Sonic Spinball
a game by | Sega, and Aspect |
Genre: | Action |
Platforms: | Genesis, Sega Master System, GameGear |
Editor Rating: | 7.2/10, based on 13 reviews |
User Rating: | 6.7/10 - 9 votes |
Rate this game: | |
See also: | Sonic Download, Pinball Games |
Need more Sonic? Last year's Sonic pinball extravaganza has been successfully crammed into a Game Gear cart. There's noth ing really new here, but it's a good translation.
Better the Second Time Around
It's Sonic, it's pinball, and it's almost exactly like the Genesis original. Sonic must defeat Robotnik's diabolical Veg-O-Fortress in four levels of pinball madness that are identical to those on the Genesis: the Toxic Pools, the Lava Powerhouse, the Machine, and the Final Showdown. In Levels One and Two, Sonic advances by grabbing all three Emeralds and beating one of Robotnik's mechanical menaces. In Levels Three and Four, he must grab five Emeralds and defeat Robotnik's evil cronies. Bonus rounds cap off the levels.
Each board has a variety of bumpers, chutes, creatures, and secret rooms. More of all of the above would've added to the game play-the pace often feels slow and uneventful in comparison to other pinball carts. You spend a lot of time ricocheting back and forth to the same places where nothing new is happening.
Spinball's flippers are controlled by Buttons 1 and 2, a two-finger combo that's a little tricky and just doesn't feel right. You can also use the directional pad to send Sonic spinning left or right as he flies across the screen, and he can use his Super Spin Dash, though it isn't very useful.
Lookin'Good
This cart looks good. The boards and backgrounds are fairly similar to the original, though ofcours rrmch detail is lost on the smaller screen.
ProTips:
- Sonic strikes it rich when he goes through this wall -power-ups lurk inside.
- Ride the air blast up the shaft to reach the first Emerald In Level Two.
- These Level Two chutes are the direct paths to the last two Emeralds. You'll find one on the top left side of the level, and the other on the top right side.
- To defeat the Level Two boss, stay at the top of the level long enough to bounce on the two Robotnfks.
- The key to reaching the first three Emeralds Is finding this spring. It can propel you to all three Emeralds, which you'll need to beat Level One.
- It takes four hits to knock out the Level One boss.
Download Sonic Spinball
System requirements:
- PC compatible
- Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
- Game modes: Single game mode
Player controls:
- Up, Down, Left, Right - Arrow keys
- Start - Enter (Pause, Menu select, Skip intro, Inventory)
- "A" Gamepad button - Ctrl (usually Jump or Change weapon)
- "B" button - Space (Jump, Fire, Menu select)
- "C" button - Left Shift (Item select)
Use the F12 key to toggle mouse capture / release when using the mouse as a controller.
System requirements:
- PC compatible
- Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
System requirements:
- PC compatible
- Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
Game Reviews
Does your face scrunch up and do your knuckles clench whenever you hear about the exploits of the world's most dangerous hedgehog? Well take heart, action fans because he's in an entirely new environment, and although there are enough wild thrills in this game, you won't run into any loop-the- loops or yellow springboards.
More Bounce to the Ounce
Yes, that's right, the only mammal to do more running than Bill Clinton is back, and this time he's in a pinball machine. Not just any pinball machine, mind you, but one constructed by the evil Dr. Robotnik. The Doc has locked up more of Sonic's pals, and this time Sonic's gonna bang his head a few times to get 'em out.
Dr. Robotnik is enslaving the population of Mobius with the Veg-O-Fortress, a humongous contraption built like a gigantic pinball machine and powered by the Chaos Emeralds. You must blast your way through three boards including the Toxic Caves, the Lava Powerhouse, and the Machine, until finally you have a showdown with Robotnik to save the animals of Mobius. To finish off a board, though, you must first gather a specified number of Chaos Emeralds. That won't be easy, as the Doctor employs a zany zoo of creatures to block your path, including killer chickens, lava worms, flying Ferrons (don't ask), and more.
Along with that, there are lava pits, slime pools, deadly grinding gears, and a host of hedgehog horrors to deal with. With the right amount of Sonic speed and flipper ingenuity, however, you'll sail past them in no time.
ProTip: Keep your flippers up while Sonic's riding the rails. There are an easy 100,00 points to be made by taking the detour, and you can do it over and over again.
