Summary
- Release Year: 1974
- Genres: Arcade, Pinball, Simulator
- Platforms: Arcade
- Developers: Atari
- Publishers: Atari
Pin Pong (1974): The First Pinball Videogame
Pin Pong is a simple but addictive pinball game that was released in 1974 for the Atari arcade system. It is the first pinball videogame ever created, and it laid the foundation for the many pinball games that would follow.
Pin Pong is played on a black and white pinball table with two flippers and a ball in the center. The player controls the flippers with the joystick, and the goal of the game is to keep the ball in play for as long as possible. The ball bounces off the flippers and the bumpers on the table, and the player scores points by hitting the ball into the various targets.
Pin Pong is a surprisingly realistic simulation of pinball, and it offers a challenging and rewarding gameplay experience. The game is simple to learn, but difficult to master, and it can be enjoyed by players of all ages.
Pin Pong was developed by Terry Niksch and Harold Lee for Atari. Niksch was a pinball enthusiast, and he wanted to create a video game that would capture the excitement of the real thing. Lee was a computer programmer, and he was able to develop a realistic physics engine that simulated the movement of the ball and the flippers.
Pin Pong was a commercial success, and it helped to establish Atari as a major player in the video game industry. The game was ported to a number of home computers, and it remains a popular classic today.
Gameplay
Pin Pong is played on a single screen that displays the pinball table from a top-down perspective. The player controls the flippers with the joystick, and the ball bounces off the flippers and the bumpers on the table. The player scores points by hitting the ball into the various targets, and the game ends when the ball falls off the table.
The flippers are controlled with the left and right buttons on the joystick. The player can move the flippers up and down to hit the ball, and they can also hold down the buttons to keep the flippers in place.
The ball bounces off the flippers and the bumpers on the table. The ball’s trajectory is determined by the angle at which it hits the flippers and the bumpers, and the player must use their skill to keep the ball in play.
The player scores points by hitting the ball into the various targets on the table. The targets are worth different amounts of points, and the player can score bonus points by hitting multiple targets in a row.
The game ends when the ball falls off the table. The player’s score is then displayed on the screen, and they can choose to play again or quit.
Legacy
Pin Pong is a simple but addictive pinball game that helped to establish Atari as a major player in the video game industry. The game’s realistic physics engine and challenging gameplay made it a hit with players of all ages, and it remains a popular classic today.
Pin Pong laid the foundation for the many pinball games that would follow. Games like Video Pinball (1980), Pinball Construction Set (1983), and The Pinball Wizard (1992) all owe a debt to Pin Pong. Pinball games are still popular today, and they can be found in arcades, homes, and on mobile devices.
Conclusion
Pin Pong is a classic video game that is still fun to play today. It is a simple but challenging game that can be enjoyed by players of all ages. If you are a fan of pinball, then you owe it to yourself to check out Pin Pong.
Review Score
8/10
Art
Cover Art
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