Review: Pinball Hall of Fame – The Williams Collection (3DS Edition)

Talk to a so-called expert about the best way to experience pinball and they will always say the same thing: you have to play it on a real machine. Talk to anyone else and they will give you two recommendations: play with a real table or pick up a copy of Pinball Hall of Fame: The Gottlieb Collection. Originally developed for PlayStation 2 and PSP, The Gottlieb Collection was the first video game to successfully emulate the brilliance of real pinball. From the weight of the ball (which, by some crazy magic, actually feels like the real thing) to the flippers, the game response times, and the virtual architecture, The Williams Collection was pinball at its finest. It made it possible for an Average Joe to take home several classic pinball tables without the expense of owning a single real pinball machine. Since its release, The Gottlieb Collection has made its way to other platforms, including Nintendo Wii. It has also been followed by a sequel – Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection. Featuring a plethora of virtually-perfect pinball tables, The Williams Collection continued the series' epic legacy, making it possible to take home another collection of classic pinball tables. Released for PlayStation 2 and 3, PSP, Nintendo Wii, and Xbox 360, The Williams Collection has already had its day in the spotlight. Since then, many other pinball games have been released, but none of them have been able to compare – not in terms of pinball mechanics, ball physics, machine playing field, or even in terms of the graphics. (It's almost laughable how ugly some of the other pinball games are.)

(Note: The above screenshot is from the Xbox 360 version of the game.) Now The Williams Collection is attempting to conquer another game machine: the Nintendo 3DS. Ported over with seven popular pinball tables – Funhouse, Black Knight, Taxi, Gorgar, Space Shuttle, Whirlwind and Pin*Bot – The Williams Collection comes to Nintendo's new handheld with the added (if not obvious) twist: dazzling 3D effects. To get a sense for what this game has to offer visually, try to imagine what it would be like to play a game of real pinball with the glass removed. Now think of what it would be like if you were to lean in and play as close as possible without physically touching the table (so that your face was just above the table). That's what The Williams Collection is like in 3D; the table practically lifts off the screen, bringing the experience closer to the player. There aren't any eye-popping moments, primarily because the 3DS seems to be incapable of mimicking the moviegoing experience of Up or Coraline. But it still feels like – and wholeheartedly looks like – the images are popping out of the screen. Other than that, The Williams Collection is a very familiar experience. Funhouse is still one of the most daring and entertaining pinball machines, whether playing in virtual form or the original coin-op edition. Whirlwind is one of those challenging beasts that'll drive you crazy while keeping you addicted. Taxi is unadulterated pinball fun. Space Shuttle is a pure classic, and the rest – Black Knight, Gorgar and Pin*Bot – are great in their own right. All in all, this is one fine handheld collection of pinball games.

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