''Alien Crush Returns'' is a

WiiWare WiiWare was a digital media entertainment service operated by Nintendo that allowed the download of games and applications developed for the Wii video game console. These games and applications could only be purchased and downloaded from the W ...

pinball Pinball games are a family of games in which a ball is propelled into a specially designed table where it bounces off various obstacles, scoring points either en route or when it comes to rest. Historically the board was studded with nails call ...

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

developed by

Tamsoft is a Japanese video game developer founded in 1992, best known for their work on the ''Battle Arena Toshinden'', '' Onechanbara'' and '' Senran Kagura'' series. Its former president, Toshiaki Ōta, previously worked at Toaplan as one of the si ...

and published by

Hudson Soft was a Japanese video game company known for releasing numerous titles across video game consoles, home computers, and mobile phones. Headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo, it also maintained an office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. F ...

. It is a

sequel A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music, or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...

remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...

to 1988's '' Alien Crush'', and is the fourth installment in the '' Crush Pinball'' series. It was released in Japan on August 26, 2008, in North America on November 3 and in Europe on November 7.

Overview

In comparison to the original game, ''Alien Crush Returns'' features 3D graphics and controls using the

Wii Remote The Wii Remote, colloquially known as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with an ...

and Nunchuk that allow functions such as tilting the table using motion sensing. In addition, the game introduces "Action Balls", pinballs with special attributes that can be used repeatedly during gameplay.

Downloadable content content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can be added for no extra cost or as a form of video game monetization, enabling the publisher to gain ad ...

in the form of extra stages and additional Action Balls could be available as well. The game features a high score-based arcade mode where players can select from three tables, a six-stage story mode with gameplay goals and boss battles, as well as online versus multiplayer and leaderboards.

Reception

''Alien Crush Returns'' received mixed reviews from critics upon release. On

Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...

, the game holds a score of 64/100 based on 5 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...

gave the game a 7.8/10, calling the visual presentation impressive but noting some slight ball physics issues and that overall the game was short, with only three tables out of the box.

Nintendo Life Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British digital media company based in London. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and ot ...

gave the game a score of 8 out of 10 stars, praising the game for being similar to the original game while feeling new at the same time, but also cites the game's short length.

References

External links

Japanese site
{{Crush Pinball video games 2008 video games Crush Pinball Hudson Soft games Multiplayer and single-player video games Pinball video games Science fiction video games Video game remakes Video game sequels Video games developed in Japan Wii games Wii Wi-Fi games Wii-only games WiiWare games