Epic Pinball PC / DOS Game Review - Lazy Game Reviews

[ioctlvoid]

I prefer the original shareware music for the Android table. :-)

[MCHammer2007a]

I have a Disc with Jazz Jackrabbit and then the shareware of this game; I absolutely love it.

[calebchosen29]

Godam, I miss the golden age of PC gaming :(

So many great titles from this era..

[Alevamltd]

The way you feel about "Epic Pinball" is the same way I feel about "Raiden".

[TeamRocketReviews]

I'm playing this on RGB Classic Games right now.

[DyslexicBibliophile2]

god i loved enigma as a kid. played that one for hours and hours.

[diskoman44]

I remember finding an old floppy version of Epic Pinball in my basement when I was like 5 years old. Unfortunately it's now buried in a box somewhere along with all the other dos games that were bundled with my family's old AST Advantage 486. I've been looking for those games ever since. -sigh-

[MetagamingCommunity]

Ah, Epic MegaGames. Good job.

[Pissantloser]

Oh dear god, i remember the shareware of this! Nostalgia ftw

[thewakkydude]

This is on the iPod/iPhone app store called "Retro Pinball". Check it out!

[EmphaticItalic]

Epic Pinball has always been the benchmark for me. No other pinball game compares, but I'm probably just biased because of nostalgia.

[AcidBong]

Loved Epic Pinball!!!!

[Ductos27]

I just found my jewel case Epic Pinball collection last week, when I was cleanin' up the basement. Oddly enough it's missing the Safari table.

[WyattEpp]

If you love pinball, I highly recommend what Zen Studios has been coming out with on the PS3 and 360. Really, fantastic work all around.

Also, how hard is this to find legit these days?

[phreakindee]

@WyattEpp The Zen Studios games have quickly become my favorite modern pinball sims. You're right, they are simply fantastic all-around!

Epic Pinball in its floppy form is *VERY* hard to find nowadays, I've only seen it appear on eBay once in four years looking now. The WizardWorks CD-ROM collection is very easy to find though, and it's got the extra (if annoying) table, African Safari.

[shinobizach89]

I remember playing this on my old Win 98 pc from the expert 250 arcade games cd, it was awesome

[flopo79]

jazz jack rabbit! score!

[kinmanyuen]

before i had a 486... this game did not run on 286 (dos4gw need ems)

thankfully pinball fantasies run on 286 and rocks with sb pro

[tkwtube01]

I have the licensed version of Silverball Plus2, and I have to say that even though it may pale in comparison to Epic Pinball it's actually pretty enjoyable - that is, if you don't mind hearing music only once every time you play (though this is probably a DOS/Windows conflict glitch that is uncommon).

[RandyPhantomHC]

@Phreakindee , watching this video yet again, much memory comes back from the days we had this on our first computer. It wasn't the full all out version of the game, but it along with Descent were on it. I think ours had that space level and the toy factory on it, and other levels needed to be purchased.

Such a long time ago. Such nostalgia! Such fun! Such awesomeness!

I must obtain this game (full version of course.).

[Zestypanda]

Now, I don't know what you think about this theory but. I have a shareware cd that has the shareware version of epic pinball and silver ball in the same folder and they don't make any mention to each other in either of the readme's.

[tombert256]

Wasn't there a game by Sierra that had a Leisure Suit Larry pinball table? I would have sworn that I have that one in my collection somewhere.

[GeorgesVI]

I liked this game a lot when i was a kid

[YamiHoOu]

Oh... my... god... I think I started playing this when I was around 3-4? And I must of had the shareware version as well because I only had Android, Cybergirl and Enigma. Then when I tried to play another one it said that I could get it if blah blah blah... hard to remember that far back. But I too played it for hours at a time too

[austinmackert]

Such a great game, and the soundtrack kicks!

[Ductos27]

Great video. I learned so much about the game from it. Super Android was the first PC game I've ever played in 1993 and still to this day it's my favorite of the collection.

[slashtiger1]

Man, do I LOVE this game (aliong with most of the titles in the genre)! I even have Tristan Pinball back where it belongs. On my DOSBox-enabled Mac. You should review Tristan Pinball once, but please review the original version then. Not the PC port, but either the Mac or maybe even the Amiga version - those are both Way Better. Not to say that Tristan is in the least up to par with Epic Pinball - it's a completely different style... For instance, the table takes ONE screen (no scrolling)...

[rejectofsoul24]

whats ur cap device?

