Addiction Pinball	Team 17
Reviewed: 1998-06-07

- The pinball

Interesting pinball, featuring the unusual number of two tables, one with the rather unique theme - worms - and one with a rally theme. Both tables are based on computer games, Worms on the game with the same name and World Rally Fever also on the game with the same name. The tables are both good and will keep you playing for quite some time.

There is five different table views to choose between: three different 3D views, one scrolling and one tilted non-scrolling, the last is meant for those who can flip their monitor on the side. Screen resolutions go up to 1028*768, resolutions can also be changed in-game. Thrustmasters pinball controller and philips VPC is supported, my keyflip keyboard didn't work good at all with the pinball (oldflip worked, not so fun to play in, newflip was rather useless due to the fact the L key is occupied by a system key). The music is almost excellent and varying from mode to mode and table to table. The worms-hell mode music is pretty atmospheric, not to talk about the blues like 2-ball theme. Sound FX is ok and enlightens the play, not much more.

There is also the possibility to play in Tournament mode, tournament in this case means all random awards during multiplay are fixed so no one playing will have unfair advantages. This setting has no effect in single player mode.

Apart from tournament you can choose difficulty - Low, Medium, High Difficulty. How exactly this affects gameplay I don't know, but to start modes for example becomes easier (less shots needed). I - ofcourse - play in High Difficulty. ;)

The in manual mentioned global high scores function (you can send in your hiscore to the official hiscore www page trough the game) was yet not implemented with my version of the pinball, a patch is promised to become available on the Team17 page. The hiscore list isn't yet available neither.


- The Tables

As I have mentioned both tables are based on games previously released by Team17. The tables are "easy" to get into in the sense you quickly score on something, many things are lit simply by shooting enough ramps, still to get anywhere and reach the wizmode you need to learn a little about the tables. Both tables have nice layouts and no bigger flaws there (apart from beeing somewhat crowded) and ofcourse, what can beat a worms themed table. :)

Worms

Definitively a unique theme if there is any, worms, mean worms, worms with BIG bazookas and ofcourse sheep's... don't bother to look for hidden cows in this table. The table at first glance certainly reminds you of a superpin (= pinball overfilled with lots of things) and it is, there is millions of targets to hit and loops and a few ramps. When beginning to play you pretty easily start a mode, so getting into the table is no problem. Once you have learned that certain loops and ramps awards a Kill and that a certain number of Kills start a mode you can begin to explore all the other things you haven't yet tried more closely. But to first explain the main theme, it is war, you fight and the goal is to dominate the whole known worm-universe by surviving the wizmode Total Wormage.

Reaching the total wormage is a matter of completing modes and collecting awards. Without revealing to much you simply fight your way trough the five different war landscapes completing the different missions in each area. Each landscape is differently themed and thus affects the modes theme. Most modes are though based on shooting ramp/loop combinations but are still varying and I found them enjoying. Apart from winning all battles you have to collect enough weapons to qualify for the Total Wormage. You must also have become a general. As you notice there is a little work behind the theme and you have to figure out the table to be able to complete something in the long run. Just starting one mode isn't hard, but to reach the wormage you need to learn to handle the ball and how to advance.

Apart from all the modes there is lots of funny things. The video mode is absolutely fun, you navigate a little supersheep trough a hazardous landscape avoiding hitting the walls and the ceiling. You can also kill worms by flying into them (!). There is an random award lock hole which among others award the video mode, points and the blast multiball (3-ball multiball). At the middle top of the table is an crate which at random times lights up and contains extra bonuses.

In all you don't feel forced to follow a certain pattern when playing even though you ofcourse have to to earn the big points, the table is enjoying even for short plays since you quickly begin to score. The table layout takes some getting used to but you soon learn all the situations which might lead to a ball loss. So the table is a rather well designed one with an interesting theme which also features varying modes and enough things to shoot at to keep you playing for quite some time. It is fun!

World Rally Fever

Even an total idiot will at first glance understand that this tables is heavily ramp based, which makes sense since the theme is cars and cars travel on roads and ramps look somewhat similar to roads. Anyway without getting to philosophic this table feels very much like an different table compared to Worms (multi-table pinballs tend to have somewhat very similar tables, just look at bos). To begin with the theme you try to win a race and to do so must advance in position and be at a good position in the last lap, the Victory Lap (which is the name of the table wizmode). That sounded a little to advanced, you complete - mostly start - modes to get there.

