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Balls of Steel GT Interactive So you've got your mega-graphics video card, 3D sound, a 30-inch monitor, the joystick that actually moves the house when you get killed, and a processor that could smoke H.A.L. for breakfast. You've obliterated every nasty in the universe and the underworld, and you're hungry for more. Now, you're ready - for pinball! Yeah, pinball. The analog squares used to ride big, loud machines like indoor Harleys, and now GT Interactive brings you Balls of Steel. Only the people who brought you Duke Nukem could make a pinball game like this, dubbed "pinball on steroids." You get five tables, sometimes five balls per play, and you actually get to kill stuff! Not theoretically, where the lights tell you how much damage you've done, but actually run over stuff with the ball. And if you're in the mood for even more testosterone, you can play the Duke Nukem table. Balls of Steel has a lot to offer fans of real pinball. The sound effects are right on - you can hear the bumpers thumping when you crack that sucker just right. The scrolling feature allows you to follow the ball and see the backgrounds of each table in decent detail. And the ball seems to be weighted perfectly - like a real stand-up, arcade pinball machine. There's even a yellow and black graphics board at the bottom of the screen that shows your score and bonuses as you go along. It's probably as close to the feel of a real table as you can get on your PC. However, the tables themselves leave something to be desired. The Duke Nukem board delivers enemies to be killed and lots of familiar bells and whistles from the original Nukem 3D, but the other four themes just don't have the same appeal. Mutation comes close, a nuclear meltdown narrated by someone who sounds suspiciously like the Simpsons' Mr. Burns. Ultimately, though, there just isn't enough going on. For most of the game, you end up hitting the same four or five bumpers and tricks, wondering when you get to see the cool stuff. It happens eventually, but by then it's usually too little too late. GT Interactive has still gotten enough right for this to be a promising franchise. I'd love to see what they come up with next. -Nick |
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