At the end of each machine, you face one of Robotnik's fearsome bosses, from Scorpius to the Robo- Boiler bosses. You bounce, jump, and careen off these gruesome, gargantuan game-enders to try to save Mobius. When you're done with a stage, you'll also play a Bonus pinball round, where you have to eliminate a mini-Robotnik creation in order to score an extra ball and more points.
- To get the three Chaos Emeralds from the Toxic Caves, you have to first drain the slime from the center vat by hitting the two bumpers just underneath it...
- ...Then you have to lower at least one of the bridges from the side boards, so you can ride the mining cart to the other two Emeralds, which are in the lower right and lower left of the main board. You only need one bridge down to get the two Emeralds.
- When you get the two Emeralds from the side boards, you then have to fall through the middle of the main board to get the Emerald in the vat. Now get back to the top screen and go for the boss.
- To beat Scorpius, the first boss, you must jump into the space between his tail and body. When his tail is destroyed, keep hopping on him to finish him.
Hipper Flippers
The graphics in this pinball game go much faster, have more surprises, and move a lot cleaner than in any other pinball game for the Genesis. All the sprites are well-animated, and the background boards are colorful, diverse, and intelligently designed. Even the bosses are bigger and better than they are in the Sonic side-scrolling games.
- In the Lava Powerhouse, you must first get to the Killer Clucks section, where you use steam instead of flippers to propel Sonic. Jump on a Cluck to advance up the middle chute, where the first Chaos Emerald awaits.
- To get the next two Emeralds, go to the side boards and hit the corks near the monkey's face. When you bust the corks (it takes three consecutive hits) you'll roll into a long tube.
The music is definitely pinball-wizard stuff. Every bell, whistle, whoop, and whine is heard and felt in this game.
You'll swear that you feel the control pad vibrate when Sonic hits the bumpers, and the music changes when Sonic falls or gets into trouble.
- Start hitting your flippers the minute the cork breaks, and you should steam up to the Emeralds.
- Go back to the Boss area (above the second set of steam flippers) and knock off the Robo-Boiler Bosses. Hit Sonic to the top of the screen and jump into the Boiler. You'll have to take the bosses out one by one.
- If you should fall down the middle of the board, you'll find yourself hanging from this fragile, unstable chain. Rock Sonic left to right, then jump off to safety.
Controlling Sonic is even easier than hitting the bumpers. You can configure the flippers to any button, and you even have some control over Sonic's arc of descent using the directional pad. The game does throw some wrenches at you, like boiling pits of lava that show up where you least expect them, and steam pipes that act as flippers.
Living on the Hedge
If you're a pinball purist, you may not like all the cutesy additions to the traditional pinball motif. If you're a purist, you shouldn't be playing video games anyway. This game is as close to the real thing as you're going to get, and the fact that its Sonic makes it one better.
- keep your flippers up in the Machine. You can't always tell if the ball will roll into your flippers or into the gears, so it's better to be safe than sorry.
- Hit the Power Chambers just above the flippers three times to stop the wheels.
- Try to stay on the right and left boards in the Machine. Hit the ball dead center of the flipper, and control Sonic's ascent with the directional pad.
- If you press Up or Down while Sonic is on a platform, the screen will stop scrolling. Do this to study the layout of the board around you.
You'll be going back for more if you lose, and you'll definitely find yourself playing over and over again, even if you beat this game. As for the little blue hedgehog, hey... he's rolled up in a ball most of the time, so put the spin on Sonic.
He's fast, he's cheeky, and he's blue. He's also Game Gear-bound this fall. As in the previous Genesis version, in this four-meg handheld game, Sonic the Hedgehog must spin, flip, and fly through Dr. Robotnik's Pinball Defense System in order to destroy the terrifying Volcano Veg-O-Fortress. The five rounds of side-view pinball action include the Toxic Caves, the Lava Powerhouse, and The Machine, with Bonus Cages as the sources for Mystery Eggs.
People say:
Sonic Spinball leaves much to be desired. The graphics are dark, and the audio is poor. The game play is very poor. too. It doesn't control half as well as it should. The game gets frustrating after a few minutes of play. There are too many ways to die. Once you hit the 'Hog with the flipper, you virtually have no control of where he goes. It doesn't even have the pinball feel to it. I'd pass on Sonic Spinball.
