If you told me that I’d one day be playing a pinball game about a wizard climbing a tower filled with ghosts and monsters, casting magic spells in a Roguelike setting, I’d say you were crazy.
But The Pinball Wizard from developer Frosty Pop Games Inc is exactly as described, a fun blend of RPG and pinball mechanics that will keep you playing for hours — which I did.
Available on the new Apple Arcade subscription service, The Pinball Wizard’s premise is simple: You’re a wizard apprentice on a quest to explore a mysterious tower. You use flippers to bounce your wizard around to hit monsters, and you gain experience to level up and get new skills.
To improve your skills, you have to collect treasures from defeating monsters, who can also damage your wizard (and cause you to die). Like actual pinball, failing to hit the wizard-pinball with your flippers will cause you to slip into the drain and, depending on the level, maybe instant death.
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Dying in the game doesn’t mean it’s over, as you’ll be able to tally up the treasure gained, level up your character, and use your treasure to improve your skills. There appears to be 12 of them in the game, allowing you to do various things, such as casting a magic orb that acts as a secondary ball, or dash in a different direction.
All of your spells require energy, which you recover naturally over time, or you can gain by hitting barrels inside the tower. I’ve only unlocked six skills so far, and can’t wait to find out what the rest do as well.
The Pinball Wizard is tons of fun and a great launch title for Apple Arcade. You’ll easily spend hours in the game, making it perfect for a short flight or your daily commute.
Verdict: Tons of fun!
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