soundtrack, and very cool gimmicks.”
- “I was very happy to find that the music has been faithfully restored as well, even better without the old quality/crackle issues and CD music-loading lag of the original.”
- “This game has no sound or music level settings.”
- “The sound and music were not upgraded, but still do the job nicely.”
- “The guitar music soundtrack is a matter of taste; I personally like it a lot.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it delivers impressive performance with consistent frame rates above 60 fps during intense gameplay, users have reported issues such as frame rate stuttering and confusing resolution settings that require large downloads for different camera views. Some players have experienced performance drops after updates, indicating that further optimization may be needed.
- “But the application is rather technically astonishing as well: I assume there was a great deal of pre-rendering, which, even a decade ago, allowed for high-definition photo-realism while delivering great performance even on a potato.”
- “Performance is excellent; I've never dipped below 60 fps, even during intense multiballs.”
- “I hope they will still be able to improve and optimize the performance of the game and also add the angles the original game had.”
- “I turned on the 'low latency' setting, which more or less fixed this, but then it had frame rate stuttering.”
- “Picking your video resolution is kind of strange because the game just shows several views in the menu without telling you what resolution they're optimized for. What's worse is that every time you pick a different camera view, the game forces a couple of gigabytes to download so you can use that view.”
- “But after the Windows 10 64-bit installation, my old game and the ultra edition are stuttering sometimes even in low settings.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, noting that it disrupts their immersion and becomes tedious, particularly when repetitive mini-games are required to progress. This leads to a lack of motivation to engage with the storyline or explore different gameplay paths.
- “I find myself lacking the urge to follow the game's storyline and often avoid aiming for certain lanes, as it pulls me out of my pinball trance and forces me to play another tedious mini 'video game,' which becomes repetitive after the 10th time or so.”
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and monotonous, making it hard to stay engaged with the overall experience.”
- “After a while, the grind becomes so tedious that it overshadows any enjoyment I might have had from the gameplay.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its engaging soundtrack and over-the-top voice acting, which effectively lift the overall experience and bring a lighthearted tone to the gameplay.
- “This may make you frown, but the stellar soundtrack and the hilariously hammy voice acting will turn that frown upside down.”
- “The witty dialogue and clever puns kept me laughing throughout the entire game.”
- “I couldn't stop chuckling at the absurd situations and quirky characters that popped up in every level.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, characterized by a captivating blend of rock elements and time-travel mystery, enhanced by visually stunning effects that create an engaging experience.
- “It is perhaps my favorite part of this game -- a wonderfully atmospheric mix of rock and time-travel mystery -- aside from the light show and 'ooo, shiny' appeal.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers highlight that the game offers significant depth and replayability, surpassing the combined value of all tables in Pinball FX and Pinball Arcade. This suggests a rich experience that encourages players to return for more.
- “There's more depth and replay value in this one table than there is in all of the Pinball FX and Pinball Arcade tables put together.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game demonstrates impressive stability, running smoothly even after nearly 20 years, thanks to enhancements like improved reflections, dynamic lighting, and support for modern resolutions and operating systems, making the £10 update highly worthwhile.
- “Still looks and runs great today, despite being almost 20 years old. The much improved reflections, dynamic lighting, and support for larger resolutions and modern operating systems make this £10 update completely worth it.”