''Pinball Quest'' is a

1989 File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...

pinball video game developed by Tose and published by

Jaleco was a corporate brand name that was used by two previously connected video game developers and publishers based in Japan. The original Jaleco company was founded in 1974 as Japan Leisure Company, founded by Yoshiaki Kanazawa, before being renam ...

. Released for the

Nintendo Entertainment System The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in America ...

, ''Pinball Quest'' was unusual at the time of its release for its "unique" mash-up of pinball and

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...

(RPG) mechanics, and it is considered the "first ever RPG pinball game."

Game play

The game includes four modes: a story-driven "RPG mode" as well as "Circus," "Viva! Golf," and "Pop! Pop!" Circus (a slot machine-themed game) and Viva! Golf (a whack-a-mole-style game) are additional single-player modes. Pop! Pop! is a sports-themed multiplayer mode that can be played by up to 4 players.

RPG mode

In RPG mode, the player controls the silver pinball and progresses through a six-level castle to rescue Princess Bali from Beezelbub, the "Dark Lord of the Machine". As in traditional pinball, flippers are used to keep the ball in the playfield and accomplish objectives, such as hitting targets or defeating an enemy. The role-playing mechanics are very limited. There is just a minimal character development, consisting in developing a single statistic, but no immersive world simulation, no freedom of exploration, and no active dialogue. During game play, the player earns gold which can be spent at the Black Market, a store run by imps. At the Black Market, players can purchase upgraded flippers and stoppers. Below are the six "RPG mode" stages and the notable characters or features in each stage. # Tomb (the Captain's Spirit, skeletons) # Gate (Ziffroo the witch, demon dogs) # Goblins (goblin kids, goblin guards) # River (" toitles," "Wheel O' Luck," dark knights) # Harpy (harpy, demon guards) # Throne room (Beezelbub)

Reception

Retrospective reviews of ''Pinball Quest'' focus on the novelty of its RPG elements. The game has been called a "curious mix of genres", with some reviewers describing it in more extreme terms, stating it is "among the most bizarre genre hybrids in the history of video games" and a "baffling experiment."

Gallery

References

External links

''Pinball Quest''
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''Pinball Quest''
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1989 video games Jaleco games Multiplayer and single-player video games Nintendo Entertainment System games Nintendo Entertainment System-only games Pinball video games Role-playing video games Tose (company) games Video games developed in Japan Video games set in castles {{pinball-videogame-stub