Pinball isn't my gig and having Sonic in there doesn't help matters much. The most noticeable problem is that the screen is jerky as it scrolls around. The levels are pretty cool and there's a lot to interact with, but the game just isn't a whole lot of fun to play. Although pinball games typically don't offer much control of the game, Sonic Spinball offers even less with its poor control and boring plot line. I pass.
Sonic Spinball is an original concept blending elements of Sonic and pinball. Unfortunately, it falls short on fun and game play. The left flipper being the T button is a hindrance and should have been on the control pad. It was just difficult to play, especially with all the blurs that you must squint through. Many times the ball seems to move to the same location when you hit it, making progress slow. AARGH!
I liked the Genesis version, due to its change of pace for Sonic. I've played pinball for years and enjoy its play mechanics but on video its hard to recapture the "feel." The graphics look good, but it can get blurry. The biggest pain is both buttons being so close that they have to act as the flippers. This does make it a bit awkward to play. Yet, the game is a fun portable with big levels. Good for pinball fans.
- Manufacturer: Sega of America
- Machine: Genesis
Question: Hey if it's not too much to ask (and I really mean it), can you guys print a map of the fourth level Showdown? I've tried it about once or twice and the whole place looked cockeyed to me, so please help me get those five emeralds! Answer: First of all, it's not 'you guys', it's just little old me, all by my lonesome. Second, it's usually not too much trouble, especially given that I've printed maps to the other three levels of Spinball in past issues. However, this one turned into some kind of nightmare - the damn thing is HUGE! And lastly - hey, you only tried it once or twice before you came running to me? Show some cajones man, and stick with it a while next time.
Now, get ready for a new kind of Hedgehog adventure - Spinball! This time around, Sonic must face four nasty levels in a pinball style fashion in order to save the island from Robotnik's clutches!
This time around, Sonic was programmed in the U.S. of A., by American programmers. This cart is filled with all kinds of kooky animations and cool stunts that we've come to expect from a Sonic cart. Also, there is a pinball bonus game that allows you to free your trapped friends that are from the comic book stories. Definitely the best from Sega of America!
Toxic Waste Zone
This zone can be best described as a tutorial. If you manage to die in this zone, then you really do stink! You can attempt to rescue yourself from danger.
Lava Powerhouse Zone
Here, it won't be as easy to escape from dangers as it was in the last level. Fire pits of lava will scorch you and wind pipes will push you into inevitable death!
- Levels: 6
People say:
Sonic returns! Yeah! I like his new adventure. The thought of being in a pinball machine is a real novel idea. The graphics, music and sound are all top-notch. As it stands by itself, it's a good game, but it pales when compared to the other Sonic games. If you are a real pinball wizard, you'll probably love this game, but Sonic fans might be disappointed. Hooray for Sonic, let's see another!
Well, it looks as if Sonic is taking up a new career as a pinball. Sonic Spinball is definitely a new setting for the hedgehog and there are points for originality, but the overall execution of the game seems like an afterthought. The scrolling of the pinball boards is choppy and it's hard to control what you want to do. As a plus, the boards are huge with lots of nooks and crannies with items to seek out. It's worth a look.
Video pinball games aren't the most exciting; but in this case, I can make an exception. This plays as well as another game in its category. New Sonic animations have been included which were not found in his other adventure games. On the down side, the graphics don't appear sharp and the sound was unimpressive. At times, it's hard to get into other areas of the pinball and you'd end up going in circles.
This is a really fresh idea for Sonic. There is a lot of pinball action and great animations Sonic rolling, spinning and teetering. Each lever is huge with multiple play areas that are all interconnected. There are plenty of passageways, but it could have used a few more power-up speed ball. The game gives you plenty of chances, but it is still quite hard to complete each level.
Sega's Sonic Spinball is nearing completion, so it can be ready for Sonic Mania Day on November 23. We were able to get a closer look, and we mapped out the first level so you can see the depth and intricate detail of Sonic's latest adventures.
Here is a simple trick to select the level of your choice. When you get to the Title Screen where the clouds are scrolling by, press up, down, down, left, right and then the B button. You should hear a ringing noise, and the screen will flash to reveal the words Stage Select, and a series of numbers. Each of these corresponds with one of the levels. Press the Start button when you get to the one you want.
You can only play the level you choose however, as the game automatically resets after you have beaten the chosen level.
