Pinball 3D-VCR (in the United States known as Total Pinball 3D)is a modified version of Pinball Mania from 1995, which offers a new look at the tables well known from the original.
The title of the game is misleading because it doesn’t really use 3D graphics. All tables are observed in isometric projection with the camera still suspended – so here we are dealing with a two-dimensional visual setting, giving only an illusion of three-dimensionality. Thanks to this solution, the boards are graphically richer, but also more illegible – especially the upper part of each machine, which for obvious reasons loses detail.
Although the program offers four tables (Tarantula, Jailbreak, Kick Off and Jackpot), well known from the game Pinball Mania, every veteran of that title is forced to laboriously learn to operate from scratch. Pseudo-three-dimensional boards require a slightly different approach to gameplay, this mainly concerns the technique of making precise hits on specific targets (ramps, holes, buttons, etc.). The fun is very fast, and thus, much more difficult than it was in the original. The fact that you can’t see much at the top of each table doesn’t make things any easier – so knowing the location of bonuses is very advisable here. Fortunately, Pinball 3D-VCR allows you to run the boards in the classic two-dimensional view and in higher screen resolutions (maximum 800×600).
The program is very extensive in terms of the included options, it also has a special module that allows you to test the Multiball mode on each table (up to ten balls at the same time). Experienced players will surely appreciate the possibility of registering a session with the possibility of its later playback and a very rich statistics module, which saves almost all actions during the game and gives them in a condensed form.
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