[phreakindee]

@rejectofsoul24 I usually just use a cheap EasyCap USB device, combined with a VGA->S-Video scanline converter or use a PC with video output.

[Rogueofmv]

I remember this! My 3.5" floppy version only came with Pot of Gold. And the sound didn't work on the game with my PC either! Still loads of fun.

[ambis99]

In my opinion, the best pinball game for the PC is World League Pinball.

[shaurz]

I had those big box versions with separate tables in each from a shop which used to be called Book Sale. They were really great games and this review does them justice.

[NESMASTER14]

Wow, I totally forgot about this game until now. Once I saw the Indy Car level, I immediately remembered. Thanks for bringing back old memories!

[getpagesize]

"It feels like it was made with genuine passion" ... YES! YES! That is so well said I could have said it myself! That is EXACTLY the difference between a LOT (not all, but a lot) of how modern games are made compared to old games made by real programmers.

You are completely correct about the physics too, I also love the whole style and atmosphere of Epic Pinball; it is one of those games that define what a true, great DOS PC game is from that era.

[TheChadZomg]

(DOT)oldgames(DOT)sk/en/game/e­pic-pinball/

Don't forget the (W's) at the beginning and you will have the FULL VERSION of epic pinball.

-Pack 1

-Pack 2

-Pack 3

Special Table: African safari!

[TheChadZomg]

Hitting F1 In the Options menu you will aquire 6 balls.

For the full game download, Copy and paste his link to get the full game.

All packs 1 2 and 3

.oldgamesdotsk/en/game/epic-pi­nball

[ufoafterlight]

my favourite pinball game was "Pinball Fantasies" on the Amiga Cd..

what a great game that was

[jackfirestone]

Very nice review. The MicroLeague retail package was as you suspected done first before Epic Pinball. The first 8 tables of Epic Pinball were done during the same time period. Most of the credit goes to James Schmalz. The third pack did come later. Cyborgirl from that package was extremely popular.

[hoques1432]

Coll review, as always!

The first pinball game i Played (and loved as a 5 or 6 year old :D) was something with a 98 in the name i guess, but i don't know, i should search for it. I also like RL Pinball, we always are in France during the holidays, and they had 2 pinball machines back in the day.

These don't exist anymore though...

But i think i'm gonna give Epic Pinball a go! ;D

[Lutanamo]

But of course I understand the fascination with the more 'heavy' and 'deep' games too, it's just that I don't have the energy or brainpower required to enjoy them fully. And I get bored by too slow things easily nowadays - I like to keep things moving, fast, upbeat and energetic..

Adventure games, for example, are very integral part of me.. I must play them every now and then or I'll get widthdrawal symptoms! (Lucasfilm/Lucasarts games, Sierra, Westwood etc.)

[Lutanamo]

Yes, I can understand the fascination with the 'real' pinball machines - in all logic, I -should- be fascinated about them too, as many old electronics and mechanics interest me (down to the oldskool locomotive engines).

Yeah, that youtube-curse of mine can be a tad frustrating - I just feel sorry that it's you that has to suffer from it, now you didn't get all the praise you deserved.

Somehow these days I like 'light' games more than 'heavy' ones..

[Lutanamo]

The best pinball games in my opinion: - Slamtilt (AGA version of course) - Pinball Dreams - Epic Pinball - Pinball Illusions

I completely hate Pinball Fantasies.. I also don't like 'real life' pinball machines, I somehow find them very boring (mechanics vs. pixels, I guess)

[phreakindee]

Those are awesome games for sure, along with Full Tilt and Balls of Steel I'd say those are some of my top pinball games. They aren't "realistic" but man are they fun!

[Lutanamo]

In my opinion realism equals boring. The more realistic a game is, the less there is imagination, cute quirks, beautiful hand-pixelled soul-caressing pixels and in one word - FUN! .. Maybe that's why I don't like 'real-life' pinball games because they are too realistic.. it's somehow more interesting to have algorhytms for the ball movements than boring ol' gravity.. (-8

[Lutanamo]

Actually I think the same about flight simulators - sure, the C64 'Project: Stealth Fighter' was fun although it was so realistic, but I really like Wing Commander more than any 'newtonian flight' space simulator - it's simply more enjoyable, and you can actually focus more on having fun than being impressed by the 'realism' of the overly complicated flight model and so on. Of course some people consider it fun to use 2 hours to get the craft fly in desired direction..