Everyone's favorite 'hog with an attitude, Sonic, returns in an all-new Genesis adventure, with a twist. Sonic's archenemy, the diabolical Doctor Robotnik, never gives up. Just when Sonic thought it was safe to kick back in the forest, he discovered that Robotnik had retreated to his Volcano Veg-0 Fortress. Inside this massive fortress, Dr. R is busy using lava to fuel his latest sinister mechanical device, the Veg-0 Converter. The mad doctor plans to use the Converter to change Sonic's little forest friends into... well... you don't really want to know!
You're Gonna Flip over This One
To stop Doctor Robotnik, Sonic first has to penetrate the defenses of the Veg-0 Fortress with an all-new style of super Sonic action. The fortress is heavily defended by an elaborate Pinball Defense System.
Sonic must bump, bounce, ricochet, spin, flip, and fly through each of the fortress's four huge pinball worlds. Each of the worlds has ramps, drop targets, hidden bonus indicators, and a ton of whacky Robotnik machinery.
To escape each of the worlds, Sonic tries to collect all of the Power Emeralds. He'll find the Emeralds throughout the tons of hidden rooms in each area. Special bonus rounds and boss rooms, where Sonic goes head-to-head with Robotnik once again, also await the infamous Hedgehog.
It's a safe bet, thanks to Sonic's huge popularity, that he'll appear at least once every year from now until eternity in some kind of a new video adventure. It's nice to see Sonic break out of his routine in this well-rounded escapade.
It's fall, and once again Sonic prepares to migrate to the Genesis in a new multi-scrolling adventure. November marks the debut of a new style of game play for the wily 'hog with an attitude. Based on the highly original and popular pinball game play of Sonic 2'c Casini Yone, this game pits Sonic against Robotnik (who else?) and his elaborate Pinball Defense System.
It seems Dr. R has holed up in his Volcanic Veg-O-Fortress. This nasty hideout uses lava to harness the energy Robotnik needs to power his Veg-O-Converter. A sinister machine that the bad doctor plans to use on Sonic and his cuddly forest pals.
Sonic must, of course, save the day in this one-player game. In true Sonic style there are tons of convoluted and chaotic rounds that he must ricochet and bounce through, pinball-style! He still has to collect Power emeralds, but he's battling a new series of nefarious Robotnik robots. Sonic's returned, so strap on your high tops and get ready to roll through the Fortress in this pinball spinoff.
Sonic Spinball (or Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball) is a 2D pinball game naturally starring Sonic. The game’s title is a play on the hero’s ability to move at lightning-fast speed by rolling into a ball.
It does have a story, despite its simple concept. Mt. Mobius has been seized by Doctor Robotnik, and he is using the power of the molten rock from beneath the volcano to rapidly create robotic minions from helpless creatures. Sonic and Tails attempt to assault Robotnik’s new stronghold, but the hero ends up having to destroy everything from the inside out by removing the Chaos Emeralds.
The graphics are nothing out of the ordinary, but each of Sonic Spinball’s four levels are designed differently and decorated to provide some eye-candy. The music and overall sounds also do not stand out very much but they get the job done, and can be turned off if it becomes too annoying (which could be the case when spending hours playing).
The game’s true focus is on the gameplay, as it manages to blend quite a few interesting elements to separate it from a traditional pinball game. Of course, you have to launch Sonic and use sets of pins to send him flying in different directions, but you can also use directional controls to move him as you see fit. There are even instances where you can move him on foot, but these are few and far between, and do not have a great impact on the level. The goal of each level is to release Chaos Emeralds, thus getting access to the boss of the level, and in the very last level, Doctor Robotnik himself. To accomplish this, you must hit switches, destroy barrels and defeat monsters; through these you can earn points, and also by collecting the famous golden rings.
Sonic Spinball takes a new approach to the pinball game genre, providing hours of entertainment and great replay value. It may not be what Sonic fans expect, and some might think it an easy game, however it is definitely not a walk in the park.
Sonic Spinball features:
- Pinball gameplay with a twist.
- Four large and uniquely designed levels.
- Great replay value with its two game modes: normal and fast mode.
After the last Sonic 2 Adventure Sonic got Caught up under Dr.Robotnik's Tower Base. Now it is up to him to fight through Pinball levels to reach Dr.Robotnik and destroy his road blocker base so that He and Tails can continue their adventure.