To describe this table a little simplified, first of all there is ramps everywhere but to pick something more describable there is the shop. Beneath a ramp in the middle of the table is a wall which you shoot a number of times until it is lowered and reveals a lock hole. The lock hole when shot will allow you to choose a wanted award. You can choose to light some modes here.

Since this is a rally themed table you can advance in laps as you play and doing so will start different multiballs and light awards. To advance lap you shoot a ramp with a goal checkered line. This is also an essential part to complete if you wish to reach the wiz mode. Doing combos will at certain stages light modes which allows you to increase gears which is important for the wizmode. As you notice the things you do are all implemented in the chase for the first position after the final lap.

A neat object on the table is the crane in the upper right corner of the table, when the crane is lit you can shoot a ramp which will take the ball to the crane which, using a magnet, will lift up the ball. You can then choose a hole to drop the ball in which will lead to that the mode connected to the hole is started. (wow, revolutionary! you might think) Well it just looks nice. :)

This table isn't quite so obvious how to score in but you will still score easily in the beginning even though you don't understand much since much mode starting is based on shooting certain ramps enough times. I kind a liked the table much for the way you played, even though I would wish for a little variation in how to start important modes. There is though, multiballs, stunt modes and the gear modes which are all activated differently and played out differently. Since you also collect extraballs and have the store to open for smaller scoring modes you still feel varied and most important have fun playing. It just takes some getting into to really like it. Good table in all. The layout if yet to 90% ramp based makes use of the theme and manages to make playing fun.


- The Feeling

The feeling is simply good, not flawless maybe but it is easy to understand lots of work is behind it. It happens you really feel you have total control of the ball and you can give it that extra fast speed or lightly tap it over to the other flipper. Control. The balls movement is quite good as long as it doesn't enter a ramp to fast since it imo seems to speed trough it extremely fast then. Trying to hit certain ramps can often be done by judging the ball speed and when to flip although it sometimes feels as you just keep missing even though you should have hit, which mostly is a sign things are realistic and correct (but usually it is a sign that the feeling is lousy as hell, not the case here).

Tilting works ok. You can change the ball movement enough to satisfy the wanted result in most situations, it is really only when you want to really slamtilt the darn table you will feel something is missing since it is quite hard to get the ball to really "fly away", saving a sidelane drain is impossible (nearly at least, I haven't managed to be even satisfyingly near a save). Still overall you often use the tilt and when familiar with how to use it you... use it.

Apart from some speed problems and the losses in tilt there is nothing to really complain about in the feeling. No stupid lame repeatability problems, drain problems, move problems (well it is not perfect...). It still rates high and I doubt there will be any disappointed thoughts on your mind when you launch the ball the first time and catch the ball on the left flipper.


- The Whole

A fun, addictive (hehe), pinball with an amount of humor (at least the worms table). The tables are likely to attract beginners just as much as more addicted (hehe, again) players because of the well out worked themes and layout. It is challenging (ofcourse you play on the hardest setting) and I doubt you will feel bored playing this pinball. Things that point to its advantage is ofcourse the themes which at least the Worms table will attract attention from worms fans, the fact it has realistic feeling which makes the pinball definitively class as a simulation and the fact I can't think of any middle-class pinball I wish to compare with it. And ofcourse for is that Bjorn Lynne made the music score! Against is the defects in the feeling which I like to point out since the feeling mainly is good (why else point them out) and well the pinball just don't rank up against the likes of timeshock! though I'd like to say it comes near the web. A pinball I recommend, it is fun! :)

Platform: IBM PC Pentium 75MHz and most compatibles or faster
Operating System: Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 (service pack 3)
Minimum is 2X CD-ROM or better, 16Mb RAM, SVGA, 1Mb Video Card, 20Mb Hard Drive Space, DirectX 5 compatible sound and video card drivers.
Recommended is Pentium 120 or better, 32Mb RAM, 2Mb Video Card
Supported is Thrustmaster Flippers, Philips Virtual Pinball peripherals, any 16-bit DirectX 5 compatible sound card.

Also available for: PSX

World Rally Fever

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