There’s a nice selection in terms of play style, as well. The progression from the simpler, earlier boards (like the unlockable Jive Time and Gorgar) to the increasingly complex tables in the 80s/90s (like the ridiculous layout of Arabian Knights) is apparent, and everyone will have his/her favorites.

The ball physics are mighty impressive. The graphics on the tables are gorgeous – bright, crisp, and detailed to perfection. The interface is far less impressive. The arcade itself is low-res, with a few random Dreamcast-era looking characters standing around. Lame 80s metal-light blares in the background as you walk around the arcade – though once you actually start pinballing, you’ll hear nothing but the music and sweet sound effects from your table of choice.

The game has been ported all over the place, but the 360/PS3 versions have a few things going for it that give it the edge. There are a few more tables here than in the Wii version – No Good Gophers and Medieval Madness, for example, which are among the most consistently amusing offerings. Plus, there is an anemic attempt at Xbox Live/PSN support in the form of leaderboards, which, although meager, does provide bragging rights for old-school arcade aficionados.

Surely, if you already have a version of the game, two or three new boards won’t sway you into a re-purchase, but this is the definitive classic pinball sim on consoles. Unless someone out there releases all of the awesome licensed pinball tables (Star Trek: The Next Generation, anybody?), this is the one to beat.

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