[Extrema22]

Wow, I'm so happy to finally have found a very decent DOS game reviewer! I've played Epic Pinball to death in the 90's. As I was quite young I always hoped to make the android 'come alive', too bad it's not possible as far as I know.

I didn't own any console back in the days, for me it was all about DOS gaming, hopefully some more people will discover these gems now. Looking forward to your other videos, keep up the good work!

[Lutanamo]

I left you like two or three comments.. but I guess youtube was in 'maintenance mode' at that time, so the comments never made it here.. why does this kind of stuff happen to me so often? It's very frustrating.. anyways, I wanted to tell you this is a great review and I can't find any flaws or mistakes this time, and that it's great that you remember these old DOS games which have so much magical excitement about them that the modern games lack.

[mrbitbot]

Good game, but not as good as my favorites Psycho Pinball and Extreme Pinball :)

[phreakindee]

Psycho Pinball is awesome, I especially like The Abyss

[Canckeraep]

Mr.lazy gamer. I was waiting ages for a classic dos review and finally, it's ~ epic pinball no less! Very informative, perfect, I love how almost all my feelings for this game comes from your mouth in this video. I love this game and I am very surprised to see the actual physical game manual and the discs. Great collection, man. You oughta metion something about the 6balls cheat with F1. EP was really hard to master, but one to play forever. Cheers.

[phreakindee]

Thanks for the comments, I'm glad you enjoyed! Always nice to hear from someone who has an affinity for the game somewhere as much as I do, it's such a classic. The disks and manual for this, and Jazz Jackrabbit, are some of my most cherished games in my collection.

I thought about mentioning the 6-ball cheat, but for whatever reason didn't in the end. It is a nice little cheat, especially like how you could find it out by reading all through to the end of the help section of the game!

[Sp00kyFox]

very nice review.

one of my favorite dos games of all, I also love the soundtrack, can't get the main and android theme out of my head ^^

[StrawberryGuy86]

I'd like to see this game get revived on XBLA and PSN. But if they ever do that, then they should consider the following:

1. Make it epic! It can't be Epic Pinball if it's not literally epic!

2. Make the tables more amusing. Not only does the gameplay need to live up to today's standards, but we also don't want it to be too much the same.

3. Improve the new tables. Make them more fun to play

4. Nostalgia, and plenty of it!

And that's my requests for the revival, if it ever happens of course.

[phreakindee]

I'd love to see a revival/remix of the game on the console networks and Steam and such. I don't see why not, Epic's got the cash and Digital Extremes are still doing their thing.

As long as it had a "classic" mode as well, to play the originals. I mean hey, we've got the 21st Century pinball games from Amiga/DOS on PSN as Minis, so why not at LEAST the classic original game?

[StrawberryGuy86]

I totally agree! But the problem is Epic Games claims that they are very busy, even though they've only made 3 different games in recent years and they're all shooters. This is their excuse as to why they haven't rereleased a port of Jazz Jackrabbit yet.

But at least they still haven't given up on good pinball video games in general. These days, we have Pinball Hall of Fame as well as pinball games from Zen Studios and those games are great! But I still think Epic should consider the idea.

[marceloyanez111pt2]

I love pinball too! Best pinball game is the twilight zone machine

[HighTreason610]

A good game and a good review, a game easily recognisable as coming from Epic Megagames. Full Tilt 2 will always be my favorite though.

[fleetwoodsucks]

so true great game

[upyoursize]

This guy really deserves more subscribers than he gets. Very excellent reviews.

[marceloyanez111pt2]

hes my fave on youtube. Him and necrovmx

[tombert256]

I agree. He is the only one who gives proper respect to the earlier PC games.

[phreakindee]

Thanks guys, I certainly appreciate the kind words!

I've been trying posting places like GameTrailers, and got a featured video of the day which was nice, but that's about it. Mostly still relying on word-of-mouth at this point!

[tombert256]

I think as long as you keep at it, you will surely start getting a lot of subscribers quickly. For some reason unbeknownst to me, the early PC games seem to have been forgotten by society, while the console games seem to live on. It's nice to have a reviewer who finally shows some respect to the PC.

[phreakindee]

Thanks for the encouragement, though if it doesn't happen - oh well, what can you do?

That's a huge reason I started reviewing in the first place: so very few seem to look at PC games, without which we would hardly have a console market today!

[Fawltykog]

Great Review!

[onecreativecriminal]

nice vid